When bow hunting sometimes a shot will not make for a clean kill and the prey bolts, or the hunter may miss entirely wasting a perfectly reusable arrow.
A good hunter doesn't leave an animal to suffer and will track the prey for miles, even days if necessary.

I propose a fletching system which would release colored smoke for a time once released from a bow, so that either the prey or the buried arrow are easily found.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Nov 29 2013

How about arrows with RFID tags designed to take power from a hand-held radio beam, and chirp (either audibly or in RF or maybe even both)?
-- Vernon, Nov 30 2013


I agree - radio-trackable arrows would make a lot more sense.

However, a [+] for combining two beautiful and under-used words in the title.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 30 2013


While I agree that radio tracking would be more effective, that seems somewhat counter to the old-technology charm of bow hunting. Then again, a lot of the bows used for hunting aren't really old-technology either.
-- scad mientist, Dec 01 2013


I dunno, [scad]. I reckon electromagnetic waves were around before coloured smoke.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 01 2013


The easiest solution would be to make the arrowhead from depleted uranium. Not only would this poison the wound but you could potentially triangulate with a geiger counter.
-- mitxela, Dec 01 2013


a small flashing IR led might be useful here.
-- bs0u0155, Dec 03 2013


Radio-trackable arrows are baked. As far as I know there aren't any off-the-shelf models available, but bowhunting catalogs sell DIY kits with RFID inserts that go inside the shaft. You can also get nocks with flashing LED beacons that activate on release.

I like this idea better. [+]
-- Alterother, Dec 03 2013


// You can also get nocks with flashing LED beacons that activate on release// But IR leds would be visible on a cheap and nasty camera, and the deer would be oblivious, unless deer can see IR? I have no eye deer.
-- bs0u0155, Dec 03 2013


Deer can't see IR. Their visible spectrum is surprisingly limited, but it's a trade-off for great night vision, incredible motion sensitivity, and a 280-degree field of view.
-- Alterother, Dec 03 2013



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