How Many Arrows Should You Take Bowhunting?

How many arrows should I take hunting? There is no rule and no official number. Bow-mounted hunting quivers from major makers often hold four or five arrows: Bohning's Bruin and Lynx quivers both hold four, and Black Gold's TightSpot range lists four- and five-arrow models. A practical approach is to fill the quiver with matched, tuned arrows and keep a few spares back at the truck or in your pack.

Typical quiver capacity

A common way to carry hunting arrows is a quiver that clips onto the bow, so the arrows go wherever the bow goes. Maker figures give a good idea of how much room that is.

Bohning describes its Bruin as a "dual-retainer, four arrow" quiver that takes any hunting arrow diameter, with a sound-dampening hood liner, and lists its weight as 8 ounces. Its Lynx is also a four-arrow quiver, listed at 6 ounces. Black Gold's current TightSpot lineup lists an arrow capacity of 4 for the Airlock and 5 for the Rise, 5-Arrow, ShiftLock and Pivot 2.5.

Hip quivers such as the Easton Flipside are built for the range, with arrows separated into tubes on your belt. Our Easton Flipside review covers that style; for hunting, a quiver on the bow keeps broadheads covered and arrows to hand.

Day hunt vs backcountry

How many you carry depends on the hunt more than on any rule. The table below is our practical reasoning, not a published standard.

Choosing between a stand and a blind? Our tree stand vs ground blind comparison weighs them up.

Spare field points for stump shooting

Some hunters carry one arrow fitted with a field point or Judo point for a practice shot at a stump or clump of grass during the day. It keeps your form honest and costs little. If you do, mark it clearly so you never nock it by mistake when an animal appears, and check your state's rules on what you may carry and shoot while hunting.

Arrow inspection before and during the season

The number matters less than the condition of each arrow. Before the season, shoot every hunting arrow with its broadhead fitted and number them, so you know which ones fly true. Check that nocks are seated and undamaged, fletching is secure, and broadheads are sharp and tight.

Carbon arrows can crack after hitting something hard. Our carbon vs aluminium arrows comparison explains how to flex a shaft gently and feel for splinters, and why a damaged carbon arrow should be destroyed rather than shot. A matched set of sound shafts (our Gold Tip Hunter XT review covers one example) is worth more than a pile of mismatched spares.

If you need a quiver or a way to store spares, you can browse five-arrow bow quivers or hunting arrow tubes and cases on Amazon. Treat any listing as an example to consider.

Frequently asked questions

How many arrows should I take hunting?

There's no rule. Most bow quivers hold four or five, and filling yours with tuned, numbered arrows works for most day hunts. Keep spares in a protected tube in the vehicle, or in your pack on longer trips. For backcountry hunts, add spare broadheads or blades because you can't easily resupply.

How many arrows does a bow quiver hold?

It depends on the model. Bohning's Bruin and Lynx hunting quivers each hold four arrows, and Black Gold's TightSpot range lists models holding four or five. Check the maker's listed capacity and whether the quiver takes your arrow diameter and broadhead style before you buy.

Should I carry a practice arrow when hunting?

Some hunters carry one arrow with a field point or Judo point for a stump shot during the day. If you do, mark it clearly so you can't confuse it with a broadhead arrow, and check your state's hunting regulations about what you may carry and shoot in the field.