Why white fletchings?

[youngbowyer]

When one thinks of or makes a medieval arrow one usually thinks of white fletchings. Most people on the forum that post pics of arrows have fletchings that are white but why? in poems and documents you often hear,"the grey goose of england" or "the grey goose fletchings" etc... So wouldn't an arrow with grey goose feathers be more accurate?

Tom.

[Loki]

Goose feathers are not commercially available so we use Turkey feathers,if you want to use Goose you have to collect them yourself from the molting birds.Same goes for Swan feathers,you can use them if your prepared to do the work .
Turkey feathers come in all colours,i've used Brown,Green,Black and white for my arrows.

[Scowler]

Perhaps it is because that white fletchings are easier to see when they are in the target.  White fletchings are easy to see when/if you have to look for arrows in the grass.  Not so easy to see in the snow, however. 

[Rhinegold]

When one thinks of or makes a medieval arrow one usually thinks of white fletchings. Most people on the forum that post pics of arrows have fletchings that are white but why? in poems and documents you often hear,"the grey goose of england" or "the grey goose fletchings" etc... So wouldn't an arrow with grey goose feathers be more accurate?

I know why I'd prefer white feathers...they are cheaper.

From Hugh Soar's book:

England were but a fling
But for the crooked stick and the gray goose wing

[Rod]

In contemporaneous illustrations the fletches shown on livery shafts are usually white.

This is also the predominant colour of the domesticated goose from which feathers were taken.
It was the custom before the advent of the railways to tar the feet of flocks of geese and drive them slowly to market over quite long distances.

It would be interesting to trace the genesis of the "gray goose wing" which as far as I am aware seems to owe it's use to the romantic literature of a later period.

Rod.

[Stonedog]

White feathers on a forest floor covered in leaves are seen very well......but that is a modern explanation!

Also....not sooooo good in the snow!

[anglobow]

Domestic ganders have white feathers, females are gray. I have found a commercial source for them here in the US, but PA policy prevents me from posting a non-sponsor link.

[Pat B]

...but you can have members send you a PM for more information!

[bow-toxo]

When one thinks of or makes a medieval arrow one usually thinks of white fletchings. Most people on the forum that post pics of arrows have fletchings that are white but why? in poems and documents you often hear,"the grey goose of england" or "the grey goose fletchings" etc... So wouldn't an arrow with grey goose feathers be more accurate?

Tom.

 As others have mentioned, domestic geese are and were grey but the ganders were white. Nearly all manuscript illustrations show white, sometimes partially dyed, fletching. I haven't seen any grey fletching pictured but Edward lll, at the beginning of the Hundred Years War, oredered that the first three wing feathers for fletching be plucked from every goose in England. Lots of grey ones of course. In Ascham's time, he suggested fletching of black or grey as an aid in nocking. I assume that the other feathers were white. White swan feathers were also used. I suppose visibility was a factor. There was not always a 'marker' to signal the position of an arrow in the butt.[no pun intended].

[youngbowyer]

thanks for the information!

[Aries]

because white feathers are sexy

[Rod]

Looking at local goose farmers, it's the ganders that are raised for the meat. Their fields are full of white birds, but when asked about feathers the response was that the process is automated and the feathers ruined and that it would not be economically viable to save feathers.

Rod.

[mullet]

 Here in the States I prefer white fletching for hunting. It helps to know if you got a good shot placement in the animal.