How Many Arrows Fit In A Quiver?

When you are going out on a hunting mission or taking part in an archery competition, you will likely need several arrows – they might break, you might wish to shoot groups, or you might lose some. For this reason, archers for thousands of years have taken more than just a single arrow out with them – could you imagine!

Modern archery is aided through some excellent pieces of equipment, and while the quiver is by no means a new invention, the modern offerings are convenient and very well made.

But the type of quiver that you use and even the type of arrows can have an effect on how many arrows fit in a quiver and in this article, we are going to be looking at this in a little more detail and letting you know how many arrows you can expect to be able to take with you.

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What Is A Quiver?

A quiver is a special container that is used to store arrows when out on an archery mission. Quivers were invented many thousands of years ago. Early humans developed archery as a way to hunt, and its effectiveness has undoubtedly stood the test of time, but these people needed a way to transport their arrows that was convenient and didn’t get in the way.

Back then, a quiver would have been constructed from natural materials such as animal skin or fur and some were even crafted from wood.

However, modern quivers are usually manufactured from either plastic or metal although there are some variations on this.

How Many Arrows Fit In A Quiver

Way back in medieval times, it was not uncommon for archers to carry multiple quivers and this was especially true if they were going to battle, with some pro archers taking as many as three quivers each.

Inside each of these would be a total of around sixty arrows – we guess that would be pretty fitting when fighting a battle. Still, when taking part in a competition or doing some personal hunting, you may not need this many and handling too much equipment will only weigh you down.

In modern times, the average number of arrows carried in a quiver is ten, but many archers will also have further spares in other places such as a bow case or a pack. In competitive archery, people do not leave anything to chance and will often take twice as many arrows than they need in order to be prepared for every eventuality. Furthermore, they may take along spare parts for the arrow, including fletchings and nocks.

The Diffrent Types Of Quivers

The number of arrows that will typically fit inside a quiver will vary greatly. This is not a question that can be given a definitive answer. Hence, it is essential to look at the different types of quiver as this will allow us to determine more easily how many arrows you will be able to carry.

Belt Quiver

A belt quiver, as its name may suggest is attached to your belt, and this means that it is in one of the most convenient locations. These quivers do not interfere with your posture, which is terribly important in archery as being out by millimetres can have a drastic effect on your accuracy.

They are usually a cylinder, but some designs are flat, and their placement means that you are easily able to access the arrows without moving around too much. Furthermore, they are relatively lightweight and will not weigh you down like some of the larger pieces of equipment out there.

They are ideally suited to those who take part in target archery tournaments due to their size and can hold up to 12 arrows.

Back Quiver

While the belt quiver may be the most common type, the back quiver certainly has its advantages. Once again, the name kind of gives the game away and these quivers sit on the back and feature leather straps to hold them around your body.

Anyone who is unfamiliar with archery and was asked to think of a quiver would likely picture a back quiver since these are regularly depicted in the media such as in movies like Lord of the Rings. There is a good reason for this as they are a far more traditional design and as such, are often the go-to style for those who prefer to engage in a conventional practice.

They are ideal for things like 3D archery since they are carried on the back and will not interfere with visibility or shooting. They are also better for making your way through rough terrain and will not interfere with your balance.

While these quivers look great, they may be slightly less practical since you cannot see how many arrows are left and you must reach up and over to take an arrow out which can take some getting used to. They are also slightly heavier, and this can be a problem if you are lacking in strength.

However, with the ability to hold up to 24 arrows, these are certainly nothing if not practical.

Field Quiver

The field quiver is very similar in nature to the belt quiver, which you may sometimes hear being referred to as a side quiver, but these are essentially the same thing. However, the critical difference with the field quiver is the way the arrows are positioned inside it.

With the belt quiver, your arrows will remain facing forward. Conversely, the field quiver has the arrows facing backwards.

This is much safer than the belt quiver because there is far less chance of an injury occurring when removing the arrows and it will not be in the way as much.

Archers are able to carry as many as 12 arrows in this type of quiver, which is more than enough for a regular hunting mission or a competitive event.

Bow Quiver

As you might imagine, the bow quiver attaches directly to your bow, and this means that you will not need to carry two separate pieces of equipment which is ideal if you are in a tournament as the extra weight could serve as a distraction.

The quiver attaches to the limb of the bow and is, therefore, better used with a compound bow rather than a recurve bow.

One of the significant drawbacks of this type of quiver is that the number of arrows you can store in it is far more limited than other types. You can only carry six arrows at once in a bow quiver.

Ground Quiver

Finally, the ground quiver is used when you do not need to move around; they were quite frequently used in medieval battle when the archers would remain in a citadel and in modern times they are ideal for stationary tournaments.

Your ground quiver will feature a long stake that fits into the ground and a small ring at the top where the arrows will be located, making it convenient and quick to take them out.

How Many Arrows Do I Need In My Quiver

Despite each of the different types of quiver being able to hold differing numbers of arrows, the amount you might need will also vary. There is very little point in weighing yourself down with 24 arrows when you would have had more than enough with just ten.

For hobby archers who tend to only shoot at a range, then there really isn’t any need to equip yourself with any arrows at all as these will be provided for you at the range.

What’s more, if you are spending a lot of time with target practice out in the field, you may want to take a larger number of arrows to save having to keep retrieving them.

In contrast, if you are hunting animals, you might make use of just three arrows in any one trip, specifically if you are hunting deer. Furthermore, there are different types of arrows, each being suitable for hunting other species; what you use for a deer will be different from what you use when hunting rabbits, for example. Small game requires a specifically designed arrow, and the types of head found on these will impact the flight of the arrow.

Finally, the number of arrows you will take will depend on your own preference. More confident archers might take the minimal amount, whereas those who are just starting out might feel a little more comfortable having a number of back-up arrows.

Conclusion

A quiver is an essential accessory for archers and is a container in which their arrows can be placed. In days gone by, our ancestors would have fashioned these items from leather, animal fur and even wood but the more modern offerings tend to be made from either metal or plastic.

Aside from the material, quivers also come in different forms, and this is primarily related to how you wear them; most commonly, they would be worn on the back or the belt. However, there are also static quivers for use when you are not moving around.

The number of arrows in each quiver depends on several factors, including what type of quiver you are using and the type of archery you are taking part in.