Lighted nocks

[bobow]

I did a search for nocks, & lighted nocks and did not find anything so I hope this is the place to ask.

Does anyone use lighted nocks? Pros/cons and brands you like or dislike?

Do you think you have an advantage using them when tracking your shots? I would assume they help aid in recovery of your arrow in many cases when hunting from the ground?

Thanks for any input.

[Wanderer]

I use Easton Tracer Nocks. They have a magnetic switch and will run for about 90 hours on a battery. I love them. If I didn't have them, I would have at least three fewer arrows in the quiver. My two misses in the last three years would have been lost in the tall swampgrass. I also tried LumiNocks but I couldn't get mine to go on consistently. Luminocks have a mechanical switch and go on when the force of the bow drives the nock fully against the arrow shaft. I suppose that my arrows could have tops that aren't perfectly square or a shaft ID that's a little tight, I don't know. I gave my LumiNocks to a buddy who has no problems at all with getting them to light up.See if any local archers will let you borrow one of whatever they have and try it on your setup. I'm sure they all work as advertised.

[charlie 01]

Cabela's & Bass Pro list them in their catalogs. I was given one but never used it, don't know why, but they seem like they would or could be useful. They are somewhat pricey for me. A friend of mine uses them. I do not know what brand his are but he told me there has been times when they have failed to light.

[bobow]

I use Easton Tracer Nocks. They have a magnetic switch and will run for about 90 hours on a battery. I love them. If I didn't have them, I would have at least three fewer arrows in the quiver. My two misses in the last three years would have been lost in the tall swampgrass. I also tried LumiNocks but I couldn't get mine to go on consistently. Luminocks have a mechanical switch and go on when the force of the bow drives the nock fully against the arrow shaft. I suppose that my arrows could have tops that aren't perfectly square or a shaft ID that's a little tight, I don't know. I gave my LumiNocks to a buddy who has no problems at all with getting them to light up.See if any local archers will let you borrow one of whatever they have and try it on your setup. I'm sure they all work as advertised.

Three seasons ago when I got my one and only bow kill I was using the Easton Tracer Nocks. I lost that one arrow because it was not a pass through and it broke off or came out somewhere on the run in tall grass. I went back that night to trace the path but never did find it.

Another issue I had was them turning themselves on in the quiver, mostly when I brushed up against something such as brush or walking through corn. When I tried them the next year I got 4 more & only 2 would activate. They were good about replacing them (Cabelas I think) but I still had trouble with them.

I have never tried Luminocks but I have read reviews on them and some work fine, others would have problems so maybe the arrow is the issue or something.

I have been looking around and found Firenocks: http://www.firenock.com/ & Nocturnal Lighted Nocks http://www.doubletakearchery.com/nockturnal.htm

I like the Firenocks that are made in Henry, IL but they are pricey, but the batteries are apparently easy to replace.

The Nocturnal nocks are a simple & supposedly lightweight design (less than 20 gr?) with a self life of 1.5 years.

Anybody have any experience with either of those two brands?

[scottflesher]

I use lighted nocks and they are pretty neat. Completely not necessary, but neat none the less. I know they do help when you find your arrow, so that's a plus.

[pgchambers]

Last season I stuck my arrow with the lighted knock turned on in the ground at the start of my blood trail. I left and came back after several hours and easily picked up the trail. Was it necessary? Not a chance, but it was useful just the same. Just before dark seems to be a given for me, so the lighted knocks help me recover arrows as well. I can't tell you you need them, you don't, but I find them useful enough to justify the cost.

[mhouck06]

I have used the luminocks, easton tracers and nocturnals.. Ive had the best results by far with the nocturnals. Simple to use and very reliable.

[cmarberg18]

Used the Nockturnals last year. Seemed like a great idea with the switch to manually reset but found that after a few resets the lights magically came on by themselves in my quiver. Bought the green ones and the light isnt as bright as a Lumenock. After I fired at a doe on the first day of PA archery I could not see the arrow on the ground until i was rite on top of it. Now as far as the Lumenock's go, they are a little bit more expensive and "harder" to use, but the brightness of them is unmatched by the Nockturnal. Once you figure out how to position the Lumenock, the hard part is taken out of it. Both have their good points and bad, but personally I recommend the Lumenock. Now for those who say I may have had a bad batch, friend of mine bought his at the same time and reported the exact same problems. However they did stay lit for an extended period of time...too bad they were in a quiver and not stuck in the ground after a shot.

[Deebz]

If you find the cost of lighted nocks too much to bear, do a youtube search for "making lighted nocks". you should get a slew of videos from guys showing you how to take regular nocks and turn them into lighted nocks using a Thill bobber light. You need access to some tools, and it's not very easy to do at first, but I did manage to make a couple of nocks that lit up when I shot them. I don't use them when I'm hunting because they didn't hold up very long. Plus they were pretty sloppy. I guess if I spent some more time and made sure I had better quality materials they'd probably be better.

[ChasePhase]

I have been making my own for a couple of years. Nothing like shooting a buck just before evening and watching your nock light up like a beacon of success.