I was in Kansas with legendary waterfowl hunter and competition caller, John Vaca. What many people don’t know about John is that deer hunting may trump his feet-down obsession. John has prime whitetail habitat to hunt, and I was his guest.
The night before the hunt, Vaca and I were sending carbon downrange, dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s. Both of us were shooting great. Talk was of family, work, and the morning hunt. Then, Vaca turned to me, opened his hand, and said, “Pull your nock and put this thing in there.”
It was a lighted nock. I couldn’t tell the brand. I knew what lighted nocks were, but I’ve always been paranoid about adding things—especially to the backend—of my arrow setup.
“You’re going to shoot your buck between 10 and 40 yards,” John said as he examined the concerned look on my face. “You may hit an inch low at 40 yards, but at 20 and 30 yards, you’re not going to notice a difference. Let’s just make sure your arrow is still flying straight with that new nock in there.”
Minutes later, I sent my first lighted nock—green in color—from 40 yards. John was right. I hit an inch low, but my arrow flight remained excellent. Plus, it was cool to see my arrow streak downrange. I kept that lighted nock and that evening, threaded a broadhead into the arrow it was inserted into.
Why Shoot A Lighted Nock
Lighted nocks come in all sizes and colors. From standard diameter down to those that fit 4mm micro-diameter arrows and everything in between. On average, a lighted nock adds between 19 and 25 grains to the backend of your arrow. As Vaca mentioned, archers won’t notice much (if any) arrow impact difference to 30 yards, but beyond 30, the heavier arrow weight will be apparent. The further you move back from a target, the lower the impact a lightened nock arrow will be from your standard nock arrow.
The reason many bowhunters shoot a lighted nock is the visibility the nock provides. Most lighted nocks ignite from the impact of the bow string as it drives the arrow forward, allowing you to see the arrow streak downrange. This is especially true in low-light conditions. A lighted nock will tell you exactly where you impacted an animal, making your arrow easier to recover after passing through or when confirming a miss. Lighted nocks are also excellent for detecting slight vertical and horizontal nock travel. Most modern-day nocks are reliable, don’t hinder arrow accuracy, provide easy on/off, and ensure (depending on make and model) between 20 and 50 hours of continuous use.
Back To The Lighted Nock Deer Hunt
The morning hunt was uneventful, but as the western sky drained the evening’s light, an old shooter buck appeared on the field edge. A grunt put the buck in front of me at 25 yards. When I dropped the string, the on-alert buck whirled. I knew he was hit but wasn’t sure where. As he fled, I saw the green lighted nock fly into the air and land in the alfalfa field.
When shooting a lighted nock, you typically know exactly where your arrow impacts. When I dropped the string, I had exactly three minutes of legal shooting light remaining. Looking back, it was, even at 25 yards, an irresponsible shot. Just because it was legal didn’t make it super ethical. Still, I was young, new to whitetail hunting, and I freaked out.
I could see the green nock glowing in the alfalfa field from the stand. When I walked up on it, the nock was still connected to the arrow, but only the vanes and about three inches of the carbon shaft remained. My headlamp showed frothy blood all over the alfalfa. I’d hit the opposite shoulder, the arrow broke, and the backend flew out. Had it not been for that glowing nock, I would have had no clue where to start looking for blood in that 200-acre field.
The Disadvantages of a Lighted Nock
I don’t always shoot lighted nocks. When hunting from a treestand for whitetails, hogs, bears, and when trying to call a bull elk close, I use a lighted nock. I know my shots will be close. When I’m spot-and-stalk hunting for mule deer, pronghorn, sheep, etc., I don’t use a lighted nock.
That decision is a personal one. When hunting from a treestand or when calling elk, 95 percent of my shots are inside of 40 yards. When spot-and-stalk hunting, most shots are between 50 and 70 yards. Lighted nocks add backend arrow weight, which slows the arrow. Plus, I’ve noticed with some models, the nock impacts flight dynamics beyond 50 yards. It typically isn’t much, but enough to make me sideline lighted nocks when spot-and-stalk hunting.
Lighted nocks are also an added expense. Carbon arrows come with standard nocks. If you purchase lighted nocks, you’re looking at spending between $20 and $35 for a three-pack. If you add lighted nocks to a dozen hunting arrows, your investment is north of $200, and you’ll want a few lighted nocks to use for practice.
Ultimately, lighted nocks are an excellent tool. I do recommend them in some instances, and they are now legal for archery hunting in all 50 states.
Here are some of the best lighted nocks going right now.
Nockturnal Shift Nock
Shop lowest price found at Sportsman’s Warehouse
Nockturnal makes excellent lighted nocks, and if it weren’t for the extra $5 or so per two-pack, the Shift would be my go-to. At $29.99 per two, these nocks are priced high, but they fly like darts. The polycarbonate construction makes them bulletproof, and the nocks are also water and shockproof. I also appreciate the Red/Green Strobing option. The nock looks like the lights on the Vegas Strip; you can’t miss it. Nockturnal also offers the Shift in Red and Green. To distinguish the nock, slide the external on/off switch.
Designed to fit X, H, S, and GT arrows, the Shift comes with bushings to ensure any three-pack will fit .233″, .246″, .244″, and .204″ inside-diameter shafts. This simplifies the buying process.
Each Nockturnal Shift Nock weighs 25 grains and delivers 20 hours of lithium-powered battery life. Like LIT, Nockturnal is low-balling the battery life. I shot three arrows with Shift Nocks into a Block target and left them. Sixty hours later, two of the nocks still had a slight glow.
Though pricy, Nockturnal’s Shift Nocks are one of the most accurate lighted nocks I have ever tested, and they are incredibly bright.
Pros
- Ultra-bright
- Durable
- Super accurate
- Easy on/off
- Come with collars
Cons
- The price
Lumenock Lighted Arrow Nock
The actual OG of lighted arrow nock design, Burt Coyote Lumenock paved the path that most all other lighted nock makers followed.
Lumenock offers lighted nocks for all arrow sizes and owns the brightness department. You won’t find a brighter lighted nock than the Lumenock. All Lumenocks have a replaceable battery and weigh between 20 and 24 grains, depending on the nock size.
Lumenocks are expensive. A three-pack will cost you $34.95, but the nocks are German-tank tough and come in colors of Green, Orange, and Pink. I love the Orange. You won’t find a brighter nock color, and, aside from Lumenocks built for 4mm diameter arrows, these nocks are the most accurate nocks on the market. Most models will surpass 40 hours of continuous run illumination.
While Lumenocks aren’t overly complicated to extinguish, I do recommend purchasing the Lumenock Extinguisher and Arrow Puller tool. This dual-purpose tool allows you to place the extinguisher over the nock, wiggle the tool back and forth, and the nock turns off. You can also grip the nock with your hands and wiggle it back and forth.
Pros
- Vibrant
- Long battery life
- Durable
- Hyper accurate
Cons
- Price
- Doesn’t work well with ultra-micro-diameter arrows
DoubleTake Archery Halo Nock
DoubleTake Archery makes impressive lighted nocks, and I’m quickly becoming a big fan. What I love most about Halo Nocks is that you don’t ever get an accidental “on.” You can push the nock into the string as hard as you want, and it won’t turn on until it leaves the string. There’s nothing worse than loading an arrow on your string and having it come on during periods of low light or drawing your bow and having the nock come on. Animals do pick up on this. This nock will never turn on until it leaves the bow string.
I’ve also discovered that Halo Lighted Nocks seat tightly to the shaft, which helps eliminate the nock pulling out slightly. I have had this happen with other lighted nocks. It’s not a super-serious thing, but it does result in a mini-dry fire—the arrow can’t absorb all the bow’s energy—and you get wonky arrow flight.
I’m a micro-diameter arrow guy and concerning arrows with inside diameters of .165″ and .166″, Halo owns the market. Available in Red, Green, Blue, and Pink, these nocks are bright, come in packs of three for $34.99, and have a hidden on/off button that’s super-simple to operate. The no-fail internal parts mean the nocks will always glow, battery life is impressive, and regarding downrange accuracy and performance with micro-diameter arrows, Halos are the very best. Halo Nocks weigh 21 grains without the adaptors.
Pros
- Bright
- Work excellently in micro-diameter shafts
- Durable
- Superior fit
Cons
- Price
LIT Lighted Arrow Nocks
Shop Lowest Price at FlexFetch.com
Available for every arrow diameter, LIT nocks are my current go-to lighted arrow nock. A three-pack runs you $19.99, and though the weight at 25 grains is a tad heavier than most lighted nocks, LIT nocks fly remarkably well.
I’m not a techy guy, and I don’t want to have to carry an extra tool or go through some annoying process to turn a lighted nock off. LIT nocks come with an external (black) on/off switch. Over two years of testing, I’ve never had a LIT lighted nock not illuminate, and LIT doesn’t give its battery life enough credit. LIT notes battery life to be 48 hours. These nocks will still be glowing at 55 hours. Impressive!
The auto nock activates as the arrow disengages from the string, and LIT offers nock colors of red, blue, green, yellow, and multi-color.
Pros
- Accurate
- Long battery life
- Cost effective
- Durable
Cons
- Not as bright as other brands
Final Thoughts
Whether you opt to use a lighted nock or not is up to you. Lighted nocks do have many benefits, and today’s lighted nocks are brighter, more durable, and have longer battery life than ever before.
You will need to test your bow/arrow setup before adding a lighted nock and going hunting. Lighted nocks do add weight to the arrow, alter FOC, and, depending on the make/model of the nock and your bow’s tune, change arrow flight dynamics. If you plan to hunt with a lighted nock, it’s imperative to tune your bow/arrow combo with the lighted nocks inserted into your arrows. Switching from a standard nock to a lighted nock can alter the tune.
You may not notice the arrow tune change until you shoot at an animal beyond 40 yards. When I use lighted nocks, I practice with them to 100 yards to confirm any flight issues. You don’t want to find out that your lighted nock is causing downrange flight issues when you settle your pin on the buck of a lifetime and your arrow and broadhead combo doesn’t hit home.
FAQs
How much do lighted arrow nocks cost?
Most lighted arrow nocks cost between $20 and $35 for a three-pack.
Do I need to use a lighted nock for whitetails?
No, you don’t. However, lighted nocks do boost arrow visibility. This is especially true in fading light and in dark-timber settings where the forest canopy reduces the amount of light. It’s incredible to know where you hit an animal. This allows you to make a good decision about when to follow the blood trail. Plus, with a lighted nock, you typically find your arrow.
How do I know what size lighted nock will fit my arrow?
Most lighted nock makers include nock-to-arrow sizing guides on their website. However, all you need to know is the internal diameter of your arrow. If you know the internal diameter of your arrow, you can easily select the proper lighted nock size.
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