There are a lot of options when it comes to transporting arrows, but few are in keeping with primitive archery like making your own quiver. If you read our posts on quick survival bows and making your own arrows, then this will help you to round out your traditional archery tackle.
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Bark Tube Quivers**
Cut a section of tree branch or a sapling trunk a little over 2 feet long and a little under 6 inches in diameter, then chisel the bark off this wood billet in one continuous sheet. You’ll need to keep the bark in a tube shape as it dries. Wrap it around a dead, dry stick or a bundle of sticks that is the same diameter as the log that the bark was growing on.
Wrap it tightly with cord and let it dry for a week or two. Once it’s dry, glue, nail, or stitch some kind of bottom to the bark tube. This is one of the easiest quivers that can be made from materials that are literally everywhere. Try the bark from tulip poplar, paw paw, basswood, aspen, or any other tree that was traditionally peeled for bark containers in your area.
Hollow Branch Quivers
This is harder to find than a piece of bark, but if you run across a hollow tree branch or sapling trunk–and you can install some kind of bottom in the tube–then you have a practical and durable arrow quiver. Hardwoods are your best choice, but use whatever you can find.
Basket Quivers
If you know how to weave wicker basketry, then you can try your hand at weaving a quiver. Make sure you weave the bottom extra tight so that the arrows never have a chance of sliding through. Wisteria is a great vine to use for wicker work, and even that horrible invasive kudzu can be useful when woven into basketry.
One of the best things about homemade quivers is their appearance. Nothing is more camouflaged against the forest background like a piece of bark from that forest. And it doesn’t hurt that it smells right too. I hope you all are practicing for a safe and enjoyable archery season. Good luck on your hunts this fall.
