How to Choose a Bow Quiver for Hunting? | Fit, Weight & Silence

Choosing a bow quiver for hunting comes down to bow fit, arrow capacity, and quiet arrow security.

Buying a quiver for your hunting bow is a decision about balance, noise, and fit, not just arrow count. The most common mistake is picking a model by capacity alone and discovering it rattles on the riser or doesn’t suit your arrows. The core question of how to choose a bow quiver for hunting is matching the quiver’s mount, weight, and arrow retention to your specific setup.

What To Check Before Buying A Bow Quiver

A quiver must first fit your bow, so research compatibility before you look at capacity. Confirm the mounting system matches your bow’s riser and that you order the correct left-hand or right-hand version.

• Bow compatibility: Many quivers are not universal.
• Arrow capacity: Standard hunting quivers typically hold 4 to 6 arrows. A 4- or 5-arrow model keeps weight down for spot-and-stalk hunts; a 6-arrow model suits a full quiver for long sits.
• Broadhead type: Check whether the hood suits your heads. Some quivers are tuned for fixed blades, some include foam for expandables, and others cover both.

If you hunt from a tree stand, look for a model with a hang hook. It lets you keep the quiver within arm’s reach and lets you shoot without the extra weight on the bow.

Why Weight, Balance, And Noise Matter Most

On a bow, small differences show up in the hand. A quiver that is light and sits close to the riser will alter the balance less than one that sticks out or hangs heavy, which changes how your bow carries when you settle into a shot.

Mathews Arrow Web HD Series Quiver ships in four- and six-arrow versions with a detachable blade protector for expandable broadheads, plus a foam insert that secures expandables and fixed blades up to 1-1/8 in.

Noise control is just as important as weight. A quiver that clamps arrows tightly but quietly, with grippers that are firm enough to hold yet easy to unload, beats a cheaper model that rattles on a stalk. Experts consistently rate secure, rattle-free arrow retention as a top buying reason, along with a foam or rubber hood that holds fixed blades and expandables quietly.

Detachable Or Fixed Quiver?

Your hunt style answers this question. For most US bowhunters, a detachable quiver is the default because you can drop the extra weight from the bow when accuracy matters most, such as during a long sit or a close stalk.

If you are deciding between those two, this choice changes how your bow shoots and carries. Test your bow with the quiver attached; a poorly balanced quiver makes a bow feel nose-heavy and harder to hold steady — a fact you will not spot by reading a spec sheet alone.

Best Options And Common Mistakes To Avoid

The three biggest mistakes are buying before confirming bow compatibility, ignoring broadhead length or type, and picking by arrow count alone while overlooking noise, rattle, and balance. “Universal” quivers are rarely truly universal, and broadheads must seat securely without poking through the hood. For field-tested models that balance all these criteria, our tested roundup of the year’s best bow quivers ranks the current leaders on weight, build, and arrow security. Field & Stream and Outdoor Life both maintain a best quiver list based on real testing; their reviews and the manufacturers’ spec sheets at Field & Stream’s testing notes go deeper into the details that separate a good pick from a poor one.