Crossbow bolt



A quarrel or bolt is the arrow used in a crossbow. The name "quarrel" is derived from the French carré, "square", referring to the fact that they typically have square heads. Although their length varies, they are typically shorter than traditional arrows.

The phrase "to pick a quarrel" is taken from archery jargon, and refers to picking one of the bolts used by a crossbow in preparation for battle.

Lighted ends
A recent advancement in quarrels is the "lighted end" which can be attached to the nock of the quarrel, and upon release, will shine a light back to the archer, showing the path and destination of the quarrel. This is used to both improve quarrel recovery, and to show flight and target patterns in shooting and hunting. "Lighted bolt ends are great for detecting errant flight and diagnosing tuning problems when sighting in. In addition, they are pivotal in animal recovery. With proper follow-through, hunters often see their bolt's impact on animals and can recover it. Noting where a bolt entered, then inspecting it after the shot, lets you know how long to wait before taking up the blood trail."