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History
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Tradition
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Bows
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Arrows and Fletching
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The Art of a Good Aim
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Places to Shoot
History
Archery is the art, practice, or
skill of propelling arrows with the use of a
bow. Archery has historically been used for
hunting and combat; in modern times, however,
its main use is that of a recreational activity.
One who practices archery is typically known as
an "archer" or "bowman," and those who are fond
the sport are referred to as a "toxophilites."
The bow seems to have been
invented in the late Paleolithic or early
Mesolithic periods. The oldest indication for
its use in Europe comes from the Stellmoor in
the Ahrensburg valley north of Hamburg, Germany
and date from the late Paleolithic, about
10,000–9,000 BC. The arrows were made of pine
and consisted of a main shaft and a six to eight
inch long foreshaft with a flint point. There
are no definite earlier bows; previous pointed
shafts are known, but may have been launched by
atlatls rather than bows. The oldest bows known
so far come from the Holmegård swamp in Denmark.
Bows eventually replaced the atlatl as the
predominant means for launching shafted
projectiles on every continent except
Australia. Bows and arrows have been present in
Egyptian culture since its pre-dynastic origins.
In the Levant, artifacts which may be
arrow-shaft straighteners are known from the
Natufian culture 12,800–10,300 years ago and
forward. Classical civilizations, notably the
Assyrians, Hungarians, Persians, Parthians,
Indians, Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese fielded
large numbers of archers in their armies. The
Sanskrit term for archery, dhanurveda, came to
refer to martial arts in general. Archery was
highly developed in Asia and in the Islamic
world. In East Asia, ancient Korean
civilizations, such as the Shilla, Baekje, and
Goguryeo were well known for their regiments of
exceptionally skilled archers. Central Asian
and American Plains tribesmen were extremely
adept at archery on horseback.
With the advent of firearms,
archery has become all but obsolete. Even the
most devoted of archery-powered armies gave way
to the accuracy and mobility of hand guns and
rifles. Armies were brought up to speed more
quickly because troops didn’t need to work on
developing the special musculature required for
accuracy, and firearms were much easier to
maneuver when shot from behind barriers.
Tradition
Possibly because
of the bow and arrow’s use in the myths of
cultural gods, or perhaps from the strong desire
to bring popular medieval legends to life (such
as Robin Hood), the tradition of archery is far
from dead. It is still very alive as a sport
and as a method of hunting. The craftsmanship
involved in producing a good bow and the
physical challenge of an accurate aim and
release has continued to be an honored
tradition. In England in the late eighteenth
century, Sir Walter Scott helped establish
archery as a pastime of the gentry, with all the
costumes and glamour that is implied with any
sport of the well to do. Women were included in
the activities and were even allowed to dress as
the men at these events. In the United States,
competition archery and bow hunting employed
English-style longbows. The revival of modern
primitive archery may be traced to Ishi, who
came out of hiding in California in 1911. Ishi
was the last of the Yahi Indian tribe. His
doctor, Saxton Pope, learned many of Ishi's
archery skills, and passed them on. The Pope
and Young Club, founded in 1961 and named in
honor of Pope, is one of North America's leading
bowhunting and conservation organizations.
Founded as a nonprofit scientific organization,
the Club is patterned after the prestigious
Boone and Crockett Club. The Club advocates and
encourages responsible bowhunting by promoting
quality, fair chase hunting, and sound
conservation practices.
From the 1920s, professional
engineers took an interest in archery,
previously the exclusive field of traditional
craft experts. They led the commercial
development of new forms of bow including the
modern recurve and compound bow. These modern
forms are now dominant in modern Western
archery; traditional bows are in a minority. In
the 1980s, the skills of traditional archery
were revived by American enthusiasts, and
combined with the new scientific understanding.
Much of this expertise is available in the
Traditional Bowyer's Bibles. Modern game archery
owes much of its success to Fred Bear, an
American bow hunter and bow manufacturer.
Types of Bows
There are three main types of
bows; the longbow, the recurve, and the compound
bow. And though all three utilize the same
basic mechanics (they use a flexible string
which is attached to a brace for holding stored
energy), they can be divided down even further
into 1) bows which release an arrows upon
pulling back on the string, itself, or 2) bows
which release an arrow when a mechanism releases
the string, as with the compound bow.
You can subdivide types of bows
even further by noting the differences in limb
construction, notably self bows, laminated bows
and composite bows. Bows can also be classified
by the bow shape of the limbs when unstrung. In
contrast to simple straight longbows, a recurve
bow has tips that curve away from the archer
when the bow is unstrung. The cross-section of
the limb also varies; the classic longbow is a
tall bow with narrow limbs that are D-shaped in
cross section, and the flatbow has flat wide
limbs that are approximately rectangular in
cross-section. Cable-backed bows use cords as
the back of the bow; the draw weight of the bow
can be adjusted by changing the tension of the
cable. They were widespread among Inuit who
lacked easy access to good bow wood. One variety
of cable-backed bow is the Penobscot bow or
Wabenaki bow, invented by Frank Loring (Chief
Big Thunder) about 1900. It consists of a small
bow attached by cables on the back of a larger
main bow.
A compound bow is a bow designed
to reduce the force required to hold the string
at full draw, allowing the archer more time to
aim. Most compound designs use cams or
elliptical wheels on the ends of the limbs to
achieve this. A typical let-off is anywhere from
65%–80% – for example, a 60-pound bow with 80%
let-off will only require 12 pounds of force to
hold at full draw. Up to 99% let-off is
possible. The compound bow has greatly become
the most widely used type of bow for all forms
of hunting in North America. The compound bow
has only recently become a highly popular form
of archery, so much so that it is the most
commonly used bow form in archery today. The
compound bow was first developed in 1966 by
Holless Wilbur Allen in Missouri, and a US
patent was granted in 1969. The compound bow has
become increasingly popular. In the United
States, the compound is the dominant form of
bow.
Mechanically drawn bows
typically have a stock or other mounting, such
as the crossbow. They are not limited by the
strength of a single archer and larger varieties
have been used as siege engines. A crossbow is
a bow mounted on a stick (called a tiller or
stock) with a mechanism in it which holds the
drawn bow string. The bow (called the "prod" or
"lath" on a crossbow) of early crossbows was
made of a single piece of wood, usually ash or
yew. Composite bows are made from layers of
different material—often wood, horn and
sinew—glued together and bound with animal
tendon. These composite bows, made of several
layers, are much stronger and more efficient in
releasing energy than simple wooden bows. As
steel became more widely available in Europe
around the 14th century, steel prods came into
use. The crossbow prod is very short compared
to ordinary bows, resulting in a short draw
length. This leads to a higher draw weight in
order to store the same amount of energy.
Furthermore the thick prods are a bit less
efficient at releasing energy, but more energy
can be stored by a crossbow. Traditionally the
prod was often lashed to the stock with rope,
whipcord, or other strong cording. This cording
is called the bridle.
Arrows and Fletching
The pointed end of the
projectile, of course is called the “head” of
the arrow. Originally carved from stone or from
the shaft itself, it is the part designed for
penetrating the target, game, or enemy. The
arrowheads are attached to the shaft of the
arrow to serve as a projectile. Similar points
can be attached to spears and launched from
atlatls. The process of attaching an arrowhead
to a shaft or spear is called “hafting.” This
usually involves creating (or knapping or
grinding) a sort of flange at the end opposite
the head or point, and then the flange is hafted
into a slit in the shaft and bound on with sinew
or similar cord. Before their extinction about
24,000 years ago, the Neanderthals developed the
extensive use of hafted stone tools.
Archaeological investigation provides little
evidence of the use of antler or bone. The
Cro-Magnon hafted antler points onto spears
between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago. The Clovis
culture is noted for its use of hafted spears in
the Americas around 11,000 years ago. Stone
Clovis points were formed in a way that may have
allowed them to break off on impact with a
target. Hafted tools thought to have been
created by Homo Floresiensis up to 90,000 years
ago have been discovered on the Indonesian
island of Flores.
Arrowheads are usually separated
by function:
• Bodkin points are
short, rigid points with a small cross-section.
They were made of unhardened iron and may have
been used for better or longer flight, or for
cheaper production. It has been mistakenly
suggested that the bodkin came into its own as a
means of penetrating armor, but research has
found no hardened bodkin points, so it is likely
that it was first designed either to extend
range or as a cheaper and simpler alternative to
the broad head. In a modern test, a direct hit
from a hard steel bodkin point penetrated
Damascus chain armor. However, archery was not
effective against plate armor, which became
available to knights of fairly modest means by
the late 1300s.
• Blunts are
unsharpened arrowheads occasionally used for
types of target shooting, for shooting at stumps
or other targets of opportunity, or hunting
small game when the goal is to stun the target
without penetration. Blunts are commonly made of
metal or hard rubber. They may stun, and
occasionally, the arrow shaft may penetrate the
head and the target; safety is still important
with blunt arrows.
• Judo points have
spring wires extending sideways from the tip.
These catch on grass and debris to prevent the
arrow from being lost in the vegetation. Used
for practice and for small game.
• Broad heads were
used for war and are still used for hunting.
Medieval broad heads could be made from steel,
sometimes with hardened edges. They usually have
two to four sharp blades that cause massive
bleeding in the victim. Their function is to
deliver a wide cutting edge so as to kill as
quickly as possible. They are expensive, damage
most targets, and are usually not used for
practice. There are two main types of broad
heads used by hunters: The fixed-blade and the
mechanical types. While the fixed-blade broad
head keeps its blades rigid and unmovable on the
broad head at all times, the mechanical broad
head deploys its blades upon contact with the
target, its blades swinging out to wound the
target. The mechanical head flies better because
it is more streamlined, but has less penetration
as it uses some of the kinetic energy in the
arrow to deploy its blades.
• Target points are
bullet-shaped with a sharp point, designed to
penetrate target butts easily without causing
excessive damage to them.
• Field tips are
similar to target points and have a distinct
shoulder, so that missed outdoor shots do not
become as stuck in obstacles such as tree
stumps. They are also used for shooting practice
by hunters, by offering similar flight
characteristics and weights as broad heads,
without getting lodged in target materials and
causing excessive damage upon removal.
• Safety arrows are
designed to be used in various forms of
reenactment combat, to reduce the risk when shot
at people. These arrows may have heads that are
very wide or padded. In combination with bows of
restricted draw weight and draw length, these
heads may reduce to acceptable levels the risks
of shooting arrows at suitably armored people.
The parameters will vary depending on the
specific rules being used and on the levels of
risk felt acceptable to the participants. For
instance, SCA combat rules require a padded head
at least 1 1/4" in diameter, with bows not
exceeding 28 inches and 50 lb. of draw for use
against well-armored individuals.
Fletching was designed to
stabilize the flight of an arrow by providing
air resistance. Fletching is usually made of
strips of feather (each strip of feather or
modern facsimile is called a “fletch”).
Traditionally, three strips of fletching are
carefully strapped or glued at the end of an
arrow shaft, opposite the tip. By using even
distances between the fletching, the archer can
achieve a more consistent draw and reliable aim
at the target. If the fletches are attached in
a slight spiral arrangement, the arrow will spin
somewhat in its path to the target.
Archers who choose the
traditional means for making their own arrows
take much pride in their work—not only in
choosing the proper length for their arrows
(this is determined by the length and pull of
the bow), but also in the color patterns, means
of attachment, and precision with which the
fletching is affixed.
The Art of a Good Aim
Here are some excerpts taken
from an article called “Practice or Cry” by Ted
Nugent:
Believe it when they say, it’s
99% mental. Be it known that there are many
archers and marksmen far superior to your humble
guitar player out there, and we can all learn
much from these dead-eye, precision shooters…
The best shots all have one thing in common;
they look and shoot smoothly and comfortably,
with a fluidity derived from many, many hours at
the range. Simply stated, they are obviously one
with their bows. Their every move is confident,
graceful and sure, their weapon a natural
extension of their very being… Conversely, the
bad shots also have certain traits and movements
in common that can best be described as awkward
and uncertain.
The description of the natural
oneness with the bow cannot be overemphasized.
If you find yourself squirming to get your arrow
on the nock or the bow orientation at exactly
the right angle for distance, you will most
likely have already lost your best chances at a
good result. Your muscles will already be under
the prolonged stress of the aim, thus becoming
more unstable for the draw. Here are some good,
basic pointers for beginning shooters. But
remember, this is only a step by step
description of what should be a fluid process.
1) Your body should
be perpendicular to the target, and your feet
should be placed shoulder’s width apart. Though
you may find a personalized stance at a later
time, begin with this position. The leg
furthest from the shooting line will be a half
to a whole foot-length in front of the other, on
the ground.
2) To load, point
your bow toward the ground and place the shaft
of the arrow on the arrow rest, which is
attached in the bow “window.” The back of the
arrow is attached to the bowstring with the
'nock' (a small plastic component which is
typified by a 'v' groove for this purpose). This
is called nocking the arrow. Often bow strings
have a nocking guide, which will help you to
consistently place the arrow at a consistent
height. As mentioned above, most typical arrows
have three fletches, so orient the arrow so that
the prominent fletch (often a different color)
is faced away from the bow as it is set into the
nock.
3) Hold the bowstring
and arrow with three fingers. Your index finger
should be placed above the arrow, with the other
two fingers below it. The bow string should be
placed in between the first or second joint of
the fingers.
4) Raise and draw the
arrow to the bow. This usually done in one
fluid motion. Draw the string hand toward the
face, where it should rest comfortably at an
anchor point somewhere between the corner of the
mouth or on the chin. The bow arm is held
straight and outward, toward the target. The
elbow of this arm should be rotated so that the
inner elbow is perpendicular to the ground
(especially important if you have a
hyper-extendable elbow). This position should
help prevent you from getting stung by the
string as it releases the arrow.
5) If you are
standing correctly, your body will form a “T.”
Pull the arrow to the correct draw length
(again, to your anchor point). Your anchor and
your nocking should always be consistent. If
you are adjusting for distance or height, that
is done with your aim. At a full draw, the
arrow should be sticking out one or two inches
past the front of the bow. If it differs
substantially, you should be fitted for a
different length arrow or new bow.
6) Releasing the
arrow is done by simply relaxing the fingers of
the drawing hand. By doing this, the drawing
arm will remain rigid and, and its muscles will
not relax until after the arrow has already hit
its destination.
The “sight picture” is the
framing that includes the target and the bow, as
seen by the archer. With a consistently fixed
"anchor point" (the position near your face to
where your string is pulled) and a fully
extended bow arm, successive shots taken with
the sight picture in the same position will fall
on the same point. This allows the archer to
adjust aim with successive shots in order to
achieve a good standard of accuracy. A fixed
anchor point cannot be used with short bows,
which by definition do not allow a full draw.
Modern archery equipment usually includes sights
which mark the predicted impact point. Sight
picture aiming is universally used with modern
equipment and also by many archers who use
traditional bows. It allows good accuracy to be
achieved after a moderate amount of practice.
Instinctive shooting is a term
often used, but there is no agreed definition.
Some use it to mean shooting with a sight
picture but without giving it conscious
attention. Others use it to mean shooting
without a sight picture. The main thing to
remember on aiming is this that you should shoot
the same way every time. Only the height of the
bow, itself, should change based on the distance
you need to hit your target.
Places to Shoot
Whether you want to pursue your
hobby on a practical basis (such as for
hunting), competitively, or to honor the past
through historical re-enactments and
tournaments, there are many opportunities
available for you to try. A good place to start
would be to find nearby practice centers (either
indoor or outdoor), and meet the people who use
those places and post events on the bulletin
boards. Get on their mailing lists. Learning
from seasoned archers can be truly rewarding,
just as the tradition has always been. You may
find they are not using the same type of bow you
are using, but much of their technique is valid
and transferable, if you are willing to apply
it. If hunting with a compound bow is your
goal, read the magazines, use the internet, or
ask to go along on hunting trips (if anything,
offering to haul a deer to the truck can be a
very kind gesture!). If you’re looking to
improve your technique on a re-curve, try to
attend events and competitions (and of course
practice) whenever you can. To practice with
the Society for Creative Anachronism, you will
need to sign a waiver, but you’re not obligated
to join the organization. These groups usually
practice on a weekly basis at designated spots,
and there are many imaginative events you can
attend that use various targets and techniques,
including crossbow challenges.
In addition to bow hunting and
target archery, there is field archery, 3-D
archery, Olympic archery, Clout archery (in the
United Kingdom), field crossbow archery, flight
archery, ski archery, horse archery, and several
others. Visit the FITA (International Archery
Federation) or the USA Archery website to help
you pick a direction and get your new hobby off
to a good start. |
resources.
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