Essentials to Start Shooting Archery
If you are reading this, you’re probably thinking of starting your archery journey or are already under way. Here’s a list of the essentials. Things you need to have to start shooting archery:
1. Bow - the Essential parts
There are numerous kinds of bows and different styles of shooting with different parts and accessories. Traditional bows, one piece bows, take down bows, ILF bows, compound bows and more. Regardless of which kind you take up, all have the same fundamental parts.
The Handle or Riser – the central part of the bow. This is the part of the bow where the grip is located. This is one of 2 parts of the bow which you make contact with. The handle or riser connects to the limbs.
Limbs – the limbs of the bow are what stores the potential energy which launches your arrows. Different kinds of bows have different shaped limbs. Long bows have limbs whose tips point towards the archer at brace (when the bow is at rest). They tend to look like the letter D while in brace. Long bows include the war bows used in Europe and many self bows. Another common characteristic among long bows is that their only point of contact with the string are the end loops or right where the string attaches to the limbs. Recurve bows have limb tips that point away from the archery forming the Recurve shape. Recurve bows include the yumi, horse bows, traditional Korean Bows and the ILF bows. Compound bows are the most modern and technologically advanced kinds of bows. These bows are characterized by the Cam systems found on their limbs. They look like pullies and give compound bows mechanical advantages when shooting. Rambo probably made this kind of bow popular. Hawkeye used one in the first Thor movie. Common to all bows, the limbs are when the strings are attached. The limbs are where the string is attached.
The string - the most recognizable part of the bow. Everyone knows what it’s called. The string connects both limbs together. It is the second point of contact between the archer and the bow. It can be made of different materials both synthetic and natural. It is what transfers the energy from the limbs to the arrow.
Bows have many other parts and accessories but without any these 3, the bow cannot shoot.
It’s also important to know that bows are not one size fits all. Each kind of bow has different ideal sizes for archers with different heights and consequently, different draw lengths. The draw length is how far back the archer draws the string to his/her anchor position. The draw weight is how hard you must pull the string. Also known as poundage, this varies depending on the archer’s level of skill. One thing is certain though, beginners should use low poundage bows for them to learn proper technique.
Pro tip: You can save a lot of money on your first bow if you get cheap limbs when you start. You will replace these as you learn anyway.
2. Arrows – If bows are not one size fits all, arrows are even more specific. Arrows are the projectiles launched from the bow to the target. They can be made of wood, fiberglass, aluminum, carbon or a mix of materials. They may seem as simple as sticks with wings on one end and points on the other but to really shoot properly, the arrows have to be matched to the bow and its user. For you to shoot accurately, you need to have arrows that have the right weight, length and stiffness or what we call spine. Aside from accuracy, using the right arrows are also for safety purposes. An arrow that is too hard will have a tendency to veer off from your target. It might even hit the bow on launch. On the other hand, if an arrow is too soft, it will be inaccurate and run the risk of breaking apart when shot. Properly selected arrows will shoot better no matter what bow you use.
3. Shooting Gear – In my opinion, there is only one piece of shooting gear that is truly essential. It will be different for different kinds of bows or styles of archery, but they all serve the same 2 purposes. Protect your fingers when drawing back the string and aide in the its release. These shooting gear include finger tabs, gloves, thumb rings and release aides. These are essential because without them, you will hurt our hands or fingers specially after shooting more than a dozen arrows; and specially with most compound bows, you will destroy your bow if you shoot without a release aide. How to tell which kind to use on which bow? This is usually determined by the style of archery you do and how you hook on to the string. Generally, when you rest your arrow on the left side of the bow (right-handed), you use finger tabs. If you rest your arrow on the right side of a right-handed bow, you generally need a thumb ring. You use release aides for most compound bows. The gloves though are a mix. They are more commonly used on bows that rest the arrow on the left but there are forms of archery like Kyudo that use gloves and rest the arrow on the right side of the bow. By now, you might be wondering why I haven’t mentioned the arm guard, the piece of leather, rubber or plastic that protects your arm form getting hit by the string, it’s because you can shoot without it just fine. In fact, if you shoot with the correct form or technique, you won’t even have to worry about getting hit by the string.
4. Range/target- Obviously, to shoot archery, you need a safe place or range to do it in. It doesn’t have to be a professionally setup shooting range as long as it is safe and more importantly, you have control over where the arrows land when you miss your target. You don’t need a large field or long distances to setup your own range. You can already have fun shooting from 3 meters away. As long as it’s safe to do so, you can setup your range anywhere. You don’t need to spend a lot to make your own target. There are numerous ways to make your own target at home. Imagination is the only limit.
5. Knowledge of Safety rules – Like all sports, Archery has rules set to ensure safety. We are dealing with bows launching arrows are high speeds after all. The following can be considered the cardinal rules of archery:
DO NOT DRY FIRE YOUR BOW – Dry firing is when you shoot the bow without any arrows nocked or loaded. Doing so can damage your bow and can lead to injury. For an archer, dry firing is one of the scariest things he/she can see or hear.
DO NOT AIM YOUR BOW AT ANOTHER PERSON – Unless your life depended on it, NEVER aim your bow at another person. If there is someone in the flight path of your arrow, even if not directly, DO NOT SHOOT. If you are not sure whether there is someone in your “line of fire”, DO NOT SHOOT. There have been so called archers popular for performing trick shots involving shooting objects like cans off another person’s hand or head. This should not be tolerated nor emulated. No matter how easy the trick shot is, do not aim your bow at another person.
DO NOT SKY DRAW – Sky drawing is drawing back your bow(string) while it is pointed at a high angle. It is different from raising your bow high to your set position since in doing so, you will not have drawn the bow string back enough to launch the arrow. Sky Drawing is unsafe because if a mistake or failure in your equipment were to happen while the bow is aimed high or “to the sky,” it will be hard to tell which way the arrow will fly and eventually hit. In competition, you can be penalized for doing a sky draw.
Archery is a fun and fulfilling sport. Relaxation and self-mastery are just 2 of the many benefits you get from learning archery. It can be intimidating get started but knowing these essentials should help you along and get you on the right path.
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