Archery

[Kurien]

Today was my very first time shooting a bow and arrow. It certainly wasn't anything fancy at a real archery range with high quality gear. It was just me in my backyard with truly poor equipment. I went to Canadian Tire (a hardware/department store thingy place) and bought a set of three target arrows to go together with an old bow I found in the garage. When I got home, I scrounged up a piece of foam board and drew a big circle on it with marker. I leaned the crap target against two posts in the back lawn and stood maybe 3 and a half metres away. To simplify/reiterate:

Equipment:
- a crap useless bow I found in the garage that my dad said he bought a long time ago to bowfish. I can't tell what it's made of, but it doesn't appear to be wood. It's a bit over a metre long and has a draw weight of something like 30 pounds. the string is fraying. Self bow?
- three arrows with blunt tips and a standard length of 28 inches. Fibreglass.
- a pink foam board target.
- no bracer, glove or finger tab.

Results:

32 puncture holes in the board and two somewhat sore hands and left forearm. I ended up using only one of the arrows, which now has parallel scratch marks about 12cm from the tip. The bow is not very ergonomic and was a pain to hold.
Two or three shots went wild and missed the target completely, hitting the fence behind it and sticking into the ground. Of the rest maybe 60% actually hit in the circle. I would say that's not a terrible first try, since its first time and all. It'll take hundreds of hours of practice and a better quality bow before I get good.

Hopefully one day I'll become a regular Robin Hood like some of the people I see shooting on Youtube, where I most of my information about archery from (that and Wikipedia).

So, which playgrounders have had experience with bow and arrows as well?
Could you give any tips about shooting?

[RTGoodman]

I took two semesters of archery in college, and I've shot pretty regularly since then. I'm no master archer or anything, but I can reliably hit a man-sized target from, oh, 30 yards?

First, you'll probably want to get that bow examined (to make sure it's in good enough condition to be shooting), and get a new string. If you've got any sorts of sporting goods store around, they can probably help. I go to a place called Gander Mountain, but I think Bass Pro Shops and places like that could also have what you need. We found several bows in our old house, which my grandma and great-grandpa had used back in the '50s and '60s, and at least one of them, while nice, would probably have shattered if we'd have tried to shoot it, according to the guy. One of the others, though, a recurved composite bow about 4-5 feet long, was in great condition, and that's the one my brother and I use now.

Once you've got your bow all sorted out (and you know how to string and destring it, since you should never leave it strung), it's just down to practicing. I suggest getting a glove and maybe a bracer or something for your left arm. I don't hit my arm much with the string anymore, but when I do, MAN does it hurt.

When you're shooting, start from maybe 10 feet or something - not right up on the target, but not far away. Practice closing your left eye and looking down the arrow to line up your shot. When you've gotten relatively accurate with that, step back to maybe 15-20 feet. Keep working on increasing your accuracy while moving further back. You won't do this immediately, but it's WAY better than starting at 50 yards and missing everything completely. :smalltongue:

Oh, and a lot of colleges and universities offer archery as an Exercise/Sports class. If you're in college, see if you can sign up for one. It's great fun. (Some high schools offer archery as part of Hunter Safety or Future Farmers of America [FFA], at least in the South, so that could work, too.)

[Tamburlaine]

I used to do a little bit of archery for fun. rtg0922 covered most of the main points, and I would definitely recommend a bracer for the sake of your forearm.
Also, does your backyard adjoin to any other inhabited areas? Because accidentally hitting someone else would be majorly sucky.
As for shooting tips, all I can suggest is to get the timing right: allow yourself to be relaxed and unrushed, but don't keep it drawn back for too long, or your arm will start to wobble. I hope I've helped a little, and that you enjoy your archery.

[Kurien]

Thanks for replying.

I don't know any sporting goods stores near where I live, nor do I know any bowyers or archery specialists, so I don't know if I can get my bow checked or get a new string. The bow I used has probably been left strung for years. Furthermore, I'm not sure I can get it off without cutting the string, as it's knotted pretty tightly.

I'm a senior highschool student, but the school I go to doesn't offer archery.
I've looked on wikipedia and the recurve bow looks like the type of bow for me. Those compound bows look too complicated, easy to break and difficult to fix.

I've searched on Google for recurve bows and I got a picture of a recurve from Martin (http://www.patnorrisarchery.com/lightbox/martin_recurves/X-200.jpg) that is just downright sexy beautiful. The website it's on prices it at 419.50 US- that's a little steep in price range. I think I could maybe afford a $100 bow.

But I dunno. I have yet to discover if archery is the sport for me. It is awesome to watch others shoot and to fantasize being an archer like Legolas or Robin Hood. I hesitate to make an investment in a bow if it turns out I suck at shooting.

[Narmoth]

Are there any instruction page on the net for complete beginners?
Stuff on how to hold the bow and arrow (with illustrations, obviously)?

The thing is, I'm expecting to have a bow while larping next summer. Now, larp bows and arrows are easy to hit things with (at obscenely close range, that is), but I could use some pointers on holding and pulling, as I think I'm not doing it quite by the book

[valadil]

I did a lot of archery in high school and started an archery club in college. To put it mildly, I know how to shoot.

1 meter sounds tiny. Is it a compound bow? That's the kind with pulleys. Most adults will want something around 63 inches long.

Before you start forming any bad habits, you're going to want to figure out which of your eyes is dominant. Just like how you have a stronger hand you have a stronger eye too. My left eye is dominant (even though I'm right handed) so I pull the string with my left hand, as I want my dominant eye closer to the string. To test your dominant eye, look at a point 15-20 feet away. Put your hands together at arms length with a grape sized hole between them. Raise your hands up so you're looking through the gap at the point. Close your left eye. If you can still see the point, you're right eye dominant. If you can close your right eye and see the point, you're left eye dominant. Holding the bow with respect to your eye dominance instead of your hand dominance is the first step.

Besides that, archery is all about consistency. You want to shoot with the exact same form every single shot. The only variable is where you aim.

Your feet should be shoulder width apart. If a line was drawn between your feet it would extend to be parallel with the target.

When you draw the string, the arrow goes below the nocking point (assuming you have one). One finger goes above the arrow, two below it. 70% of the pull weight should be on your middle finger.

Anchoring is one of the most important parts of your form. If you were to draw the string to your elbow and release, the arrow would fall short. If you pulled as far as possible and released, the arrow would sail over your target. It's crucial that you pull the same distance on each shot. The way you do this when you first start out is to pull the string back so that your pointer finger touches the corner of your mouth. Keep your head up straight and make sure you're pulling your hand back to your mouth instead of pushing your mouth to your hand.

When you release, pull your hand straight back. Away from your face and it will angle the shot in the other direction. Also remember to keep holding the bow up until you see the arrow hit the target. Dropping the bow arm is a pretty common newbie error.

Do all this stuff till you feel comfortable with it. Don't even try aiming till you get the rest of it down. When you do start to aim, here's how you do it. When you draw an arrow, cover something with the tip of the arrow. The bullseye is a good place to start. Release and see where the arrow goes. Do this three more times. If all your shots are high, pick a lower spot to aim for. If you're practicing outside I actually recommend getting a rock and leaving that somewhere in front of the target. Move it up and down the lane as needed. You will need to find a new point for each distance you shoot at but over time will learn to estimate.

[Eon]

umm... wow. I was going to give the amateurish advice I have but the people above me seem to have outdone me.

[thubby]

protection is a good idea, IMO the less on your dominant shooting hand the better though.

son of a, sarnath'ed

[Kurien]

1 meter sounds tiny. Is it a compound bow? That's the kind with pulleys. Most adults will want something around 63 inches long.

I don't have an exact measurement, but I'd judge it to be about 120-130cm long.



Before you start forming any bad habits, you're going to want to figure out which of your eyes is dominant. Just like how you have a stronger hand you have a stronger eye too. My left eye is dominant (even though I'm right handed) so I pull the string with my left hand, as I want my dominant eye closer to the string. To test your dominant eye, look at a point 15-20 feet away. Put your hands together at arms length with a grape sized hole between them. Raise your hands up so you're looking through the gap at the point. Close your left eye. If you can still see the point, you're right eye dominant. If you can close your right eye and see the point, you're left eye dominant. Holding the bow with respect to your eye dominance instead of your hand dominance is the first step.

I tried this and found my left eye was able to see the point 15 feet away. So I guess I'm left eye dominant. You say that I should then pull with my left and hold the bow with my right, but isn't this the other way around?

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THrvNwSCr-s) and this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mNPdBPxWnM) are youtube videos of some guy shooting a predator recurve. At the end I could see that his accuracy and precision were fairly good, but were there any problems with his form? I can see that his feet don't seem to be parallel to the target like valadil said. Also, I notice he has a bracer, finger tab and huge mufflers/silencer thingies on his bowstring.

[randman22222]

You know, I'm left eye dominant, but shoot a right handed bow, and it really hasn't caused me much difficulty, even at 20m ranges... :smallconfused:

Anywho, the above people that say it's about consistancy in form are absolutely correct. Probably the most important thing to do is make sure you hold the bow, draw back, stand, etc. precisely the same way each time.

EDIT: I realllly want a Hoyt recurve. Why oh why are they so expensive? :smallsigh:

[SDF]

I've gone to the archery range with a friend a few times using my dad's old recurve. I prefer guns, though, and haven't used it in quite some time.

[RTGoodman]

You know, I'm left eye dominant, but shoot a right handed bow, and it really hasn't caused me much difficulty, even at 20m ranges... :smallconfused:

Yeah, when I first started in college they told us that, if you're right handed, you pull the string with your right hand. If you happen to be left-eye dominant and right-handed, you better get used to using your right eye (which is what I do). I don't think my left arm would even be strong enough to pull the string back to the correct position. Also, all the bows I've used have been specifically made for holding with left and shooting with your right, so that'd be a pain to try to switch around with.

[randman22222]

Yeah, when I first started in college they told us that, if you're right handed, you pull the string with your right hand. If you happen to be left-eye dominant and right-handed, you better get used to using your right eye (which is what I do). I don't think my left arm would even be strong enough to pull the string back to the correct position. Also, all the bows I've used have been specifically made for holding with left and shooting with your right, so that'd be a pain to try to switch around with.

Heh, draw lengths get a bit messed up with me, because I've got a 2m armspan. I think I have to add three pounds to whatever the draw weight is listed as.

Actually, I used a bow that was too short for me once, and snapped both the limbs. :smalleek:

The end of the top limb caught me worryingly close to my right eye.

[Death, your friend the Reaper]

This thread hit the mark with me, as an archery fan. I'd like to make sure you all stay on the straight and 'arrow and don't derail it. Or I'll have you quivering in fear!:smalltongue:

Sadly only time I've used a bow and arrow was in the one year I was at scouts. Got told while over shooting the target futher than everyone else was an achievement of sorts, not the one they were looking for. Such small minded people:smallwink:

[Coidzor]

This reminds me. I want to take up archery as a hobby actually. I've been a bit distracted lately... hmm...


You probably want to get that bow re-stringed, since a frayed string that breaks or snaps... can... produce disastrous results.

[Alleine]

I used to do a little archery here and there, I don't recall it being too difficult. I did it during boy scout camp and at a summer camp I went to, both were quite enjoyable, and I may have even gotten a bullseye once or twice, but this was years ago and I haven't tried my hand at a bow since. I don't even recall the bows we used. I DO know that archery sounds like tons of fun. I seem to be a fan of such things.

I'm left eye dominant and always used my right hand(dominant) for pulling. Never seemed to have too many problems with that. I can't imagine trying to pull a bow back with my left hand though, there just wouldn't be as much strength behind the pull, or coordination. I might end up hurting myself :P
Oh, and an arm guard is veeeery useful. We used to use these funky neon colored velcro ones. Very uncomfortable, but so much better than hitting yourself with the string.

[Chas the mage]

I do archery occasionally in the summer. I generally use a 35lb wooden recurve at a 20 yard target. The last time I went shooting was 2 weeks ago, without an armguard, and I have a lump where the bowstring hit me repediatly.

[Yarram]

This thread hit the mark with me, as an archery fan. I'd like to make sure you all stay on the straight and 'arrow and don't derail it. Or I'll have you quivering in fear!:smalltongue

Have I ever told you I hate you?

[Coidzor]

That was pretty bad.

...Anyone have any recommendations for basically a beginner's bow for target shooting (as opposed to being for hunting or the most dangerous game)?

[Kurien]

EDIT: I realllly want a Hoyt recurve. Why oh why are they so expensive? :smallsigh:

Yeah, the two recurves they have available - the Dorado and Gamemaster - cost over $400US.

A quick google search has revealed to me an archery store in my city that I could probably take the bus to! According to their online catalogue, they have a wide selection of compound, traditional and crossbows as well as an indoor range. Of course, the retail prices they have cost significantly more than at the respective manufacturer's websites; the Hoyt Dorado costs $600 there.
I could probably get my bow restringed at this store, as long as they dont inspect my bow and say it is unusable due to structure fractures or something.

I think I'd most want a bow from Martin archery. Their stuff seems of excellent quality. I have particular interest in the X-200 (http://www.martinarchery.com/x200.php).

[randman22222]

Yeah, the two recurves they have available - the Dorado and Gamemaster - cost over $400US.

Ah, no. I'm not looking at a hunting recurve. I'm looking at their target line. Specifically, the Helix (http://www.hoytrecurve.com/recurve_bows/hoyt_helix_recurve_bow.php).

[valadil]

I tried this and found my left eye was able to see the point 15 feet away. So I guess I'm left eye dominant. You say that I should then pull with my left and hold the bow with my right, but isn't this the other way around?


*stands up and pretends shooting in a mirror* Nope, it was right the first time. I'm left eye dominant, but right handed. I pull with the left. When I've tried shooting righty (it's easier to teach people using the form they'll be using) it goes really really badly because my dominant eye is looking at the target from an angle.

You can shoot backwards if you like. Just make sure you keep one eye closed so the weaker eye can take over. Some stubborn archers even use an eye patch so the dominant eye doesn't throw them off. The best reason to shoot this way is if you already own a righty bow and don't want to try lefty. IIRC 2/3 of people are right eye dominant so most rental bows available are righty.

Hand strength shouldn't be a factor. I've drawn 70 lbs with my left hand. Maybe my right hand could do 80. But that 10 pound difference is insignificant for target shooting. You're actually pulling with your shoulder blades anyway (basically pinching them together and that pulls your arm into position) so hand strength shouldn't come into play. I have no idea if people have a dominant/weak shoulder blade :-P

I was resistant to shoot lefty too since camp instructors had always had me do righty. The advantage of drawing with my weaker hand is that my dominant hand holds the bow. This is the hand that gets tired quicker as it's the one doing more work (your shoulder blades can't hold the bow up). Having my bow arm be the stronger arm lets me keep practicing for longer times (I did 6 hours a day for a full week at an Olympic training center) and it lets me aim for longer. I'm less likely to drop my bow arm during the shot. And it's nice to not fray the ends of the fingers I write with when I forget my finger tab :-)

[Kurien]

Ah, no. I'm not looking at a hunting recurve. I'm looking at their target line. Specifically, the Helix (http://www.hoytrecurve.com/recurve_bows/hoyt_helix_recurve_bow.php).

Ah. I see. I dont like how competition bows tend to accumulate all these gizmos and gadgets. Sights? On a bow? And what are those long sticks protruding from the back of the bow just below the bow hand? Stabilizers? :smallconfused:
Edit: In all the youtube videos I've seen of target shooters, they always let the bow fall and rotate after each shot. Why is that?


*stands up and pretends shooting in a mirror* Nope, it was right the first time. I'm left eye dominant, but right handed. I pull with the left. When I've tried shooting righty (it's easier to teach people using the form they'll be using) it goes really really badly because my dominant eye is looking at the target from an angle.

You can shoot backwards if you like. Just make sure you keep one eye closed so the weaker eye can take over. Some stubborn archers even use an eye patch so the dominant eye doesn't throw them off. The best reason to shoot this way is if you already own a righty bow and don't want to try lefty. IIRC 2/3 of people are right eye dominant so most rental bows available are righty.

Hand strength shouldn't be a factor. I've drawn 70 lbs with my left hand. Maybe my right hand could do 80. But that 10 pound difference is insignificant for target shooting. You're actually pulling with your shoulder blades anyway (basically pinching them together and that pulls your arm into position) so hand strength shouldn't come into play. I have no idea if people have a dominant/weak shoulder blade :-P

I was resistant to shoot lefty too since camp instructors had always had me do righty. The advantage of drawing with my weaker hand is that my dominant hand holds the bow. This is the hand that gets tired quicker as it's the one doing more work (your shoulder blades can't hold the bow up). Having my bow arm be the stronger arm lets me keep practicing for longer times (I did 6 hours a day for a full week at an Olympic training center) and it lets me aim for longer. I'm less likely to drop my bow arm during the shot. And it's nice to not fray the ends of the fingers I write with when I forget my finger tab :-)

Those are all good points for shooting lefty, but I tried the eye test again and this time it seemed my right eye was dominant! I could see the point between my fingers with my right eye, but not the left. :smallconfused: Perhaps my eyes are equal?

[valadil]

Those are all good points for shooting lefty, but I tried the eye test again and this time it seemed my right eye was dominant! I could see the point between my fingers with my right eye, but not the left. :smallconfused: Perhaps my eyes are equal?

What's most likely is that I didn't explain it very well. It's easier to do in person. If I were you I'd recommend getting it tested at a range, but I'm not sure if one is available in your area.

[randman22222]

Ah. I see. I dont like how competition bows tend to accumulate all these gizmos and gadgets. Sights? On a bow? And what are those long sticks protruding from the back of the bow just below the bow hand? Stabilizers? :smallconfused:
Edit: In all the youtube videos I've seen of target shooters, they always let the bow fall and rotate after each shot. Why is that?

Stabilizers is correct. They add enough weight in the right places to make sure the bow doesn't wobble or move while the arrow is being released. And... Wait. There are people who don't use sights? :smalleek:

Oh, and my personal theory is that they do it because the archer to the left of them does it, as does the archer to the right of them.

Lastly, I find the camera test for dominant eye to be better than the hand thing. Get a camera. Put it up to your face. Which eye did you bring it to? That's the dominant eye.

[Kurien]

I visisted the local archery shop for the first time today. I got a chance to shoot a few target recurves. They had wooden risers. Apparently I'm such a weakling I have to start off with a 20 pound draw weight bow :smallannoyed:; the first one I tried, a 30 pounder, I couldn't draw its maximum length, or so the guy helping me shoot said. Anyway, it was awesome. I got some skin in the crook of my elbow caught between the string and the armguard, and it got pinched badly.
One of the employees there referred me to a couple that offers bow shooting lessons at an affordable price, and they supply you with all your gear, so you don't need to buy any equipment. There may be a long waiting list to get in their class but I think it's worth the weight. Archery is an old interest of mine that has been recently rekindled.

Some notes:

The bow I used a week ago is actually about one size category too small for me. It'd fit a halfling, gnome or perhaps a small child, not a medium sized creature such as I. Also, it turned out to be a recurve that had been strung backwards. Go figure.
I could buy a good slingshot from there for $20 if I was so inclined. That, a "youth" plastic self bow for $50. It seems like a good deal.
I need to design an armguard that covers the upper arm as well.
Crap, I need a hunting licence before I can kill anything larger than an ant in Ontario? To get a hunting license I need to go through a firearms handling course and take a practical and written test about the hunting and fishing laws in my province. It'll cost a few hundred dollars.
I'm not sure the point in getting the license seeing as I don't want to kill large game, and can't bring myself to off the odd hapless squirrel or rabbit. Although rats, I dont think I'll have any qualms about killing. But is it really worth $300 to kill rats?

[Coidzor]

Wait, hunting laws protect nuisance pests such as rats and fieldmice?

That's odd. I thought hunting laws only really protected things that actually had a season or were explicitly forbidden from being killed.

I'm pretty sure if you have rats on your property you're allowed to dispose of them as you see fit...

[Kurien]

Well, we didn't go into too much detail over what you can and cannot kill, but I got the expression from what he said that you cannot kill anything with a gun, or other ranged weapon like an air rifle or slingshot. Maybe I got the wrong impression. I'll have to check my laws online to see if it's true.

[Thrawn183]

Beginners Note:
Improperly holding the bow will result in the bow string impacting the inner forearm in a rather painful manner. You can even flay a sizable chunk of skin right off. Fortunately there is an easy way to prevent this:

The inside of your elbow joint should be pointed across your body, NOT up. If you were to draw a straight line from the bony point of your elbow to the wrinkly inside, it should be parallel to the ground, not perpendicular.

An easy way to train yourself. Most people if they extend their arm, the inside of the elbow joint points up (the position you don't want to be in for archery). Do this. Next rotate your wrist so that the palm of your hand points toward the ground. You should notice that the elbow joint has rotated as well. Rotate your wrist 90 degrees back (to the position that you would normally hold a bow) and you will notice that the elbow joint should still be in the desired orientation.

Keep this in mind and you shouldn't have too much trouble with the bowstring hitting your forearm.