Archery Bow and Arrow - How to Take Up Archery, How to Make a Bow and Arrow, How to Shoot an Arrow

How to Take Up Archery

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Archery, a great sport but few people know how to take it up. It is thought to be a sport all about Robin Hood and his longbow shooting at apples on peoples heads. If that's you, then branch out a little-try archery for yourself.

Steps

1. Figure out which type of Archery you are interested in. There is hunting, target shooting, or Traditional. Hunting generally involved compound bows(bows with a string that wraps around with the aid of cams. It can however use recurve( bow with one string that causes the bow to form a "w" shape) or longbows(simple bow that forms a "u". Target shooting also uses compound and recurve bows. These however, are purpose built for target shooting. Traditional shooting uses recurve and longbows, but these bows use little modern technology.
2. Find an archery organization. This greatly depends on the discipline you wish to participate in. Hunting groups are pretty common, just look in the yellow pages for a hunting store near you and ask if they have a club. Target shooting clubs, especially recurve, can be seen by looking at where competitions are held. Look for a range that holds a target meet in your area. One can also look at the FITA website. Traditional shooters can choose to do either method.
3. Ask for lessons. Talk to whomever is the range supervisor about lessons and instructors. Before even shooting with any gear, acquire lessons. Without these, you may gain bad habits that can take months to remove. Instructors normally provide equipment, thus saving you the risk of buying your own.
4. Buy your own equipment. After a number of lessons, your instructor will aid you in buying your own gear. Do not buy gear before this!

Tips

• If you cannot find lessons for a discipline of archery you wish to go into, consider choosing another discipline.
• Hunting doesn't mean actual hunting. It is more of an equipment category. (Also called "3D")
• Traditional and target instructors are very difficult to find. Try contacting your regional archery organization (through the FITA website) to find coaches and other archers in your area.

Warnings

• Do not go into archery to shoot at people, even in jest.
• Do not buy archery gear without an instructor's aid.
• Be prepared to spend between $400 and $1000 on target gear.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Take Up Archery. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Make a Bow and Arrow

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Once the weapon of choice for everyone from Native Americans to Turkish armies, the bow is one of the oldest hunting (and fighting) tools on Earth . While it is not a match for modern weaponry -- or indeed for modern archery equipment -- a primitive bow can still save your life if you have to hunt to survive in the wilderness. A high quality bow can take weeks or months to cure and construct, but a simpler version (1.0) can be made relatively quickly and with readily available materials. The instructions below, based largely on the U.S. Army Survival Manual FM 21-76, can teach you how to construct a "field-expedient" bow.

Steps

Bow

1. Choose a piece of wood for the bow or stick. Generally flexible so it can fire the arrow. Find a piece of dry, dead but not gray and cracking hardwood--oak, lemon tree wood, hickory, yew, black locust, or teak for example--about 1 meter (1 yard /-) in length. The wood should be free of knots, twists or limbs. Green wood can be used if absolutely necessary, but it should be avoided because it does not provide the same power as dry wood. If using green wood, try for pine. It is the easiest to cut, and clean. Steel wool is usable to clean it off. Also if using green wood, skin it and soak it in hot water. This will help the bow to bend. If it is green wood once you bend it you can steam it over a fire to dry it.
2. Determine the natural curve of the stick. Every piece of wood will have a natural curve, no matter how slight. As you construct the bow, be mindful of the curve.
3. Shape the bow. Ideally, you will want the bow to be strong (and hence thicker) in the center. A thick center will also serve as a good handle. Using a knife or similar tool, shave wood off the inside of the curve (the side that faces behind you when shooting) on the thicker half of the stick until it has the same width and pull as the thinner half. If the stick is roughly the same diameter all along its length, you may need to shave both ends to some degree. You want the bow to end up with a thick, strong center portion flanked by two thinner, more flexible end segments of roughly the same thickness and length (see Figure 1).
4. Cut notches to hold the bow string. Use your knife to cut notches about 1-2 inches from each end of the bow. The notches should be in the shape of a half moon on the outside of the bow's curve (see inset, Figure 1).
5. Select a bow string. The string can be made of rawhide, thin nylon rope, hemp cord, fishing line, strands of cotton or silk from caterpillars, perhaps even vines or sinew. If you are stranded in the wilderness, it may be difficult to find a suitable string, and you may need to try a variety of materials before you find one that has the necessary strength. The string should not be stretchy, as the power comes from the wood, not the string.

Arrows

1. Select sticks for arrows. Some strong, straight plants for arrows are goldenrod and mullen. They can be found in fields. Arrows should be formed from the straightest sticks you can find. The wood should be dry and dead, however green wood does work if you can give it some extra time to dry out naturally, as the sap may ignite if placed over a fire to dry; each arrow should be about half as long as the bow, or as long at the bow can draw back. It does not work to have arrows that can't be pulled back to the bow's potential.
2. Shape the arrows. You will need to whittle the wood smooth around the circumference of the arrow. You can straighten an arrow by gently heating the shaft over hot coals--do not scorch or burn the wood--and then holding the arrow straight while the wood cools. Carve a small notch at the back end of each arrow to accommodate the bow string.
3. Construct the arrowheads. The simplest arrowhead is simply a carved point on the front of the arrow shaft. You can whittle such a point with a knife and then fire harden it by gently heating it in coals (again, be careful not to burn or scorch the wood). You can also construct an arrowhead from metal, stone, glass, or bone and attach it to the arrow's tip by notching the wood, inserting the arrowhead into the notch, and then lashing the arrowhead to the wood with some sort of string or cord.
4. Find some feathers to make the fletchings and glue them (if possible) onto the back ends of the arrows. You could also split back of the arrow, slide the feather in, and tightly wrap a thin thread ( possibly obtained from your own clothes)around the fletching. If a fletching is not feasible, skip this step. While fletching improves the arrow's flight, it is not necessary for a field-expedient weapon..

Video

Tips

• To make a fire using the bow you will need to gather dry moss, dryer lint, or other suitable tinder, a piece of hard wood that fits into your palm, and a piece of soft wood (softer than your arrow shaft).Cut a nock in the soft wood approximately 3 centimetres deep running the thickness of the wood, place this nock directly upon the tinder. Drill a small hole into the hard, palm-sized wood slightly larger than the diameter of your arrow shaft and no deeper than 5-10 millimetres. Twist a de-headed arrow into the string of the bow and place the butt of the arrow into the hole drilled into the hard wood. CAREFUL, as the arrow will want to twist out of the string and may injure you. Place the tip of the arrow into the nock of the soft wood. Begin pulling the bow back and forth, keeping the motion steady and even. The soft wood will begin to heat, smoke, and will eventually produce a small ember. This ember should fall into your pile of tinder. If carefully nursed, and blown upon until small flames appear, the pile can be picked up and carried by the bottom, carefully, and quickly to a prepared fire site.
• If you plan to fish with your bow, make sure to aim slightly above the fish due to the angle of infraction from the water. Fletching is also not needed if you plan to fish with your bow.
• The bow and arrow detailed here is meant to be temporary and will not have a long life. Fortunately, you can relatively easily construct a replacement.
• The U.S. Army Survival Manual FM 21-76, a public-domain resource, provides instructions for a variety of tools and weapons, and is a goldmine of survival tips. You can easily find a used copy online or in military surplus stores, and it can be purchased as a slightly changed reprint at some bookstores. The entire manual is also available free of charge in PDF format on the website for the Equipped to Survive Foundation (see External Links below).
• You can increase the bow's power by making two identical bows and lashing them together front-to-front (so that they form an "X" when viewed from the side) with string or rope. They should be tied together at the tips. Attach the bow string to only one of the bows. This is sort of a primitive crossbow.
• Additional Tip: Tightly wrap the bow with a wet strip of leather around the center two thirds of the bow (before stringing) and let it dry naturally. This will give your bow extra strength to resist breakage and should allow you to project arrows at a greater velocity.
• You can carve a notch about a centimeter into the wood and an inch up to put your arrows on once your bow is pulled back(to rest the arrow on, and keep it from wobbling).
• When you are testing a bow's draw weight, do not dry fire, or let go of the bowstring without an arrow on it. This will damage the bow over time.
• When making arrows, it is not necessary to fletch them, simply cut thin shavings off the wood, and leave them attached at one end, when bent up, these should act as make-shift and easy to construct flights. Do not let them run across your hand, follow the above tip to avoid that problem.

Warnings

• When shaping the bow, make sure to shave wood off the inside of the curve (the belly of the bow). Otherwise, the bow is likely to break on its first use.
• The bow and arrow is not easy to use effectively. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to hunt to survive, you may be better off constructing traps or a more easily-used weapon.
• This bow and arrow is a lethal weapon. Exercise caution when using, and never aim at anything you do not intend to kill.
• Use extreme caution with the knife or axe.
• You may want to carry a bowstring with you when camping as they are hard to make from scratch.
• Keep bow and arrows out of reach of small children.
• Always wait for everyone to finish shooting to collect arrows.
• If you cut the arrow too short and you pull the bow back it can go through your hand.

Things You'll Need

• A Hardwood Stick; About 1 Meter In Length (For The Bow)
• Non-Stretchy String( Weed eater line, 50 pound fishing line, etc.)
• Wood-Cutting Tool (Knife Or An Axe)
• Straight, Dead Sticks; About 1/2 Meter In Length (For Arrows)
• Feathers (For Fletching)
• Flint Stone; Metal; Similar Materials for Making Arrowheads
• Steel Wool (If Making A Green Bow)

Sources and Citations

• U.S. Army Survival Manual

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Bow and Arrow. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Shoot an Arrow

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Historically archery was used in hunting and combat and has now become a precision sport. Shooting a bow and arrow is also an enjoyable pastime. Read this guide and with the proper technique you'll be shooting a bull's-eye in no time!

Steps

1. Determine your dominant eye. As you can probably guess, your dominant eye is more accurate in aiming and judging distances.
2. Use equipment that matches your dominant eye. Most archery equipment is labeled as "right-handed" or "left-handed" (referring to which hand pulls back the bowstring) probably because for most people, their dominant eye is on the same side as their dominant hand. (Right eye dominance is more common[1] and so is right-handedness.) However if your dominant eye is the opposite of your dominant hand you should consider obtaining equipment for your weak hand. This ensures that you are able to use your dominant eye to aim.
   • Right eye dominant: Use a right handed bow, hold the bow with your left hand, and pull the bowstring back with your right hand.[2]
   • Left eye dominant: Use a left handed bow, hold the bow with your right hand, and pull the bowstring back with your left hand.[2]
3. Obtain the appropriate gear.
   • Wear an arm-guard (also known as a bracer) on your bow arm (the side that holds the bow) to avoid it getting slapped by the bowstring.
   • You may also wish to wear a chest protector, especially if you are a woman, to protect your chest as well as keep clothing from getting in the way.
   • Get a finger tab for the string hand. This is a small piece of leather or heavy fabric that protects your drawing fingers when you let go of the bowstring.
4. Assume the correct shooting stance. If you are right eye dominant, hold the bow with your left hand, point your left shoulder to the target, and handle the arrow and string with your right hand. If you are left eye dominant, it's the reverse. Place your feet should-width apart so that your two feet form a straight line pointing towards the target. Your body should be perpendicular to the target and the shooting line.
5. Nock the arrow. Point the bow towards the ground and place the shaft of the arrow on the arrow rest. Attach the back of the arrow to the bow string with the nock -- the small plastic component with a groove for this purpose. If the arrow has three vanes, or fletching feathers, orient the arrow so that a single vane is pointing away from the bow.
6. Use three fingers to lightly hold the arrow on the string. Most commonly, the index finger is held above the arrow and the middle and ring fingers below. This is called the Mediterranean draw and is currently the most popular.[3]
7. Raise and draw your bow. This is often done in one fluid motion.1. Hold the bow arm outwards toward the target. Your inner elbow should be parallel to the ground and the bow should always stay vertical.2. Draw the string hand towards the face to an anchor point. That is usually somewhere around the chin or the corner of the mouth, and consistent from shot to shot.
8. Aim. Choose either instinctive shooting or shooting with a sight.%u2022 Instinctive shooting is the coordination between the eyes and the bow arm. It requires large amounts of concentration and practice. Focus on nothing but the center of the target.%u2022 Shooting with a sight involves adjusting pins on the side of the bow for different distances and is much easier to learn.
9. Release the arrow by relaxing the fingers of your string hand.
10. Shoot the full end of arrows. This is usually composed of six arrows.
11. Score your arrows if you wish. There are ten evenly-spaced rings on a standard FITA target. The two inner yellow circles are equal to 10. Then the value decreases by one as you move outwards. If the arrow is just touching or on the line it is awarded the higher score.[4]
12. Practice and you'll get better with time.

Video

Tips

• In proper form, the archer stands erect, forming a "T". The archer's back muscles are used to pull the arrow to the anchor point.
• An archer should pay attention to the recoil or follow through of his or her body, as it may indicate problems with form (technique).
• As an archer progresses from beginner to a more advanced level an "open stance" is developed. Each archer will have a particular preference but mostly this term indicates that the leg furthest from the shooting line will be a half to a whole foot-length in front of the other, on the ground.
• Quivers are useful and are often used on ranges. They can be a metal stake and loop stuck into the ground or a cylindrical container hanging from your belt.
• Avoid 'slapping' your forearm with the bowstring by rotating your arm inwards. Not only is it a more stable position, but it conveniently rotates your inner forearm away from the string's path.
• If you are a beginner, you might want to do push ups, pull ups, or other arm strenghthening exercises before you begin. This will help you when holding the bow so your arms do not get shakey while aiming.

Warnings

• Always aim the bow towards the range or the ground. During shooting no animal or human should be in the range (area ahead of shooting line). Be cautious at all times.
• Wear an arm guard whenever you shoot a bow to avoid scrapes or cuts on the bow arm. Most reach from the wrist to the elbow, but depending on the archer's shooting style it may need to extend to the upper arm.
• Do not pull back and release the bowstring without an arrow. "Dry firing" causes micro-fractures in the bow from the stress of the force being reabsorbed.

Things You'll Need

• Arrows
• Bow
• Arm guard
• Chest guard (optional)
• Finger tab (optional)
• Quiver (optional)
• Target
• Range

Sources and Citations

• Wikipedia on Archery

1. %u2191 http://www.springerlink.com/content/p662481n7571738p/
2. %u2191 2.0 2.1 http://www.archeryexchange.com/information/info_pages/beginnersetup/rhorlh.shtml
3. %u2191 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bow_draw
4. %u2191 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_archery#Scoring

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Shoot an Arrow. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

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