Learn more about archery

Explore the rich history, essential gear, and expert tips that make archery a timeless pursuit for enthusiasts of all levels. Here you can find our small glossary of important gear, parts and more. More words will be added continuously.

GENERAL TERMS

Fundamental Archery Concepts

1. Archery: The practice or sport of using a bow to propel arrows toward a target or game.
2. Anchor Point: A precise, repeatable position on the archer’s face (e.g., corner of the mouth, chin, or cheekbone) to ensure consistent shooting.
3. Archer’s Paradox: The bending of the arrow around the bow upon release and the way it realigns itself mid-flight toward the target.
4. Follow-Through: The motion and posture maintained after releasing the arrow, crucial for accuracy.
5. Kisser Button: A small plastic button attached to the bowstring that touches the archer’s lips to provide an additional reference point during aiming.

GEAR AND EQUIPMENT

Bow Types

1. Recurve Bow: Characterized by its curved limbs, providing extra power and efficiency. It’s the only type used in Olympic competition. In this category you also find Traditional Recurves, Barebow, Horsebows, and historical composite bows. 
2. Compound Bow: A modern bow with cams and pulleys, offering greater accuracy and reduced holding weight at full draw.
3. Longbow: A tall bow, traditionally made of a single piece of wood, that is as long as or taller than the archer.
4. Flatbow: Similar to a longbow but with flat, wide limbs.
5. Crossbow: A horizontal bow mounted on a stock, featuring a trigger mechanism to release the bolt.
6. Reflex Bow: A bow with limbs that curve away from the archer, creating a compact design and significant power.
7. Composite Bow: Constructed from multiple materials such as wood, horn, and sinew for increased resilience and strength.
8. Takedown Bow: A bow with detachable limbs for easier storage and transport.

Bow Parts and Attachments

1. Riser: The central part of the bow, holding the grip and attachment points for limbs and accessories.
2. Limbs: The flexible, curved sections of the bow that store energy when the string is drawn.
3. Grip: The part of the riser held by the archer’s hand.
4. Bowstring: Made from strong, durable fibers like Dacron, Kevlar, or Dyneema, this string propels the arrow.
5. Arrow Rest: A platform on the riser where the arrow sits during aiming.
6. Stabilizer: A weighted rod that reduces vibration and helps balance the bow during shooting.
7. Plunger Button: A small device used to fine-tune arrow flight by controlling lateral movement.
8. Sight Pins: Adjustable aiming points used to mark various distances.

Arrows

1. Shaft: The main body of the arrow, made of materials like carbon, aluminum, wood, or fiberglass.
2. Spine: A measure of the arrow’s flexibility. Proper spine stiffness ensures stable and accurate flight.
3. Point: The arrow’s tip, which can vary by type:
   • Field Points: Designed for practice and target shooting.
   • Broadheads: Razor-sharp tips used in hunting.
   • Blunt Tips: Used for small game hunting or practice without penetrating targets.
   • Judo Points: Designed for field shooting; they grab onto grass or dirt to prevent loss.
4. Fletching: Vanes or feathers attached to the arrow for stability in flight.
   • Helical Fletching: Vanes are mounted with a twist to create spin for better stability.
   • Straight Fletching: Vanes are mounted straight for faster flight with minimal spin.
5. Nock: The slotted plastic or wood piece at the rear of the arrow, fitting onto the bowstring.

Accessories

1. Quiver: A holder for arrows, available in various styles:
   • Back Quiver: Worn on the back.
   • Hip Quiver: Attached to the belt.
   • Bow Quiver: Mounted directly onto the bow.
2. Finger Tab: A flat piece of leather or synthetic material used to protect the fingers during release.
3. Armguard: Protects the forearm from being struck by the bowstring.
4. Bow Sling: A strap that helps the archer maintain grip without squeezing the bow too tightly.
5. Bow Stringer: A tool used to safely string or unstring a bow.
6. Arrow Puller: A device that helps remove arrows from a target safely.

TECHNIQUES AND FORM

Stances

1. Square Stance: Feet are aligned perpendicular to the target, offering stability and simplicity.
2. Open Stance: The lead foot is slightly angled away from the target, allowing for greater rotation.
3. Closed Stance: The lead foot is slightly closer to the shooting line, ideal for precise alignment.

Steps of Shooting

1. Nocking the Arrow: Attaching the arrow to the bowstring, ensuring it is aligned with the nocking point.
2. Drawing: Pulling back the string while maintaining proper posture.
3. Anchoring: Bringing the string hand to a consistent anchor point.
4. Aiming: Aligning the sight, arrow, or instinctive focus on the target.
5. Release: Relaxing the fingers to let the string propel the arrow.
6. Follow-Through: Keeping the bow arm steady and the string hand in place after release.

Aiming Methods

1. Instinctive Shooting: Relying on intuition and practice rather than sights.
2. Point of Aim: Using the arrow tip to align with the target.
3. Gap Shooting: Judging the gap between the target and arrow tip based on distance.
4. String Walking: Adjusting hand placement on the string to alter trajectory.

TARGETS AND SCORING

Types of Targets

1. Paper Targets: Flat, circular targets with concentric scoring rings.
2. 3D Targets: Life-sized foam animal models for simulating hunting scenarios.
3. Clout Targets: Ground-based targets used in long-distance shooting competitions.

Scoring Terms

1. End: A group of arrows shot in succession before scoring (e.g., six arrows in target archery).
2. Robin Hood: Splitting an arrow already in the target with another arrow.
3. Gold: The innermost yellow circle on a standard target, worth the highest points.
4. Line Cutter: An arrow that touches the line between two scoring zones, earning the higher score.

TUNING AND MAINTENANCE

Bow Tuning

1. Tiller: The balance between the upper and lower limbs of the bow.
2. Brace Height: The distance from the bowstring to the deepest part of the grip.
3. Paper Tuning: Shooting through a piece of paper to analyze arrow flight and adjust the bow accordingly.

Arrow Maintenance

1. Spine Testing: Ensuring arrows have the correct stiffness for the bow’s draw weight.
2. Fletching Repair: Replacing damaged feathers or vanes to restore flight stability.

STYLES OF ARCHERY

Recreational

1. Target Archery: Shooting at stationary targets from fixed distances.
2. Field Archery: Shooting at various targets along a course in a natural setting.
3. 3D Archery: Shooting at foam animals for a simulated hunting experience.

Historical and Cultural

1. Kyudo: Traditional Japanese archery emphasizing form and meditative focus.
2. Traditional Archery: Using longbows or recurve bows without modern accessories.
3. Horseback Archery: Shooting while riding, often in reenactments or competitions.

Competitive

1. Indoor Archery: Shooting at shorter distances, typically 18 or 25 meters.
2. Outdoor Archery: Target shooting at longer distances, often up to 90 meters.
3. Para-Archery: Adaptive archery for individuals with physical disabilities.

HISTORICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS TERMS

1. Bowyer: A craftsman who makes bows.
2. Fletcher: A person who makes or repairs arrows.
3. Yumi: The Japanese term for the long asymmetrical bow used in Kyudo.
4. Warbow: A powerful longbow used historically in battle, especially during the Middle Ages.

This glossary is now as detailed and expansive as possible! Let me know if you’d like further elaboration on any section or a tailored focus for a specific aspect of archery.