Bowhunting Equipment

Archery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


A Clout round usually consists of 36 arrows. A Cock scores 5 points when hit and knocked off its perch; a Hen, 3; and a Chick, 1 point. A compilation of scientific and technical articles on theory, construction, use and performance of bows and arrows, reprinted from journals of science and of archery. A compound bow must be adjusted so that the let-off occurs at the correct draw length appropriate to the archer.A crossbow is a variation on the general bow design. A form particularly popular in Europe and America is field archery, shot at targets generally set at various distances in a wooded setting. A horizontal variation with Flemish origins also exists and is also practiced in Canada and the United StatesA Papingo is also hosted during the summer in Scotland by the Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers. A mark is a post or flag to be aimed at. A mechanical release aid permits a single point of contact on the string instead of three fingers. A perpendicular array of wooden walls secures a path parallel to the shooting range. A 'rope' with a loop on the end is placed over the flag stick. A round consists of 28 targets in two units of 14. A simple tab of leather is commonly used, as is a skeleton glove. Accessed 9th December 2007.^ Kenya loses another athlete to violence. After each end, the competitors walk to the target to score and retrieve their arrows. After each round, the archers take their own arrow and shoot directly in the opposite direction (thus having opposite windage). Again, children and youth shoot from reduced range.One goal of field archery is to improve the technique and required for bowhunting in a more realistic outdoor setting, but without introducing the complication and guesswork of unknown distances. All bow types may compete (longbows, recurve, barebow and compound).Scoring. Almost any fiber can be made into a bow string. Alternative bows may be shot on subsequent "ends" and also marked as above with their bow types and weights. Aluminum shafts were a very popular high-performance choice in the later half of the 20th century due to their straightness, lighter weight, and subsequently higher speed and flatter trajectories. Among the Cherokees and the British, popular use of longbows never entirely died out. Animal rounds use life-size 2D animal targets with 'uneven' distances reminiscent of the hunter round. Anything on the target that is outside of the 8, 10, 12, or 14 rings is a 5. Archers have a set time limit in which to shoot their arrows.An official FITA targetTargets are marked with 10 evenly spaced concentric rings, which have score values from 1 through 10 assigned to them. Archers score each end by summing the scores for their arrows. Archers shoot 'ends' of six arrows then, when given the signal to do so, archers proceed to the target area. Archers take turns shooting at a vertical strip of wood, the wand, usually about six feet high and three to six inches wide. Archers teams shoot alternately at two targets facing each other, 50 meters away. Archers were quite often the lowest-paid soldiers in an army or were conscripted from the peasantry. Archery has historically been used in hunting and combat and has become a precision sport. Archery remained an important part of the military examinations until 1894 in Korea and 1904 in China. Armenian Hayk and Babylonian Marduk, Indian Arjuna and Persian Arash, were all archers. Armies equipped with guns can thus provide superior firepower by sheer weight of numbers, and highly-trained archers became obsolete on the battlefield. Arrows proved exceptionally destructive against massed formations, and the use of archers often proved decisive. As an archer progresses from beginner to a more advanced level an 'open stance' is used/developed. As ex-Confederate soldiers they were not allowed to own guns, so they needed other ways to hunt for food. As with clout a rope or ribbon is used to score the arrows. As with golf, fatigue can be an issue as the athlete walks the distance between targets across sometimes rough terrain.A home-made Archery target[edit] Other modern competitionsThe following are listed on the FITA website. At the end of the shoot, archers stand or sit by their furthest arrows while judges and their assistants measure the distances they were shot. Bowhunting differs markedly from hunting with firearms as the distances between the hunter and the game are much shorter in order to ensure a humane kill. Bows and arrows have seen considerable use in the 2008 ethnic clashes in Kenya.[10] For example, members of the Kalenjin ethnic group have been photographed doing battle against another group, the Kisii, using bows and arrows. Bows and arrows: deadly weapons of rural Kenya's war. Bows eventually replaced the atlatl as the predominant means for launching projectiles.Classical civilizations, notably the Persians, Macedonians, Nubians, Greeks, Koreans, Parthians, Indians, Japanese, and Chinese fielded large numbers of archers in their armies. Bows of Holmegaard-type were in use until the Bronze Age; the convexity of the midsection has decreased with time.Mesolithic pointed shafts have been found in England, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. Carbon fiber arrows became popular in the 1990s and are very light, flying even faster and flatter than aluminum arrows. Central Asian and American Plains tribesmen were extremely adept at archery on horseback.[edit] Decline, last uses, and survival of archeryThe advent of firearms eventually rendered bows obsolete in warfare. Chestguards are to prevent the bowstring from being obstructed by the archer's body or clothing as it is released. Children and youth positions for these two rounds are closer, no more than 30 and 50 yards, respectively. Clout tournaments are usually a 'Double Clout' round (36 arrows shot twice). Competition is divided into ends of 3 or 6 arrows. Composite bows are recurved in form.A compound bow is designed to reduce the force that an archer must hold, yet increase the overall energy stored by the bow. Crossbows shoot quarrels or bolts, which are shorter arrows than those usual for bows.[edit] Types of arrows and fletchingMain article: ArrowA normal arrow consists of shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other. Despite the high social status, ongoing utility, and widespread pleasure of archery in England, Japan, Korea, China, Turkey, America, Egypt, and elsewhere, every culture that gained access to even early firearms used them widely, to the relative neglect of archery. During competition the skis must not be removed at any time. Earlier Greek representations of Heracles normally depict him as an archer. Early firearms were vastly inferior in rate-of-fire, and were very susceptible to wet weather. Fiberglass arrows are brittle, but are more easily produced to uniform specifications. Field rounds are at 'even' distances up to 80 yards (some of the shortest are measured in feet instead), using targets with a black bullseye (5 points), a white center (4) ring, and black outer (3) ring. For some reason, Thomas Williams knew something about English-style Archery (using a longbow) and showed Maurice and Will. From the 1920s, professional engineers took an interest in archery, previously the exclusive field of traditional craft experts.[18] They led the commercial development of new forms of bow including the modern recurve and compound bow. Handong Global University, 2007^ Asano Yukinaga, 1598 CE, letter to his father, quoted in The Samurai, by S.R. He used a heavy hunting bow to hit small reinforced target areas on the chests of actors in motion. Here only one bird is the target, and the archers take it in turn to shoot with a longbow until the "bird" is shot down.[edit] Roving MarksThe oldest form of competitive archery, as practiced by Henry VIII. Hill also performed stunts such as shooting an apple held by a volunteer and shooting a stone as it was thrown in the air. Howard Hill used his extraordinary accuracy for the archery in the movie The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) starring Errol Flynn. However, most modern archers tend to use same color vanes; as different dyes can give varying stiffness to vanes. However, public interest in archery soon subsided.That all changed when Ishi came out of hiding in California in 1911. However, they had longer effective range[5] and were tactically superior in the common situation of soldiers shooting at each other from behind obstructions. Hunter rounds use 'uneven' distances up to 70 yards, and although scoring is identical to a field round, the target has an all-black face with a white bullseye. Hydraulic and mechanical time delay triggers have been used, as have "back tension" triggers which are operated by either a change in the position of the release or "true back tension"; that is to say the release triggers when a pre-determined draw weight is reached. If it hits, he does not have to shoot again. If it misses, he advances to station two and shoots a second arrow, then to station three for a third if needed. If the thickness is less than ⅝ of its width then the bow will be disqualified from most modern longbow competitions. If you miss the target, you score a zero.Though the goal is hunting practice, hunting tips (broadheads) are not used, as they will tear up the foam targets too much. In 1879 the National Archery Association was formed. In addition, there is an inner 10 ring, sometimes called the X ring. In certain events, for every missed target, the athlete must ski one penalty loop. In Korea, the transformation from military training to healthy pastime was led by Emperor Gojong, and is the basis of a popular modern sport. In the 1940s, two bows were found there. In the 1980s, the skills of traditional archery were revived by American enthusiasts, and combined with the new scientific understanding. In the archers mind there can be nothing but the center of the target. In the Finsbury Mark the scoring system is 20 for hitting the mark, 12 for within ~3ft, 7 points for within the next ~6ft and 3 points for within the next ~9ft.[edit] Wand shootA Traditional English archery contest. In this process, some energy is dissipated through elastic hysteresis, reducing the overall amount released when the bow is shot. In this students use Genesis bows (a compound-style bow without a let-off). In traditional Japanese archery a special glove is used, provided with a ridge which is used to draw the string.[edit] Release aidsArchers using compound bows usually use a release aid to hold the string steadily and release it precisely. In Turkey, its last revival for this purpose took place with the encouragement of Mahmud II in the 1820s, but the art, and that of constructing composite bows, fell out of use in the later 1800s. In years past there was normally a vane with a different color, called "the odd vane out" or "the nocking vane". Instead of the limbs being held vertically, they are mounted horizontally on a stock much like that of a firearm. ISBN 1-58574-085-3(1992) The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 2. ISBN 1-58574-086-1(1994) The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 3. ISBN-10: 0520240375 ISBN-13: 978-0520240377^ Saxton POPE. ISBN-10: 0750931671 ISBN-13: 978-0750931670^ National Archery Association's page on JOAD programs.^ For example, impalement arts contravene rules 101(b) and 102(a) of the UK Grand National Archery Society (GNAS) Rules of Shooting (see Copy of Rules of Shooting (PDF). ISBN-10: 1846643694 ISBN-13: 978-1846643699^ The Great Warbow. ISBN-10: 9622095011 ISBN-13: 978-9622095014^ Space Daily. Ishi was the last of the Yahi Indian tribe. It can be drawn less far, therefore stores less energy and hence has a shorter velocity and maximum range. It is most common to see unmarked distances in 3D archery, as the goal is to accurately recreate a hunting environment for competition.On these animals there are 4 rings, only 3 of these are used in ASA shoots. It is quicker to shoot, more manoeuvrable, easier to conceal, and requires less work and material. It requires large amounts of concentration and practice. Its basic working principles are similar to that of a traditional longbow. Its defining feature is that the ends of the limbs curve forwards, which increases the power gained from the bow and smoothens the draw. Japanese continue to make and use their unique traditional equipment. Later, Maurice wrote a book, "The Witchery of Archery," which became a best seller and enthused people about the sport of archery. Line breakers, an arrow just touching a scoring boundary line, will be awarded the higher score.Different rounds and distances use different size target faces. Linen and other traditional materials are still used on traditional bows. Longbows have been used for hunting and warfare, by many cultures around the world, a famous example being the English longbow, during the Middle Ages.A Flatbow is a bow with non-recurved, flat, relatively wide limbs that are approximately rectangular in cross-section. Many surviving Turkish and Chinese examples are works of considerable art; some are so highly ornamented that they can not have been used to loose an arrow. Medieval Europeans probably used a complete leather glove.[24] Eurasiatic archers using the Mongolian draw protected their thumbs, usually with leather according to the author of "Arab Archery", but also with special rings of various hard materials. Misplacement of fletchings can often change the arrow's flight path dramatically.[edit] Bow stringMain article: Bow stringDacron and other modern materials offer high strength for their weight and are used on most modern bows. Modern Hungarians have revived mounted archery as a competitive sport.[13] Archery is the national sport of the Kingdom of Bhutan.[14][edit] Modern primitive archeryAfter the American Civil War, two Confederate veterans, Maurice and Will Thompson, revived archery in America. Most compound designs use cams or elliptical wheels on the ends of the limbs to optimize the leverage exerted by the archer and to reduce the holding force of the bow at full draw in what is known as the "let-off". Most modern flatbows are otherwise similar to the classic longbow.A shortbow is any shorter version of the longbow or flatbow design. National Field Archery Association 1947^ Chinese Archery. Next is the 12 ring inside of the 10 ring, inside of the 8 ring. Njoro, Kenya (AFP) Feb 2, 2008[1]^ Arab Archery. Normal target or field tips, of the same weight as the intended broadhead, are used instead.In the uk the NFAS score by having a first arrow kill or a first arrow wound then a second and third arrow if you missed.[edit] Clout Archery (G.N.A.S. Note the tournament rules vary from organization to organization. Olympic rules are derived from FITA rules.Target archery competitions may be held indoors or outdoors. Once he came out of hiding, he was extensively studied and then lived at the University of California at Berkeley Anthropology Museum.[15] His medical caretaker, Dr. One shoots always the same arrow, supposedly the best built, as it was difficult in medieval times to have constant arrow quality. Ongoing use of bows and arrows in some African conflicts has been reported in the 21st century, and the Sentinelese still use bows as part of a lifestyle scarcely touched by outside contact. Outdoor distances range from 30 m to 90 m. Outdoors, it serves as a tiebreaker with the archer scoring the most X's winning. Oversized fletchings can be used to accentuate drag and thus limit the range of the arrow significantly; these arrows are called flu-flus. Points are awarded for hitting the strip. Pope about his culture, how to make tools the way the Yahi did, and how to hunt using a bow and arrow. Pope are still used today by primitive archers. Pope was joined by archery-enthusiast Arthur Young.Ishi's time was short however, and he died in 1916 of tuberculosis. Pope was very interested in Ishi and his culture, especially archery. Popinjay is popular in Belgium, and in Belgian Clubs internationally but little known elsewhere. Presumably these were items of personal adornment. Professional archers required a lifetime of training and expensive bows to be effective, and were thus rare in Europe (see English longbow).Archery was highly developed in Asia and in the Islamic world. Republished University of California Press 2004. Retrieved on 2007-02-11.) and represent "substantial" or "intolerable" risk under GNAS Archery range health and safety policy (see Copy of health and safety policy from SportFocus website (PDF). Retrieved on 2007-02-11.)^ "Artist 'undeterred' by crossbow accident". Retrieved on 2007-03-27.^ Cavalcade of archery at the Internet Movie Database[1][edit] References(1992) The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 1. Retrieved on 2007-03-27.^ Circus act turns into horror. Roger Ascham mentions one archer, presumably with an unusual shooting style, who wore a leather guard for his face.[23]The drawing fingers, or thumb in the case of archers using the thumb or Mongolian draw, are normally protected by a leather tab, glove, or thumb ring. Saxton Pope, was an instructor of surgery at the school. Scoring areas are vital (20, 16, or 12) and nonvital (18, 14, or 10) with points awarded depending on which arrow scored first. Shafts are usually made of solid wood, fiberglass, aluminum alloy, carbon/alloy composite or carbon fiber. Short bows were used for hunting by, among others, many tribes of the North American West Coast (often with a flat or lenticular cross-section) and by South African Bushmen (often with a rounded cross-section similar to the classic longbow). Since this is much easier to use when learning how to shoot a bow it has become very popular.[edit] Physics This section requires expansion.Bows function by converting elastic potential energy stored in the limbs into kinetic energy of the arrow. Some arrows may simply use a sharpened tip of the solid shaft, but it is far more common for separate arrowheads to be made, usually from metal, horn, or some other hard material. Some bows will be equipped with a mechanical device, called a clicker, which produces a clicking sound when the archer reaches the correct draw length.The arrow is typically released by relaxing the fingers of the drawing hand(see Bow draw). Some forms include the broadhead round, bionic and running bucks, darts, archery golf, night shooting, and turkey tester.[edit] Historical reenactmentFour reenactors practice Tudor-style 'Skirmish' archeryArchery is popularly used in historical reenactment events. Some still have flint arrow-heads preserved; others have blunt wooden ends for hunting birds and small game. Sometimes these acts feature a performer acting as a human "target" (strictly speaking they are not the target as the objective of the archer is to narrowly miss them, however they are frequently referred to as human targets). Such bows are still in use in Africa for hunting, for self-defence, and in inter-ethnic clashes.[20]A recurve bow is the only class of bow that is shot at the Olympic Games. Terms such as bow shoulder or string elbow follow the same convention. The "trigger" may be an actual trigger lever which is depressed by a finger or thumb (or held then released) but it may also be some other mechanism. The archer begins at the first station of the target and shoots his first arrow. The archer who shoots the furthest in their class is the winner.[edit] Ski archeryAn event very similar to the sport of biathlon except a recurve bow is used in place of a gun. The archer's lower trapezius muscles are used to pull the arrow to the anchor point. The archers shoot at a wooden bird suspended from the steeple of Kilwinning Abbey. The archers will shoot to a "mark" then shoot from that mark to another mark. The arrows were made of pine and consisted of a mainshaft and a 15-20 centimetre (6-8 inches) long foreshaft with a flint point. The athlete may unfasten the ski when shooting in the kneeling position but must keep the foot in contact with the ski. The athletes ski around a cross-country track and there are two stances in which the athlete must shoot the targets: kneeling and standing. 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). The body should be perpendicular to the target and the shooting line, with the feet placed shoulder-width apart. The bow arm is held outwards toward the target. The complete bow is 1.50 m (5 ft) long. The designated scorer will then call out the archers' names and the archers will (in turn) call out their scores as they pick up their arrows. The ends show traces of fletching, which was fastened on with birch-tar.Bows and arrows have been present in Egyptian culture since its predynastic origins. The energy stored in the shortened limbs is comparable to the longbow but packed into a smaller design that is also much easier to aim. The flag is 12 inches (30 cm) square and is fixed to a stick. The flag should be as near to the ground as is practicable. The fletching is equally spaced around the shaft with one placed such that it is perpendicular to the bow when nocked on the string [though with modern equipment, variations are seen especially when using the modern spin vanes]. The fletching is sometimes attached at a slight angle, to introduce a stabilizing spin to the arrow while in flight. The History of Ireland, translated into English and preface by David Comyn, Patrick S. The Khiamian and PPN A shouldered Khiam-points may well be arrowheads.The bow was one of the earliest forms of artillery. The limb design can either be compound or a recurve but the basic concept of shooting is the same. The loop is 150 meters long.[edit] Traditional competitionsThe following are not listed on the FITA website but are competitions that have a long tradition in their respective countries.[edit] BeursaultA traditional northern French and Belgian archery contest. The Navajo people have developed highly-ornamented bracers as non-functional items of adornment.[22] Some archers also wear protection on their chests, called chestguards. The nine bows symbolize the various peoples that had been ruled over by the pharaoh since Egypt was united.In the Levant, artifacts which may be arrow-shaft straighteners are known from the Natufian culture, (ca. 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 Hamburgian culture (9000-8000 BC). The one that isn't used very often is the 14 ring. The opposite hand is called the drawing hand or string hand. The rest of the Middle East also lost the continuity of its archery tradition at this time. The rope is 'walked' around the target area and arrows falling within a particular scoring zone are withdrawn and, on completion of the full circle, are laid out on the rope on the corresponding colours. The round black-and-white target mimics the size of a soldier: its diameter is shoulder-wide, the center is heart-sized.[edit] Popinjay (or Papingo)Main article: Popinjay (sport)A form of archery originally derived from shooting birds on church steeples. The rules and scoring are also significantly different. The Sanskrit term for archery, dhanurveda, came to refer to martial arts in general.Horse archer presentation in HungaryDuring the Middle Ages, archery in warfare was not as prevalent and dominant in Western Europe as popular myth sometimes dictates. The shooting distance is 18 meters and the targets 16 cm in diameter. The skills and practices of bowhunting therefore emphasize very close approach to the prey, whether by stalking, or waiting in a blind or treestand. The string hand is drawn towards the face, where it should rest lightly at an anchor point. The string is pulled back either manually or with a windlass and locked into place. The string is usually placed in either the first or second joint of the fingers.The bow is then raised and drawn. The string remains in this locked position, held solely through mechanical means until the energy stored in its limbs is released by a trigger mechanism, which launches the loaded arrow. The Tokugawa shogunate severely limited the import and manufacture of guns, and encouraged traditional martial skills among the samurai; towards the end of the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877, some rebels fell back on the use of bows and arrows. The traditional English longbow is usually made so that its thickness is at least ⅝ of its width. The Tribune (copy from Reuters) (17 January 2001). The two brothers and Thomas Williams (a former slave) lived in the wild in the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia. There are also several other lesser-known and historical forms, as well as archery novelty games. There are many bow classes and bow weights that one can shoot in. There are no known 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. There are over 250 JOAD Clubs recognized by the National Archery Association.[25][edit] Archery as an entertainment artMain article: Impalement artsDemonstrations of archery skill are sometimes featured as entertainment in circuses or wild west shows. These birds must be one Cock, four Hens, and a minimum of twenty-four Chicks. These competitions are not as popular as the two listed above, but they are competed internationally.[edit] 3D Archery3D archery is a subset of field archery focusing on shooting at life-size models of game and is popular with hunters. These competitions are often less formalized and are more or less considered as games. These modern forms are now dominant in modern Western archery; traditional bows are in a minority. These programs are commonly referred to as Junior Olympic Archery Development Programs, or simply JOAD. They also required significantly less training to use properly, in particular penetrating steel armour without any need to develop special musculature. They are attached near the nock (rear) end of the arrow with thin double sided tape, glue, or, traditionally, sinew. They are made of elm and have flat arms and a D-shaped midsection. They can be shot in one direction (one way) or both directions (two way). They were often rather long (up to 120 cm [4 ft]) and made of hazel (Corylus avellana), wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana) and other small woody shoots. This attaches to the bowstring at the nocking point and permits the archer to release the string by pulling a trigger. This becomes the 10 ring at indoor compound competitions. This can only be scored if you call it before you shoot, and even then it may not be allowed. This fletch is called the "index fletch" or "cock feather", (the others sometimes being called the "hen feathers") and is a reference for the nocking of the arrow. This hand is referred to as the bow hand and its arm the bow arm. This is often one fluid motion which tends to vary from archer to archer. This is similar to a physical education programmes, and students who want to can also go to state and national shoots to compete against other schools. This is the most popular form of archery worldwide and is called target archery. This is the secret of instinctive shooting.Shooting with a sight is the other most common method for shooting a bow. This method uses pins on the side of a bow to be adjusted for different distances. This point is consistent from shot to shot and is usually at the corner of the mouth or on the chin. This results in less precision.The bowstring and arrow are held with three fingers. This rope is divided into the scoring zones of the target: Gold (5 points), Red (4 points), Blue (3 points), Black (2 points) and White (1 point). This was due to the cheap nature of the bow and arrow, as compared to the expense needed to equip a professional man-at-arms with good armour and a sword. This was the most common method of shooting for many years. Though started in the United States, it has begun to spread to other countries.Many sportsman's clubs and similar establishments throughout the US and other countries offer archery education programs for those under 18. Three fletches is the most common configuration, though more may be used. Today carbon/alloy arrows are the most popular tournament arrows at Olympic Events, especially the Easton X10 and A/C/E.The arrowhead is the primary functional part of the arrow, and plays the largest role in determining its purpose. Traditionally, archers stand within 12 feet (3.7 m) of the bottom of a 90 ft (27 m) mast and shoot almost vertically upwards with 'blunts' (arrows with rubber caps on the front instead of a pile), the object being to dislodge any one of a number of wooden 'birds'. Translated and edited by Nabih Amin Faris and Robert Potter Elmer. Typical arrows with three vanes should be oriented such that a single vane is pointing away from the bow. Typically a longbow is widest at the handle. Using a bow and arrow to take fish is known as bowfishing.[edit] Modern competitive archeryCompetitive archery involves shooting arrows at a target for accuracy from a set distance or distances. When using a sight, the index finger is placed above the arrow and the next two fingers below. With less force required to hold a compound bow at full draw, the muscles take longer to fatigue, thus giving a compound archer more time to aim. Young demonstrated to Western society that archery was effective on not only small game, but large game as well, archery did not lose public interest so easily. Young did not lose interest in archery, and set about proving that archery can be used to bag large game.[16] They hunted in Alaska and Africa and took several large game animals.[17]Because Dr.