Archery is a lot of fun, but it can also be a lot of work before you learn how to do it properly. Even though being an archer and a bowhunter are two completely separate things, they often go hand in hand. Many people like the sport aspect of archery and not as much as shooting live targets. Bowhunters, on the other hand, are primarily driven by a desire to hunt animals. However, you must first become a skilled archer before becoming a skilled bowhunter. Bowhunting is, after all, primarily an archery sport.
When you arrive for your first introductory class at your local archery shop you’ll be greeted by an instructor who is eager to answer all of your questions. While learning the fundamentals of archery, you’ll shoot your first arrows at close range. Your accuracy will improve as your skills develop, and you’ll be able to shoot farther.
Practising archery won’t require you to run laps or break a sweat, but you should dress appropriately and have appropriate archery equipment. Wear sneakers with a closed toe. If your session takes place outside, dress appropriately for the weather, but avoid sloppy clothing that could catch on the bowstring. Wear your hair in a ponytail or pull it away from your face if you have long hair. When releasing the arrow, you’ll pull the bowstring back to your face, and you don’t want it to catch your hair.
Choose Your Bow
When it comes to shopping for archery supplies, you’ll have a lot of choices. The tricky part is deciding what kind of bow to use. Much depends on your preferences and objectives. Some users prefer bow styles based on what appears to be fashionable. Others choose a bow based on their hunting target and intended use.
Long Bow
If you asked someone who doesn’t bow hunt to think of a bow, the vast majority of the time they would imagine a longbow. The longbow (also known as a straight limb bow) is the most basic and oldest of all bows. These bows were originally formed of a basic piece of wood carved into a fairly symmetrical, long thin shape, with a piece of animal hide or braided horse tail string tied to either end. These bows have the same shape and function as they did hundreds of years ago. Longbows usually don’t have arrow rests or sights, but an “arrow shelf” instead, a flat location where the arrow lays at rest. Longbows are still quite effective, but they take a lot more time and effort to master than other bows, such as the compound.
Recurve Bows
Recurve bows are akin to longbows, with the exception that the limbs’ ends curve away from the archer, as the name implies. The limbs’ curve is designed to store more energy than a straight limb bow and hence launch an arrow at a faster speed. Most traditional recurve shooters still avoid utilizing attachments as sights and arrow rest, but these bows have been designed to take contemporary sights and rest in recent decades. The appearance of recurve bows in the twenty-first century is vastly different from that of prior times. Modern target archers use recurves that look and feel like the most cutting-edge compound bows and are built of the same materials.
Compound Bows
In modern archery, a compound bow is a bow that uses a levering system, usually of cables and pulleys, to bend the limbs. In general, compound bows are widely used in target practice and hunting. The pulley/cam system grants the user a mechanical advantage, and so the limbs of a compound bow are much stiffer than those of a recurve bow or longbow. This rigidity makes the compound bow more energy-efficient than other bows, as less energy is dissipated in limb movement. The higher-technology construction also improves accuracy by reducing the bow’s sensitivity to changes in temperature and humidity.
Arrows
The archer must consider a number of things when selecting arrows. To begin, what will you use the arrows for? Are you a big game hunter, a small game hunter, or a 3D shooter? You can choose from a variety of arrows depending on your goals and circumstances, with the following four being the most popular:
Carbon Arrows
The carbon arrow is by far the most popular arrow type these days, providing strength, speed, knockdown force, and durability. Carbon arrows are created by a variety of companies, all of whom promise to be quick, robust, and precise.
Carbon Arrow Hybrids
The result of arrow hybrids is an even stronger and harder hitting arrow. The small diameter aids in increased penetration. While arrows in this series are generally more expensive, they are usually straighter, stronger and longer lasting than regular carbon arrows.
Aluminium Arrows
These types of arrows are much older than carbon arrows, and they’ve been filling arrow quivers for decades. Even though aluminium arrows are substantially heavier than today’s carbon arrows, many archers still prefer them. Aluminium arrows are extremely straight, sturdy, and fairly priced.
Wooden Arrows
Last but not least, wood arrows have been around for as long as hunters have been using bows to hunt. Wood arrows are still used by many traditional archers who use recurve bows or longbows. Launching wooden arrows using today’s compound bows could be extremely dangerous, as these arrows are not designed to resist the huge energy output.
Additional Archery Supplies
Armguard
Archery can be practised without the use of arm protection. However, many safety organizations encourage wearing an arm guard, and some archery ranges even require you to wear one in order to use their range. A bowstring cover that keeps clothing out of the way of the bowstring and protects the arm that is wielding the bow.
Protection for Your Fingers
The use of a string guard, tab, glove, or mechanical release allows the hunter to pull, hold, and release the string without chafing his or her fingers.
Quiver
A shatter-resistant cover or hood is another archery accessory that protects the shooter and others from inadvertent arrow point contact and allows for safe arrow carrying in the field.
Once you begin practicing your hunting skills, especially in the outdoors, there’s other essential hunting gear which you may find beneficial and necessary to your whole experience.
