According to the U.K.'s National Health Service, archery as a hunting discipline dates back as far as 50,000 BC. Now considered a popular sporting event, although still used for hunting as well, archery attracts entire families interested in a sport they can enjoy together. Archery is also an Olympic discipline, first included in the Games from 1900 to 1920, then a continuing presence since 1972.
Use
One of the most critical aspects of taking care of your bow is using it properly. Never fire your bow without an arrow in it. This is known as dry firing and may injure you or cause severe damage to the bow.
Storage
Always store your bow, unstrung, laid flat, on a shelf or other flat surface in a cool, dry place. The bow should be stored out of direct sunlight and away from extreme heat sources. Protect a laminated bow from delaminating by not leaving it, even briefly, in a closed vehicle or in direct sunlight when it's hot out; the extreme heat may cause the laminated layers of the bow to peel apart.
Stringing
Always wax your bow string before every use. When you string your bow, use a bow stringer to keep you from accidentally twisting the bow's limbs. A bow stringer also helps protect you since when using a stringer you don't have to get as close to the limb tips when they're under tension as you would without the stringer. Since you're going to be stringing and unstringing your bow every time you use it, the stringer will reduce your exposure to risk by quite a bit.
Prevention
Inspecting your bow, bow string and arrows before each use helps spot potential problems before they cause serious damage to your bow or injury to you. Look for any scratches in the bow's finish that go all the way through to the wood, any warping, twisting, cracking or delaminating in the limbs and body of the bow, and any wear on the bow string. Discard any arrows that have cracked nocks or are no longer straight. Cracked nocks, in particular, may break and cause the bow to dry fire, causing serious damage to the bow and potential injury to you.
Maintenance
Seal any scratches that go all the way through your bow's finish to bare wood with a dab of super glue. You can retouch your bow's finish, if necessary, with furniture polish. Replace your bow string when it shows signs of wear, or ideally at least once a year.
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