The bow and arrow has been used for thousands of years for hunting and war. As guns became the primary weapon for war and hunting, archery gradually evolved into a sport. Today, people still use bows and arrows for hunting purposes, but archery exists more commonly as a sport, with rules governed by the International Archery Federation and national teams participating in world- and Olympic-level competition.
History
The bow and arrow is almost as old as humanity. It was one of the first methods for hunting prey. It gradually evolved into a weapon of defense, then to a weapon of war. A good archer could fire up to 12 arrows in a minute, and a group of archers could fire thousands of arrows in volleys at an oncoming enemy. British war victories at Poitiers, Ciécy and Agincourt are credited to this strategy. But when muskets began taking the front lines in the 16th century, the bow and arrow dwindled as a war weapon and became a source of sport and game.
Types of Bows
Bows come in several types. Most common are the longbow, which is the bow most people think of when they picture Robin Hood, and the crossbow, which looks like a smaller, sideways longbow that has a wooden mount and release for the arrow. A recurve bow is similar to the longbow, except that its tips curve forward. The compound bow is the modern descendant of the longbow. It is often made of aluminum instead of wood and features pulleys, known as cam wheels, that help you achieve stronger shooting pressure with less force and exertion.
Arrows
Arrows are standard items across all the types of bows. At the rear end of the arrow is the nock, the groove that keeps your arrow in place against the bowstring. The fletching comes next. The fletching is traditionally made of three feathers, but is now often made of vinyl or rubber. The fletching provides in-flight stability for the arrow. The main body of the arrow is called the shaft, which can be made of aluminum, carbon or wood. The tip of the arrow is the arrowhead.
Arrowheads
The type of arrowhead you need depends on the type of shooting you are doing. A field point is a basic tip, often slightly blunt and with no extra blades. The field point is used primarily for target and practice shooting. Broadheads are hunting arrows. Broadheads feature razor-sharp tips as well as sharpened blades on the sides. These arrowheads are used for hunting big game.
Safety
Safety is just as important as the bow you are using and the arrow you are firing because accidents that happen during bow and arrow use can be deadly. Always keep arrows pointed in a safe direction and never point a bow and arrow at something you don't want to shoot. When you are shooting, be aware of your target as well as anything that's beyond your target. Finally, keep your arrows in your quiver until you are ready to shoot.
References
- "Sports and Games of the Renaissance;" Andrew Liebs; Greenwood; 2004
- "The Bow Builder's Book: European Bow Building from the Stone Age to Today;" Flemming Alrune, Wulf Hein, Jürgen Junkmanns, Boris Pantel, Holger Reisch, Achim Stegmeyer, Ulli Stehl, Konrad Vögele, and Jorge Zschieschang; Schiffer Publishing, Ltd; 2007
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources: Chapter 5--Archery and Bowhunting
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