Archery is a much more precise sport than it was even 50 years ago. The quality and sophistication of the equipment is also significantly better. Apart from the bow and arrows, the modern archer has numerous accessories to choose from. Rests, sights, quivers and cases are all designed to make the sport more accurate and enjoyable.
Rests
Most bows come equipped with a rest, the device that holds the arrow in place on the bow. Traditional rests are stationary--or adjustable only to a small degree. These rests can be replaced with more ones that are highly adjustable precision instruments. For the serious archer, precision rests contribute to more reliable accuracy.
Sights
There are a wide range of archery sights. The sight allows the archer to accurately aim the bow and arrow. First, the sight is adjusted to account for the range of the target. Then, when the archer is ready to shoot, it is aligned to the target. Sights vary from simple pointers to sophisticated optical devices capable of sighting at long distances.
Stabilizers
For target shooting, both hunting and field bows are often fitted with stabilizers. These are metal rods attached to the front of the bow, often with adjustable weights. Stabilizers help to counterbalance the weight of the bow itself and to steady the bow when shooting.
Releases
A variety of releases are available for archery. The release allows an archer to grip and draw the bow string and release it easily. The release can be as simple as a small tab of leather with holes for fingers or a three-fingered glove, to something as complex as an ergonomic metal grip that releases the arrow when the archer presses a trigger.
Protective Gear
A bow string can cause significant damage if it hits the archer's body when it's released. To prevent this, an arm guard is a useful accessory. Arm guards come in either forearm or full-arm types. Archers sometimes wear chest protectors as well.
Quivers
Archers use quivers to hold arrows at the ready. Quivers can be cloth or leather receptacles that can be slung over the shoulder. They can also be attached to the bow and act as clips and guards for hunting arrows. Quivers can also be a metal or fiberglass ring that holds the arrows and has a long rod that is inserted into the ground.
Targets
Targets come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials. Traditional field targets are usually round with colored rings graduating to the center. The target backing is usually made of cardboard, foam or a composite material. Hunting targets can be made of the same materials and are usually more durable and heavier than field targets, due to the destructive force of hunting arrows. Other hunting targets resemble animals, such as deer and hogs.
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