PHYSICAL EDUCATION
“ARCHERY UNIT”
Archery, as a sport, is peculiarly adapted to individual rather than to team participation. It is the
simply the act of shooting an arrow from a bow at a target, which is marked off in graduated scales for the
purposes of scoring. Archery contests are called ROUNDS. The archer shoot arrows in groups of six,
which are called ENDS.
EQUIPMENTEach individual must be fitted with a bow and bow string, arrows, arm guard, finger protector, and
quiver. Range equipment includes targets, target faces, target stands, and backdrops if needed.
THE BOWBows are made from wood, steel, or fiber glass. Bows vary in length from 4 ½ to 6 feet. Expert
archers will want bows to fit their personal needs. The weight of the bow is measured in pounds of pull.
Bows with a weight from 18 to 80 pounds or more of pull can be purchased.
Bow Knock
Serving/Arrow Knock
THE AROWArrows are made of wood, aluminum, and fiber glass. The pile is the forward end of the arrow.
For target shooting, it is made from metal and designed either with a gradual taper like that of rifle bullet.
The shaft is the part of the arrow from the crest to the pile. The section of the arrow from the bottom of the
crest to the nock is the shaftment. The vanes, or fletchings, are the feathers or other material below the
nock that guide the flight of the arrow. Generally there are three. If the three vanes are present, one is the
cock feather (odd colored) and the other who are called the hen feathers. (two of the same color) The cock
feather is located perpendicular to the notch in the nock. The arrow is always nocked with the cock feather.
The nock, is the device at the back end of the arrow into which the string is inserted before the bow is
pulled. The care of arrows is extremely important.
ARM GUARDThe arm guard is worn on the forearm of the bow arm for protection against the lash of the string
after release.
FINGER PROTECTIONThe pressure and friction generated by repeated pulling and releasing of the bow string will cause
the skin of the three functional fingers to blister or chafe. These are used for protection.
QUIVERSA device used for holding arrows. Both for the convenience of the archer and the protection of the
arrows.
TARGETThe standard and official size for an outdoor target is 48 inches. The target is marked with
different colors laid out in concentric rings. The scores for an arrow hitting in the various colors are: gold,
9; red, 7; blue, 5; black, 3; white, 1. When the arrow shaft is touching two colors, it is given the higher
value. An arrow which hits the target face and falls off, and one which passes completely through it, when
witnessed, are given a 7 point score at 60 yards or less, and 5 points if the distance is greater than 60 yards.
SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES:
Stringing the Bow:
Two methods of stringing the bow may be used. Push pull motion of the arms and the step through
method. The step through method is the one in which we will use. Hold the upper limb with your right
hand an place the lower end of the bow over the top of the arch of the left foot. The belly of the bow is
facing forward and the entire bow is canted backwards about ten degrees. Place your right leg through the
space between the belly of the bow and the string. The right hand brings the bow up with the belly against
the back of the right thigh. As the bow bends the left hand pulls the loop of the string into the bow nock.
After the bow is strung it should be checked to ascertain if it has the correct tensions.
Shooting Stance:
The archer straddles the shooting line with their left side pointed directly at the center of the target, their
feet approximately a shoulder width apart. When the archer is ready to draw, their head is turned to the
left, and their chin is held at the normal angle so that both eyes are looking squarely at the target. Your
head must be turned in position throughout the shooting process to establish an anchor position for draw
release. This stance is for right handed shooters, left handed shooters do just the opposite.
Bow Grip:
The correct grip requires that the bow handle fit against the part of the palm where it is joined by the
thumb. The fingers are curled lightly around the handle, but do not actually grip it.
String Grip:
The string is gripped by the first three fingers of the right hand. The index finger is above the arrow nock
and the other two are below it.
Nocking the Arrow:
When nocking the arrow, the bow is held in the left hand and parallel to the ground, underneath the left
hand and forearm.
Drawing:
The bow is then turned upright to a vertical angle and raised slightly above the releasing level. The left arm
pushes and the right arm pulls until the draw is complete. The right arm remains level with the desired line
of flight of the arrow. The left arm is pushed out to a fully extended position with the elbow pointing away
from the bow. The string is drawn back until it touches either the nose, lips, or chin, where the anchor
point is established. Check points for the draw are:
1. Right elbow is back and at the level of the arrow.
2. String touches the lips, nose, or chin.
3. Left arm is straight, not locked, pointed away from the bow.
4. String is directly in front of the right eye.
5. Left arm is held on a straight line with the shoulder
Holding, Release, and Follow Through:
After the draw is completed and the anchor is made, it is necessary to hold this position long enough to aim
properly and release.
Aiming:
There are three methods of aiming, point of aim, using a mechanical device, and instinctive. The point of
aim method is more a common method unless your expert archest. The point of aim is accomplished by
aligning the eye, the arrow pile, and a given point somewhere in front of the shooting line with the center of
the target.
Retrieving Arrows from the Target:
After all arrows are shot, each archer places their bow on the bow rest and moves to the target, after all
have completed their end. One of the archers removes the arrows from the target in descending order of
their score. The other archer records the scores. Proper procedure is to place the back of the left hand
against the target face in a position so that the arrow is between index and middle fingers. The arrow is
then grasped within a few inches of the target by the right hand.
Terms:
Arm guard- A leather device that protects the bow arm from the bowstring.
Bow arm- The arm which holds the bow.
Brace or String- Stringing the bow so it is ready to shoot.
Cast- Describes the distance a bow will drive an arrow.
Cock feather- The feather at right angles to the bow during the draw, the odd colored one.
Crest- Colored marks placed around the arrowshaft for identification purposes.
Draw- To pull the bowstring back into the shooting position.
Drawing Arm- The arm that draws the bowstring.
Fingertab- A piece of leather covering the fingers that pull the bowstring.
Grouping- Clustering of arrows on a target..
Handle- The middle of the bow where it is held.
Hen feathers- The two feathers of same color, not at right angles to the bow.
Limbs- The ends of the bow past the handle.
Nock- The groove on the end of an arrow into which the bowstring fits or to fit the arrow to the bowstring.
Nocking point- Point on the string where the arrow is nocked.
Overbow- To draw a bow too heavy for the individual archer.
Overdraw- To draw the pile of the arrow back past the belly of the bow.
Pile- Tip of the arrow
Point of Aim- A fixed point in which the archer sees just over the pile of the arrow.
Pull- Force exerted to bring a bow to full draw.
Quiver- A device for holding arrows.
Round- A designated number of arrows shot from designated distances.
Shaft- The main body of the arrow.
Shooting Line- Line that the archer straddles as he/she shoots at the target.
Tackle- The archery equipment
Target Face- The outer covering of a target on which the bullseye is marked.