Rev. 08/2015
Daisy Youth Archery Range Instruction
All of us want to be successful when trying something new…..and when teaching something new to someone else.
It comes as no surprise that young people who pick up a bow for the first time want to be successful in hitting a
target. The Daisy Youth Archery equipment line, including an entry-level, ambidextrous, youth-sized longbow and
a crossbow, have features that will increase the odds that young students will be initially successful in hitting the
target, and which will enhance your success as an instructor.
Longbow
FIG. 1
We put the Daisy equipment to the test with a couple of young
shooters at an outdoor range, first ensuring that the area behind the
targets and behind the entire range couldn’t be entered from the back
or the sides. We used an 8’ table to lay out our equipment and a line
on the ground to define our shooting point. Many school archery
programs begin shooting at a distance of 15 to 21 feet. We set a foam
block target 15 feet from the shooting line. (See Fig. 1)
After everyone put on shooting glasses, we positioned our young
student in a proper shooting position, with her legs, hips and torso
perpendicular to the target and her head and arms turned toward the
target. A left-handed shooter, she bent her right arm slightly and
lightly held the grip in the crook of her right hand. (See Fig. 2)
FIG. 2
We let her get the feel of pulling back the string to her anchor point,
without loading an arrow or dry firing the longbow. The anchor point
is, typically, the corner of the mouth of the archer on the side of the
hand drawing back the string. (See Fig. 3)
FIG. 3
We inserted an arrow through the shoot-thru riser (See Fig. 4) and
nocked the arrow onto the string between the top and second finger
roller with the odd-colored fletching down. (See Fig. 5) The shootthru riser made the arrow easier for her to control (compared to an
arrow setting on a side rest.) And, the V-shaped rest in the shoot-thru
riser always (See Fig. 6) re-centered her arrow when she tilted then
righted the limbs of the bow.
We had her loosely place her fingers on the rollers with her pointer
finger above the nock of the arrow and her middle and third finger
below the nock of the arrow on the other two rollers. Her index,
middle and third fingers engaged the rollers at the first joint of those
fingers without actually gripping the rollers. (See Fig. 7)
FIG. 4
Limbs
Odd-colored
fletching
FIG. 5
Adjustable
single
pin sight
Finger rollers
V-shaped
rest
Shoot-thru
riser
V-shaped rest
FIG. 6
String
FIG. 7
When she was comfortable with her stance we had her draw back
the rollers of the string to her anchor point. (See Fig. 8) With
practice, she found she was equally comfortable using the adjustable
sight to position her shot near the center of the target or instinctively
looking down the length of the arrow to acquire her target. (See Fig.
9) When she was ready to take her shot, she simply opened her hand
to release the string and arrow. (See Fig. 10)
FIG. 8
SIGHT ADJUSTMENT
Daisy’s Youth Archery longbow features an adjustable single pin
sight. Once you shoot at your target multiple times, adjust the sight
up or down and right or left.
If your arrow is hitting the target to the right of the bullseye, move
your sight to the right. If your arrow is hitting above the bullseye,
move your sight up.
FIG. 9
Front view of bow
FIG. 10
Front view of bow
Crossbow Bow
FIG. 11
FIG. 12
Our older student was an avid rifle shooter so he adapted quickly to
the crossbow which made our job of teaching how to mount the
crossbow to the pocket of the shoulder, sight picture, breath control
and trigger squeeze a snap. He eagerly mastered shooting, and was
soon even cocking the crossbow himself. Putting one foot in the
stirrup on the ground, he pulled up evenly on the string using both
hands, (See Fig. 11) closely alongside the rail to engage the center of
the string past the latch. (See Fig. 12)
Inserting the tip of a bolt through the front sight area of the crossbow with the odd-color fletching down (See Fig. 13) and in the flight
groove, he pulled the bolt back fully against the string. (See Fig. 14)
Odd-colored
fletching
FIG. 13
With the crossbow still ON SAFE and his finger off the trigger, (See
Fig. 15) he first acquired his target by lining up the front and rear iron
sights – just like a rifle. (See Fig. 16) Nudging the safety to the off
position, (See Fig. 17) and keeping all fingers and thumbs below the
red finger guard, he squeezed off his first shot….the first of many in a
tight group.
Arrow retention spring
Adjustable rear sight
Stock
Red finger guard
Fiberglass limb
String
Flight groove
Pin front sight
Latch
FIG. 14
Cocking stirrup
Auto safety
Foregrip
Finger guard
Trigger
Composite frame
SIGHT ADJUSTMENT
Auto safety
FIG. 15
The crossbow features a rear sight that is adjustable for windage
and elevation. If your shot is impacting the target to the left of the
bullseye, turn the windage wheel clockwise to move your shot to the
right (turn it counter clockwise to move your shot left). If your shot
is impacting the target above the bullseye, turn the elevation wheel
clockwise to move the impact down (turn it counter clockwise to
move the impact up).
Elevation adjustment knob
Lower
Right
Raise
FIG. 16
Left
Windage adjustment knob
FIG. 17
Becoming an accomplished archer…with a longbow or a
crossbow…takes practice. So does becoming a successful archery
instructor. The Daisy Youth Archery line will help both student and
instructor be successful ….the first time.