Charles - Archery Skills. Tactics. Techniques

Acknowledgements
Thanks to Aquarius Archery Club and my fellow archers.

First published in 2015 by
The Crowood Press Ltd
Ramsbury, Marlborough
Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2015

The Crowood Press 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 84797 960 5

All photographs are by the author.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Archery is a sport that can be enjoyed by everyone men and women of any age, and whether they are able bodied or disabled. It may look like strength is needed to pull a bow, but the success of archery relies more on technique than pure muscle power.

The aim of this book is to explain to the beginner the art of archery and to guide the improver in ways that will help advance their progression. The basic form of every archer is essentially the same across all disciplines of the sport so this book will give you the foundations you need to shoot a bow safely and competently. The topics covered concentrate on recurve target archery, which is the most commonly practised style in clubs around Great Britain and is the basis for the Olympic competition.

As the archer becomes more accomplished they will learn there are many differences in opinion on technique. Where possible I have covered the variations, because ultimately, archery is a sport of the individual. What works for you may not work for someone else. This is where the fun and the challenge lie.

Through the ages

Prehistoric roots

The bow and arrow have been used since prehistoric times. Historically, archery was used for hunting, enabling the spear thrower to become a much more proficient hunter. Evidence shows bows were adapted for combat across many continents right up until the invention of firearms.

Hunters

The earliest proof of bow and arrows being used by hunters comes from stone-age cave paintings that date back to 20,000BC and the discovery of arrowheads from before 25,000BC. Around this time, archers were adding feathers to their arrows to aid flight and accuracy. The oldest bow found was in Northern Europe and dates from around 9,000BC. Although a simple wooden bow, the craftsmanship shows a high level of sophistication that adheres to design principles still used today.

The constellation of Sagittarius.

Cave painting showing hunters using bows and arrows.

Military use

With the development of the composite bow, constructed from wood, animal horn and sinew, the recurve bow became a formidable military weapon. Being shorter, but much more powerful, enabled the bow to be shot from horseback or from a chariot, sending arrows 200m or more. Bows were used to defeat enemies across Persia, Egypt, India, China and Japan. Attila the Hun and his Mongols dominated much of Europe and Asia, whilst Turkish armies using bow and arrows overwhelmed the Crusaders. The Parthinians, who were great horseback archers, combined speed, agility and ingenuity to defeat their enemies. Under the pretence of retreating they would swivel around in their saddle and shoot backwards at full gallop, defeating their unsuspecting foes. This trick gave rise to the term a parting shot.

During the medieval period, the English Longbow decided many a battle, particularly in the Hundred Years War. These bows were made from a single piece of yew, stood nearly two metres tall and had draw weights of over 100lb. In combat archers would shoot as many as five arrows per minute. With as many as 5,000 archers on the English side in Agincourt, 50,000 arrows unleashed in two minutes of a battle would have a huge impact on the outcome.

Horse archers shooting backwards.

The Battle of Agincourt.

Archery took skill and practice. Kings officially banned football, bowls and golf so that archery would be practised instead. However, the invention of the musket and the advances of gunfire rendered the bow obsolete on the battle frontline by the seventeenth century.

Mythological archers

Archery has played an integral part in many myths. Odysseus won the hand of Penelope by shooting an arrow through the holes in ten axe hooks; Eros more commonly known as Cupid, shot arrows of desire; whereas Apollo shot arrows carrying the plague, and Paris shot an arrow that wounded Achilles in his heel.

The bow and arrow also feature more recently in folklore, from the heroic outlaw Robin Hood to the defiant William Tell, who with a single shot split an apple that rested on his sons head. The archer also appears in our night skies in the constellation of Sagittarius.

Archery as sport

Despite the demise of archery for military purposes, it remained popular for hunting and as a recreational activity, especially among the aristocracy, and many archery societies were set up during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. However, it was not until the formation of the Grand National Archery Society (mid-nineteenth century) and the establishment of set rules and rounds that the pastime of archery was turned into the modern sport of today.

Interest in archery waned with the arrival of croquet and tennis, but in the twentieth century advances in technology brought archery back as a popular pursuit. New materials enabled the archer to become more accurate and consistent, but the real revolution in the sport came from the development of the compound bow; this design, featuring levers and pulleys, enables a very high draw weight to be pulled with minimal effort. This style of bow is rapidly growing in popularity but is also helping to revive an interest in the traditional styles at the same time.

Modern recurves being shot.

Other types of archery

The longbow and barebow usually rely on instinctive shooting, which involves releasing the arrow without consciously calculating the distance.

Longbow

The most famous bow is probably the English longbow. This is a wooden bow shot with wooden arrows which use feathers as fletches. It is basically shooting one piece of stick from another. The accuracy relies purely on the archers skill. To hit a target the archer often has to aim way off to the side or right up in the sky. There are some very skilled longbow archers who have an amazing accuracy with this basic bow. Longbows can be fun because it becomes less about scores and more just about hitting the boss, which gives a great sense of achievement.