Any archery enthusiasts out there?

[01Maverick10]

Any archery enthusiasts out there? Been shooting since I was young but wanted a different challenge when hunting... Just got myself a 55# recurve. Haven't gone hunting with it yet but looking forward to it.

 

[HonestTruth]

I enjoy watching archery during Summer Olympics. But much prefer that the athletes use the traditional wooden long bows and short bows rather than recurves or compounds made up of artificial materials. It's more sporting that way or at least I think so.


British long bow:

American flat bow:

Do you use any of these?

 

[HonestTruth]

for years archery was thought to be a girls sport in schools:

Lovely vintage photos - enjoy!

 

[01Maverick10]

Nice shots! I have a modern recurve but would love to get a longbow at some stage. I really like traditional. I wanted more of a challenge hunting and the compound bows seemed still a bit too sophisticated, so went with a recurve. You shoot yourself?

 

[HonestTruth]

I had a short bow as a child but wore it out and my mother refused to get me a new one!

It would be great if archery was reintroduced in schools with kids learning to use short and long bows. There is something primal in archery - it just makes you feel like you belong in Nature enjoying the outdoors, shooting at targets, and accomplishing the mastery of this ancient art.

Sadly, there are no archery clubs where I live or I would be doing it right now. And I mean, right at this very moment because it is cool outside and very comfortable.


Many people object to hunting and I think we can all agree there is too much hunting going on thereby endangering some species. Hunting should be allowed but under controlled circumstances. I suggest that hunting be limited to bow and arrows. If rifles are to be used they should be one shot only. However, guides may be allowed to carry repeating rifles in case hunters are under attack from wild beasts. One shot rifles and bow & arrow hunting are what really make hunting into sport.

 

[01Maverick10]

"Many people object to hunting and I think we can all agree there is too much hunting going on thereby endangering some species. Hunting should be allowed but under controlled circumstances. I suggest that hunting be limited to bow and arrows. If rifles are to be used they should be one shot only. However, guides may be allowed to carry repeating rifles in case hunters are under attack from wild beasts. One shot rifles and bow & arrow hunting are what really make hunting into sport."

I think that depends a bit on where you live. Here in New Zealand there is a good supply of deer and goats in the wild, and hunting is encouraged as they are considered pests to a certain extent (both introduced species). The controls on conservation efforts here are very good in my opinion and there is a good balance. I also would prefer to harvest my own meat, than buy factory farmed meat from the supermarket that has who knows what added to it. Animals that I hunt are killed far more humanely as well.

That said, what I don't agree with is hunting purely for sport, and hunting species that serve no purpose to the hunter other than a trophy. Ie, I will hang a deer head in my living room that I have taken the time to hunt, stalk, kill, harvest the meat and eat with my family, but I wouldn't just shoot a deer for the antlers and leave the rest. Nor do I see the need to hunt animals like wolves, bears, lions etc. (The possible only exception being indigenous peoples who do use the animals)

I agree that archery is very primal and fits in well with being in nature, that's why I enjoy it! I have always been an outdoors person and always will be, I think if more people were as well then it would make for more relaxed people

 

[HonestTruth]

Alas, I was raised in a big city and still live in one (though smaller than my home town of Brooklyn, NY). How I always wished that I could have grown up in the country and had countless acres of land with which I could go hunting and fishing.

Perhaps if schools would re-introduce archery using short & long bows, people might be stimulated to enjoy outdoors and have that type of fun. It is such a wholesome activity.

And as for those wholesome looking girls in the photos above, aren't they cute?

 

[01Maverick10]

Alas, I was raised in a big city and still live in one (though smaller than my home town of Brooklyn, NY). How I always wished that I could have grown up in the country and had countless acres of land with which I could go hunting and fishing.

Yes, I was blessed enough to be raised in the country, though I too now live in a large city. Mine though has numerous archery clubs, i'm sure yours would also have clubs that you could join?

 

[Mountain_Girl406]

Target archery with a long bow and thrown weapons. ..in the SCA, a medieval reenactment group. I've also fired crossbows and played a bit with siege engines I'm vegan so no hunting for me.

 

[01Maverick10]

Target archery with a long bow and thrown weapons. ..in the SCA, a medieval reenactment group. I've also fired crossbows and played a bit with siege engines

awww, nice! We don't really have much in the way of medieval reenactments here, but something i've always wanted to do! The dark and middle ages are some of my favourite periods of history.

I'm vegan so no hunting for me.

Fair enough, I have no issues with vegans at all, as long as they don't have any issues with me eating meat

 

[Darkhorse]

Alas, I was raised in a big city and still live in one (though smaller than my home town of Brooklyn, NY). How I always wished that I could have grown up in the country and had countless acres of land with which I could go hunting and fishing.

Perhaps if schools would re-introduce archery using short & long bows, people might be stimulated to enjoy outdoors and have that type of fun. It is such a wholesome activity.

I took an archery class at San Francisco State University in 1989, so I imagine it's still available in some big-city schools (or colleges).

 

[mmksparbud]

We used to have bows and arrows when we were kids--then my first husband and I went bow hunting for deer in North Dakota, but when we had a buck right where we couldn't possible miss, we couldn't do it--He was gorgeous, we sat there and watched him instead, then bought something at the store!
One of my 3 brothers took up archery again in school. He was a problem child, the black sheep and hated authority--he often did not show up to class. The teacher told him he was going to flunk him---my brother challenged him to a contest and if he won he got passed, if he lost, he'd take the flunk. For 2 solid weeks my brother practiced for hours, every single day, taking into account the wind, and everything---come the day---my brother won hands down and he got his passing grade. What he couldn't see was that he had worked 2--maybe 3 times harder for the pass than if he'd of just showed up to the classes! He always had to do things his own way--which usually was the most difficult in the long run!

 

[HonestTruth]

I took an archery class at San Francisco State University in 1989, so I imagine it's still available in some big-city schools (or colleges).

there are still a number of collegiate clubs in the USA:


http://uscamail.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercollegiate_sports_team_champions#Archery



it appears that these are mostly in large schools with non-varsity clubs using modern equipment rather than the more sporting hand made long/short bows

 

[HonestTruth]

Yes, I was blessed enough to be raised in the country, though I too now live in a large city. Mine though has numerous archery clubs, i'm sure yours would also have clubs that you could join?

We have them in the suburban districts but I do not drive an automobile and cannot get to them. There are far more in the rural areas and way up north where there are state and federal parks but, again, too distant from where I live.

 

[01Maverick10]

We have them in the suburban districts but I do not drive an automobile and cannot get to them. There are far more in the rural areas and way up north where there are state and federal parks but, again, too distant from where I live.

Thats a shame. Well, you can still enjoy them on the telly!

 

[HonestTruth]

evidently, there was an archery championship online earlier today - watched a portion of this but it had many commercials



one thing that I note in modern archery compared to the past: I notice that when the archer uses the new recurves, they pull back the hand and then release -- in the past using long/short bows, we were taught to simply open the fingers and to keep the hand still such as in this demonstration:

 

[01Maverick10]

Ah thats interesting, I didn't know that was on!

Yes that is a very popular video in the archery community, many are for and many against his technique... For what you would have seen at the competition there, it looks as though they pull back and release, but what it actually is, is like a follow through. They draw back, lock the anchor point by contracting the back muscles (if you have correct form the back should do most of the work) and because of this, when the fingers are relaxed, the back continues pulling the arm in that direction, hence the follow through.

They do it this way for consistency and to make as little impact on the actual release as possible. Just relaxing the hand as opposed to letting go of the string provides greater accuracy. You are not 'plucking' the string, if that makes sense

 

[HonestTruth]

thanx for your reply - perhaps I failed to see it that way because I'm just not used to the new technology in the sport (my old age is at fault for that)

if you don't mind, I'd like to ask a question,

based on the two videos, which form of archery do you see as the more sporting?



You know my answer already. And when you consider the two, note how the latter enhances eye-hand coordination, speed, utilization, and accuracy. Or, at least, it does to me.

 

[01Maverick10]

No worries at all. Its not so much technology (the method of propelling the arrow is essentially still the same, bow and string, if you ignore all the extras) but technique. The bottom video refers to an easter style of shooting as the top one is more similar to the european or Mediterranean style. As far as which I see as more sporting... I think it depends on the individual. I come from a rifle shooting background, so accuracy is of great importance to me. I believe the top vids technique will be more accurate that the others. That being said, I dont like to have too much of the extras hanging off the bow.

Both forms work its a matter of what works for you I guess. I like to be smooth and steady in my draw, and accurate in my technique, aiming and release, so I shoot similar to the top vid, bit a simpler setup, more traditional.

 

[Crusader05]

I think that depends a bit on where you live. Here in New Zealand there is a good supply of deer and goats in the wild, and hunting is encouraged as they are considered pests to a certain extent (both introduced species). The controls on conservation efforts here are very good in my opinion and there is a good balance. I also would prefer to harvest my own meat, than buy factory farmed meat from the supermarket that has who knows what added to it. Animals that I hunt are killed far more humanely as well.

That said, what I don't agree with is hunting purely for sport, and hunting species that serve no purpose to the hunter other than a trophy. Ie, I will hang a deer head in my living room that I have taken the time to hunt, stalk, kill, harvest the meat and eat with my family, but I wouldn't just shoot a deer for the antlers and leave the rest. Nor do I see the need to hunt animals like wolves, bears, lions etc. (The possible only exception being indigenous peoples who do use the animals)

I agree that archery is very primal and fits in well with being in nature, that's why I enjoy it! I have always been an outdoors person and always will be, I think if more people were as well then it would make for more relaxed people

I'd LOVE to go hunting in New Zealand some day!

I am planning on getting a bow for myself for Christmas so I can start hunting in the near future along with my rifle and muzzleloader.