Terms Used in Archery

Archery is an ancient sport that tests the marksmanship of participants with a bow or crossbow. This sport includes a long list of terms describing archery hardware and techniques. Archery terms also describe the parts, materials, types and function of bows, arrows and archery accessories. Archery also includes specialized terms that define shooting techniques, targets and specialized conditions impacting the practice of the sport.

  1. Bows

    • The terminology describing bows includes a broad variety of terms labeling type, materials and components. The most common types of bows include compound, reflex, recurve and semi-recurve bows. These terms describe how the bow is constructed and how it delivers arrows to the target. Composite and laminated bows are materials commonly used in constructing bows. Laminated bows use multiple layers of material glued together while composite bows are comprised of more than one material. The main parts of the bow include the bowstring, limbs and handle. Many bows have additional hardware to facilitate aiming and firing including sights, nock sets and limb dampeners.

    Arrows

    • Archers use various terms to describe the type, composition and parts of the arrow. The main parts of the arrow include the head, shaft and fletching. The head of the arrow is the striking point. Arrow heads include blunts, broadheads, bodkins, field points and several other specialized heads. The shaft of the arrow determines its weight and flexibility. These factors affect accuracy, shooting distance and wind drift. The fletching of the arrow includes the feathers or vanes found on the rear of the arrow used to stabilize it in flight. The nock is the attachment behind the fletching where the arrow is fitted to the bowstring.

    Equipment

    • The only equipment required for archery is a bow, arrows and a target. However, several basic pieces of equipment make archery easier and more comfortable. The most common items protect the user from minor injuries sustained from the bowstring, such as a leather arm guard known as a bracer. Archers frequently protect their hands and fingers using a leather shooting glove. Quivers are cases placed on the ground or worn on the body that hold arrows for easy, rapid access while shooting. There are four basic types of quiver: back, belt, bow and ground mounted quivers.

    Shooting

    • Many terms describe the physical actions involved and the methods used while shooting. Stance describes how the archer stands while holding the bow. The most common is open stance, in which the archer's feet are spread on a line parallel with the target. Point of aim is a method of sighting that lines up the target using the point of the arrow. Freeze describes an inability to aim properly or release while the bow is fully drawn. Draw refers to the action of putting tension on the bowstring prior to firing. Release is the act of letting go of the bowstring and releasing the arrow.

    Competition

    • Flight shooting is the practice of using powerful bows with specially designed arrows to achieve maximum distance. Rounds describe the rules governing specific types of target shooting, specifically distance to target, the target's size and the number of arrows fired. Field archery is a common form of target archery that involves shooting at a standing target from a variety of distances in a natural setting. Clout is another form of target archery that involves shooting at a 15 meter target laying on the ground up to 180 meters away.