Archery is the sport of shooting with a bow and arrow. Archers may participate in several forms of the sport. The most popular versions are bow hunting, target archery, field archery, indoor archery, and flight archery. In bow hunting, the archer hunts game with a bow and arrow. In target, field, and indoor archery, archers compete in shooting at targets. In flight archery, competitors shoot for distance.
Millions of people take part in archery. The sport is especially popular in schools and summer camps. All the states and most provinces in the United States and Canada have special hunting seasons for archers, who shoot such animals as bear, deer, and rabbits. Some archers shoot fish in the shallow waters of lakes and streams. Archers participate in international archery competitions. In addition, archery is an event of the Summer Olympic Games.
Archery equipment
Bows.
Three main kinds of bows are used in archery—the recurve bow, the compound bow, and the longbow. The recurve bow, the most common type used by target archers, has tips that curve away from the archer. A compound bow has a system of two cables and from two to six pulleys built into it. The cables and pulleys make this kind of bow easier to hold at the fully drawn (pulled back) position than other types. Compound bows are popular with bow hunters and field archers, but they may not be used in Olympic archery competition. The longbow, once the most popular type of bow, is now used only by a small number of archers. An unstrung longbow looks somewhat like a straight line.
Most bows are made of aluminum, carbon-reinforced plastics, or wood. The core consists of several layers of wood that have been laminated (glued together). Some bows can be separated into two or three pieces for carrying or storage. They are commonly called “take-down” bows.
Bowstrings are made of plastics or polyethylene cord and have a wrapping of nylon thread opposite the handle of the bow. This wrapping protects the string at the nocking point, the place where the notch of the arrow fits. Each end of the string has a loop that is used in stringing the bow. In recurve bows and longbows, the loop fits into a notch at each tip of the bow. In compound bows, the loop is attached to one of the two cables or to wheels called cams at each end of the bow. 
The amount of pull required to bring a 28-inch (71-centimeter) arrow to full draw is called the draw weight of the bow. For example, a 40-pound (18-kilogram) bow requires 40 pounds of force to draw a 28-inch arrow. Some bows have a weight of more than 60 pounds (27 kilograms). A beginning archer should use a bow of 20 pounds (9 kilograms) or less.
Bows vary in length, depending on their use. Archers also choose a bow that is comfortable for their draw length. Many recurve target archers use bows 68 to 70 inches (173 to 180 centimeters) long. Compound bows average about 35 to 45 inches (89 to 114 centimeters) in length.
Arrows
are made of carbon, aluminum, fiberglass, or wood. Target archers prefer lightweight carbon composite or aluminum arrows, which travel especially fast and are more uniform. Hunters and other archers who sometimes must shoot on rough land generally use aluminum arrows, which can withstand rough treatment. Beginners should shoot with aluminum or wooden arrows.
All arrows have three main parts—the point, which in most cases is made of metal; the shaft; and the nock, which attaches to the string. Points vary in shape and size. Bow hunters use points that have blades with two or more cutting edges. Target and field archers use a conical, bullet-shaped point. The nock has a notch for the bowstring. Three fletches on the shaft help provide accuracy in shooting. An arrow may be fletched with plastic vanes or turkey feathers. 
Arrow length varies from about 24 to 32 inches (61 to 81 centimeters). An archer can estimate the proper length to use by holding an arrow perpendicular to the chest and extending the other arm straight out. The arrow should reach just beyond the fingertips.
Most archers carry their arrows in a holder called a quiver. The quiver may be attached to the bow or a belt, or placed on the ground.
Other equipment
includes an armguard made of leather or plastic. The guard is worn on the forearm of the hand that holds the bow. It protects the forearm when the bowstring snaps forward after being released. Archers also wear a shooting glove or, most commonly, a leather tab to protect the fingers that draw the bowstring.
Many bows are equipped with a sight used for aiming. Sights range from simple metal pins to telescopic eyepieces. Most target archers use one or two composite or metal rods called stabilizers to reduce the vibrations in a bow after the bowstring is released. These rods, manufactured in various lengths and weights, are usually attached to the back of the bow handle.
Archery competition
Archers take part in many types of competition. The most popular contests include those in target archery, field archery, flight archery, indoor archery, and 3-D archery.
Target archery
is the most common form of competition. The archers shoot down a long course at woven straw or foam mats called buttresses. The buttresses are covered with a target that is divided into five colored circles. A thin line divides every color into two rings, each of which counts for a different score. The colors and their value in points are: gold, 10 and 9; red, 8 and 7; blue, 6 and 5; black, 4 and 3; and white, 2 and 1. 
The number of shots allowed each archer is called a round. In the United States, the National Archery Association has established many kinds of rounds for men, women, and children. Olympic archery competition and all international tournaments are held under the rules of the International Archery Federation. These rules call for men and women to shoot from varying distances, 90 meters (98 yards) being the maximum distance for men and 70 meters (77 yards) the maximum for women. The types of rounds that the archers shoot vary according to the level of competition, such as the World Championships or the Olympic Games. In the 90-, 70-, and 60-meter (66-yard) distances, and in all competition in the United States, archers shoot at targets 122 centimeters (48 inches) in diameter. The 50- and 30-meter (55- and 33-yard) distances use a target 80 centimeters (31 inches) in diameter.
Field archery
involves walking across a course set out in an open field or wooded area shooting at buttresses from various distances. The basic contest, called a field round, consists of 24 buttresses. They are covered with black-and-gold targets that measure 20, 40, 60, or 80 centimeters (8, 16, 24, or 31 inches) in diameter. Each target has five circular scoring rings—a gold center ring worth 5 points and four black rings worth 4, 3, 2, and 1 points. The archers shoot two rounds of three arrows at every target. The distance to the targets ranges from about 6 to 72 meters (7 to 80 yards).
Flight archery
is competition in which archers try only for distance, not accuracy. They use special bows with a draw weight of up to 200 pounds (91 kilograms), and small, lightweight arrows. In regular flight archery, the archers shoot while standing. In freestyle flight archery, they lie on their back with the bow strapped to their feet. They use both hands to draw the bow. An archer can shoot farther than 700 yards (640 meters).
Indoor archery
involves shooting at a distance of 18 meters (20 yards). The archer generally shoots 12 ends (rounds) of five arrows or 20 ends of three arrows. Many archers compete indoors during the winter months to keep in shape for outdoor competitions or hunting.
3-D archery
consists of shooting arrows at lifelike foam models of game animals, such as deer and elk. The archer must correctly estimate the distance of the target. The model animal has scoring rings that can only be seen from a short distance. Because 3-D archery has many of the same challenges as hunting, it is a popular off-season activity for bow hunters.
History
Prehistoric people invented the bow and arrow thousands of years ago. The weapon revolutionized early hunting methods by enabling people to kill animals from a distance. The ancient Egyptians were the first people known to use the bow and arrow extensively. They used the weapon for hunting and in war as early as 5000 B.C. Other early peoples who used bows and arrows included the Assyrians and the Persians.
By the A.D. 900’s, the Turks had developed advanced archery equipment. They used laminated bows made of a combination of wood and animal horns and tendons. The tips of their bows curved outward like modern recurve bows. By the 1100’s, the crossbow had become a popular weapon in Europe (see Crossbow).
The longbow ranked as the chief weapon of the English army when the Hundred Years’ War began in 1337. In 1346, in the Battle of Crecy, 7,000 English archers routed a much larger French force that included over 1,000 armor-clad knights. In 1415, in the Battle of Agincourt, about 6,000 English troops with longbows defeated a French force of about 20,000 to 30,000.
By about 1500, firearms had replaced the bow and arrow as the chief weapon of English infantry. In the 1540’s, English author Roger Ascham wrote Toxophilus, the first book to describe the proper way to shoot a bow and arrow. The Royal Toxophilite Society was set up in England in 1781 to promote archery as a sport.
The first archery organization in the United States was the United Bowmen of Philadelphia, founded in 1828. The National Archery Association was established in 1879 and held its first tournament that year. In 1931, the International Archery Federation (FITA) was founded to conduct international tournaments. The National Field Archery Association was organized in 1939 by a group of American hunters. In 1969, FITA added field archery to the events in world championship archery competition. In 1991, the federation added indoor archery.
Compound bows came into use during the 1970’s. They soon gained wide popularity because they are so easy to hold.
