Bowhunting

History of Bowhunting

• Egyptians: may have been the first famous archers

- bows shorter than a man -arrows two feet or more -arrowheads were usually bronze Early bows were made of composites of

horn, wood, and sinew Were C shaped and sometimes 5-6 feet

tall

Other famous Archers:

Attila the Hun

Genghis Khan

Turks – would pull the string with a ring around their thumb

Norsemen – brought bows to England

Robin Hood – legend in 1300

American Indians

Archery Clubs and Associations

• 1828: the United Bowman of Philadelphia – the first archery club founded

• 1879: the National Archer Association was started in Chicago

Bows and their Parts:

• Most shoot arrows more than 200 yards

• Most at speeds more than 200 feet per second (135 miles per hour)

• Lethal shots to penetrate an animal are usually limited to 40 yards or less

Four classes of bows:

1. Longbow

2. Recurve

3. Compound

4. Crossbow

Longbow

• Straight limbs that form an arc when strung

Recurve Bow:• Much like the

longbow, but the limbs curve back away from the belly of the bow

Compound bow:

• Most popular hunting bow today

• Uses pullys and cables attached to the limbs

• Easier to hold at full draw (pulled completely back)

• Can propel an arrow faster than either a longbow or recurve

Draw weight:

• Force it takes to pull the bowstring back completely

• Measured in pounds

• Minimum USE to be 40 lbs, but there is no limit as of 2008-2009 season

Draw Weight

Modern Bow Materials:

• Wood

• Fiberglass

• Metal

• Graphite

• Combination of all the above

IMPORTANT:

Buy shafts that match the draw weight of the bow!

Bows of different draw weights require arrows of different stiffness or spine

weight!

Also, make sure you have the right draw length!

Arrows and their Parts:

• Nock: snaps onto the string and holds the arrow in position

Fletching: made of feathers or plastic vanes – help it fly straight

• Helical vanes: spin the arrow like a rifle bullet, making it more stable in flight while carrying a wide, heavy broad head

• Straight fletched arrow: slightly faster but not as stable with a heavy broad head

• Flu-Flus: arrows which have large fletching (used to shoot upward at moving targets)

Arrow points:

• Field (target): used for target practice

• Blunt: plinking

• Judo points: small game

• Broadheads: only for big game – kill by cutting blood vessels

Bow Accessories:

• Finger tabs: protect three draw fingers

More Accesories

• Armguard: protect the inner part of the bow arm when it is being released

• Quiver: covers entire broadhead and securely holds the arrows until needed

More Accessories:

• Mechanical Release: snaps on the string and is pulled back with shooting hand; a trigger is pushed or pulled to release the string

More Accessories• Bowstringer: a

strong cord with a loop or pocket at each end that fits the limb tip or recurve and some long bows

• - Allows the bowstring to be safely slipped into place