Glossary of terms

Glossary of basic Archery Terms

 

Glossary of basic Archery Terms

 

Anchor Point - the point to be touched by the draw hand or bow string when the bow is fully drawn and to shoot, a point on the archer's  face, either the mouth, cheek, chin or Nose

 

Arrowhead - The front end of the arrow, also known as the head point or tip

 

Arrow Rest - The device used to hold the arrow against the bow until it is released

 

Bare bowA bow that has no additional accessories  such a  sights, stabilisers  etc.

 

Boss -   The target base usually made from straw or compacted foam and holds the Target face

 

Bow ArmThe arm with which you hold the bow, if you are right handed it will be your left

                     arm and vice versa

 

Bracer -  An arm guard, protective strap or sheath for the archer's forearm

 

Brace Height - The distance from the bow string to the pivot point of the bow's grip

 

Bracing Height Gauge -   A ’T’ shaped ruler for measuring the distance form the bow string

 

Bouncer - An arrow that hits the target and bounces off it

 

Bow Stringer - The devise used to assist in stringing and unstringing the bow

 

Clicker -  A gadget which clicks into place when the arrow is at full draw, ensures a consistent

                 length to the draw

 

Clout Archery -   Clout archery is a form of archery in which archers shoot arrows

                             at a flag (known as "the Clout") from a relatively long distance

 

Cock feather - A differently coloured fletch that indicates the proper arrow alignment on the

                         string

 

Composite Bow - A composite bow is a traditional bow made from horn, wood  and sinew laminated  together, a form of laminated bow.  The horn is on the belly, facing the archer, and sinew on the outer side of a wooden core.

 

Compound bow -  A bow that uses a system of cables and pulleys to add leverage to the power

                                of the bow.

 

Dead Release -     Keeping your hand at the anchor point when you let the arrow go and don’t

                                follow through

 

Draw -  To pull or draw the bow sting back - full draw is the point at which you are ready to fire

              the arrow

 

Drawing Hand/arm   -   The name given to the  hand/arm used to draw back the bow

 

Draw length - The distance in which you are able to fully draw the bowstring back

 

Draw weight - Measured in pounds, this is the amount of force being applied when the archer

                       has the bowstring fully drawn.

 

Dry firing -     Drawing and realising the bow with no arrow nocked.  This should NEVER be done,

                       it can break the bow.

 

 

 

An ‘End’ -     The round of arrows shot before they are  collected  and the score taken -usually

          either three or six

 

Field Archery -  A type of archery outdoors where you shoot your arrows at different targets over

                           different types of terrain, often in woodland with bulls eye or 3D mock ups of

                           animals

 

Field Captain -  The name given to the person who is in charge of a field competition/tournament

 

Finger Tab -       A leather piece that fits on your fingers to protect them when you

                           pull the bowstring back

 

Fletch -      One of the vanes attached to the arrow to stabilise flight, either a feather, plastic

                   or rubber

 

Fletching - The name given to the set of three fletches, the vanes at the end of the arrow

 

Full draw -    When the bow is fully drawn  at the point just before the arrow is released

 

Group/grouping -   This is when the arrows you have shot tend to be grouped together on the

                                  target face - indicates consistent shooting

 

Index Fletch -  An arrow has three fletches, one of these is a different colour = the index fletch.

                          It is positioned away form the bow when nocked and ensure proper arrow

                          alignment

 

Line cutter -      A scoring arrow that cuts the line between two scores.

 

Longbow -     A traditional  wooden one piece bow with no recurve or shooting aids.  It requires

                        more skill than a re-curve bow

 

A Miss -    The arrow has missed the target rings  - A  non- scoring arrow

 

Nock -      On the end of the arrow and is shaped to clip the arrow onto the bowstring

 

Nocking Point -  Is the point on your bow string where the arrow should be nocked

 

Nock an arrow -  Clip an arrow onto the bow string

 

Pull   -    The act of pulling the arrow from the target

 

Quiver -     The receptacle for your arrows which can either be attached to you waist  or strapped

                   over the shoulder or even on the ground

 

Recurve Bow.  -   Takes is name of the curvature of the limbs, is the most common type of

                              bow in target archery and has Olympic status ( also ‘take down bow ‘)

 

Release.  -  Releasing the bow string to send the arrow from the bow

 

Release.  -   When you fire your arrow when fully drawn

 

Sighters  - Practice arrows shot to help you work out the sight mark for the distance

 

Riser - The centre part of a take down bow 

 

A Robin Hood - An arrow shot directly into the back of another arrow, often results in damage

 

Stabaliser - This is an addition to the bow to add balance and reduce vibration, either a single

                     rod or a set of rods that attach to the riser on recurve bows

 

StanceThis is how your legs, body, arms and head should be positioned ready to shoot and is

                 key to good archery

 

Tab -        See finger tab above

 

Take down Bow - Typically a recurve bow in three pieces, the centre and handle is called the                                                  riser and the two ends that clip into it are the limbs

 

Target Face  -        In Target archery the paper on the front of the boss with the coloured

                                rings which are numbered and used to create the score

 

Toxophilite    -        A person devoted to archery