subject: Traditional Archery, a Family Activity? [print this page] Traditional Archery, a Family Activity? Traditional Archery, a Family Activity?
Are you looking for a family activity? An activity that everyone can participate in? Something that doesn't require you to shell out 100's of dollars to invest in just to try. Why not Archery?
Traditional archery has been around for centuries not only by our Native Americans but also the Greeks and Persians. Primarily used for defense and for hunting wild game.
Today loyal traditional archery enthusiasts are passionate about hunting, competing, and just casual recreation. It has developed into quite a sport with competitions all over the world. Archery has extended the normal hunting season by using different archery equipment.
Experimental phase- It is not necessary for you to go out and spend a lot of money just for you and your family to try archery. A complete archery set can be found online or your larger sporting stores for as little has $50. The 3 thins required are a traditional archery bow, a few arrows, and a target.
As you continue to practice and compete with family members you will soon get a feel for the enjoyment level. You will soon see everyone's ability increasing. Practice makes perfect. When this occurs you can begin to slowly upgrade your equipment.
Equipment-
The bow must be comfortable in your hand and the string is not to difficult to pull all the way back.
The "draw length" is the amount of distance between the hand that's holding the bow and the hand with the string fully drawn.
The "draw weight" is how much strength does the bow require to draw the string fully.
The bows used in traditional archery are mostly made of wood along with some other materials like leather, hide, horns, bone, feathers etc.
All type of bows like the longbow, crossbow, flatbow, recurve bows, compound bows can be used in traditional archery.
Safety- As in any sport or even just a family outing accidents can happen. Preplanning is always a good idea
Make sure the area between the shooter and the target and beyond the target are clear
Have a first aid kit with your gear
A cell phone for calling for help
Always shoot only at the target
Wait till all arrows have been shot before anyone goes to retrieve them
Before shooting all arrows should be checked for damage
Archery is fun, but you must not forget any sport can be dangerous. By following simple common sense rules you are more apt to enjoy shooting.
