Naive archers often think that whether archery is a safe sport or not, well, it depends upon how you use archery equipment and if you use safety measures during your archery session or not. Even though recent studies have shown that archery is the safest sport compared to football or volleyball, remember it is safer for professional archers, not beginners.
We all know that there are some safety concerns to consider when practicing. But as you develop a good shooting form, we often tend to focus more on shooting instead of safety measures. As a result, people often hurt themselves even when practicing indoors.
But when practicing archery, you need to use the right equipment and wear every safety gear to protect yourself from shooting practice. So, we have created this archery safety guide that you need to keep in mind while shooting from a bow.
✅ Install An Arrow Rest On Your Bow
People often prefer using a compound due to its versatile features and additional fitments for improved functionality. Not to mention, compound bows are famous for their high accuracy, and using an arrow rest would ensure precision shooting.
Furthermore, once you install an arrow rest, you don’t have to bother about holding your arrow, and not only will it protect your hand, but it will ensure a better and straight arrow flight. The best thing is that most novice archers consider using an arrow rest to safeguard their hands, while professional archers use it for straight flight.
✅ Always Wear An Archery Arm Guard
Wearing an archery arm guard will protect your forearm from attaining any damage during shooting sessions. Remember, the arm guard features an outer fabric layer and hard material used for the inner layer that protects your skin from damage caused due to arrows.
The best thing is that you can easily strap this around your arm, and it is not that expensive. But it plays a vital role in ensuring utmost archery safety.
✅ Buy An Arrow With The Proper Length.
To ensure an optimal shooting experience, you should buy an arrow that aligns with your height requirements. In case if you have bought a short arrow, it can seriously damage the shooters’ arms and hands.
That means the arrow should be long enough that it allows you to draw at the back of the bow. However, some elite archers can use small-length arrows only when wearing all safety gear.
✅ Use A Release Aid- Archery Safety Rules
When starting your archery journey, it is recommended to use a release aid instead of your fingers, as it will help you make precision shots. A mechanical device that comes integrated with a trigger makes it convenient for you to take repetitive shots with high accuracy. Plus, it will protect your fingers from getting hurt.
✅ Conduct A Thorough Inspection Before Shooting
It is always recommended to thoroughly inspect your bow and other equipment before shooting to ensure no cracks or broken signs on any side, whether you bought it recently or not. To make your bow perform better, you need to check your bow before starting your shooting session closely.
And why do you need to do this? Archers who ignore minute fractures and other cracks on the equipment often get hurt due to broken equipment. So to remain on the safer side, you should check the equipment before you go for a shooting session and hurt yourself unintentionally.
✅ Avoid Running Into Archery Range
Naive shooters often make this mistake and end up getting hurt. So, it is better to avoid running into archery range when practicing in a gathering or participating in a tournament. That means you might unintentionally step over others’ archery quiver, which can even break their equipment.
And nobody wants to be in that kind of situation where you have to bear the cost of other people’s equipment. So, it is better to walk instead of running in the archery range as it will keep you and others safe.
✅ Never Dry Fire
Naive archers should know that dry firing can cause a lot of damage to your bow, even if you don’t intend to. The dry firing means when you draw and release the bowstring without placing an arrow in the position. That means instead of transferring the kinetic energy to an arrow.
Instead, it gets transferred to the entire bow, which is the ultimate reason why your shooting equipment is broken. Not to mention, it can also severely hurt the shooter. That’s why it is recommended to wear safety gear while shooting arrows.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What Are The Steps Of The Basic Archery Technique?
You need to follow eight steps: stance, nocking, position, draw, anchor, target, shoot, and followthrough.
- What Do You Mean By Followthrough?
Followthrough refers to a situation when an arrow is released from the bow. It is the part of the trajectory that the arrow has traveled until it hits the target. A follow-through provides essential information regarding your shot performance.
- Is It Necessary To Focus On Followthrough?
Remember, a followthrough helps in reducing the vibration and shock transmitted from the bow to your shoulder and arm. That’s why it is recommended to maintain a good form while shooting during long sessions.
- Is It Best To Use Sight Shooting In Archery?
Yes, sight shooting is among the popular ways of archery shooting in which you have to attach a mechanical device to get a better view of your target. Usually, it is attached slightly above the arrow rest for better target visibility.
Final Thoughts
Naive archers often ignore common things like pointing the arrow towards the ground while nocking and letting people know you are shooting. You must know that a bow can be used as a lethal weapon, which means it can hurt someone if you remain too ignorant and less aware of your surroundings. That’s why you need to remember the archery safety rules discussed above while ensuring your equipment is working fine. Don’t forget to mark your shooting range and follow the orders coming from the instructor.
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