Entertainment Archery

Archery in and of itself is quite entertaining which is one of the reasons it is once again becoming so very popular, but for some, it is not enough to just practice archery for archery’s sake. To those in this category, I present to you a branch of archery that is seldom considered in archery discussions which I like to call Entertainment Archery.

Entertainment Archery breaks down into a few different categories, but really encompasses anything that involves archery, but is more about the activity than it is about the archery. Things that fall into this category are activities such as historical reenactments, Live Action Role Playing or LARPing, and archery tag, to name a few. If you’re an archer primarily, it’s possible that you’ve not heard of some of these, or at least haven’t considered how you as an archer could get involved in them. As that is likely the case, we’ll take a look at these three major activities (though these are certainly not all the activities that could fall under this category) and give you a little more information on each one.

First, we’ll take a look at the role of archery in historical reenactments. Historical reenactments are typically done for either education or entertainment and seek to recreate an event from history, either in part or on a more grand scale. Often these reenactments will be or will include battles from history. This is where archery can enter into the picture. Quite frequently these battles will include those that took place between the English and Native Americans, or just between warring Native American Tribes. These reenactments will obviously include archery and many archers who are interested in history take part both to educate and inform others as well as to provide entertainment for others and for themselves. This type of entertainment archery also encompasses the theatrical application of archery, though these are less common due to typical stage sizes being too small to make use of true archery technique.

Next, we look at Live Action Role Playing or LARPing. LARPing takes typical RPGs or Role Playing Games and adds a more active component having participants dress in costumes and use themed weaponry (non-lethal of course) including bows and arrows. While the arrows are a little different, real archery technique can actually come into play as the ability of the participants does play a role in deciding hit and miss chances. If role playing is something that you’re interested in or if you just like getting dressed in costume than LARPing may be something for you to look into, groups exist all over and are typically very inclusive.

Finally, we take a look at archery tag. We all remember how much fun tag was as kids. Now as archers we have this new option called archery tag. This uses all the same equipment as normal archery, with the exception of the arrows. Special foam tipped arrows are used that bounce off those hit by them rather than impaling them, leaving the target aware that they’ve been hit by something, but unharmed. Essentially, this is an archery version of paintball and all the same play variations used in paintball could be played out in a game of archery tag.

So if you’re looking for a new way to practice your archery prowess, or are just looking for a way to spice up your archery experience, you may wish to look into one of these types of entertainment archery.

Research for this article was conducted at the following sites:

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_reenactment

- http://archerytag.com

How to Determine Eye Dominance

For the aspiring archer, your equipment and how it fits you is equally important to your level of fitness and mastery of technique. In previous articles, we've looked at how to find your proper draw length and how that information is used to find your bow size. Now we'll be looking at how to determine your eye dominance and how this information plays a role in determining what kind of bow you should get.

Hold your hands like this and focus on your object

Finding your dominant eye is actually quite simple. Pick an object in the distance (at least 10 feet away) to look at for the test; it can be anything really as long as it’s something you can keep your focus on for a few minutes. Next, hold one hand out as though you were examining your fingernails at arm’s length then do the same with the other hand. Keep your hands in this position and move them together so that the nails on both middle fingers overlap and your thumbs overlap forming a triangular hole with your hands that you can see the object through. Place this hole so that you can see the object you picked earlier with both eyes open. Once in position close one of your eyes but don’t move your hands. If you can still see the object with the one eye you have open then that is your dominant eye. If you can’t still see the object then the eye you have closed is your dominant eye. Typically your eye dominance will match your hand dominance. For example, if you’re right handed then you’re probably right eye dominant, but not always so it’s best to check.

If you find that your dominant eye and your dominant hand are on the same side ( right eye/right hand or left eye/left hand) then choosing the correct bow is a simple matter of matching it to your dominant side. Example a person with a right dominant eye and right dominate hand is going to perform best with a right handed bow. If however, you end up being cross dominant (right eye/left hand or left eye/right hand) then your choice becomes a little less clear. If you’re looking to be competitive then your best option is going to be retraining your hand dominance to match your eye dominance. This can be a little challenging as it feels very strange and uncomfortable, however, it really boils down to putting in the time and practice to retrain your motor skills and develop some muscle memory. There is also the option of retraining your eye dominance, which is a matter of learning to keep both eyes open and allow your normally dominant eye to blur out. For some (myself included) this may prove to be more challenging than retraining your dominant hand.

There are those archers that choose to simply live with the cross dominance. This is typically accomplished by learning to compensate for the additional skew by aiming further to the side which tends to be a little less accurate or by simply closing the dominant eye when aiming which maintains the accuracy, but can reduce stability somewhat. Regardless of the path you choose, retraining is unnecessary for the casual or recreational archer and except in the case of retraining your dominant hand, you always want to get the bow that matches your hand dominance.

Research for this article was conducted at the following sites:

- http://www.learn-archery.com/eye-dominance.html

- https://www.archery360.com/2014/02/25/determine-your-dominant-eye-in-five-steps

How to Determine Proper Bow Size

One of the most important things that an archer needs to know, especially when they’re first starting out and getting all the equipment they’ll need is the size of the bow that’s right for them. With the various bow styles and numerous sizes to choose from, it can be a challenge to find the equipment that is just right for you and your situation.

The only accurate way to determine the size of bow you need is to go by your draw length. Your draw length is a measure of how far back you pull an arrow when at full draw. If you’re uncertain about how to find your draw length, take a look at the article here. If you already know your draw length (or if you just figured it out) finding the proper bow size for you is a simple matter of finding where your draw length falls on the following chart:

Draw Length	Bow Size
14” to 16”	48” Bow
17” to 20”	54” Bow
20” to 22”	58” Bow
22” to 24”	62” Bow
24” to 26”	64” to 66” Bow
26” to 28”	66” to 68” Bow
28” to 30”	68” to 70” Bow
31” and longer	70” to 72” Bow

Now you know what size bow you will need and if you’re sticking to longbows it’s pretty easy to simply measure along the back of the bow and determine if a bow is going to be the right size for your particular needs. However if you’ve chosen to get a recurve or a compound bow, the method of determining a bow's length is a little different.

For recurve bows the bow length is, like with a long bow, a measure of the back of the bow from string groove to string groove. However, unlike a longbow, you cannot simply measure straight from one string groove to the other, because even when unstrung the limbs are curved and a straight measure will give you false information about the bow’s length. To get a proper measure it’s best to use a flexible measure (like the ones used by tailors that typically come in a sewing kit) and allow the flexible tape measure to lay flat along the back of the bow, following the bends from one string grove to the other. This will give you an accurate measure of a recurve bow’s length and, using the chart above, you can determine if that will work for your draw length or if you need to keep looking.

The rules differ a bit for those who are looking at getting a compound bow. The length of a compound bow is measured from axle to axle (the pins at the end of the limbs on which the cams or wheels rotate) and can vary significantly in length. This, however, is somewhat irrelevant as the bow size for compound bows is chosen by what you’re doing with the bow rather than by your draw length. Compound bows are designed to be adjustable and will cover a range of possible draw lengths. To get the right compound bow for your draw length simply make sure your draw length falls within this range (typically indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging or in the advertising materials) and make sure it’s appropriate to what you’re doing with it (usually shorter bows are for hunting while longer bows are more for target shooting, though there are exceptions to this).

Finally if for some reason you cannot find a properly sized bow for you (shops in your area don’t carry the correct size in your chosen style, or your stuck with a hand-me-down that wasn’t chosen specifically for you), remember that it is better to have a bow that is too long (missing out on full potential) than to try and use one that is too short (reaching full draw is more difficult, may overstress and even break the bow) as the former is just a bit of a loss while the later can actually be hazardous to your health.

Research for this article was conducted at the following sites:

- http://www.learn-archery.com/proper-draw-length.html

-  http://1source.basspro.com/index.php/component/k2/85-archery/1053-beginners-guide-to-compound-bows

How to Determine Draw Length

So you’re interested in archery. Maybe you already have an idea what kind of archery you’d like to pursue and you’re ready to get your first bow. Congratulations! Getting your first bow is a big moment in the life of an archer, but it’s important to make sure you get the right bow. The right bow will help you grow and develop as an archer, but the wrong bow will prove to be too cumbersome or even painful to use correctly and may end up stopping your growth as an archer altogether. Obviously, those of us already in the archery community don’t want that, which is why I will tell you how to determine what bow is the right bow.

As you may have guessed from the title of this article, the process begins with determining your draw length. This is vital information as it tells you what size bow to get and even what length of arrows you’ll need for your bow. This also tends not to change so once you’ve got an accurate measurement you shouldn’t need to determine it again unless you’ve gained enough experience to try other methods or changed in some other significant way. There are a couple accurate ways to do this:

Calculated Method Example

The first method you could use is the calculated method. The easiest way to do this will require a little bit of tape (preferably painters tape, but any kind will do), a tape measure, an unobstructed flat wall, and a friend (or at least someone willing to assist you with measuring). First, you’ll need to have the person being measured for draw length stand with their back against the wall and with their arms held up so they make the shape of a “T” with their body. Be sure to have them stand in a natural posture for this, not pulling the shoulders together or over-stretching their chest to get greater arm-span. These actions will result in an inaccurate measure. Once they’re positioned correctly, place tape on the wall right at the tip of the middle finger. Do this for both hands. Once the tape is placed the person being measured may step away from the wall and drop their arms. Now measure the distance from the inside edge of one piece of tape to the inside edge of the other. Record this measurement. Finally take the recorded measurement and divide it by 2.5. Round the answer up to the nearest half inch and you have your draw length. This measure should be close enough to get you a good first bow. However, there is a method that is more accurate but requires greater experience.

The second method is called the ATA Draw Length Standard and is used by the ATA (Archery Trade Association) to help archers determine their draw length as accurately as possible. This method, however, requires that the archer being measured for draw length already be familiar with proper archery form, thus the first method is recommended for those just getting into archery whereas this method is recommended for the seasoned archer looking to get equipment perfectly suited to them. To use this method it helps to have a bow already, though it’s not required and you will need a tape measure. If you have a bow, hold it normally and draw back the string as though there were an arrow nocked on it (you can use a real arrow for this if you like, just be conscious of safety and be sure not to release once drawn [with or without an arrow as both are dangerous]). Then have someone measure from the pivot point on the bow (where the bow rests in the crook of your thumb and finger) and the nock point on the string (where the arrow attaches to the string. Don’t include any part of the arrow nock that extends past the string in the measurement). Record this measurement.

If you don’t have a bow, grab your tape measure instead. Turn the body of the tape measure upside down and grip it like you would grip a bow (place the body of the tape measure in the crook of your thumb and finger). Use your other hand to grab the end of the tape measure (typically this is a little metal “L” shaped bracket attached to the end of the tape) and hold it like you’d hold an arrow (between your pointer and middle fingers, allowing the “L” bracket to be pulled by your pointer finger) and draw back like you’re drawing an arrow back until you reach your full draw making sure to maintain proper form while doing so. Once drawn, hold the draw and have someone record the measurement, or lock the tape measure (if it has a lock) and then record the measurement. Once recorded you may release the draw.

After using either method take the recorded measurement and add 1 and ¾ inches to it. This will give you your true draw length.

Finally I will simply caution you from trusting some of the other methods for determining the right bow for you based on your height or your age as these methods are based on myths about the uniformity of people and really have no grounds in reality (though I will say height based methods will be more accurate than age-based methods in most cases).

Now that you know how to determine your true draw length, you’ll be that much closer to knowing exactly what kind of archery equipment is right for you.

Research for this article was conducted at the following sites:

- http://www.learn-archery.com/proper-draw-length.html

-  http://www.huntersfriend.com/archery-help/target-and-hunting-bow-sizing-adjustment-guide.html