Types of Archery

Archery; there’s just something about it that pulls at the imagination and inspires awe and wonder in both the youth and the adult. For some Archery is just a hobby that they practice in the back yard for fun and stress relief, for others, it is a competition for them to best both man and beast, and for yet others, it is how they find they’re best able to reconnect with nature and find their inner peace. Archery is many things to many people and it is that very diversity of practice and purpose that can make getting started with archery such a daunting proposition for newcomers to the sport. In fact with so many different types of archery available it can be a challenge just to know what kind of archery you want to practice. So where does one begin?

This question brings us to you, the newcomer to archery who’s just trying to figure it all out. The first step you’ll need to take on this journey is to decide what types of archery are right for you. To do this, we’ll briefly look at each of the 6 major types of archery:

Target Archery: As the name implies this type of archery is focused on the practice of shooting at a set target from a predetermined distance. This is where many archers typically begin learning about the sport as a means to hone their accuracy, tune their equipment, and learn the basics of gauging distances. While it is a great stepping stone to other types of archery, target archery is a goal in and of itself and has competitions worldwide, the most well-known being the archery event at the Olympics.


Field Archery: this type of archery is a natural next step from target archery. Targets are still employed and shooting lines are still used, but instead of a wide open field, targets are placed along a path, often a bit hilly and typically through a wooded area. As the archer hikes the path, they’ll stop along the way to shoot any targets set up along the path. These targets are often set at distances that are atypical for the target archer and they’ll often employ uphill and downhill shots that you simply wouldn’t encounter in a normal target archery environment.

3D Archery: this type of archery is an evolution of field archery and replaces the obvious targets of field archery with better hidden and more obscured foam animal targets. This type of archery is great practice for the aspiring bow-hunter as it allows you to get a better feel of what kind of challenges you’d face in a normal hunt as far as terrain and cover are concerned and helps you learn to pick out an animal from its surrounding environment.

Bowhunting: this type of archery and its close cousin bow fishing are what archery used to be all about. You grab your gear and head out into the woods (or onto the lake as the case may be) in order to harvest food and bring it home for your family. This type of archery is one of the most complex and multi-faceted types of archery involving not only archery skills, but also stealth hunting skills, and, depending on the length of your trip, possibly camping skills as well. That said it can also be one of the most challenging and rewarding types of archery for those that appreciate the thrill of the hunt and have learned to do their hunting responsibly. Bowhunting and bow fishing both typically will require you to purchase and maintain a hunting license from your state.

Traditional Archery: This type of archery is not so much its own distinct type as it is a modification of the other types of archery. Traditional archery seeks to return to a less modern version of the sport without all the fancy sights and cable and pulley systems when an archer could really feel their bow and aimed it with instinct instead of with a sight. Traditional archery focuses in on the use of longbows and recurves and while modern techniques and materials are sometimes used to construct traditional equipment, the old-school feel of the sport is preserved.

Entertainment Archery: This final type of archery is less a version of archery to be practiced and more another application of your archery skills. This category includes the practice of archery in historical reenactments, engaging in person on person archery combat in archery tag (don’t worry, the arrows are tipped with safety foam), and even participating in a Live Action Role Playing game or LARP. While these things are less focused on pure archery, they still can be a lot of fun and a great opportunity to use your archery skills.

Now that we’ve seen what kinds of archery are out there, maybe you’ve decided to focus on just one type of archery, which is great, or maybe you want to do them all and that’s great too. Regardless, archery can be a wonderful hobby to help you reconnect with nature, provide food for your family, or even just have a bit of fun with family and friends. That said, ultimately how and why you choose to do archery is completely up to you.