Archery
 Archery is a colorful, interesting, and worthwhile activity for boys. The beginner gets immediate satisfaction, yet finds a continuous challenge as he develops into a skilled archer. Archery also provides a fundamental relaxation quality in that the archer must be focused on the immediate moment. This activity provides good physical exercise and develops powers of concentration and coordination. A Brief History of Archery The advancement of civilization was enhanced by the use and discovery of bows and arrows. The bow and arrow provided a much safer way to hunt and made life easier. Generally it is thought the spear was the predecessor to the bow. Spearheads have been discovered from many thousands of years ago. A recognizable bow was discovered dating back to 6000 B.C that was made from yew or elm. Egyptians, somewhere around 3500 B.C. to 2800 B.C., are considered the fi rst to use the bow in battle, which gave them superiority over their enemies. This bow was known as a composite bow. Assyrians developed a shorter recurve bow that provided more power and easier handling around 1500 B.C. Crossbows were also used in ancient China. About this same time, the Parthians became famous for shooting backwards while riding a horse. The term “Parthian shot” is still used today in archery. Heracles, a Greek hero, was very well known for his help with the siege of Troy around 1260 B.C.–1240 B.C. As a direct result of Heracles’ help, the city of Troy fell through the use of the Trojan Horse. Around 1200 B.C., a famous Egyptian pharaoh named Rameses I gave archery another boost by putting archers on chariots. This mobility allowed the Egyptians to defeat the Hittite army. Through the course of time the wooden bow was made longer. The British were famous for improving on the bow, which eventually became known as the British longbow. The most famous battle of the longbow was the battle of Crecy in 1346, In 1500, crossbows were banned in England to promote the use of the longbow. In 1595, the army was ordered to replace all bows with muskets. Archery has remained a popular sport activity in England. Some of the first archery clubs were formed in England. Competitions were part of their way of life. The English are noted for the three forms of shooting. Butt shooting is where targets are mounted on mounds at 100 to 140 yards. Clout shooting is where targets are mounted on the ground with a wooden stay in the center. For these two forms, arrows are shot upward to descend on the target. For the third form of shooting, roving, archers shoot at simulated small animals over varying ranges on unprepared ground and courses. Around 1000 A.D., bow and arrow technology swept the Americas. As seen through archeological studies, its use was adopted by most prehistoric native Americans. In 1879 the National Archery Association was found ed. The first national tournament was held in White Stocking Park in Chicago the same year. The fi rst archery club in the United States, the United Bowmen of Philadelphia, was founded in 1928. In 1900 archery became part of the Olympic games. It was dropped after 1920 because the wide range of rules could not be standardized. In 1931, the Federation Internationale de Tir l’Arc (FITA) was founded in Paris and standardized the rules for international competition, but it was not until 1972 that archery was again a part of the Olympic program. Leadership Archery must be conducted by trained, qualified on-site range masters who actually direct the operation of the range program and archery instruction. To qualify as an archery range master, the range master must be at least 18 years old and be trained by a USA Archery/NFAA instructor and attain the Basic, Level I certification. NB: Basic Level I certification is the minimum level required by the Potawatomi Area Council, and is higher than that is required by the National Council. Tiger Cubs with their adult partners, Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts should learn these simple safety rules. When training youth to shoot, be sure to have the proper equipment, secure and safe ranges, and clear safety instruction.
Know the Proper Whistle Codes Two blasts. Move up to the firing line. One blast. Fire the proper number of arrows. Three blasts. Cease firing. Move to the target. Retrieve and score arrows. Four or more blasts. Cease firing. Stay where you are. This is an EMERGENCY. Officials will tell the archers what action to take either verbally or by the whistle code. Remember there is only ONE command to shoot—ONE blast of the whistle. For any command of more than one blast, STOP shooting. Watch and listen for further instructions. Review the archery range layout below. Safety is a primary concern when operating an archery range, and the safety rules must be followed. If at all possible, the range should be laid out so shooting is done in a northerly direction so archers are never facing the sun. To protect arrows, all outcropping rocks should be reduced to ground level. Grass should be planted so a good sod is developed. Keep grass cut close and raked clear. Sandy soils needs no ground cover. Important! Arrange facilities so there is no possibility of non-participants inadvertently walking behind the targets while shooting is in progress!  Range Operation Rules
Sample Range Rules Poster Archery Range Rules
Targets and Scoring Target Butts Targets for beginners should be about 48 inches in diameter and made of straw or Ethafoam. The target butts are placed on soft-pine tripods, about six inches off the ground. (Ethafoam is the proper material for a target butt. Plastic foam is messy and does not last long.) Keep the targets close to the ground so missed arrows will not go far and so younger archers can reach the highest arrows easily. Three to five bales of straw may be stacked to serve as target butts. Make sure the bales are tied back to a post so they will not fall forward on someone pulling arrows. Care should be taken in stacking the bales to be sure they are very close together. Keep the bales off the ground by stacking them on old tires. Target Faces The 48-inch standard target face is recommended for use on outdoor ranges. These are printed on several types of material, including heavy paper, canvas, and oil cloth. If you use paper targets, paste them to light cardboard or they will not last long. Smaller targets are made to be shot at from shorter distances the target is made up of five concentric color zones. Each zone is divided by a thin line into two scoring zones of equal width. Each circle represents the following point values  • Inner gold = 10 points • Outer gold = 9 points • Inner red = 8 points • Outer red = 7 points • Inner blue = 6 points • Outer blue = 5 points • Inner black = 4 points • Outer black = 3 points • Inner white = 2 points • Outer white = 1 point Care of Target Faces Target faces should be removed from mats when the mats are being moistened. Masking tape applied to the back of a target face that is tearing from much use will help it last longer. Center patches that cover the gold and part of the red scoring areas on the target face will double the life of the target faces. The patches must be carefully aligned so the lines marking the scoring areas line up exactly. Backstops Baled straw stacked behind the target will catch wild shots. Also, several layers of burlap, old canvas, or rugs hanging loosely over a horizontal pole or plank 1 or 2 inches wide will stop arrows that miss the target. These materials will last much longer if they can be rolled up and stored between seasons. Any indoor backstop should be a minimum of eight feet from the top to the fl oor. A backstop should be hung two to three feet from the wall and two to 10 feet behind the targets to prevent arrows from hitting the wall. If there is a possibility of arrows hitting and damaging the floor in front of the targets, such as in a gymnasium, rest the targets on rubber runners, canvas-covered tumbling mats, or on a rug that extends six to eight feet in front of the targets. Competitions/Tournaments
For those that have reached sufficient skill levels, opportunities are available for local, state, national & international competitions. Several archery clubs in Wisconsin host tournaments during the year , additionally the NAA/US Archery and NFAA sponsor JOAD, and all ages tournaments nationwide throughout the year.
Mathews Genesis Bow | Quick Links
   
 |