Archery is probably one of the earliest skills people have. It is not only a method of war, but also important for sustenance. Because people have now relied mostly on farming and livestock, archery largely evolved into a type of sport and hobby. There are things we should consider before choosing archery as a hobby:
1. Choosing the right Bow
Before choosing the right bow, we should determine our dominant eye. Most people have dominant right eye, but we could make a simple test. We could choose a far away object with both eyes open. Close the right eye with one hand; if the object seems to shift slightly, then we have a dominant right eye. In this case, we should get a right-hand bow. It is a good idea to choose bows designed for beginners with about 60lbs of draw strength. In general, recurve bow could be better for most beginners. It is not a good idea to buy full-sized hunting bow or fancy competition bow until we have mastered proper techniques of archery. The dimension of our bow should be determined by the width of our chest and the length of our arm. Pro shops can measure our physical size and recommend specific models.
2. Choose the right Arrow
Arrows are available in different models. In general, wooden and aluminium arrows suffice for beginners. Wooden arrows are more affordable, but they can be damaged more easily when hitting targets. It is also a good idea to make our own arrow to save money. It’s a lot of fun making arrows with the family. With proper techniques, we can make reasonably accurate arrows with custom decorations. We should also consider the flexibility of the arrow and it is determined by the type of the shaft. Arrows with higher rating are usually stiffer.
3. Choosing the right sight
A sight isn’t really needed for beginners. It is better to consider windage and distance when we learn archery. Various sight systems could be used later for various purposes, such as game hunting and actual competitions. If we want to purchase sights, it may not be a good idea to choose simple ones that still allow us to predict distance and windage. High-end sights could prevent us from learning basic skills of archery.
4. Choose proper accessories for comfort and safety
Beginners could get finger tabs for their middle and index fingers. Without proper tabs, it can be rather painful to use a 60lbs recurve bows repeatedly. Compound bows can be rated at 160 lbf and they may exert significant punishment on our fingertips. Without tabs, our middle and index fingers can be sore, blistered and eventually torn during repeated practice sessions. We should also use arm guard to protect our forearm from the snapping bowstring. Arm guard could become a necessity if we have bows with more bow strength. The selection of gear us usually a matter of cost and reliability. There are many good and affordable selections in the market. Beginners can go on without using any additional gears, but they could pay a painful price.