Archers Glossary
A
| Actual draw length | The arrow length required by an archer measured from the bottom of the nock groove to the back of the bow at full draw, beginners should add about 1” (inch) to this to allow for improvement in strength and technique. |
| Actual draw weight | The amount of force required (in pounds) to draw the bow to your actual draw length, for bow types other than Compound. See also Draw weight . |
| Address | To assume a stance straddling the shooting line. |
| A.M.O. | Archery Manufacturers Organisation |
| Anchor | The position were the hand that draws the bow string is positioned when at full draw. |
| Anchor Point | The point to where an arrows nock is drawn back to before release, usually the chin or cheek. Used to help with consistent aiming. |
| Archer's Paradox | When an arrow is shot from a bow (other than centre shot type) it will fly in the line of aim although the string propelling the arrow moves directly to the centre of the bow, the arrow in fact bends around the bow after release and after passing the bow returns to its proper line of flight. See Spine. |
| Arm Guard | see Bracer |
| Arrow | The missile shot by an archer from a bow. Consisting of; Nock, Shaft, Pile and Fletchings. |
| Arrow Launcher | A Shoot through arrow rest, either of fixed or drop away design. |
| Arrow Rest | A small attachment fixed to the side of the bow used to support an arrow. |
B
| Back of the bow | The side of the bow furthest from the archer when the bow is held in the shooting position |
| Barebow | A bow without any bow sight or stabilisers fitted, also a style of shooting. |
| Bare Shaft | An arrow shaft without Fletchings of any kind. Usually used in bare shaft tuning. |
| Bare shaft tuning | Part of the tuning process were one shoots a bare arrow (shaft with no fletchings) for comparison with fletched arrows. |
| Belly of the bow | The side of the bow closest to the archer when the bow is held in the shooting position. |
| B.L.B.S. | British long bow Society. |
| Blunt | An arrow fitted with a large flat rubber pile used for Popinjay shooting. |
| Boss | A backing for a target face made from compacted straw, foam or fibre. See Butt |
| Bouncer | An arrow that when shot rebounds from the target. Under GNAS rules an additional arrow may be shot, but FITA rules that the arrow can only be scored if arrow holes on the target face are marked (an unmarked hole in the target face being the Bouncer). |
| Bow | A projectile weapon used to shoot arrows. There are numerous bow designs, the three most common being; Long bow, Recurve and Compound. Basically a long thin strip of wood or other material with a string between each end. |
| Bow Arm | The arm used to hold the bow. |
| Bow Hand | The hand that holds the bow. |
| Bowman | [1] An archer. [2] Classification used in the UK to show the level of skill of an archer. See classification |
| Bow Sight | A device mounted on the bow to assist an archer to aim at a target with greater accuracy, with horizontal and vertical adjustments. |
| Bow Sling | A strap attached to the bow, wrist or fingers, preventing the bow from being dropped on release, allowing the archer to use a relaxed bow hand. |
| Bow String | The string of the bow used to transfer the energy from the bow to the arrow, usually made of Dacron, Fastflight, Dyneema, Vectran or any other suitable material. |
| Bow Stringer | Cord with saddles at each end to fit over limbs, to facilitate the safe and easy stringing of the bow, and to prevent damage to the bow or archer. |
| Bow Tuning | see Tuning |
| Bow Window | The recessed area above the grip, which if made deep enough allows the bow to be set up for centre shot. |
| Bowyer | A person who makes bows. |
| Brace | To string a bow |
| Bracer | A protective covering placed on the inside of an archers bow arm, used to protect the forearm from a slap of the bow string. |
| Bracing Height | The distance from the string to the back of the bow {sometimes plunger button depending on makers specifications) taken at 90 degrees to the string inline with the arrow rest. |
| Bracing Height Gauge (Bow Square) | Used for checking Bracing height, Tiller tuning, checking position of nocking points and positioning of string accessories etc. |
| Butt | An earthen mound used as a backing for a target. See Boss |
| Button | See plunger button |
C
| Cast | The ability of a bow to project an arrow, the greater the cast the greater the speed and distance the arrow will travel. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Centre Serving | The wrapping thread wound round the centre of the bowstring where the nocking point is located, used to protect the string from both arrow and fingers/release aid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Centre shot bow | A bow designed with the sight window cut deep in the riser to allow for an arrow to be shot through the centre line of the bow. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chest guard | A protective covering worn on the bow arm side of the chest to prevent the bowstring from catching on clothing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chrysal | A transverse stress fracture of a wooden bow caused by repeated crushing of the fibres. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | A
system used in the UK to show ones level of achievement in archery.
To obtain or improve their classification an archer is required
to shoot a minimum of three rounds at or above the qualifying
score. See example table below. (Classification and Handicap Tables available from
the GNAS in the UK)
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| Clicker | A device attached to the bow which gives an audible warning when the required draw length has been reached. The “click” to often used by archers as a signal to release. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closed Stance | The position on the shooting line where an imaginary straight line to the target passes through the toes of the rear foot (the one furthest from the target) and behind the toes of the front foot. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clout | A brightly coloured flag placed near to the ground and used as a target, the distance usually being 180 yards for Gentlemen and 140 yards for Women. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clout round | A clout round consists of 36 arrows shot in ends of 6 arrows at the clout. Arrows are scored at the point of entry in the ground from the centre of the clout stick, within a radius of 18 inches = 5 points, 3 feet = 4 points, 6 feet = 3 points, 9 feet = 2 points, 12 feet = 1 point. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cock feather/Fletching (vane) | The feather/fletching (vane) at right angles to the string when the arrow is nocked on an arrow with three Fletchings. Usually of a different colour to the other fletchings to ease nocking the arrow. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Composite bow | A recurved bow made from several materials laminated together (e.g.. wood, sinew and horn). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compound bow | A bow that uses a cable system and eccentric wheels/cams mounted at the limb tips, when drawn produces peak weight at mid draw and let off to 50/65% of peak weight at full draw. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Creep/Creeping | See Forward loose | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cresting | A combination of coloured rings applied to the arrow shaft forward of the fletchings used for identification and to mark ownership. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The above is for information only and as such no guarantee is given as to the accuracy or use of this glossary.
