Compound Bows

Shooting Arrows

Please read the Basic Tips page prior to this page

Hardest and nicest to shoot of all the bows

Because Compound bows are so quick and so heavy, they are the hardest to shoot. They do have their advantages though, they are fast and probably the most liked feature is the hold draw reduction. The wheels or pulleys called cams on a compound bow have off set oval shapes to them that act as little levers reducing the pull on the bowstring to as much as 80%. This means you can have a bow with an 80 pound pull feel like 20 pounds of pull at the hold point, you must still pull the full 80 pounds past the break over point. All of the mechanics and speed cause numerous shooting problems. When a Compound bow is shot, it jerks in a very quick jump. Any indiscretions in form and style are magnified by the quickness. Besides being less forgiving of errors, Compound bows cost more to purchase and operate. If your shooting requires more distance than 50 yards, a Compound bow is almost a must. I have heard it said at more than one archery contest that the Indians would have won the wars if the Indians used Compound bows.

Shooting a compound bow

To shoot a Compound bow you must be in the proper form as covered in the basic tips portion of this site. When your form is set and you are drawn back ready to shoot, your kisser button is touching the corner of your mouth, and your grip on the bow is loose;

• You visually align the bowstring down the edge of the pin points or cross hairs of a scope like sight. If you are using a peep sight you will center the pin or cross hairs in the peep view.
• Then you place the pin for the distance your shooting directly under the spot on the target you want to hit or you put the cross hairs directly on the targeted spot.
• When your satisfied with the pin position on the target, slowly pull the trigger on the release mechanism until the bowstring is released. Remember to hold your form until you see or hear your arrow hit your target.

To soot instinct style you use the basic shooting form discussed on the basic tips page. When your form is set and you are drawn back ready to shoot;

• You visually align the bowstring in the center of the arrow tip.
• Then you align the arrow tip above and centered over your target.
• When your satisfied with the alignment, slowly release your bowstring and remember to hold your form.

Instinct shooting takes a lot of practice at the range so you can become familiar with how high above your target you must aim to reach different distances. This ability to judge the distance and know the height you must set to reach that distance is what "Instinct Shooting" is all about.

Arrows

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Glossary

Break over point; On bows with cams style pulleys there is a point near the end of the draw that the cam leverage takes over and the weight of the pull is greatly reduced.

Caliper; A jaw type clamp that goes around the bowstring and holds the bowstring until a trigger opens the jaws.

Draw length; Is the distance between the bowstring at the back of the arrow and the arrow rest on the bow. Arrows need to be about 2 inches longer than that measurement.

Fletched; The feathers or plastic vanes at the back end of the arrow

Hold point; Archery term for full draw position

Kisser button; A small disc shaped button that attaches to the bowstring and is used as a check point for consistent draw length.

Peep sight; A device that inserts into the bowstring to open a little peep hole through the string. This creates a scope like ring you look through to center your forward sight into.

Release mechanism; A device that the archer holds in the hand or straps to the wrist and attaches to the bowstring.

Sights; Any of many devices that attach to a bow and aid in targeting.

Spline strength; How stiff an arrow is determines the pounds of force it can handle before it bends. The longer an arrow the less its spline strength, so longer arrows need to be stronger.