Lake Macquarie Field Archers Inc

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Harold Hall is the President of the Fort Lauderdale Archers, Board of Directors. Mr. Hall has been in archery for over 45 years and is a certified NFAA instructor and has numerous students. He is also a bow mechanic, and has served three years as range Captain, two terms as President. His Association currently has over 250 members of all ages, welcoming a variety of archery styles from traditional and Olympic to compound, hunters and non-hunters alike.

Bow hunting is a great activity. If you use a compound bow, you want to take special care of your investment. It doesn't take much work to care for the compound bow, but simple maintenance can guarantee many hours of fun with your bow. No matter how much you practice to improve your archery skills, you'll always have a bit of a handicap if you don't take proper care of your equipment. Fortunately there are a few easy steps you can take to help you get the most mileage out of your archery equipment.

How to Pick An Archery Bow

Step 1 Decide how you will be using the bow. If you're a bow hunter, you will want to put emphasis on the arm length and physical weight of the bow, since you will probably prefer it to be less cumbersome to carry through wilderness and to fire when in tight spaces. If you're a target archer, on the other hand, you may prefer longer bows in order to increase your stability and ease of draw.

Step 2 Choose whether you would prefer a compound bow or a recurve bow. While compound bows are easier to aim and become easier to pull the further you draw, recurves become more difficult as you draw back and rely heavily on skill and experience for accuracy. Even though compound bows are more popular, recurve bows are a much better choice for beginners, since they will teach proper shooting skills without relying on the built-in guides and gadgets on a compound.

Step 3 Evaluate your budget before deciding on a type of bow. Recurves are often much less expensive than compound bows, and the accessories needed to get started with a recurve are far fewer.

Step 4 Determine your draw length, which is the distance that you can naturally draw a bowstring. To get a rough measure of your draw length, stretch out your bow hand as if you were drawing a bow, and make a fist. Place that fist against a wall and assume proper shooting posture, and then have someone measure from the wall to the corner of your mouth. Note that if you're right handed, your bow hand will be your left hand, and if you are left handed it will be your right.

Step 5 Find your best draw weight. This is the amount of force it takes to pull back on the bow string. Target archers will want to remember that they will be firing many rounds in succession, so they should choose something slightly easier than a compound bow so they won't tire quickly. An average-strength man should pick a draw weight of around 50 lbs., while a woman of average strength should choose a draw weight of around 30 pounds.

Step 6 Buy your bow from a reputable archery specialist. To make sure you are getting the best equipment and the best advice, seek out a store that has an experienced archer that will help you pick out the perfect bow, as opposed to a larger, less-specialized store where the sales associates may not be as knowledgeable.

Taking Care Of Your Compound Bow

Step 1 Clean your bow after each use. Never put it away wet.

Step 2 Never lay the bow on the ground. This can cause dust and other materials to damage or ruin sensitive parts of the bow.

Step 3 Wipe the bow periodically with a soft cloth to remove any dust and lint accumulation. Take care to wipe the cable guard and to keep it free of dust. As you wipe the cable guard, make sure it is running smoothly and that it is not catching on anything as it moves.

Step 4 Rub lightweight oil on the metal parts of the bow to protect them. Wipe any excess oil off with a damp cloth.

Step 5 Use minimal amounts of lubricant. It's best not to lubricate anything but if you must lubricate a part of the compound bow that is stiff, use white lithium grease or some other lubricant that doesn't have a scent to it.

Step 6 Apply a high-quality bowstring wax to your bowstrings before each shooting session. Apply the bowstring wax to the cable system as well. This process can protect your compound bow from wear, separation and abrasion.

Step 7 Replace the bowstring and cable each year. Both items are under a lot of pressure and can stretch over time which can result in less effective hunting for you.

Step 8 Store your bow in a cool location. Never expose your compound bow to the hot temperatures found in an automobile on a hot day

How To Care For An Archery Bow

Step 1 Wax your bow strings. A good sign that your strings need to be waxed is if they begin to appear frayed or fuzzy. Attentive care of your bow strings will go a long way to keeping your equipment in top performing condition.

Step 2 Wax your bow as well. Lightly rubbing your bow with a wax specifically made for the purpose will help prolong your bow's life by keeping the finish sealed and helping the bow resist moisture.

Step 3 Dry your bow off immediately if it gets wet. Even if your finish is waterproof, if your bow has any inner metal parts, they may become rusted and cause your bow to malfunction.

Step 4 Use a bow stringer. Most professional archers strongly suggest that you use a stringer instead of stringing your bow without one, because the potential for breaking or misaligning your bow while using other techniques is high.

Step 5 Tighten the arms of your bow gently if you have detachable arms. Overtightening can make the arms become extra rigid, which will not only shorten your draw length, but may also break your bow.

Step 6 Shoot only with properly weighted arrows. Using arrows that are lighter than your bow was designed for has essentially the same effect as dry firing your bow. Heavier arrows will result in severely reduced distance and accuracy.

Step 7 Unstring your bow when you aren't shooting. The only exception to this step is if you have a traditional recurve made from one solid piece of wood--these kinds of bows can be left strung to help them retain their shapes.

Step 8 Avoid dry firing your bow at all costs. The arrow is designed to absorb the shock caused by shooting a bow, so firing your bow without an arrow can cause internal damage from the bow having to absorb a shock it isn't designed to take. Even if your bow appears to be fine after a dry fire, damage you can't see could cause serious injuries if you try to shoot the bow again.

Step 9 Store your bow in a cool, dry place. To care for your archery bow properly, you should avoid any extreme temperatures, especially heat and humidity. The wood can easily be warped in extreme temperatures.

Step 10 Replace your string at the first sign of wear.