Drawing

In order to send the arrow from the bow, you must draw the string back and release it. The easiest way to do this is to pull the string with three fingers of your right hand and to push against the handle with your left hand in the manner described before under "nocking." The draw consists of this pushing-pulling action (illustration 5). Be careful, however, that in pushing with your left arm you do not straighten your elbow completely. Keep your elbow bent outward very slightly. Note in illustration 6 the position your fingers should take on the string. The string should come on the pads of the fingers, halfway between the ends and the first joints. The fingers are used only as hooks; the muscles of upper arm and shoulders do the real work of drawing the bow. Keep your right elbow free from your body and on a level with your shoulders.

5. Starting the Draw. The left hand grasps the bow loosely.

6. The Draw. The left hand pushes the bow outward.

Anchoring

If you have ever shot a gun, probably your first inclination will be to draw the arrow up to your eye or your nose. But in order to shoot consistently with a bow, you must have a definite anchor for your right hand and string. The anchor point is that place on your chin against which you pull the string. Your anchor point is very important if you wish to shoot good scores. Of course, the point at which it is most comfortable to draw your string will depend on you, your physical characteristics, the shape of your face, and so forth. Illustration 7 shows you an anchor point which is generally accepted and which is a good one if you can use it. Note that the index finger comes under the jawbone, the string being pulled squarely against the center or dimple of the chin and the end of the nose. Your anchor point must be solid and comfortable, and you must do the same thing every time (unless it is the wrong thing). Doing the same thing every time can become monotonous but you must do it if you are to shoot consistently. A word of caution - keep your mouth closed and your teeth clenched. Don't try to smile if you want a "gold" to smile about.

Holding And Aiming

Once the arrow is drawn to its fullest length and is resting in the knuckle of the left (bow) hand, you must hold it in that position until you have taken your aim. Be sure that you do not allow your arrow to creep past the back edge of the bow.

Until you have done a little actual shooting, have developed a fairly definite anchor point, and feel at home with your bow, it is well to forget about aiming. When you are ready for aiming you will find it easy, but don't sacrifice the other points of shooting technique for it. If you are shooting a gun, the line of vision is straight from the eye along the barrel of the gun and to the center of the target. In archery your arrow is drawn up to your chin, not up to your eye, and cannot be aimed in the same manner as a gun.

With every bow there will be one distance from which you can aim directly at the center of the gold and expect your arrow to fly there. The distance may be fifty yards from the target or any other considerable number of yards, depending on the weight of the bow. Certainly, then, if you move up to fifteen or twenty yards, pull your arrow to the same place on your chin, and continue to aim in the same place, your arrow will fly over the target and not into it. If you were to move back to sixty yards and still aim at the gold, your arrow would not reach the target.

7. The Anchor Point must be the same every time.

The spot at which you must aim your arrow is called the point of aim. It will be somewhere between you and the target at the shorter distances. You may set up on the ground any small object which you can see conveniently. White or red are good colors to use. Use your individuality here, if you want to, and bring out a bright-colored screw driver or radio tube. Don't use anything which the wind will carry away while you are shooting.

Aiming

Set your point on the ground arbitrarily and then try out your aim in the following manner: When your arrow is in the bow, sight over the point of your arrow to the point on the ground. Aiming is done with your right eye. If you can keep both eyes open and use only your right for aiming, do so; if not, close the left eye. Hold it there until you are sure that you are steady and then release the arrow. If your arrow flies too high, move the point of aim back toward you; if it flies too low, move it away from you.

The point of aim which you can use will vary with the weight of the bow you will pull, the length of arrow you use, your anchor point, and the distance from which you shoot. If you are a great distance away, you have to aim at some spot above the target, on a tree or the corner of a building.

The Point of Aim at Various Distances. The greater the distance, the higher the point of aim must be.

You have learned so far how to correct arrows flying too high or too low. When you have set the point correctly for the elevation of your arrows, you will also have to line it up, that is, see that it is on a line with you and the center of the target. To line it up, take the usual shooting stance and hold the bow about the same as shown in illustration 8, on page 136. Then see that the string cuts the center of the target and that your point of aim and the target are all properly lined up.