The days are getting longer and the temperatures are rising. Spring brings bears out of dens, chicks out of eggs and bows out of cases. Winter tends to be the season when some archers take the longest period off. While some participate in indoor leagues, others press pause on practice and return when the outdoor season arrives. Significant time away from any athletic endeavor can bring setbacks. After months off, draw weights may feel heavier and arrows may group farther apart. However, many archers swear by their “muscle memory.” They believe that if they’ve shot enough arrows in the past, th ..read more

One of the great things about archery is that you can practice it in your own backyard if you have the space. As long as you have a clear shooting lane, are not aiming toward another house or a public space like a street, and you have some kind of barrier behind the target, you can enjoy archery in your backyard. Here’s how to make a target stand and backstop to maximize the enjoyment. DIY Target Stands You can make your own target stand from wood or PVC pipe. Construct the base and a square frame for the target to hang from. Add hooks to the top bar of the frame to hang the target. Bag target ..read more

Choosing the right arrow can make your shooting experience more enjoyable. Certain arrows are better for specific situations, and this article will cover all archery disciplines excluding hunting. Indoor Target   Indoor archers choose arrows with a large diameter to maximize the space the arrow covers and potentially score higher points by hitting the line between two rings. Photo Credit: ATA   By far one of the most popular archery rounds, indoor target has the potential to attract thousands of archers to a single location (such as the Vegas Shoot each year). The distance is shot at ..read more

The archery world is a welcoming one, which means that every major archery entity provides helpful online resources for anyone looking to get started in the sport. Review the list below for a comprehensive guide to resources from Archery 360, NFAA, S3DA, USA Archery and World Archery that will help archers and coaches find the material they need. Archery 360   Find an archery range or shop by searching your zip code. Photo Credit: Archery 360   Store Locator A map of every ATA-member archery shop and retailer in the United States. You can filter for lessons, ranges, coaching, equipm ..read more

Winter is when some archers tend to get a little lazy. While it’s certainly acceptable to have seasons of rest or focus on other activities, it’s also wonderful to find the motivation to keep in shooting shape. This is the perfect time to join an archery league. Many archery clubs and shops host a variety of leagues, often indoors, during the winter months. Besides being a great way to keep up your practice and improve your skills, participating in a league provides a host of other benefits. Shooting in a league can provide a fun social event to look forward to and be an outlet for exercise du ..read more

The archery and bowhunting industry gathered in St. Louis, Jan. 11-13, for the 2024 ATA Show. Manufacturing exhibitors launched a record 156 new archery and bowhunting products at the Show, giving industry professionals a first look at products unveiled for the new year. A panel of industry experts evaluated the products based on their new product design, innovation and ability to meet customer demands. They awarded winners in first, second and third place in the ATA’s New Product Launch Showcase. The top three winning products were bowhunting related but there were many new general archery pr ..read more

The number of mechanical release aids available on the market can be overwhelming, with prices ranging from $50 to $350 and materials ranging from plastic to brass. Releases also vary in how you hold them and how you activate the release to shoot the arrow. This article will try to summarize the different releases and help you decide which one is right for you. Index Finger/Wrist Strap The wrist strap release aid is one that is activated with the archer’s index finger, much like the trigger on a firearm. A strap loops around the wrist of the archer’s drawing hand and a set of mechanical jaws h ..read more

So you’ve been shooting your bow in the backyard or at the local range for a while now, and you’re feeling pretty good about your skills. Is it time to take the next step and start competing? How old should you be to compete? How do you know if you’re ready for competition? The truth is, there is no right or wrong answer to those questions. It’s all personal choice. You should go when you feel ready for the challenge. Just to get an idea of how others approached the decision about when to get started competing in archery, we asked a handful of top pros when they decided to take the jump and ho ..read more

America’s top archers consistently rank among the best in the world, in all divisions. What are some of the things that we can learn from them? Should we mimic what they are doing to see if it works for us? Over many years of shooting with Americans (I’m Canadian), I have taken note of some constant practices of Team USA’s archers and think that some of what they do is very interesting, and even helpful.   Thinking Outside of the Box with Equipment   Ellison and Wilde brought weighted stabilizers to Team USA. Photo Credit: USA Archery   One of the great things about American arc ..read more

Everybody has individual taste. Whether it’s a preference for eating sushi versus pizza or wearing pops of colors versus more neutral tones, people love the ability to personalize everything in their lives. So why should archery equipment be any different?   “For me, I don’t want the same exact looking bow and the same exact arrows as everybody else,” said Caleb Drake, owner of Advantage Archery in Twin Falls, Idaho. “I don’t want to just go into a store and buy what they have sitting there.” Drake and many other bow shop owners work with their customers to create custom setups. From ..read more