Author Brian J. Sorrells shares his time-tested training program for developing shooting skill and provides guidance on all aspects of traditional archery, from choosing arrow shafts to entering your first tournament.

Archery for Beginners is the complete instructional guide for anyone interested in taking up recreational archery. With over 150 illustrations and full-color photos, step-by-step instructions, and easy-to-follow directions, Archery for Beginners is the go-to guide for anyone interested in learning archery basics. Be the next to join more than 8 million Americans who enjoy this popular pastime! Topics included in this book are: Compound and Recurve bows Archery equipment and accessories Training preparation and safety Advanced shooting methods Fun archery games How to make your own bow This book covers all the essentials for the beginning archer--from basic skills and equipment to effective and safe training methods. There are chapters on both recurve and compound bows, the two most popular types, as well as information on how to track your progress.

I can't really explain my attraction to the bow and arrow. I can't explain the pull of a camp fire either, or the ocean, or the open hills where you can see forever. It's just there. These things are in all of us I think, some vestige of our primitive past buried so deep in our genome as to be inseparable from what it is to be human. What we think of as civilization is a new experiment in the eyes of Father Time. Experts say that humans have been around for some fifty thousand years. We've been carrying the bow for maybe five thousand (atlatls and spears before that), and pushing the plow for maybe two thousand. We have been hunters forever. We are built to run, to pursue big game on the open savannas, to kill and eat them. With the dwindling of the Pleistocene mega fauna, mammoths and such, the bow became more important and indeed helped to make us who we are today. It still holds that attraction, same as the hearth. When I was a kid I would make crude bows from green plum branches, big at one end and small at the other. A discarded hay string would serve as a bowstring. My arrows were fat and unfletched and would scarcely fly more than a few yards, usually tumbling over in midair. The small creatures around our home were plenty safe. When I was about 12 or so my brother brought me two old Ben Person recurves he'd found at a yard sale. One was a short bow, probably no more than 48 inches and the other was more of a standard size. They both drew about 50 lbs if I recall. That fall happened to be a good year for cottontails around our little farm and I spent countless hours walking the fields and shooting at them as they busted from underfoot. Although I'd get several shots a day I never did hit one on the fly but I remember that fall fondly nonetheless. The pleasure of jumping rabbits and seeing the feathered shaft streaking toward them was a thrill I've never forgotten. I made my first "real" bow when I was in high school, after getting a copy of the Traditional Bowyers Bible in the mail (more on this in a moment). My first bow, a decrowned mulberry flatbow, broke within about 10 shots. The second held together quite well and is probably still around somewhere and capable of shooting an arrow, though it would probably draw about 70lbs. When I first started making bows I used the woods I had close at hand; mulberry, common persimmon, red maple, white cedar, etc. I'd probably made more than a dozen bows of various woods before I ever saw a piece of Osage. People often ask me where they can find a bow stave and, invariably, I tell them to use what they have close by. No matter where you live, you'll have something near that will make a bow. Go cut it down and get started. This book is an attempt to share some of what I've learned over my years of bow making. The Traditional Bowyers Bible series, as mentioned earlier, is still a great source of information. Why write another book on making wood bows you might ask? The simple answer is that there are so many ways of doing and explaining things. There are still unanswered questions and we'll cover many of them here. We will cover all of the most frequently asked questions, and lay out a simple plan that should guide you through the entire process, from finding a stave to stringing your bow and shooting your first arrow. Some of what you'll find here, you'll find nowhere else.

Written by an acknowledged expert, this invaluable book is aimed at archers of all levels, from those starting out in the sport to those taking part in competitions at the highest level. The author analyses shooting techniques and tuning, and also emphasizes the development of mental toughness; he argues that this goes hand in hand with the mastery of the physical aspects of the sport. This comprehensive guide to shooting covers: how to get started in archery, the costs involved, choosing and using equipment and the basics of shooting; setting up your equipment and initial tuning; the biomechanics of shooting; the tactics and preparation work involved in archery competitions; physical fitness, nutrition and psychology; arrow selection and preparation; making bowstrings; shooting techniques, improving performance and the fine-tuning of equipment.

"Shooting the Stickbow" is the first comprehensive treatise on shooting modern recurves and longbow! Topics include equipment choices (bow, arrows, strings, shooting gloves and tabs, arm guards, arrow rests and sights), shooting form (proper anchoring, shoulder alignment, back tension, breathing and more), tuning (four methods are described and compared), aiming (five aiming methods are fully explained and contrasted), physical and mental aspects if becoming a proficient archer (functional anatomy for the archer and how it relates to shooting and the mental game of winning are discussed in detail and exercises are provided to enhance both physical and mental performance). "Shooting the Stickbow" answers the questions most often asked by new archers and delves into topics not often considered, but critical to accurate shooting for experienced archers.

With over 300 step-by-step pictures, the Backyard Bowyer is geared for the beginning bowyer, backyard hobbyist, and anyone who has ever pondered building a wooden bow. Easy to read and follow steps go down to even the smallest detail in the design and construction of basic archery bows. Learn to craft fine wooden bows without huge investment in equipment and materials, and without being bound by location and limited workspace. Learn to construct: A classic target flat bow, an English Longbow suitable for hunting, and even your own strings and arrows for traditional and primitive archery.

This guide to traditional bowhunting with a longbow or recurve combines the best of both worlds for beginners and veteran bowhunters. How-to chapters share hard-earned wisdom that will help you perfect your skills and get close to your game, while engaging stories tell of the author’s experiences hunting white-tailed deer in the east, chasing big game in the American West, and trekking to South Africa in search of Greater Kudu and other plains game. Throughout, the author highlights archery’s traditional spirit by exploring the history and craft of bowhunting and chronicles the challenges faced by today’s bowhunters in continuing their important role as hunter-conservationists. As a professional wildlife biologist, Ron Rohrbaugh Jr. also provides valuable information on wildlife ecology and behavior that is instructive for all those interested in increasing their success with archery tackle. Specific shooting techniques for hunting situations, ways to set up effective ambush sites for big game, and dealing with the stresses of “buck fever” The latest information on equipment and arrows, including the pros and cons of various bow styles and arrow shaft materials Advice on using the wind, hunting bedding areas, creating effective scent trails, and understanding why and how deer move Discussion of controversial topics, such as baiting and trophy hunting

The Way of Archery provides a detailed introduction to practicing archery in the traditional Chinese military style. It explains the basics of how to shoot using the Asian thumb ring: proper posture, training regimen, equipment, and avoiding pitfalls in shooting. The thorough translation and commentary (with original and new illustrations) provide a fresh and practical perspective on Gao Ying's 1637 archery treatise (which, itself, influenced generations of archers in East Asia). The authors themselves are active practitioners of Chinese archery, having spent an endless amount of time and effort vetting their understanding of this old manual and putting its ideas into practice. Through this process, the authors have been able to make this archery text accessible to modern readers. Not only will the reader come to understand the technical side of the Way of Archery, but will connect with the philosophy and spirit of the ancient Chinese warriors.

From the most trusted name in guns and ammunition comes this ultimate reference on bowhunting. The Shooter’s Bible Guide to Bowhunting offers everything you need to know about the sport and its gear, from its origin as a means of survival to modern gear. Compound bows and crossbows have undergone an explosive rise in popularity in recent years, due in part, Dr. Todd A. Kuhn explains, to complex socioeconomic, environmental, and biological factors. As expansive tracts of land vanish, many hunters can no longer pursue game with high-powered rifles. That, plus vast improvements in archery gear, has hunters flocking to compound bows and crossbows as alternatives. In the Shooter’s Bible Guide to Bowhunting Dr. Kuhn examines all things bowhunting and archery. Topics covered include: Compound, recurve, and traditional bows Arrows and broadheads Sights and rests Releases and triggers Quivers Tree stands, blinds, decoys, and other popular gear This exhaustive desk reference provides a never before seen look into the history and engineering of archery, theories and trends in game discipline, and, of course, an exhaustive catalog of archery equipment both new and traditional.