Archery Talk

If your ability to participate in archery talk is limited to the kind of archery experience you have gained while watching old Errol Flynn movies and other Robin Hood portrayals, you will most likely enter archery forums with great trepidation. After all, the whole point of participating in archery forum discussions is to learn from the more experienced hobbyists how to hone your skill, become better at selecting equipment, and also forge camaraderie between likeminded individuals. Perhaps the most traditional archery forum is found on the aptly named archery talk website.

Yet whether you peruse a Ross archery forum or medieval archery talk forums, the facts of the matter demand that you understand the terminology employed so that you will be able to not only read the posts but also participate. To this end, here is a glossary of archery talk terms you will want to know:

• In archery talk a round is not the taking of turns, but instead refers to the definition of a set. Thus, a round may consist of one participant shooting a limited number of arrows at a specified target from a set distance. Variations are not permitted, unless the participant will choose to engage in a different round. Differentiate this from an end, which simply refers to a competition where a target is aimed at with a finite number of arrows and once the arrows are exhausted, the score is taken. This is usually the case at target practice ranges where distance is not varied, and where a large number of enthusiasts are competing at the same time.
• A left handed archer holds the bow with the right and draws with the left, while a right handed archer does the exact opposite. Novices sometimes mistake the hand with which they hold the bow as the one that explains whether they are right or left handed.
• In archery talk, the draw weight refers to the measurable force that is employed when drawing the bow; this measurement is always done in pounds. The draw length, on the other hand, speaks of the distance between the pivot-point to the arrow nock’s slot; this measure is taken in inches. To calculate your actual draw weight, you need to know your draw length as well as the draw weight that the bow you are using is specified for.

Granted, some of the lingo might make for an apprehensive first time visit to an archery forum, but keep in mind that most archers remember how they first started out and you will find that by and large these enthusiasts are a lot more welcoming to newbies than those of other sports and disciplines.