SQUARE PEGS AND ROUND HOLES

Why Traditional Archers Often Don't Fit In

This is not the first time I have noted a certain divide twixt modern and traditional archery, and it probably won't be the last. On this occasion, however, I want to focus more strongly on the difference between the skills and purposes of these forms of archery. Moreover, and with this in mind, I will suggest that clubs, tournaments, targets and most of what is deemed the norm today are not appropriate for traditional archery.

Let us begin with the original purposes and skills of traditional archers. The two primary purposes were hunting and warfare. While accuracy was necessary for both, archers were never aiming for small spots as we do in modern archery. Strength as well as proper form were required of trained war archers, as was "rate of fire". Of course, one may argue that strength and speed are not necessary for the modern sport or for archery as a form of recreation. But in the same sense one can argue that there is no need for pinpoint accuracy either. The only reason there is a need for it is because we have come up with rules and a scoring system for the game of archery. Since hitting a small spot and accumulating points on a target face are the foundation of archery as a sport, equipment has been developed to enable archers to execute their shots with greater accuracy. These enhancements and modifications are not part of traditional shooting.

Target practice is nothing new. War archers throughout the ages have trained through target practice, but the goal was a little different. For example, in Saracen Archery, we read how archers would train to loose three arrows in quick succession to hit a target 3 feet in diameter in size 75 yards away. While this is by no means an easy feat, attempting to hit a target 3 feet in diameter is not the same as trying to hit a bullseye. 

We read also in Arab Archery that war archers would train by practising something called 'The Imitation Horseman'. The targets involved were discs the size of a shield and the size of a helmet, as these are what the archers were training to hit on the battlefield. Again, not easy to accomplish at long range, but still not the same as trying to hit a bullseye on a modern target face.

It is true that there are different categories for different forms of archery in many tournaments and competitions today, but all the same, the skills of traditional archery are not fully considered. I wonder whether target faces and scoring should be very different for traditional archery, while speed should perhaps also be taken into consideration. I think this would be a fairer way of measuring a traditional archer's skill, while also being honest about what accuracy and effectiveness really meant in archery before it became an Olympic sport. 

FIELD ARCHERY

Field archery is so challenging, and yet so relaxing. Challenging because you are always adjusting to different distances and footing. There is no possibility of getting into a routine shooting from the same spot to get a tight grouping: you have one shot at each target or distance.

Relaxing because you are not only doing archery, but taking a peaceful stroll through the woods at the same time.

Beautiful!

THE OPPOSING TARGETS

I have attempted to recreate an ancient method of archery practice, based on a text from the manuscript, 'Arab Archery'. 

This is the first step towards mastering shooting from all directions on horseback. It begins on foot, shooting at targets ahead, behind and either side of you without moving your legs. From there the archer moves on to shooting on horseback while stationary, then while galloping, and finally while charging.

Just this first stage was remarkably difficult, even at this short distance (ten yards) particularly when shooting to the right. I would surmise that the anchor point would have been the breast, as it seems impossible to use the face as an anchor point when shooting to the right without moving one's legs. Shooting ahead was also difficult. Surprisingly, shooting behind was not has hard as I imagined.

The greatest difficulty I encountered was shooting with a thumb ring with my arrows in the draw hand (as the text suggests). Shooting with arrows in the bow hand was considerably easier.

SHOOTING WITH A THUMB RING

Another bit of footage of me shooting my 25 ib Hungarian bow...

...this time with a thumb ring.

SMALL TARGET PRACTICE

I have been working on improving my accuracy at short distances. In particular, I am trying to become accustomed to the subtle differences in movement when moving from one target to the next, which is quite necessary in field archery. Below are a couple of very short videos I made for fun from filming today's practice shoot.

I am using the KG Osprey Field Bow and wooden arrows. Links to both of these are in the description of the first video

Trying to hit the centre of each target:

Grouping on one target:

THE BRITISH ARCHER

Passages from The British Archer or, Tracts on Archery by Thomas Hastings (1831)

The first passage concerns target practice, and it confirms my own experience that trying to move to longer distances before one is consistently excellent at short distance is a pointless exercise. The second passage concerns both the importance of having the right frame of mind for accurate shooting, and the method of achieving the correct distance and straightness for the arrow's flight.

OF SHOOTING AT MARKS

The archer may proceed to shoot at marks, after he has attained a thorough command over his bow, viz. in bracing and unbracing it, and in the five points of archery just treated on. The shorter the distance, (say from about ten to fifteen yards, which agrees with the Persian method already noticed,) the better for the young archer to commence his practice, and at which, he may in a short time become so expert, as to hit the smallest mark. Nothing is so likely to prevent a person from becoming an expert archer, as by commencing the practice of shooting at very distant marks.—The bow-arm, and the eye, must in the beginning of the practice of the bow naturally want that steadiness and experience, which can be acquired only by first shooting at short distances.—Without sufficient practice and experience, long shooting, can be called nothing else, but random shooting. A command over the bow, can be obtained only, by degrees and steady attention. As the young archer finds his improvement, he will be better enabled to increase his lengths to thirty and to sixty yards, which latter has been said to be the key, to all distances within range of the bow. In practising at marks placed at distances from thirty to fifty and sixty, and upwards to one hundred yards, the young archer should always bear in mind, that the best shooting is always the most graceful, because, that which is most graceful is the most perfect; and that it is not enough for him, to be able to hit the mark, but, that his hitting should be attended with the utmost steadiness of flight in his arrows. Great advantage may be gained, by practising at the same time at different distances within one hundred yards, which will accustom the archer to various addresses, or degrees of elevation of the bow, necessary for the destined mark. By thus varying the distances, a much greater confidence is acquired in the art of shooting than could ever be attained by keeping to one fixed length. At private, or at public meetings, it is the usual practice to shoot at targets ; and the distances commonly adapted, are, for the ladies, fifty or sixty yards, and for the gentlemen one hundred yards.

OF TAKING AIM, AND SHOOTING STRAIGHT, AND KEEPING A LENGTH

"No instrument can be more affected by the animal spirits, than the bow." Coolness, attention, and confidence, should ever be present with the archer ; for without these requisites, he cannot expect to attain to any great degree of excellence in his art. Possessed of these, he can take a proper, steady aim; without them, he cannot. At the moment of taking aim, much judgement is required, for the care that is necessary to insure " the keeping the length," is different from that which directs the arrow straight. The first is by the draft and elevation of the bow; the latter is by the eye and mind acting together upon the object of the aim. It should be remembered, that however an archer may find it expedient to give elevation, or otherwise, at the moment of taking aim, (in which he will naturally be directed according to the distance of the mark and strength of his bow,) he should ever accustom himself to keep his eye constantly fixed on the object aimed at. This is indispensably necessary to straight shooting. Ascham particularly insists on this point; he says however, " some, and those very good archers, in drawinge, loke at the marke, untill they come almost to the heade, then they looke at theyr shafte, but at the very lowse, with a second sight, they finde theyr marke againe. This waye, and all other afore of ane rehersed, are but shiftes, and not to be followed in shootinge streight. For leaving a man's eye always on his marke, is the onlye waye to shoote straighte, yea, and I suppose, so redye, and easye a way, if it be learned in youth and confined with use, that a man shall never misse therein. Some men wonder whye, in casting a man's eye at the marke, the hande should go streighte; surelye if he considered the nature of a man's eye, he would not wonder at it. The eye is the verye tongue wherewith witte and reason doth speake to everye parte of the bodye. This is most evident in fencing and feighting. The foot, the hande, and all wayteth upon the eye. The eye is nothing else but a certaine window for wit to shoote out her heade at. The chief cause whye men cannot shoote straight is because they loke at theyr shafts."

Thus it appears from Ascham, (our high authority) and the truth of which may soon be confirmed by experience, that the only advantage to be derived by looking at the shaft head at the loose, is, in order for a just elevation, to keep the length, or proper distance of shot; but which as this author justly observes, " yet hindereth excellente shootinge, because a man cannot shoote streight perfectlye, excepte he loke at his marke, draw and loose equally, and keep his bow arm steadily and firmly fixed at the time of loosing."

ANCIENT TARGET PRACTICE

The following passage is taken from Arab Archery (Chapter 45 - Targets and Target Practice), written around 1500 A.D. The translation is by N.A. Faris and R.P. Elmer (1945), and can be found here.

What fun it would be to be able to use ancient methods of target practice at archery clubs! 

The first thing a novice should do is to practice shooting against targets of all kinds: near and far, still and moving.

The first type [of still target practice] is that of the "imitation horseman" and is done as follows: Take a staff the height of a mounted horseman; attach to its upper end a disk about a span in diameter, representing the horseman's head; one span below the disk place a shield about three spans in diameter, representing the shield of the horseman. The target is then placed at a distance equivalent to the cast of the bow. Thus placed, the novice should shoot against the shield with five arrows. When he can shoot the entire five arrows in succession without missing a single shot, he should then proceed to shoot against the "head" in a similar fashion. He should continue with this practice until he perfects his aim.

The second type of still target is that of the "opposing targets." It consists in placing four targets: one to your right, another to your left, a third in front of you, and a fourth behind you. You then stand in the center, holding four arrows between the fingers of your right hand. Starting with the one on your right and moving on to the one behind you, then the one on your left, and finally the one in front of you, you shoot at each while standing with your feet planted firmly on the ground and not moving from their place at all. The only part of your body which moves throughout the operation is your waist, which pivots around to whatever direction you may be shooting.

When after days, even months, of practice, this operation is perfected, start to practice the same thing while mounted on a calm and steady horse. When this is perfected, start to practice the same while your horse is moving between the targets. Finally, when you become adept at this, hitting the target every time you shoot, start practising the same thing- while your horse is running at full speed. When this stunt is perfected, you have attained the limit toward which every archer sets his eyes. This is, however, not possible except through perseverance and continued practice.

DABBLING IN YOUTUBE

Filming myself shooting often is helpful for recognising where I am going wrong with my form. I was not thinking of making a Youtube video, but in a few moments of boredom and curiosity, I thought I'd try my hand at it with what terrible footage I had at hand in my phone.