Archery is an ancient activity of using bows and arrows at a target. It has evolved over the years from being an important military and hunting tool to a sport loved by many and taken up as a hobby. Archery was popularized as a sport in England and later introduced to America through the natives of North America in the late sixteenth century, the north Americans went ahead and formed organized clubs of sports archers who held the first ever archers tournament in Chicago in the early eighteen eighties.

The three main forms of archery are target, field and flight archery. Target events involve shooting at an object with a limited number of arrows from a distance.

In field archery the shooting distances are unmarked and it is up-to the archer to make his own decisions on where to shoot from, here, the target could either be stationery or moving and may be mechanically controlled. Sometimes wild game are used especially during hunting trips which is a widely recognized recreational activity taken up by most bowmen.

The third type of archery is slightly different as the contestants are grouped according to the pulling weight of their arrows, in this event, accuracy does not count rather the farthest distant covered by the arrow does. Sometimes during this event, the contestants are allowed to use crossbows rather than the traditional bow and arrow.

Before shooting an arrow, it is imperative to assume the correct stance, this can be achieved by standing perpendicular to the target with your feet shoulder-width apart, the arrow is loaded by placing the v-shaped groove found at the back end of the arrow onto the string attached to the bow. The arrow is then held between the index finger and the middle finger with support from the ring finger.

The bow is then brought towards the face and carefully positioned at the corner of the mouth, just below the chin while pointing towards the target. The string should be drawn depending on the distance intended to be covered by the arrow. When ready, the shot can be taken by relaxing the fingers on the string hand, this should be done in one swift motion. The next shots are then taken in the same way while drawing the arrows from a quiver, which is a container used to hold the arrows.

To receive the optimal accuracy and functioning from ones equipment, the bow strings should be waxed regularly. The bow on the other hand must be kept dry and waxed in order to avoid damage from water or moisture.

When attaching the strings, a stringer should be used to tighten the strings on the bow and any detachable arms on the bow tightened. Most importantly, the bow should always be kept in cool dry place to avoid warping it.

The first few attempts at the sport may be difficult but with time and practice a person should get better and eventually perfect. Most countries allow people to purchase archery equipment regardless of age, but then to shoot it in urban areas, one will need to be in a designated range where other bowmen are allowed to practice so as to avoid causing any accidents.