82 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Jan. i8, 1913 
each and every case, in exactly the order in 
which they are made, so that the release is a 
final and absolutely separate and distinct ac¬ 
complishment. 
When the aim is completed, and the arrow ready 
to be released, it will be noticed that the point 
has a habit of wobbling in spite of the greatest 
care. The true position will be reached only to 
be lost again. The release must be made at 
what is called the “psychological moment”— 
i. e., at the instant when the position of true 
aim occurs. 
The release should be a synchronous com- 
hination of an opening of the hand, a rotation 
of the fingers above the string as an axis, and 
a sharp pull backward, so that while the three 
are accomplished in unison, the position of the 
string does not change until the release is 
completed. 
In order to insure the holding of the bow 
in the proper position, until it is no longer in 
contact with the arrow, it is good practice not 
to lower either the bow or the right arm until 
one second after the shot has been completed. 
One common fault with archers is the lack 
of rigidness of the left arm in holding the bow 
in position. It is very evident that a motion 
of the bow to the right or left, as the arrow is 
released, will deflect it somewhat from its true 
course. This effect of lateral rigidity is uni¬ 
versally recognized and every archer attempts 
to meet the condition, but the effect of rigidity 
in the . longitudinal direction, viz., from the 
archer to the target, is generally not under¬ 
stood. 
Why is it that various arrows of the same 
length and weight do not carry the same dis¬ 
tance when drawn to the same length, held at 
the same elevation, and properly released? 
Why can one archer make a longer flight-shot 
with the same bow and arrow than another, 
when both elevate the arrow to the proper 
angle of slightly over 45 degrees? The stand¬ 
ard answer is that his release is better. It 
is customary to blame the release for a multi¬ 
tude of sins when the true defect lies in some 
other source. 
No broad jump record could be made by 
jumping from a feather bed, or from a movable 
rowboat. Similarly no arrow can be shot with 
great velocity unless the left arm is held rigid¬ 
ly in the longitudinal direction, so that it does 
not bend or give during the recoil. The true 
answer is based on the physical principle that 
for every action there is an equal and opposite 
reaction. The good flight shooter holds his 
left arm and body strongly braced, so that on 
releasing the arrow there is a minimum give 
along the direction of his arm, with a conse¬ 
quently greater velocity imparted to the arrow. 
The reaction of the bow is absorbed, not by the 
muscle of his triceps, producing a flexure of 
the arm, but by the muscles of his shoulder, 
back and legs. These muscles must, at every 
shot, be held uniformly tense, or rigid, when 
the arrow is shot, or else the arrows will shoot 
untrue in the vertical plane. 
My legs always become tired long before 
my arms show the effect of shooting, though 
the muscular development of my arms is, if 
anything, below normal. The longitudinal re¬ 
coil is in reality a complex resultant of three 
-different component reactions. When the arrow 
is drawn, the left arm is under a compressive 
strain, and the hand has a tendency to move 
toward the archer. At the moment the release 
occurs the strain is removed, and there is a 
tendency to move the arm forward. This ef¬ 
fect is instantaneous. The projection of the 
arrow forward produces a recoil backward, 
causing a compression or flexure of the arm. 
This effect lasts during the entire time the 
arrow is in contact with the string. At the 
moment the arrow leaves the bow there is again 
an instantaneous tendency for the arm to 
move forward. As these three reactions do not 
occur in unison, and are unequal in magnitude, 
the resultant recoil is rather complicated in its 
effect. As none of the reactions act directly 
along the axis of the arm there is also a 
tendency to shift the left arm laterally and, gen¬ 
erally, to the left. 
In addition to the lateral and longitudinal 
rigidity of the arm the effect of the distinctly 
different torsional rigidity must not be over¬ 
looked. 
When the bow is tightly gripped at full 
draw, the bent legs of the bow and the two 
segments of the string lie practically in one 
plane. The left arm, wrist and hand are under 
considerable strain. When the arrow is re¬ 
leased the force that holds the bow in that par¬ 
ticular plane is suddenly removed and there is 
a tendency to revolve the bow, with the wrist 
as an axis. This will throw the arrow to the 
right or left, and also introduce a lateral vi¬ 
bration in the bow that will not improve the 
feeling of the recoil. 
To remedy this defect, grip the bow so 
that there is no tendency to rotate it either to 
the right or left while the arrow, is drawn, for 
then no turning movement will exist when the 
arrow is released. The improper flexure of the 
wrist and lack of torsional rigidity is the main 
cause of striking the bow string against the arm 
guard and thus spoiling what would otherwise 
be a successful shot. 
There is another defect of a similar nature 
that must be considered, viz., the tendency on 
release to rotate the bow through a vertical 
plane. Ihe pull on the string is some two 
inches above the axis of the left wrist and arm. 
This introduces a turning movement, when the 
arrow is drawn, the amount of which is the 
strength of the bow multiplied by the distance 
(about two inches) between the position of the 
shaft of the arrow and the axis of the wrist. 
This amounts to a turning moment of about 
nine foot-pounds and produces an appreciable 
motion of the top of the bow toward the archer, 
on the draw, and a reaction in the opposite di¬ 
rection on release, with a consequent tendency 
for the arrow to undershoot. This tendency is 
increased by bending the wrist upward, but it 
can never be eliminated. The remedy is the 
proper rigidity of the wrist in the vertical plane 
when the release occurs. 
Although it is not essential to good shoot¬ 
ing, we are frequently interested in the actual 
velocity of our arrows. This can best be de¬ 
termined by shooting them straight upward and 
taking the interval occupied by their flight with 
a stop-watch. The time required for the, up- 
w^ard flight is the same as for the downward 
motion. The velocity of the arrow the moment 
it returns to earth is the same as wdren it first 
leaves the bow. 
(Continued on page 94.) 
Archers in Winter. 
Chicago, Ill., Jan. 9.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: At this season of the year, when the 
range is covered with snow and bows and arrows 
have been put away, archers have various ways 
of spending the time, which, were the weather 
favorable, would be devoted to shooting. 
Some simply hibernate. These are not good 
archers. 
A few who are expert workers in wood, 
make bows and arrows. 
Most all read everything they can find on 
the subject of archery, and get together to dis¬ 
cuss questions of interest on which there is not 
universal agreement. And there are many such 
questions. Now is the time we should write for 
the papers. Everyone has something of interest 
to say, and everyone wishes to hear it. 
Subscribe for a paper in which you are sure 
to find some space devoted to archery. 
Perhaps the following figures will be read 
with interest by devotees of the sport. 
Rank of the men champions of the National 
Archery Association of the United States, from 
the first meeting in 1879 to 1912, both inclusive: 
Double York Round; 
Times 
Averave 
Winning 
Highest 
Rank. Champion. Scores. 
Score. 
1 
H. B. Richardson.. 
3 
207 
955 
231 
1111 
2 
G. P. Brvant . 
4 
205 
901 
230 
1094 
3 
Col. R. Williams, Jr. 
3 
188 
838 
215 
995 
4 
F. H. Walworth.. 
1 
173 
763 
173 
763 
5 
A. R. Clark . 
1 
180 
758 
180 
758 
6 
H. S. Tavlor . 
2 
179 
757 
181 
835 
7 
W. H. Thompson. 
5 
178 
754 
211 
973 
8 
W. B Robinson... 
1 
169 
749 
169 
749 
9 
L. L. Peddinghouse 
1 
152 
708 
152 
708 
10 
L. W. Maxson.... 
7 
166 
702 
180 
766 
11 
Wallace Brvant ... 
1 
157 
653 
157 
653 
12 
W. A. Clark . 
3 
155 
643 
158 
718 
13 
M. C. Howell. 
1 
138 
590 
138 
590 
14 
D. F. McGowan... 
1 
118 
462 
118 
462 
1 
Double American Round 
From 1883 to 1912, 
G. P. Bryant .... 3 
both inclusive. 
176 1102 177 
1153 
2 
H B. Richardson.. 
2 
177 
1055 
177 
1055 
3 
Dr. R. P. Elmer... 
1 
175 
1041 
175 
1041 
4 
A. R. Clai-k. 
1 
177 
1025 
177 
1025 
5 
Col. R. Williams, Tr. 
7 
176 
1008 
176 
1086 
6 
C. C. Beach. 
1 
174 
1006 
174 
1006 
7 
L. W. Maxson_ 
7 
174 
992 
177 
1041 
8 
J. T. Shawan. 
1 
171 
951 
171 
951 
n 
W. A. Clark . 
4 
168 
898 
179 
1097 
10 
Rev. T. L. Taylor. 
1 
165 
885 
165 
885 
11 
J. Beckenstein. 
1 
169 
871 
169 
871 
12 
C. S. Woodruff ... 
1 
159 
853 
159 
853 
Edward B. 
Weston. 
Pittsburgh Archery. 
Pittsburgh, Pa., Jan. 7.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: Contrary to expectations, New Year’s 
day was remarkably warm and bright, conse¬ 
quently the Bon Air archers had ample oppor¬ 
tunity to shoot until fatigue compelled them to 
■stop. Scores: 
Double American round scores: 
60yds. 
50yds. 
40yds. Total. 
W 
J Holmes .... 
.26 
118 
28 
148 
30 
182— 84 
448 
28 
118 
27 
149 
29 
181— 84 
448 
54 
236 
55 
297 
59 
363—168 
896 
0 . 
L. Hertig .... 
.29 
127 
.30 
142 
30 
192— 89 
461 
28 
174 
29 
129 
30 
190— 87 
493 
57 
301 
59 
271 
60 
382—176 
954 
Ninety-six arrows at 80yds.: 
Tiles .50 202 Hertig 
Holmes .51 199 
76 324 
Mr. Holmes’ shooting in the American round 
was remarkable for its regularity. It is seldom 
that two rounds in succession are shot with so 
little variation of hits and score at the different 
distances and with total of hits and score alike. 
The writer fell down badly at the 50 yards, 
making a score fully 70 points below what should 
be made at that range. O. L. Hertig. 
