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Archery 101: Glossary

Archery 101: Glossary
Posted at 1:03 PM, Mar 10, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-15 14:04:34-04

Arm guard: Material that protects the arm from the return of the bowstring. 

Chest guard: Strap that constricts loose clothing, not allowing it to catch in the string. 

Clicker: Helps archer release at the same spot during the draw process. 

End: A group of arrows that are scored together. 

Finger tab: A piece of leather that is worn to protect the string fingers when the arrow is released. 

Fletching: The feathers attached to the arrow that help stabilize it during flight. The same color pattern must be used throughout an end. 

Limb: The part of the bow from the handle to the tip. 

Nock: The attachment on the rear end of an arrow that holds it in place on the bow string, or the act of placing the arrow on the string. 

Nocking point: The place on the bowstring where the arrow rests before release. 

Pile: The tip of the arrow. Shaped like a bullet, it penetrates the target. 

Quiver: The case that holds the arrows. 

Riser: The handle of the bow, and the foundation that supports all other elements. The side facing the target is the back. The side near the string is the belly. 

Robin Hood: When an archer drives the tip of the shaft of one arrow deep into the end of another arrow already in the target. The accomplishment is named after the fabled English hero who performed the feat at a legendary archery contest. 

Shaft: The long, narrow middle of the arrow, connecting the pile to the nock. 

Sight: A mechanical device placed on the bow that helps the archer aim. 

Stabilizer: A weight mounted on a bow, usually extending some distance from the handle, that helps minimize undesirable torque of the bow string upon release.