Fact checked by Steven Lines, lifelong Hunter and Outdoorsman
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Archery is a timeless sport dating back thousands of years. Back then, we didn’t have big shotguns and tanks to power through nature. Hunters had to make do with bows, arrows, and their physical prowess.
Archery requires some degree of physical fitness to operate efficiently and safely. Speaking of which, how safe is archery?
Provided you follow the rules of archery, it is one of the safest sports you’ll ever play. Experts at the National Safety Council found that archery is three times safer than golf.
This may sound like an oxymoron because you’re not running around shooting stuff in golf, which you are in archery. Here are a few statistics that demonstrate just how safe archery is:
- Less than 1 in 2000 participants are likely to get injured in archery compared to the 1 in 625 in golf.
- Soccer and basketball have a 20 to 45 times higher injury rate than archery.
The majority of injuries caused due to archery (about 94 percent) are caused by hunters who often cut themselves with dangerously sharp arrowheads, which aren’t allowed in many archery ranges anyways. The second most common injury is caused by the bowstring as it slaps against the wrist, which can hurt if you’re not careful.
But this can be prevented with the use of proper personnel equipment and following the rules. To date, no injuries have ever been caused to bystanders at archery ranges. This means you’ll have to go out of your way to getting injured with a bow and arrow (or hurt someone). When someone gets injured due to archery, they practice in unsafe areas such as backyards without proper fencing.
Most regulatory bodies prohibit bow and arrow use in backyards, parks, and public areas unless they are specifically designated to be an archery range.
Whether private or public, Archery ranges carry insurance in case of accidents. In many cases, the insurance premium for archery ranges is the same as insurance for golf, handball, and even badminton.
Practicing archery in your backyard is not a good idea unless you know what you’re doing. All it takes is one stray arrow to cause serious harm to an innocent bystander. And once the arrow has left the bow, it is no longer under your control.
If a stray arrow should end up on someone else’s property (or worse, hitting them), your home insurance might not be able to cover any liability issues.
Moreover, it could land you in legal consequences for ‘discharging a firearm.’ This is why it is much better to practice archery in a safe environment, such as an archery range.
In this post, we'll cover:
How to Do Archery Safely
Safety in archery totally depends on how you use the equipment and if you’re wearing safety guards while shooting arrows and bolts. Just because archery is safer than golf (which is the furthest thing from danger) doesn’t mean you can afford to be lackadaisical. All it takes is one stray arrow to cause all kinds of damage.
Here are all the safety rules you should practice before getting into archery.
Wear Your Arm Guards
An armguard protects the arms from damage while you load and shoot your arrows. The arm guard will prevent the string from hitting your arm if worn correctly. Anyone who’s used a bow before will know just how much it stings to get slapped by your bowstring.
Aside from looking cool, arm guards also prevent your jacket sleeves and shirt from getting in the way of firing an arrow.
| Suitable for: |
| ✅Recurve bows |
| ✅Longbows |
| ✅Compound bows |
Use an Arrow Rest for Shooting
An arrow rest comes in handy when shooting arrows, especially when you’re working with a compound bow. Chances are, your compound bow already comes with an arrow rest extension. In which case, make sure to use it. The arrow rest eliminates the need to hold the arrow in place manually. Not only is this much safer for your hands, but it will leave you free to adjust the bow with far greater precision.
In addition, arrow rests help arrows take a straighter flight. If you’re a beginner and still learning how to use a bow and arrow, make sure to use an arrow rest to get up to speed quickly.
| Suitable for: |
| ✅Recurve bows |
| ✅Longbows |
| ✅Compound bows |
Use a Release Aid – Discussing all Release Aids (with product recommendations)
Release aids are designed to help you correctly let go of the bowstring at full draw. This is a crucial moment before firing your arrow, where all the energy stored in the limbs is transferred to the arrow, which is then propelled down range toward the area where you’re aiming. Every archer should strive for a ‘clean release’ on all their shots. In fact, you’ll find that a clean arrow will improve your overall score and accuracy.
Many types of release aids are available for archers, and it can get quite confusing to choose the right one. If you’re using compound bows, there are four types of release aids you’ll come across, thumb trigger, back tension, resistance activated, and index finger release. For longbow and recurve archers, there are special gloves and finger tabs.
Index Finger Release
Index finger releases are mechanical release aids that are triggered primarily by the index finger. They will be attached to the wrist strap that aids in drawing the sting by joining the muscles of your hand and arm. They are most popular with bow hunters because of ease of access. Furthermore, it’s next to impossible to lose the index finger because it’s always connected to the wrist.
| Suitable for: |
| ✅Recurve bows |
| ✅Longbows |
| ✅Compound bows |
Thumb Trigger Release
As the name suggests, these releases will be triggered by the thumb. They can be found in two variants: attached to wrist straps and handheld. They connect to the D-loop on the bowstring with the help of enclosed jaws, a rope loop, or an open hook.
Many 3D competitors use thumb triggers to aid with back tension release and retain control of the release.
| Suitable for: |
| ✅Recurve bows |
| ✅Compound bows |
Hinge Release
The hinge release is a handheld release with a pivoting head that connects to the D-loop via an open hook. It does not have a trigger and is activated by a slight backward rotation of the release. Hinge releases are not ideal products for us, with bow hunters who typically need to retain more control over their arrows upon release.
| Suitable for: |
| ✅Recurve bows |
| ✅Longbows |
| ✅Compound bows |
Resistance Activated Release
This handheld release is primarily used by target archers. It is a tension-activated release. It is similar to the hinge but has a built-in safety mechanism that allows it to draw the bow without accidentally firing it.
| Suitable for: |
| ✅Recurve bows |
| ✅Longbows |
Gloves and Finger Tabs
Individual styles of archery require drawing and releasing with all fingers, as opposed to mechanical triggers. Moreover, mechanical releases are not allowed for use with longbows and recurve bows in competitions. A finger tab lets you draw the bowstring with your middle, ring, and index fingers. The tab sits between the string and fingers.
This makes it possible to consistently release the arrow because the string slides off one surface rather than each of the three digits.
| Suitable for: |
| ✅Recurve bows (check competition rules) |
| ✅Longbows |
| ✅Compound bows (check competition rules) |
Use Arrows of Proper Length
Determining the proper arrow length is paramount to the archer’s safety. Many beginners either overestimate (or underestimate) the length of the arrow. Using the wrong-sized arrows can be dangerous to you, the innocent bystander, and your bow.
Without going into too many details about the arrow length, you should use arrows that are long enough to go beyond the back of the bow.
Use smaller arrows only if you are a professional and while you’re wearing all the safety equipment.
| Suitable for: |
| ✅Recurve bows |
| ✅Longbows |
| ✅Compound bows |
Never Dry Fire Your Bow
This is a beginner’s mistake that can be harmful. Dry firing is dangerous for you and the people around you, not to mention the damage it will deal to your equipment. That piece of bowstring can strike you back with tremendous energy.
The main reason why it is so dangerous is that all that pent-up energy in the bowstring has no place to go. But that energy still needs to go somewhere, right? So it ricochets back to the bow, creating powerful vibrations that can cause catastrophic damage to both you and the bow. If the quality of the bow were compromised, to begin with, it would likely shatter.
This can lead to a bunch of bad things, such as:
- Bent cams
- Broken bowstrings
- Splintered limbs
- Destroyed cable guard
And here’s the dangerous bit: if the bow splinters off, the pieces will fly back at you and likely knock you out. The worst-case scenario is that it will cut your face and even get into your eyes. The flying pieces also pose a danger to those standing near you as they are also exposed to flying debris.
If you want to dry fire your bow, take it to a professional instead.
Inspect Your Equipment
Before you take your bow for play, it pays to inspect it for readiness. Start by ensuring that the laminations on the bow are not separating or flaking. Also, make sure that the strings on the bow are not fraying either. In the case of compound bows, make sure the cables and pulleys are in good operating condition.
The arrow’s spine (thickness of the arrow’s shaft) should be compatible with the bow’s draw weight. If the bow’s draw weight is higher than what your arrow can handle, the arrow will either break as you release it or fly off in a random direction.
Conclusion
So there you have it, the complete guide to archery safety. All the essential safety bits you need to know when firing arrows. Don’t ignore minor safety things such as putting out ropes to signal everyone that you are practicing archery there or pointing the arrow toward the ground while knocking your arrow.
A bow is a lethal weapon and is just as fatal as a handgun.
Finally, during your visit to the archery range, pay close attention to your instructor, and never disobey their orders.
Steven Lines is a hunter and outdoorsman from Safford, Arizona, USA. Since he was a child, he has been hunting and fishing and has over 20 years of outdoor experience. Steven works as a hunting guide in Arizona during his spare time and runs a Youtube channel dedicated to sharing his outdoor adventures with others.