| THE bow was man's chief weapon down through | | | | Royal Toxophilite Society of London. The |
| the ages until the invention of firearms. | | | | Grand National Meeting which determines the |
| With the bow, man hunted for food and | | | | Championship of England was first held in the |
| protected himself from his enemies. The great | | | | year 1884. |
| military nations of the past gained their | | | | |
| ascendency through the ability of their | | | | Organized archery on the English pattern, |
| archers. Over eight hundred years ago the | | | | which we commonly call target archery, was |
| Mongol horde was turned back into Asia by the | | | | introduced in the United States in 1828 by |
| long bow.With the advent of firearms, the use | | | | the formation of the United Bowmen of |
| of the bow in English warfare rapidly | | | | Philadelphia who shot regularly in that city |
| declined, although archery was enjoyed widely | | | | for thirty years prior to the Civil War and |
| as a sport during the middle ages. The Scots | | | | whose trophies are on display with the |
| today compete for a silver arrow dated | | | | Pennsylvania Historical Society. |
| 1603.Primitive peoples of all countries | | | | |
| except Australia have the bow and it was used | | | | In 1878 the National Archery Association of |
| as a military and a hunting weapon. The | | | | the United States was formed. This is the |
| American Indian used the bow as his chief | | | | ruling body for target archers in the United |
| weapon, but contrary to popular belief, his | | | | States. A group of target archers conduct a |
| skill was not as great as the writers of | | | | tournament in a manner similar to that used |
| fiction would have us believe. Feats of which | | | | on the rifle range. Shooting is under the |
| the legendary Robin Hood would have been | | | | control of a Field Captain and the targets |
| proud are performed every day by the modern | | | | are set at predetermined distances from the |
| archer whose tackle and equipment has so | | | | shooting line.Field Archers constitute the |
| improved in the last twenty years that | | | | other large group of archers who are |
| records are no sooner established than they | | | | organized on a national scale under the |
| are broken. Modern archery tackle is far | | | | National Field Archery Association. Field |
| superior to that used by the Indians and | | | | archery is intended to simulate conditions |
| contests between Indians and white men leave | | | | found in the hunting field and at the same |
| no doubt as to the superiority of the modern | | | | time provide group competition in the sport |
| weapon. The Indian depended on his skill in | | | | of archery. A scheduled field shoot under |
| stalking to secure game, and his kills were | | | | conditions prescribed by the national |
| made at short distances. Indians of the | | | | organization provides a variety of shots over |
| western plains killed buffalo with the bow | | | | hunting terrain at unknown |
| and arrow by riding their ponies alongside a | | | | distances.Affiliated with the national |
| fleeing buffalo and discharging their arrows | | | | organizations are the several state archery |
| at short range.Following World War I the late | | | | organizations whose purpose is to promote |
| Saxton T. Pope demonstrated that a skilled | | | | archery in all its phases within the state |
| hunter armed with a medieval broad-headed | | | | boundary. A strong state organization is |
| arrow and a yew bow was able to kill | | | | essential to coordinate the tournament |
| practically every type of game animal in | | | | schedules of the various archery clubs, |
| North America including the Kodiak and | | | | sponsor state championship tournaments, and |
| Grizzly bears and the elusive mountain sheep. | | | | to serve as spokesman on legislative matters |
| The modern Dean of bowhunters is Howard Hill, | | | | that pertain to archery.The greatest factor |
| who not satisfied with matching his skill | | | | in the resurgence of archery today is the |
| with the bow against the game of the North | | | | growing use of the bow in the hunting field. |
| American continent, has extended his | | | | Local bow hunting clubs are appearing in |
| conquests of wild game to Africa where the | | | | ever-increasing numbers. Together with the |
| mighty elephant has fallen to his bow. His | | | | existing target clubs, they form an all |
| book, "Wild Adventure," published by The | | | | important group who working together have |
| Stackpole Company is a thrilling account of | | | | measureably increased the sport during the |
| his adventures in hunting and photographing | | | | last decade.The Author is Publisher of a |
| wild game.Modern archery as it is known today | | | | website containing great information and |
| was established toward the end of the 18th | | | | e-books on Bowhunting and Archery. |
| Century by the formation in England of the | | | | |