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