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