GLOSSARY OF COMMON TERMS.

For a fuller explanation please ask a senior club member or coach.

Arrow plate This is a protector, often inlaid, just above the bow handle, on the side where the arrow passes as it is launched in flight. Most common on longbows

Arrow shelf A flat horizontal area formed by cutting into the bow just above the bow handle.

Arrow rest A purpose made shelf, often spring loaded, upon which the arrow sits above the bow handle, ready for launch.

Back of the bow The face of the bow that is on the OPPOSITE side to the string.

Barebow A class of shooting which does not permit the use of sights.

Belly of the bow The face of the bow which is on the SAME side as the string.

Blunt A flat-headed pile, often bulb shaped, such as used in Popinjay shooting.

Boss The straw or matting target. Also see ‘Butt’.

Bouncer An arrow that has hit and rebounded from the face of a target. (Under GNAS rules an arrow may be shot in it’s place. Under FITA rules this is not so!)

Bow sling A strap, chord or device which stops the bow jumping out of the hand when shooting with a relaxed grip.

Bow window The vertical cut out section of the riser just above the handle which allows the arrow to rest nearer to the centre line of the bow.

Bracer A shield, also known as an arm guard, worn to protect the forearm of the bow arm.

Bracing Height A specified distance between the string and a particular point on the bow riser when the bow is strung.

Butt The target or boss. Originally a permanent target mound usually made of earth.

Clicker An audible draw length indicator.

Clout shooting A form of Archery where the intention is to hit a short stemmed flag or ‘clout’ on the ground set at long distances. (180 yards for men 140 yards for ladies)

Cock fletching The fletching on an arrow which is set at right angles to the nock slot (on recurve arrow set-up)

Creeping Allowing the arrow to move forward from full draw before being loosed. (Often seen as a ‘Forward loose’)

Dominant eye The eye which plays most part in the visual processes of a person. Problems are caused when the dominant eye and the aiming eye are not the same

Draw length The length of an arrow drawn by an individual archer

Draw weight The force required to pull a bow to a full draw length, measured in pounds.

End The arrows shot by each archer before going to the target to score and collect. Depending on the round being shot, ends usually consist of 3 or 6 arrows.

FAST The warning shout to stop shooting in an emergency.

Field captain The person controlling the shooting.

FITA ‘Federation Internationale de Tir a l’arc’ The archery international governing body.

Fletching The vane(s) providing stability to the arrow in flight. Can be feather, plastic, flat or curled.

Flight shooting Shooting for the longest possible distance only.

Free style A recurve bow allowing sights, clicker, pressure button etc

Hanger An arrow that does not penetrate the boss but hangs from the face.

Heeling The practice of applying bow hand pressure low on the bow grip.

Kisser A small disc or device, which is fitted to the string at the centre serving, and drawn to the lips at, full draw.

Lady Paramount A traditional appointment to present the awards and prizes at a competition.

Line cutter An arrow whose shaft breaks the line between colour zones scores the higher of the two provided nothing on the boss has been touched.

Loose the action of releasing the bowstring.

Nock Either the slot at the fletched end of the arrow shaft or the grooves at the ends of the bow limb tips.

Nocking point The place on the bowstring where the nock of the arrow is positioned.

Over-bowed The term used when the draw weight of the bow is more than the individual archer can handle.

Petticoat The outer edge of a target for which there is no score.

Pile The front tip of the arrow, the point, often metal.

Pinching The action of gripping the nock of the arrow between the fingertips when drawing the bow.

Pinhole The exact centre of the target face, usually marked with a small cross.

Popinjay Shooting at artificial birds arrayed on perches set at the top of a 90-foot mast. NOTE The erection of this mast is not covered by GNAS insurance

Pressure button An adjustable spring loaded contact point for the arrow which is set into the riser adjacent to the arrow rest. Used in fine tuning the oscillation of the arrow as it leaves the bow.

Release aid A mechanical device used to assist the archer in releasing the string when fingers are not used to hold the string. Normally associated with the compound bow.

Riser The rigid, centre section of a bow into or onto which the limbs are fitted.

Round A formal standard of shooting set number of arrows at set distances. Allows handicap rating to be developed after three rounds are shot. Rounds are distinguished by individual names (often names of Cities in British rounds)

Serving The winding around the bowstring either in the centre or at the limb tips.

Shooting line The line the archer stands astride when shooting.

Sighters The arrows allowed at the beginning of a session for the benefit of sighting adjustments. No scores are recorded for these arrows.

Spine The measure of an arrows flexibility.

Stabiliser Weights fitted to the bow to minimise bow movement and torque on loosing.

Take-down The type of bow that has removable limbs.

Target captain The person in charge of the conduct of archers at the target, particularly when recording scores.

Target stand The stand that supports the boss.

Tiller The bowyers (bow makers) manufacturing process used to balance the forces of the limbs so they shoot correctly when the arrow is not placed in the vertical centre point of the bow.

Unit aiming The term used to describe the action of maintaining the relationship of arms, head and shoulders by pivoting from the waist when shooting at different distances.

Vane A fletching, normally plastic.

Waiting line A line, behind the shooting line, beyond which all other archers should wait until it is their turn to shoot. A safety zone away from the shooting activity.