Archery

fyi.uwex.edu/uphamwoods/ | [email protected] | 608-254-6461

Program Purpose: Checking Equipment- Upham archery equipment needs
Students will learn how to identify and safely use basic to be inspected by a staff member for the following:
archery equipment. Students will practice correctly  Check arrows to see if they are bent or have broken
shooting aluminum or fiberglass shaft arrows with nocks or tips.
adjustable tension compound bows at standard archery  Check bowstrings. If excessive fraying is present,
targets. don’t use the bowstring. When in doubt, use the
extra bow that has been provided.
Program Length: 1 – 1 ½ hours  Check bows for cracks. If any are present or you are
in doubt about the safety of the bow, don’t use it.
Age: Grades 4th and up Use the back-up bow.

Maximum Number of Participants: 15 (1 adult Inventory the equipment on the clipboard inside the shed
required from group) before and after the group uses our equipment.

Objectives: The group will be assessed a fee for damaged or missing

After taking part in the archery program, students will be equipment. Make sure this is noted on their Checkout
able to: Sheet
 Demonstrate proper stance, nocking, targeting, and
release techniques Basic Outline:
 Follow basic safety procedures involved in handling I. Introduction
and using archery equipment II. Safety
 Develop the basic skills necessary to enjoy archery III. Shooting Demo
as a sport. IV. Retrieving Arrows
V. Shooting
Wisconsin Standards: VI. Games
E.8.1 Participate in a variety of health-related activities VII. Equipment
in both school and nonschool settings in order to
maintain a record of moderate to vigorous physical Road Crossing:
activity Orange safety flags must be used when crossing County
F.8.3 Make choices based on the safety of self and others Rd N to the archery range. A flag in the front and back
G.8.2 Identify behaviors that are supportive and of the line should be used. Everyone in class must cross
inclusive in physical-activity settings the road together. No one should cross without adult
supervision.
Requirements:
Program leader must have previous experience teaching Introduction:
archery and attend a training session covering Upham People have used archery equipment since prehistoric
Woods safety procedures. Two adults are required for times. Archery equipment has changed a great deal over
this program. Orange safety flags are located in the time. Today they are using a compound bow, which was
office and should be used to cross the road. developed so that the drawing of the bow is easier and
the arrow shoots faster.
Preparation before the group arrives:
The first class of the day should open the archery shed Safety:
and set out the targets, arrows, and bows. Go over the following safety rules:
 In baseball you get three strikes and you are out.
Set out equipment- This includes getting out two orange During archery, one strike and you are done
flags from the office, opening up the shed, setting out participating; there is zero tolerance for
three targets on their wooden stands, and two arrow inappropriate behavior.
racks with 3 arrows for each shooting target.  Bows and arrows should be pointed down range at
all times.
*If the group is leading this activity make sure to set out  No one should retrieve their arrows until the
orange flags on the porch of the administration building program leader gives the proper commands.
and to unlock the shed for them.  Never dry-fire the bows (pull back and shoot with
no arrow.) This puts enormous stress on the bow.

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 If anyone is shooting, all other people should be Divide the students in to three groups, one group per
sitting or standing back by the benches. shooting lane. This means that only three people are
 If orienteering ATR is occurring at the same time, shooting at a time. Students shoot three arrows before
bells means a group is walking behind the range all they go and retrieve them for the next person in line. Go
bows should be pointed down. A second bell will be through the shooting commands with the motions
rung to give the all clear. explained above.

Shooting Demo: Demonstrate whenever possible. While the shooting teams are on the shooting line the
Holding the bow following commands should be used:
If you are right handed you will need to use a right  “Shooters to the line.”
handed bow and hold it in your left hand. The bow (Come up and get the bow)
should never touch the ground. They will get damaged  “Shooters nock your first arrow.”
easily by dirt getting lodged in their wheels. (Nock their arrow and wait)
 “Shooters ready.”
Stance (Get into the shooting stance & draw)
Your body should be parallel to the target with the tips of  “Range open, fire at will.”
your toes lined up (90 degree angle) with the center of (Release the arrow)
the target. Only your head turns to face the target, not
your entire body. Students should shoot all three arrows at will. Once all 9
arrows have been released, the next command will be
Nocking an arrow given.
The arrow has many parts including: tip, shaft,
fletching/feathers, cock feather, and nock. The nock is  “Range closed. Hand off bows to next shooter.”
the part of the arrow that connects it to the bowstring.  “Retrieve your arrows.”
You do not need to hold onto the arrow, that is the
nock’s job! The shaft of the arrow will rest on the arrow No one should ever step across the firing line until the
rest of the bow. “range closed” command is given, even if you drop and
could reach it within one step. It is important to have
Prep to fire patience because everyone takes different amounts of
Grasp the string with three fingers having the arrow in time to shoot.
between the index and middle fingers. You should not
wrap your fingers all the way around the bowstring— To remove your arrow place one hand flat against the
only the tips of your fingers should be used to pull back target with the arrow coming out between your thumb
on the string. Next, turn your head towards the target and pointer finger. Wrap the other hand around the
and extend the arm holding the bow so that it is parallel arrow as close to your first hand as possible and pull
to the ground and straight (no bent elbow). straight out. Do not wiggle the arrow around to remove
it, simply pull as straight as possible. This prevents the
Firing arrows from bending and the targets from getting large
Draw the arrow back far enough so that you hand comes holes in them.
back to your jawbone. This arm should also be parallel
to the ground (no chicken arm). Also, make sure that the Common Shooting mistakes with kids:
elbow on the arm that is holding the bow is rotated - Not having the proper stance – their body isn’t
outward so that the string doesn’t slap on your arm. perpendicular to the target
Aiming is done with the dominant eye, sighting down the - Arrow isn’t nocked correctly – the feathers are
end of the arrow towards the target. To release the facing the wrong way
arrow, simply relax your fingertips. Follow through by - Holding onto the arrow too tightly – fingers aren’t
keeping your fingers right by your face and your bow placed correctly on the string
arm extended until the arrow has hit the target. If you - Don’t draw back far enough – their hand should be
drop your arms too quickly, the arrow could still be pulled back to their jaw bone
exiting it and will get knocked off its path. - String hits their arm – poor form, they need to
rotate their elbow outward
Just like any other sport or skill it takes practice to really
get the hang of it. Our goal is not for you all to leave as Games:
expert archers who hit a bulls-eye every time, but to try Once you have gone through a couple of rounds with the
and to feel more comfortable with shooting than when teams of shooters, a game might help to keep their
you arrived. interest. Here are some ideas:
 Tape cards onto the targets
Shooting:  Tape balloons or stuffed animals to the targets

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 Score each round by having each color worth a point

value. Have the students keep track of their
individual score or as a team.
 Put a piece of masking tape anywhere on the target.
Students can try to hit the piece of tape, hit one end
of the tape, or can simply aim to have all arrows hit
on one side or the other of the tape.
 Have students draw a picture to tape onto the target
(ex: donut, star, etc). They are not allowed to draw a
person.
 Elimination game: Each person shoots three arrows,
students who hit the bulls-eye (or any other color of
your choosing) moves onto the next round. For the
next round, students only have 2 arrows with which
to hit the appointed target area. For the final round
students only shoot one arrow, and who ever is
closest wins.

Conclusion:
At the end of each class make sure that all equipment is
accounted for. All bows should be hung in the shed
between classes. If multiple classes are being taught the
targets may remain out. If there is more than an hour
between classes the arrows should be returned to the
shed. After the last class of the day, all of the equipment
should be put away and locked up in the shed. All
equipment must be inventoried on the clipboard inside
the shed.

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Upham Archery Program Guide

for Guest Instructors
Overview of Program Safety Rules

I. Check and set up archery equipment  Two adults required for this program; one
A. Inspect equipment will supervise students shooting and the
B. Record damaged equipment other adult supervises the students waiting
C. Set out targets and arrows  Zero tolerance for inappropriate behavior
II. Greet group at porch by parking lot  No one should retrieve their arrows until the
III. Road Crossing proper command is given
A. Use orange flags to cross road  Bows and arrows should be pointed down
IV. Safety Rules range at all times
A. Zero tolerance for goofing off  Never dry-fire the bows (pull back and shoot
B. Listen to shooting commands with no arrow)
C. No dry firing bows  When not shooting, students should be
D. Bows & arrows point down range sitting or standing back by the benches
E. Wait to shoot sitting on benches behind shooters
V. Shooting Demo
A. Holding the bow
B. Stance
C. Nocking an arrow
D. Firing/shooting commands Shooting Commands
E. Retrieving the arrows
VI. Shooting The following commands should be used:
A. Put students in 4 groups
 “Shooters to the line.”
B. Shoot rounds of 3 arrows
(Come up and get the bow)
VII. Clean-up
 “Shooters nock your first arrow.”
A. Put equipment away
(Nock their arrow and wait)
B. Record damaged bows & arrows
 “Shooters ready.”
(Get into the shooting stance & draw)
 “Range open, fire at will.”
Road Crossing (Release the arrow)

Retrieving Commands:
 Use orange safety flags to cross road  “Range closed. Hand off bows to next
 A flag in front of group and the back shooter.”
 No one should cross without adult  “Retrieve your arrows.”
supervision

Equipment

 The bows should never touch the ground

 If there is more than one hour between
Archery classes, the equipment should be
put away in the shed. If it is the last class,
the shed should be locked
 If any equipment is lost or broken– please
make Upham staff aware of this

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