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Exploring Archery: Types of Bows

USA Archery content

June 26, 2024 | 1 minute, 55 seconds read

Archery

Olympic Recurve

The Olympic recurve is the bow Olympians use, and it’s also the bow thousands of recreational archers prefer. Recurve shooting is a fantastic, challenging discipline. Olympic archery combines exercise and mental discipline.

These bows can be used for 3D, target, indoor and field archery. In outdoor target tournaments, including the Olympics, adults shoot targets at 70 meters. Olympic recurves have three main pieces: one riser and two limbs. The bow disassembles for customization and transportation. You grip the bow’s riser, which is also where its sight and arrow rest attach. The bow’s limbs create its power, and bend in unison when drawn. When archers release the bowstring, the limbs snap forward, propelling the arrow to the target. Long rods jut from an Olympic bow’s riser. These stabilizers help archers steady the bow for precise aiming. Other accessories include a sight, clicker and arrow rest.

Compound Bow

If you love precision marksmanship, consider a compound bow. These bows can be incredibly accurate. With lessons, you’ll consistently hit the center. You can shoot compounds for recreation, competition or bowhunting.

Different compound bows have different uses. Target compound bows have one job: accuracy. They provide excellent shooting experiences. You can trick them out and accessorize them for maximum accuracy. Their target accessories include long stabilizers and finely adjustable magnified sights.

Hunting compounds must be accurate and portable, so they’re smaller and lighter than target bows. Their accessories are usually more durable to withstand outdoor hazards. That doesn’t mean you can’t compete or shoot targets with hunting bows. In fact, you’ll find competitive divisions for them, or you can change a few accessories and compete with target archers.

If you like recreational archery, you have your choice of compounds. You can even custom-design your bow. If you like a target sight’s adjustability and the portability of a hunting bow, you can choose a set-up that meets your preferences.