In Shooting, keep the longer limb of the bow upwards, as the bow is liable to be broken if used the other way, and the wrapping of the string does not coincide with the upper part of the handle. Bows may be broken either from the above circumstance, or by overdrawing them, or by snapping the string without an arrow in it, or by the string breaking; and if a bow stands all these trials, it is to be prized as a sound and good bit of stuff.
After an arrow has been shot into the target or the ground, be particularly careful to withdraw it, by laying hold close to its head, and by twisting it round as it is withdrawn in the direction of its axis. Without this precaution it may be easily bent or broken.
In Shooting at the Target, the first thing to be done is to Nock the Arrow—that is, to place it properly on the string. In order to effect this, take the bow in the left hand, with the string towards you, the upper limb being towards the right. Hold it horizontally while you take the arrow by the middle, pass it on the under side of the string and the upper side of the bow, till the head reaches two or three inches past the left hand; hold it there with the forefinger or thumb while you remove the right hand down to the nock. Turn the arrow till the cock-feather comes uppermost; then pass it down the bow, and fix it on the nocking point of the string. In doing this, all contact with the feathers should be avoided, unless they are rubbed out of place, when they may be smoothed down by passing them through the hand from the point towards the nock.
The Attitude for shooting should be graceful as well as serviceable. The body should be at right angles with the target; but the face must be turned over the left shoulder, so as to be opposed to it. The feet are to be flat on the ground, with the heels a little apart, the left foot turned towards the mark; the head and chest inclined a little forward, so as to present a full bust, but not bent at all below the waist.
In Drawing the Bow, proceed as follows:
1st Method.—Take hold of the bow with the left hand, having the elbow straight; then, having placed the arrow as directed in the last paragraph, and having the finger-stalls or shooting-glove on, put a finger on each side of the arrow on the string and the thumb on the opposite side, so as to steady it; then raise all at the full length of the arm till the right hand reaches nearly to the level of the shoulder, and the left is opposite the target, when, by drawing the one to the ear, and the other towards the target, the arrow is brought to a direct line with the bull's-eye, and at that moment it is released.
2nd Method.—Draw the arrow as before, but pause when the arrow is fully extended to the head, and take aim. This, however, requires a very strong arm, and also a strong bow, or there will be a quivering of the muscles, which is communicated to the arrow; beside the danger of breaking the bow. The loosing must be quick, and the string must leave the fingers smartly and steadily, the bow hand at that moment being held as firm as a vise, upon which the goodness of the flight mainly depends.
The Following Directions should be attended to strictly, if good shooting is to be attained:—
1.—Fix the attention steadily upon the object, and disregard all external objects, which are liable otherwise to distract the eye at the moment of shooting.
2.—In drawing the bow, in order to secure the arrow in its place, turn the bow a little obliquely, so that the handle and your knuckles will together form a groove for the arrow to run in. When it falls off, it is from the string being held too far up by the fingers, which causes it to twist in the drawing, and the arrow is thereby thrown off from resting against the bow. The proper length is midway between the ends and the first joint of the fingers. Three fingers may be used, but the arrow should be between the first and second.