Nocking. The bow to be held in a perpendicular position, between the second knuckle of the first finger and the ball of the thumb of the left hand. The main grasp of the bow should be in the upper part of the hand, the other fingers being held close to the bow. The test as to whether you are holding the bow correctly is to drop the left arm by the side, the wrist being quite straight, and if the string touches the bracer, the position of the bow in the hand is not correct. The nocking is to be accomplished by bringing the arrow over the bow, which should be held directly in front, and fitting it on the nocking place, remembering to keep the cock feather—i.e., the one which is at right angles to the nock—uppermost, and not to alter the grasp of the bow until after all three arrows have been shot. Place the three fingers of the right hand evenly on the string, and do not pinch the arrow with the first finger, otherwise it will fall off the left hand at the moment of drawing. The right wrist should be held straight.
BEFORE THE DRAW.
Drawing. The usual position of archers before they actually begin to draw, is with the left elbow bent just above the hip, the bow being perpendicular, but to speak from my own experience, I find it better to hold the bow easily in the hand with the left elbow straight, though without stiffness, raising both arms simultaneously on a level with the point of aim. Then draw in a straight line with the target, till the pile of the arrow comes on to the bow, and the right hand with the fingers bent, is held in such a position that the thumb is pressed against the throat below the jaw and under the axis of vision of the right eye. The left arm should be straight but not rigid, the final grasp of the bow being made directly the aim is taken. The head must be erect, and turned towards the point of aim. The body should be erect and the weight thrown as much as possible on the heels. A common fault I have noticed with young archers, is to draw the right hand too high and rest it outside the jaw instead of underneath it. This should be guarded against. Bring the pile of the arrow on to the point of aim immediately, keeping the right elbow up as you do so and the shoulders pressed back. Every care, too, should be taken that the arrow does not "creep," i.e., that it is not allowed to slip forward on the bow.
Aiming. To aim correctly the archer should see the point of the arrow covering the point of aim. By "the point of aim" I mean some given spot on the target or ground, the height of which must be found by each archer for herself, as it is governed by so many things, such as difference in sight, height, weight, and cast of bow or arrow, etc., etc. If the archer finds that she has persistently to aim to the right or left of the target, there being no wind, it is a proof that something in her position, draw, or loose is incorrect, i.e. that she does not stand with shoulders in line with the targets, or that she does not keep her right hand in the proper position, or again that she does not loose the arrow evenly from all three fingers at once. I must caution every young archer against the terrible habit of merely glancing at the target and then loosing the arrow, without taking proper aim. Very many archers who have asked my advice on decreasing scores or inability to hit the target have had really no clear idea of any aim whatever. They "think they aim at the top of the target," perhaps, but by a system of catechising I discover that such is actually not the case, and until a real firm point of aim is found and known to the archer—though an occasional good score may be fluked—no lasting progress will be made. Therefore as soon as you have learnt to draw up properly, make it your next study to find your point of aim, and remember that this will vary with different bows and according to the direction of the wind, and also according to whether the atmosphere be heavy or light.
Loosing. Remember that the grip of the left hand on the bow must not give, nor the tension of the muscles be relaxed, until after the arrow has left the string. Keep the right hand tight to its place, with the thumb pressed under the jaw beneath the axis of vision of the right eye, taking care not to relax the pull on the string until the moment of release, or the arrow will creep. The release is effected by drawing the fingers back evenly towards the thumb, and the hand must on no account leave the face while this is being done, nor must it drop down or follow the string in ever so slight a degree. The wrist must be straight and the elbow well up. After the release keep up the bow hand and retain the right hand in its place till the arrow has reached its destination, then drop the right hand easily and without hurry, preparatory to nocking the next arrow. Nothing is more ugly or more likely to unsettle you than any flurry or undue haste.
It is well to warn beginners that great care must be taken of all the archer's equipment. If the bow or arrows at any time get wet, they should be carefully dried and the bow should not be replaced in its waterproof case for some time. The feathers of the arrows can be restored after being wet by passing them quickly backwards and forwards above a jug of boiling water. Neither bow nor arrows should be put near the fire. They should be kept in a dry even temperature.
It is a good thing if a beginner can find a friend who is able and willing to correct her and help her to overcome some of the faults into which she is almost certain to fall. But great care should be taken in the selection of this coach, and even after the beginner has obtained some degree of proficiency, she ought to be very careful whose opinion she takes as to her shooting. I have met many young archers who will ask anybody at the same target "if they would kindly tell them any faults they see in their shooting." But such general advice will do little good, for some people cannot detect a fault when it is there, much less describe it with any accuracy, and some again imagine faults which do not actually exist. Too many instructors thus spoil the archer, who will get hopelessly muddled with all the advice given her, and will often alter what she should leave alone, and not correct her real faults.