Archery in Bryce Canyon

In recent years, archery has become a very popular sport among men, women, and children alike. This may have to do with its emergence in popular movies, like The Hunger Games. Whatever lead to this rise in popularity, archery is now reaching bigger audiences, which is a fantastic thing.
There are so many things about archery that make it a terrific sport. It is a sport that combines many different skills but is still incredibly inclusive. Archery requires patience, practice, concentration, and strength. These important skills can transcend into other parts of life, as well, resulting in archers being more balanced and disciplined in every aspect of life. Yes, archery is truly one of the greatest sports there is.
For anyone interested in archery, Bryce Canyon is a terrific place to get started. There are also some places for archery in Zion National Park, which is near Bryce. But, before heading to Bryce or Zion, bow in hand, there are a few basics about archery that must be explored first. Things like archery basics, important gear, seasons for archery, and archery competitions must be understood before delving into the world of archery. We will discuss these important matters and more while exploring what makes this sport so incredible. Once the foundation of archery is understood, participants will wonder why they didn’t start practicing archery sooner.

Archery Basics

The thing that many would argue makes archery stand out as an incredible sport is the fact that nearly anyone can enjoy this sport. Younger children, adults, those with physical challenges, and everyone in between will find that archery and its sportsman are incredibly inclusive and accommodating. There are just a few things to which every person must adhere to have a safe and exciting time practicing archery.

Safety

With any sport, safe execution is the most important thing to learn. While every sport has its dangers, improperly practiced archery can be downright deadly. Every instructor and shooting range will have their own rules on safe shooting, but the following are the important ones to always remember.
The main thing to remember with any type of projectile is to never aim or point the bow and arrow at something that shouldn’t be hit. It is easy for beginners to lose their train of thought and get lost in conversation, allowing their bow to stray from down range, but this can be detrimental.
Another important thing to remember is that archers should never find their way onto the range while others are shooting. Even just moving up a few steps to retrieve a botched shot can be very dangerous.
To maintain personal health and safety, it is important for archers to check their gear before shooting. A fractured bow or frayed bowstring can go unnoticed until it’s too late. When gear malfunctions, it can seriously hurt the archer.
Following these basic safety rules, and any others given by instructors, is the best way to ensure that everyone has a fun and safe time on the archery range.

Form and Technique

An archer’s form is the most important thing to develop to become a great archer. Many people have different stance and form as they shoot, but there is a basic form that each person should follow.
Everyone will feel comfortable standing differently, but it is important to have an open stance with feet relatively square away from the target, and use the same stance consistently. Changing stance with each shot will result in arrows all over the target.
Once the stance is effective and comfortable, archers should now work on their form. Elbow rotation, with the elbow slightly rotated but not over extended, is crucial. Also, the grip of the arrow to the bow with the fingers should be consistent with each draw.
Lastly, the release should be slow, smooth, and deliberate. Questioning a shot just before releasing the arrow is a surefire way to have a big miss.

Practice

All that is left to do once the form and technique are comfortable is to keep on shooting. The saying goes that “practice makes perfect,” but the truth is, no one will ever have a perfect shot every time. What beginning and expert archers should always remember to do is to keep on practicing. The more practice that goes into archery, or any sport, the better the outcome will be.

Archery Gear

The biggest barrier to entry involved in starting archery is the amount of gear that must be purchased. Luckily, there are many packages that include everything a beginner would need at a reasonable price. Or, if that is out of the price range, many archery ranges rent out gear. The following is the basic gear that will get a beginner started with archery.
Bow