Traditional Bow and Arrow: A Beginner’s Starter Guide

Fletchwise guides are independent and hype-free – we are not sponsored by any archery brand.

Choose a bow you can draw smoothly and hold without strain. A recurve is the most common first bow, a longbow is gentle and classic, and a flatbow is a calm wooden option. See the traditional bows guide for a full comparison, and traditional recurve bows if you are leaning that way.

Arrows are where beginners most often go wrong. An arrow that is too stiff or too weak will not fly cleanly from your bow.

• Spine. Spine is the arrow’s stiffness. Wood arrows are rated by a weight number. Carbon arrows use a deflection number, where a smaller number means a stiffer arrow. Match the spine to your bow’s draw weight and your arrow length.
• Length. Choose a length so the arrow point stays safely in front of the bow at full draw.
• Weight. A commonly cited rule of thumb is that a traditional bow needs an arrow heavy enough to absorb the bow’s energy safely. Check the maker’s minimum.
• Fletching. Feathers are traditional, quiet and forgiving. Plastic vanes last longer in wet weather.

Inspect arrows before every session. Carbon shafts can crack, and a damaged arrow can splinter when shot. Our carbon arrows guide explains what to check.

A shooting tab or a glove protects your drawing fingers. If you shoot a horse bow with the thumb draw, you need a thumb ring instead. An arm guard keeps the string from slapping your forearm. It is a small piece of gear that saves you from a painful bruise, and our arm guard guide explains how to choose one.

A bow stringer is one of the cheapest pieces of insurance in archery. It strings the bow without twisting the limbs. Keep a spare string, a little wax and a simple stringing and checking routine. If you are unsure about stringing, read your bow maker’s instructions first.

A quiver keeps your arrows organized and safe. Back, hip and side quivers are all common, and traditional bow quivers are covered in their own guide. For a target, choose one that stops your arrows safely and set it up with a safe backstop behind it. Start with our targets guide if you are choosing one.

1. A safe target and a safe place to shoot.
2. Arrows matched to your bow, in good condition.
3. Finger and arm protection.
4. A bow in a light, manageable draw weight.
5. A stringer and a spare string.

A modest, correctly matched setup shoots better than an expensive bow with mismatched arrows. Upgrade the bow once your form and your preferences are clear.

• Never shoot without a safe backstop.
• Never dry-fire a bow.
• Check arrows and string before every session.
• Shoot only when you know where the arrow will end up.
• Consider a lesson with a coach or club to build good habits early.

Start close, at a distance where you cannot miss the target, and focus on form rather than the score.

1. Stance. Stand side-on to the target with your feet about shoulder width apart.
2. Nock the arrow. Set the arrow on the shelf or rest with the odd-colored feather, the cock feather, pointing away from the bow.
3. Hook the string. Place your fingers on the string with the arrow between them, or use a thumb draw for a horse bow.
4. Draw. Raise the bow, then draw smoothly to a consistent anchor point on your face.
5. Aim and hold. Look at the target, keep your back muscles working, and hold for a moment.
6. Release. Relax your fingers and let the string leave your hand. Keep the pose until the arrow lands.

A coach or club can shorten this learning curve, and a few lessons often save months of bad habits.

If arrows consistently hit to one side, or the tails wobble in flight, they may be the wrong spine for your bow. Check with the bow maker or an archery shop before changing your form. Mismatched spine is one of the most common beginner problems, and it is cheap to fix compared with buying a new bow.

Many beginners start with carbon or aluminum because the shafts are consistent. Wood is a pleasure to shoot, but it needs more checking. Whatever you pick, match the spine to your bow.

Choose an arrow long enough that the point stays in front of the bow at full draw. A common approach is to measure your draw length and add an inch or two, then cut to suit. A short arrow can be dangerous, because the tip can slip back past the bow hand.

Point weight also changes how an arrow behaves. A heavier point makes an arrow act weaker, and a lighter point makes it act stiffer. If you change point weight, check how your arrows fly. A spine chart from the arrow maker is a good starting point.

• Check local rules before you shoot at home.
• Set the target at a modest distance, such as 5 to 10 yards, to start.
• Put a safe backstop behind the target, such as a thick bank, netting or several layers of material, so missed arrows cannot travel.
• Keep people and pets well clear of the area behind and beside the target.
• Retrieve arrows only when everyone has stopped shooting.

See our targets guide and target stands guide for choosing and setting up a target.

Need a custom quiver, arm guard or bow bag with a name or club logo? We make them to order.

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