ANST - Measuring Bows

[James Crouchet]

> On Wed, 27 Aug 1997 06:27:45 -06:0, you wrote:
> 
> >> >Yes, I can overdraw off the the side, but that ruins the aim. What 
> >> >good is range if I can't hit the target?
> >> 
> >> The solution to this is practice with the helm on.
> >
> >Ok, next time you take a rifle to the range, hold it over your head 
> >to shoot. Think you'll miss a lot? Well, gee, you just need more 
> >practice that way!
> 
> Aw. common Savien, that's apples and oranges.
> 
> >As with the rifle, practice improves aim, but if you are holding the 
> >weapon in a goofy way the aim will never be very good.
> 
> Gee, that's exactly what I thought when I was being taught how to
> hold an epee.  Imagine my surprise when the goofy way turned out to
> be the right way for fighting with that weapon. :)

Yes, you use the grip that hundreds of years of practice have taught 
us works best. I just want to do the same with my bow.

> It's the nature of the beast. Archers in period would not be
> required to wear helmets so they have more anchor points to draw to.
> If you want to be anal about being period [not saying you are, mind.
> ] try to draw the way the Roman Archers did, straight back to the
> middle of the chest - very ineffective.

How about if I follow the French and English method and draw back to 
my face? A lot of folks in period did things poorly. Others did 
things well. I would rather copy those who did well.

> What I was trying to get across was that combat archery and target
> archery are also apples and oranges. Perhaps just as different as
> fighting with rattan is different than rapier fighting.

As an experienced archer, I simply do not agree. They are different, 
but only as different as, say, rapier with foils and rapier with 
doublewide epees.

> You can do
> both,. but you have to practice both.  Practice target archery for
> IKAC and other archery events; practice [SCA]combat archery for
> [SCA]combat.  Sorry I wasn't that clear in my first post.

Then let me be clear. The current methodology cripples smaller 
archers. I do not think that anything we gain from this so-called 
standardization is worth that loss. My opinion was not formed by 
discussing archery by e-mail, but by shooting in wars, bow hunting 
(but NEVER with a compound) and target shooting. I will only step 
back this position when:

1. I am convinced that the current method prevents a significant 
risk of injury

or

2. I am shown that I can shoot just as far and accurately with a 28 
inch arrow and draw as with a 19 inch arrow and draw, both at 30 
lbs.

M. Doré
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