STL All Sports

Drawing. - After the proper grip has been taken and the arrow nocked, the next act in shooting is the draw.

Assume the shooting position which has already been discussed and turn the head to the left, looking directly over the left shoulder toward the target. Many good archers follow the habit of taking a deep breath just before the act of drawing. The complete act is accomplished by taking a deep breath and then expelling a slight amount of air to the point where it can be held easily. This practice is followed by practically all expert riflemen. It seems to react favorably by steadying the marksmen for the shot. It also gives them time to think what they are going to do and prevents them from hurrying their shots.

Swing the bow from the horizontal position, as described in the paragraph on nocking, to a nearly vertical position of 80 degrees, with the left arm extended as described under the paragraph on the grip. At the same time that the bow is pushed forward with the hand, the three shooting fingers of the right hand pull back on the string so that approximately the same effort is exerted by both arms and the full draw is attained at about the same time.

One acceptable form is to raise the bow on the start to what appears to be the proper distance and then complete the draw by pulling the arrow straight back, holding it momentarily until definite aim is taken before releasing it. This avoids the danger of creeping, which is likely to come in if the archer tries to come to the full draw too quickly. The draw should continue until the string touches the chin, keeping the fingers below and anchoring the forefinger to the chin for support, thus steadying the hand when the arrow is loosed. Another method for accomplishing this support, preferred by some archers, is to draw the second joint of the thumb under the chin and press it firmly against the jawbone. The nock should be directly under the chin.

The string should be drawn back to the same place on the chin each time. This point frequently varies between individuals, but generally speaking, it should be the center of the chin. The arrow should be fully drawn each time if good consistent shooting is to be anticipated. This means to draw the arrow to a point one inch from the end of the pile. Writers differ on the length of the draw, some saying it should be drawn to the end of the pile. However, one should avoid the fault of underdrawing or overdrawing. Considerable experience is necessary to teach the average archer the proper length of draw. During the draw the right elbow should be kept as high as the right hand, and at the end of the draw the forearm should be in a continuous line with the arrow.