Compound Bow Safety Tips for beginners
ByIf you are a beginner in archery and have recently bought a compound bow there are several things to bear in mind. Safety is the paramount of any sport and hunting or archery is no different.
The number one rule with anything with this amount of power is: If you are afraid, do not use it. You need to be comfortable with the equipment you have in your hands, and this applies to bows as well as power tools and high powered saws and garden equipment.
The best place you can practice with your bow is at a shooting range, as these will have barriers and guidelines already set out. It is never acceptable to practice on your backyard since your house is too close together to someone elses - you can never be too sure where your arrow is going to land. This applies to any other open area although if you must shoot in an open wood of forest make sure it is away from public footpaths and it is somewhere that people rarely go; even then tape off your shooting area and make sure there is enough roughage around behind your target to catch any stray shots. If you are at a range and other people are walking towards their bull, never ever take your shot.
Making sure you never harm someone else should always be a priority. Never shoot where there may be a risk involved. However, you also have a duty to protect yourself.
At all times, wear protective clothing. An arm guard and a long sleeve shirt at the very minimum will help to keep you injury free. If you shoot without them you are more than likely to take some skin off you arm or hand and you will not be able to shoot again for a while. Long hair can also get in the way so you should be wearing suitable head hear or have it tied back at the very least.
If you are concerned about general safe practice with compound bows you should consider taking a safety lesson. These are often free at shooting ranges or at the most cost $10 and you will learn all about the safety measures involved. If you learn the proper skills from the start which includes this, you will be a better archer - or hunter - in the long run.
