At any shooting range, whether a gun range or an archery range, it’s important to know the best ways to remain safe so you can have fun without getting injured. Though arrows may fly at a slower speed than a bullet, they can still cause just as much damage if not handled properly.
So how do you stay safe at the archery range? What do you wear to prevent injury? How do you handle your bow safely? We’ve got all the answers you need to make sure your next visit to the archery range is a good one.
How to Stay Safe at the Archery Range
Basic Tips
● Only point the bow and arrow in a safe direction
● Only nock an arrow when it’s safe to shoot
● Be sure of your target and what’s in front, behind, and beyond it
● Never shoot over a ridge
● Only shoot when you have a safe range or shooting area, and a safe backstop or background
● Wear an armguard
● If not shooting with a release use finger protection
● Handle your arrows carefully
● Use a bow-stringer for stringing any longbows or recurve bows
● Immediately repair defects found on your equipment during inspection
● Store your bow in a case
● Store your arrows in quivers and accessories in a box or padded bag
● Do not drink or take mood-altering drugs before or during shooting
Inspect Your Bow and Arrow
Before you nock an arrow, make sure that all equipment is inspected and in working order. One of the major causes of archery-related accidents comes from damaged bows or bowstrings snapping.
Check all the components of the bow and arrow for cracks, frays, warping, and any other damage that might compromise the equipment.
Wear Proper Attire
You may not think that it matters what you wear to shoot a bow and arrow, but while people often don’t think about it, it’s still important to dress properly.
Don’t wear anything to the archery range that could get tangled in the bow, such as scarves, hoods, or jewelry. These items could get snagged on a fired arrow and cause serious injuries.
Fire Safely & Give People Space
Archery is a great sport for people of all ages and stages. With that being said, people of different skill levels come to the archery range and it’s important to remain considerate of their space.
Beginner shooters may need a little more space to feel safer, more confident, and be less distracted. Others may take the sport more seriously if it’s part of their job, so they may not want to socialize with you or speak at all. Whatever the case, try to keep this in mind when visiting an archery range.
Retrieving Your Arrows
Just like a ceasefire, you should wait to retrieve your arrows until you are signaled to do so. You as the archer may misfire your arrow and see that it didn’t go far, and then be tempted to quickly retrieve it so you can fire again.
This is one of the easiest ways to get hurt, as you’re putting yourself in front of others to potentially be seriously injured.
When retrieving your arrow, do not bring your bow with you-- set it down slowly and safely, and once you’ve gathered your arrows, be sure all archers have returned to the line from the range and that the range is clear before signaling that it’s okay to shoot again.
Other Things to Consider at the Archery Range
Buffer Zones
Due to the hazards archery can pose, ranges should be in relatively secluded areas where there’s no chance that an individual will accidentally enter the range while participants are shooting. Generally, any walkways or trails should be at least 150 yards away from all possible trajectories of an arrow.
Backdrops
Archery ranges should be equipped with some sort of backstop to prevent any errant arrows from going too far beyond their target. This is essential in making sure any individuals who happen to wander behind the range don’t get hit by one of the arrows.
Backdrops also make it a lot easier to retrieve your arrows, saving you time from searching for them.
Hone Your Skills at Hot Brass Firearm and Bow Range
Stop by our range in West Springfield, Massachusetts for bow and arrow practice. Our Bow range is semi-private, climate-controlled and accessible Tuesday through Sunday year-round.