Archery is a sport that is enjoyed by thousands of people around the world. If you’re considering taking on this ancient pastime as a beginner, there are plenty of reasons to recommend it. However, archery isn’t a sport for everyone.
Archery is worth learning for hobbyists who want to enjoy a versatile sport that can be pursued casually, as part of a competition, or as a method of hunting. Archery is a good match for those who want to increase their upper body strength while also learning a survival skill.
Thinking about taking up archery, and you’re not sure if it’ll be worth the investment in archery equipment or lessons? Read on to learn archery and about the advantages of learning archery and decide if it may be a good match for you as a sport.
Is Archery Worth Learning?
If you pose the question, “Is archery worth learning?” the answer is going to be different depending on who you ask. There are many different reasons why a person might want to learn archery in the first place. Here are just a few of the sample reasons why someone might think about getting into archery:
- Exercise: Some people may want to take archery lessons as a way to increase their endurance and upper body strength. Archery can be a fun alternative exercise for people bored with more traditional exercises like lifting weights.
- Sport: Some people may be interested in taking up archery to compete with it as a sport. Many people who take up archery as a sport learn how to shoot from a young age as part of an organized club, or individually under a tutor. (Source: Archery Talk)
- Hunting: Some people may be interested in learning how to shoot with a bow to use it for hunting. Bowhunters are often afforded special hunting periods and bag limits, and they may be allowed to hunt in areas where hunters with guns are not.
Whether you’re interested in archery for hunting or you have your eye on being an Olympian archer, archery offers athletes a unique niche to participate in.
Advantages of Archery
Several advantages make archery a useful skill to invest in. Here are a few benefits of learning how to shoot with a bow and arrow (Source: Archery360):
- Not many people do archery. Being a bow hunter or a competitive archer makes you a member of an elite club of sportsmen and sportswomen. Compared to other forms of shooting, only a small percentage of shooters take up the bow.
- Archery is a quiet sport. For those who enjoy the idea of learning to shoot but are put off by the ear-splitting noise of rifles firing near their heads, archery provides a silent and satisfying alternative. Using a bow also makes it easier to hunt one area repeatedly, since you don’t drive away all the game in the area with your first shot.
- Archery makes you stronger. Archery is an excellent way to build up your upper body strength and physical stamina over time. On the flip side of that, the more you invest in your physical strength as an archer, the easier it becomes as a skill. (Source: Modern Mississauga)
- Archery ammo is reloadable. People who shoot guns waste a lot of ammo during target practice when they’re not hunting or shooting competitively. Archers can reuse their practice arrows (buy on Amazon) again and again without wasting hundreds of dollars on spent ammo. Bowhunters can recover their arrows from downed game, too.
- Archery offers community. The archery community in any town or city is typically close-knit since it is a sport without as many people in it as others. However, this means it’s easy to get to know individuals within the sport in your area if you’re interested in becoming friends with other archers.
- Archery could save your life. Archery is considered a useful survivalist skill because it allows you to hunt for game and defend yourself in a situation of unrest. Bows and arrows are safer against bandits since they’re quiet weapons, and it’s harder for inexperienced fighters to turn them against you.
Whether you’re interested in using a bow for annual deer hunting trips or you just want to be able to defend yourself in an emergency, a bow can be a helpful weapon to know.
You can practice archery at home. Here is how to set up an indoor archery range.
Disadvantages of Archery
Learning archery can be useful, however, there are some drawbacks to archery as a sport compared to other pursuits. Here are a few downsides to archery that you should consider before buying your first bow:
- Archery is an expensive sport. To get decent equipment in archery, you should plan on investing several hundred dollars into your own equipment. This may be a dealbreaker for hobbyists on a strict budget. Along with the cost of archery equipment, you also need to factor in the cost of lessons, which may be on the expensive side if archery tutors are difficult to find. If you go to an archery academy, you’ll of course have to pay academy fees, which can be rather expensive as well. But check out if there are some archery academies in your local area you can attend. If you choose to hire an instructor for private lessons as well, the costs will be even higher. However, private lessons can also develop your archery skills greatly.
- Archery can be dangerous. While a bow and arrow setup is generally less dangerous than a hunting rifle as far as hobby weapons go, since a bow and arrow is much harder to set off accidentally, injuries can still arise from bows if they’re used by someone acting recklessly. Archers are also prone to repetitive motion injuries. (Source: Fit to Play)
- Archery takes strength and skill. Learning how to shoot a gun is relatively straightforward, and even physically weak people can do it well. In comparison, archery requires significant upper-body strength to hold the bow steady while lining up a shot. This is especially true with bow hunting since a bad shot can lead to crippling the animal.
Archery is fun and can be an exciting sport, but it comes with challenges. Taking the sport seriously and putting in the practice time necessary to improve is a big part of making archery worth the investment in getting started.
Archery Is Worth the Investment
Archery is absolutely worth investing in as a hobby or a sport. You will not only be good at archery, but you will also evolve as a person. Your physical skills and ability to concentrate will improve. But you’ll only get back out of it what you’re willing to put in. If you’re willing to make a moderate financial investment to get your own equipment (or borrow some archery equipment), and put in the time it takes to get good, archery is a skill that can benefit people of all ages.
