Bow Styles

The prescribed bow for this competition shall adhere to the traditional longbow design, crafted from wood and available in variations such as “self”, “backed”, or “laminated”, with cambered (stacked) belly and horn nocks. It is mandated that the bow measure no less than five feet in length for arrows shorter than 27 inches, and a minimum of five feet six inches for arrows of 27 inches or longer, measured along the back between the string nocks.

Furthermore, the bow’s depth, measured from back to belly, shall not be less than 5/8 (five eighths) of its width at the same section. It is imperative to note that the bow must not include any form of support for the arrow. Additionally, bows constructed from bamboo, provided they conform to the aforementioned specifications, are permissible for use in this competition.

ArcheryGB Definition, (206 Longbow)
Rules of shooting Proc-01-16, January 2023

• Bow. The bow shall be the traditional longbow made from wood, either “self”, “backed”, or “laminated” with cambered (stacked) belly and horn nocks. With the exception of the “self” bow, each limb of the bow shall form a single simple curve from the handle to the nock when at full draw. The bow shall be not less than five feet in length for an arrow of less than 27 inches and;  not less than five feet six inches in length for a 27” or longer arrow, this being measured along the back between the string nocks. At no point shall the depth of the bow, measured from back to belly, be less than 5/8 (five eighths) of the width of the bow at the same section. The bow may carry no support for the arrow. Bows of bamboo, constructed in conformity with the above, shall be permitted
• String. The string may be of either natural or man-made substance, and may, if desired, embody a “kisser” at any point as required to facilitate a consistent draw position, but for no other purpose.
• Sights and Ground Markers. A sight, as such, is not permitted but one of the following may be used:
  • A mark on the bow limb.
  • A rubber band of no more than 1/8” in depth and thickness.
  • Aground marker of any design provided it does not exceed a height from the ground of 6 inches or a diameter of 3 inches or impede any other archer.
• Arrows. Arrows shall have wooden steles (shafts), shall be fitted with feather fletchings, and may have either horn-reinforced, self or applied nocks. There is no limit to the maximum shaft diameter. The pile shall not exceed the diameter of the shaft at the point of fitment. Shouldered piles, whilst not disallowed, should be avoided because of excess damage to targets. Arrows shall be properly marked, so that there shall be no difficulty in claiming them.
• Hand Protection
  • Finger protection in the form of finger stalls or tips, gloves, or shooting tab or tape (plaster) to draw, hold back and release the string is permitted, provided that such protection does not incorporate any device to hold, draw and release the string.
  • A separator between the fingers to prevent pinching the arrow and/or a platform tab may be used. An extension so as to provide a greater angle, prior to release, other than that achieved by the use of a normal tab, glove or other form of finger protection, is not permitted.
  • On the bow hand an ordinary glove, mitten or similar item may be worn but shall not be attached to the grip.

A flatbow is a bow with non-recurved, flat, relatively wide limbs that are approximately rectangular in cross-section. Because the limbs are relatively wide, flatbows will usually narrow and become deeper at the handle, with a rounded, non-bending, handle for easier grip. This design differs from that of a longbow, which has rounded limbs that are circular or D shaped in cross-section, and is usually widest at the handle. Traditional flatbows are usually wooden selfbows (bows made of one solid piece of wood), though laminated and composite flatbows have been made in ancient and modern times.

ArcheryGB Definition, (206A American Flatbow)
Rules of shooting Proc-01-16, January 2023

• Bow. The bow shall correspond to the traditional form of a longbow which means that when strung the string may not touch any other part of the bow but the string nocks. The bow may be made from any material or combination of material. The shape of the grip is not restricted.  Centre shot is allowed. For women the bow will not be less than 150 cm in length, for men the bow will be not less than 160 cm in length – this length being measured on a strung bow between the string nocks all along the outside of the limbs. No weights, stabilisers or torque flight compensators are allowed
• String. The bow string may comprise of any number of strands which may be different colours and of the material chosen for the purpose. The string may have a centre serving to accommodate the drawing fingers, a single nocking point to which may be added serving(s) to fit the arrow nock as necessary, and to locate this point 1 or 2 nock locators may be positioned and at each end of the bowstring a loop to be placed in the string nocks of the bow when braced. The serving on the string must not end within the athlete’s vision at full draw. The bowstring must not in any way assist aiming through the use of a peephole, marking, or any other means. No lip or nose mark is permitted. String silencers are permitted provided they are located no closer than 30 cm from the nocking point.
• Arrowrest. If the bow has an arrow shelf, that shelf may be used as an arrowrest and it may be covered with any type of soft material. No other types of rest will be allowed. No drawcheck device may be used.
• Sight and Point of Aim. No sight or sightmark on the bow that help aiming or any other artificial point of aim is allowed.
• Arrows. Arrows shall have wooden shafts fitted with points of the field type or bullet, conical or cone shaped meant for wooden arrows. Only natural feathers will be used as fletching. Cresting may be applied. The maximum diameter of arrow shafts will not exceed 9.3mm; the points for these arrows may have a maximum diameter of 9.4mm. All arrows must be marked with the archer’s name or initials on the shaft. All arrows used at any end will carry the same pattern and colour(s) of fletching, nocks and cresting, if any.
• Hand Protection. Finger protection in the form of finger stalls or tips, gloves, shooting tab or tape (plaster) to draw, hold back and release the string is permitted.
• • The finger protection must not incorporate any device to hold, draw and release the string.
  • An anchor plate or similar device attached to the finger protection (tab) for the purpose of anchoring is not permitted.
  • On the bow hand an ordinary glove, mitten or similar item may be worn but must not be attached to the grip.

Asiatic bows represent a sophisticated evolution in archery technology, characterized by their composite construction that blends multiple materials to optimize performance. This innovative approach, which predates the formal recognition of Asiatic bows by several millennia, is evidenced by ancient practices of reinforcing wooden bows with materials such as rawhide and sinew to enhance tensile strength.

The earliest known depiction of a recognizable Asiatic bow dates back to approximately 2030 BC, as depicted on the Victory Stele of Naram Sin. These bows, renowned for their composite construction, are notably shorter than traditional ‘primitive’ bow types, allowing for a tighter radius bend and greater efficiency in drawing heavier weights.

One distinguishing feature of Asiatic bows is the incorporation of rigid limb ends, known as ‘Siyahs’ in Turkish archery terminology. These limb ends, approximately 20cm in length, provide stability and facilitate the drawing of higher poundages, enabling archers to achieve greater power and accuracy compared to equivalent simple bows.

The versatility and performance capabilities of Asiatic bows have made them a staple among various cultures throughout Eurasia, including Mongolians, Chinese, Koreans, Indians, Persians, Turks, and Byzantines (Eastern Romans). Embracing a thumb draw technique, practitioners of Asiatic archery harness the bow’s stability and maneuverability, particularly in mobile situations such as horseback riding.

ArcheryGB Definition, (206B Asiatic Bow)
Rules of shooting Proc-01-16, January 2023

• Bow. The bow shall be composite in construction, made of multiple components leading to a single piece for the bow. Materials may be modern fibre glass, or traditional materials such a combination of wood, bamboo, horn. The bow may be wrapped in either leather, birch bark or snakeskin and lacquered. The bow may carry no support for the arrow. The bow must not have a pressure button or weights
• String. The string may be of either natural or man-made substance.
• Sights and Ground Markers. A sight or ground markers are not permitted.
• Arrows. Arrows can be wood, aluminium, carbon or carbon composite. There is no limit to the maximum shaft diameter. The pile shall not exceed the diameter of the shaft at the point of fitment. Shouldered piles, whilst not disallowed, should be avoided because of excess damage to targets. Arrows shall be properly marked, so that there shall be no difficulty in claiming them.
• Hand Protection.
  • A thumb ring is permitted. Typically it is made of a single material, of leather, wood, Jade, plastic, horn, and various metals. The string may rest on top of the ring, or behind the ring’s edge.
  • The thumb hooks around the string and the index finger is placed over the thumb nail to assist the hold. The thumb ring provides protection from the release of the string like a finger tab.
  • On the bow hand an ordinary glove, mitten or similar item may be worn but shall not be attached to the grip.
• Safety.
  • For the purpose of Rule 302 Safety, the bow is considered to shot off the fingers. A thumb ring is not considered as a mechanical release.
  • The archer’s anchor point may be different to other shooting styles however archers shooting with this bow will need to ensure that they conform to Rule 102(b).

Unlike its counterparts adorned with accessories and attachments, the barebow stands as a symbol of unadorned elegance and raw craftsmanship.

At its core, the barebow embodies the essence of traditional archery, stripped of any external aids or enhancements. With no sights to guide the aim, no stabilizers to steady the hand, and no mechanical releases to assist in the draw, the barebow demands nothing but the archer’s skill and instinct.

ArcheryGB Definition, (204 Barebow)
Rules of shooting Proc-01-16, January 2023
Defers to WA Constitution and Rules, Book 3, Article 11.4, 15 January 2024

• A bow of any type provided it complies with the common meaning of the word bow as used in target archery, that is, an instrument consisting of a handle/riser and grip (no shoot through type) and two flexible limbs each ending in a tip with a string nock. The bow is braced for use by a single string attached directly between the two string nocks, and in operation is held in one hand by its grip while the fingers of the other hand draw and release the string.
• The bow as described above shall be bare except for the arrow rest and free from protrusions, sights or sight marks, marks or blemishes or laminated pieces (within the bow window area) which could be of use in aiming. The unbraced bow complete with permitted accessories shall be capable of passing through a hole or ring with a 12.2cm inside diameter +/-0.5mm.
• Multi-coloured bow risers, and trademarks located on the inside of the upper and lower limb or on the riser are permitted. However, if the area within the sight window is coloured in such a way that it could be used for aiming, then it must be taped over.
• Risers including a brace are permitted provided the brace does not consistently touch the athlete’s hand or wrist.
• A bowstring of any number of strands.
• Which may be of multi-coloured strands and serving and of the material chosen for the purpose. It may have a centre serving to accommodate the drawing fingers, one or two nocking points to which may be added serving(s) to fit the arrow nock as necessary, and to locate the nocking points. No lip or nose mark is permitted. The bowstring shall not in any way assist aiming through the use of a peephole, marking, or any other means. The end of the center serving where it transitions to bowstring material shall not end within the athlete’s plane of vision at full draw.
• An arrow rest, which may be adjustable and have more than one vertical support, is permitted.
• An adjustable pressure button, pressure point or arrow plate may all be used on the bow provided they do not offer any additional aid in aiming. The pressure point may be placed no further back than 2cm (inside) from the pivot point of the grip.
• No draw check device may be used.
• Face and string walking are permitted.
• No stabilisers are permitted.
• Vibration dampeners are permitted. They may be installed in the riser by the manufacturer, or by attaching aftermarket dampeners directly to the riser or to weight(s). Any combination of weight(s) and vibration dampener(s) must pass through a ring with an inside diameter of 12.2 cm (+/- 0.5mm) without having to flex vibration dampeners to fit through the 12.2 cm ring. A riser manufacturers’ angled stabilizer insert(s) are allowed, but angular brackets or connectors are not permitted. Weight(s) and dampener(s) may be added below and above the riser’s grip, but must not aid the athlete in aiming or ranging in any way.
• Arrows of any type may be used provided they subscribe to the accepted principle and meaning of the word arrow as used in target archery, and that these arrows do not cause undue damage to the targets.
• An arrow consists of a shaft with a tip (point), nocks, fletching and, if desired, cresting. The maximum diameter of arrow shafts shall not exceed 9.3mm (arrow wraps shall not be considered as part of this limitation but may not extend further than 22cm toward the arrow point when measured from the nock groove where the bowstring sits to the end of the wrap). The tips/points of the arrows may not exceed 9.4mm in diameter. All arrows of every athlete shall be marked with the athlete’s name or initials on the shaft. All arrows used in any end shall be identical in appearance and shall carry the same pattern and colour(s) of fletching, nocks and cresting, if any. Tracer nocks (electrically/electronically lighted nocks) are not allowed.
• Finger protection in the form of finger stalls or tips, gloves, or shooting tab or tape, to draw and release the string is permitted, provided they do not incorporate any device that shall assist the athlete to hold, draw and release the string.
• A separator between the fingers to prevent pinching the arrow may be used. An anchor plate or similar device attached to the finger protection (tab) for the purpose of anchoring is permitted. The stitching shall be uniform in size and colour. Marks or lines may be added directly to the tab or on a tape placed on the face of the tab. These marks shall be uniform in size, shape and colour and may have up to two different lengths. Additional memoranda are not permitted. On the bow hand an ordinary glove, mitten or similar item may be worn but shall not be attached to the grip of the bow.