Compound Bow:

By far the most popular bow used today is the compound bow. A compound bow
uses a system of wheels, or cams, which offers hunters a
mechanical advantage over nonmechanical “stick” bows. Not only are compound
bows easier to pull back and hold at full draw,
they also push arrows faster and on flatter trajectories.
Recurve Bow:
Recurve bows feature limbs that curve away from the hunter, giving them more
power than straight-limbed bows.
Recurve bows require the hunter to hold full draw weight. That makes hunting
with them more challenging, which is exactly why some bowhunters choose recurves!
Long Bow:
A longbow is just what it sounds like: a very tall, straight-limbed bow. In
some cases, longbows are almost as long as the hunter is tall!
Not many hunters today use longbows because they’re hard to carry in heavy
brush and require significant practice to shoot accurately.
Some hunters prefer longbows, however, because they’re mechanically simple
and require extra skill.

Arrows:
Most modern arrows used for hunting are made of carbon fiber, aluminum, or a
combination of materials.
Rely on advice from an archery pro or experienced bowhunter to choose arrows
that match your bow.
Stiffness (called “spine”), weight, and length of arrows are all important to
consider.

Basic Arrow Parts:

Nock:
The nock is the plastic device at the back of the shaft. It clips on
the “serving” around the bowstring and holds the arrow on the string as the bow is
drawn.
Fletching:
Fletching refers to the feathers or plastic vanes glued to the rear of
the shaft that stabilize the arrow in flight.
You’ll see lots of sizes, shapes, and colors of fletching. One vane or
feather is usually a different color from the rest to help you position the arrow
on the string.
It’s called the “cock feather.” For hunters, choosing highly visible
fletching is important. You need to see the arrow fly all the way into the target.
Shaft:
The shaft is the body of the arrow. It is the piece to which everything
else is attached.
Most modern hunting arrows have hollow shafts of carbon fiber,
aluminum, or a combination of materials.
Point or Broadhead:
These are names for different types of arrowheads that have different
purposes, from target practice to big-game hunting.

Arrowhead Types:
Target Points & Field Points:
Both of these points are used for practice shooting into targets. They
are the only types of points allowed on many public archery ranges because
they are safer than broadheads and cause minimal damage to targets.
Blunts & Judo Points:
Blunts are flat-nosed tips the same diameter as the shaft or slightly
larger. Judo points are also flat-nosed tips but with spring wire arms extending
out.
 These spring wire claws will grab anything they touch, like limbs or
grass. When the claws grab, the rear of the arrow flips upward so it can easily be
found.
Both blunts and Judo points are used for small-game hunting.
Fish Points:
Fish points can be any of a variety of tips made for bowfishing. They
allow the point to easily pass through the fish but not pull out when the
fish is retrieved by the attached line. The fish point can be unscrewed
or reversed so the arrow can be removed from the fish.
Broadheads:
Broadheads are made for big game hunting. Handmade flint arrowheads
were the earliest broadheads. Today, there are hundreds of brands, models, designs,
and weights.
They all fall into two categories—fixed blade and mechanical.
Fixed blade broadheads have blades that do not move in flight or
when striking the target.
Mechanical broadheads fly to the target in a closed, small
profile and then open on contact to create a wide cut for maximum damage.

Broadhead Safety:
Broadheads kill by cutting through tissue and vital organs to cause severe
bleeding, so it is essential their blades be razor sharp.
Many broadheads (particularly mechanicals) come with practice points, so you
don’t have to shoot razor-sharp blades for practice.
However, responsible, ethical bowhunters always make sure that when they’re
in the field, the blades on their broadheads are as sharp as possible.
Because broadheads are so sharp, they have specific safety rules.
Rule 1:
Always use a broadhead wrench when installing a broadhead
on an arrow. A broadhead wrench protects you by covering and grasping the blades
when tightening.
Rule 2:
Cover broadheads securely. Whenever you are storing or
transporting broadhead-tipped arrows, cover the heads securely.
This is best done in a quiver that covers the broadheads
completely with hard plastic. Arrows must be held securely so they can’t easily
fall out.
The quiver should also hold arrows apart so the heads are
not dulled or damaged.
Rule 3:
Field dress game with caution. As you field dress or
butcher an animal taken with a broadhead-tipped arrow, use extra caution.
All or parts of the broadhead may be in the meat, bone, or
entrails. Be sure to account for the entire broadhead so you won’t cut yourself on
it as you work.

Safe Shooting:
Before shooting or hunting with any bow, you need to look both at your
equipment and at your potential shooting location to make sure every shot is safe.
Check your equipment before every trip to make sure the bow is in good
working order. Bow strings and cables generally last a few seasons,
but always inspect for excessive wear or fraying and replace as needed. Look
at the limbs as well to make sure that the laminated layers aren’t separating.
This is rare, but it does happen. And check your arrows often for cracking or
excessive wear. If there’s damage, dispose of the arrow immediately!
Also, make sure the arrows match your bow both in length and spine. Arrows
that are too short or too light are dangerous and should never be used!

Your shooting location must offer a clean flight path to your target. Twigs
can cause deflections and cause your arrow to fly in unsafe directions.
ALWAYS be sure of your target and what’s behind it. Your arrows can go a long
way very quickly. Never shoot a bow straight into the air.
Wind and shot angle make it impossible to know where the arrow will land,
making it possible for the arrow to hit you or other unintended targets,
causing severe injury or even death.

Your draw should be done smoothly and at a consistent speed. If you need to
yank the string back to draw, the bow is too heavy for you.
Your anchor point is the exact spot you draw to every time. Keep your finger
off the release trigger until you’re ready to shoot.
Look through the peep sight, settle the right pin on your target, and slowly
squeeze the trigger on the release.

You’ll need plenty of practice to understand your bow well. Develop those
skills on the range, and they’ll serve you well out in the field.

What is a crossbow?
The crossbow is growing in popularity and features a bow mounted horizontally
onto a shoulder stock. This makes it more like a firearm than other bows.
A crossbow can even have a scope, just like a rifle. Crossbows use bolts,
which are basically short arrows. The bolt is released by pulling the trigger.
Hunters like crossbows because they are cocked and ready to shoot when game
approaches. Plus, they offer a flat trajectory, which makes them very effective for
hunting.

Basic Crossbow Parts:

Butt Stock:
The butt stock supports the rest of the crossbow.
Sights:
As with a firearm, the sight helps the shooter aim the crossbow.
Trigger:
The trigger is really a whole system that holds and releases the bolt
when you fire a crossbow.
The parts you see outside the crossbow are the trigger, which is what
you pull to make the crossbow shoot, and the trigger guard,
which keeps the trigger from moving when it shouldn’t. The rest of the
trigger mechanism is inside the crossbow.
String:
The string is used to draw the crossbow.
Cables:
The cables connect the cams and turn them over when the crossbow is
being drawn.
Wheels/Cams:
Wheels, or cams, help the shooter draw back the string in a compound
crossbow.
Limbs:
The limbs of the crossbow can be compound or recurve. A recurve
crossbow must have a longer barrel and limbs to reach the power level of a compound
crossbow.
Stirrup:
The stirrup keeps the crossbow in place while it's being cocked.

All of the rules of firearm safety apply to crossbows, but there are some
additional points to remember. Here are some rules for safely using a crossbow:

Crossbow Safety:
1) Always wear safety glasses. A broken bolt or nock can injure your eyes.
2) When cocking your crossbow, make sure your foot is firmly in the stirrup. Also,
whether you’re cocking by hand or using a cocking device,
make sure you pull evenly on both sides of the rail.
3) Always engage the safety immediately after cocking your crossbow. Never move the
safety to the off position until you’re ready to shoot.
4) Always check each bolt before loading to ensure that neither the shaft nor the
nock is damaged. Make it a habit to shoot at multiple bull’s-eyes
when target practicing to reduce the odds of damaging your bolts.
5) Make sure the bolt matches the draw weight of your crossbow. Using a bolt that
is spined too lightly for your crossbow is dangerous—it could shatter upon firing!
6) NEVER dry fire a crossbow! You risk damaging or destroying it and seriously
injuring yourself or anyone around you. Don’t do it!
7) Keep your fingers off the rail at all times, especially when firing. Each year,
hunters who forget this important rule severely injure their fingers.
8) Make sure every shot has a safe backstop before you fire. Crossbows are very
powerful and can send a bolt hundreds of yards.
9) Never try to cock a crossbow when you’re in an elevated treestand. It’s better
to cock the crossbow while you are on the ground, then hoist the cocked,
unloaded crossbow into your stand. Of course, you must also lower your
crossbow from the stand.
10) Always carry a decocking bolt in your quiver. The best way to uncock any
crossbow at the end of a hunt is to put that bolt on the rail and fire it into the
soft ground before climbing down from your stand or leaving your hunting
area. You can either buy these bolts or make your own.