Learning to shoot a bow with some degree of competency is not near as difficult as learning the lingo used in archery circles. This glossary lists common terms that will help anyone new to the sport understand how to speak archery with confidence. 

Ten ring: Small circular ring in the center of a target without any holes in it.

Release Aid: Yellow jacket that lands on your cheek while at full draw.  Or, a Flomax prescription, for those who remember Fred Bear as a child.

Allen Wrench: Small “L” shaped device used to re-attach things that fall off of compound bows during a shoot.

Under-spined: Shooting buddy who can’t go to the range because his wife won’t let him. Can also be an arrow that is not stiff enough?

Over-spined: Shooting buddy who brings his wife to the range and makes her sit in the truck. Can also be an arrow that is too stiff?

Field Tip: Worthless bits of information offered by your buddies while on the range. Can also be a type of arrow point?

Broadhead: Guy who wears an extra large hat. Can also be a type of hunting point?

Target arrows: Any arrow that lands in or near the target.

Hunting arrows: What the traditional guys are usually doing behind the target. Can also be an arrow with a broadhead.

Broadhead wrench: A small plastic tool used to attach sharpened broadheads to an arrow shaft; usually covered in bloody fingerprints.

String serving: A nylon or monofilament thread that is wrapped around the bowstring at the nocking point to protect the bowstring from wear.

Yeeeeow! Exclamation from previously bearded shooter who didn’t realize his serving had begun to unwind, or from someone who used to have an un-bloodied broadhead wrench.

String Silencer: Big gob of beard hair tangled in a loose string serving.

Archer’s paradox: Whether to tell your wife about the new bow before or after you inform her that you don’t have the money for her anniversary present.

Over Bowed: Trying to shoot a bow that is too heavy.

Quiver: What an over bowed guy does. Can also be a device for transporting arrows.

Arrow rest: Area under the leaves behind a target.

Twisted Limb: A bow that has been ruined by not using a bow stringer may have a twisted limb. Can also describe the drawing arm of an over bowed shooter.

Forward of center: Term used to describe the center of gravity of a finished arrow. Can also refer to the mid-section of most male shooters on the range.

Didn’t keep score: Couldn’t hit a bull in the butt at ten feet.

Shot pretty good: Hit a couple of the targets while someone was watching.

Target 5 was set great! The only twelve I had for entire course was on target 5.

I’ve shot better: Yeah, once about twenty years ago.

It’s a great bow! I don’t need it anymore, would you please buy it?

I grew up shooting traditional bows: I can’t hit a bull in the butt at ten feet with a traditional bow so I traded it for a compound.