Archery Honor

Recreational Activities

Requirements

1. Be at least 12 years of age.

   Answer: The minimum age is 12 years, ensuring physical and mental maturity for safe handling. — The Archery Honor requires a minimum age of 12 years. This limit ensures that the practitioner has sufficient muscular development to draw the bow correctly, refined motor coordination, and the maturity to follow the safety rules, avoiding accidents to themselves and to other Pathfinders.

2. Know and explain the safety rules of archery.

   Answer: Main archery safety rules: 1) Never point the bow (loaded or not) at people, animals, or upward; aim only at the target. 2) Only nock and draw the arrow when on the shooting line facing the target. 3) Ensure a clear area behind and around the target (backstop/containment barrier). 4) Shoot only when the line is clear and at the instructor's command; no one ahead of the shooting line. 5) Retrieve arrows only when everyone has finished shooting and at the signal releasing the field. 6) Walk (never run) when retrieving arrows and approach the target from the sides. 7) Do not shoot damaged arrows (cracked, warped) or use a defective bow. 8) Keep a safe distance between shooters on the line. 9) Use protective gear (arm guard/bracer and finger tab or glove). 10) In case of an incident, stop everything immediately and notify the instructor. — The main archery safety rules include: never point at people, animals, or toward areas where people are passing; only shoot when the shooting range is clear; wait for the instructor's command to retrieve arrows; use an arm guard and finger tab; never shoot upward without a defined target; inspect the arrows before each shot (cracks make them unusable). Safety discipline is as important as technique.

3. Identify the parts of an arrow, explaining the function of each one.

   Answer: Point (penetrates the target), shaft (body), fletching (stabilizes the flight), and nock (fits onto the string). — The arrow has four essential components: the point (point/tip), responsible for penetrating the target; the shaft, the central body made of carbon, aluminum, or wood; the fletching, the set of feathers or plastics that stabilizes the flight through aerodynamic rotation; and the nock, the plastic fitting at the end that attaches the arrow to the bowstring. The integrity of each part is essential for an accurate and safe shot.

4. Identify and explain the parts that make up the:
   • Compound bow
   • Recurve bow

   Answer: 1) Compound bow: it has a system of pulleys (cams) and cables at the tips that creates a lever effect; when drawing the string, this system reduces the force needed to keep the bow fully drawn (the so-called let-off), making it easier to aim for longer. Its main parts are: the short, sturdy limbs, the central riser where the grip is located, the pulleys/cams at the ends, the cables and the string, the sight window, and the accessories (sight, stabilizer, and arrow rest). 2) Recurve bow: it is simpler and more traditional, without pulleys; it gets this name because the tips of the limbs curve outward (away from the archer), which stores more energy and gives more speed to the arrow. Its main parts are: the central riser with the grip, the two limbs (upper and lower) fitted into the riser, the recurved tips with the string nocks, the string, and the arrow rest; the holding force is felt entirely by the archer throughout the entire draw. — The recurve bow is the most traditional: it has limbs curved forward at the tips, a riser (central handle), a string, and usually an arrow rest. It is the one used in the Olympics. The compound bow uses a mechanical system of pulleys (cams) and cables at the top and bottom, which creates 'let-off' — a reduction of the force needed to keep the bow drawn, allowing greater precision and impact force. Both have a riser, limbs, string, and arrow rest.

5. Describe and show how to use the following accessories:
   • Arm guard (bracer)
   • Finger tab
   • Quiver
   • Sling (wrist or bow sling)
   • Kisser (kisser button)

   Answer: The main accessories are: arm guard (bracer) — protects the forearm from the impact of the string; finger tab or glove — protects the fingers that draw the string; quiver — arrow holder that can be a hip, back, or ground quiver; sling (wrist/finger strap) — a loop that prevents the bow from falling out of the hand after the shot; kisser (kisser button) — a reference point on the string that touches the lip to ensure consistency of the anchor.

6. Understand the zones and scoring rules of the standard archery target.

   Answer: The standard target (FITA/World Archery) has 10 rings in 5 concentric colors, from the center outward: yellow (10 and 9), red (8 and 7), blue (6 and 5), black (4 and 3), and white (2 and 1); outside the white is worth 0 (M, a miss). There is also the inner ring (X) at the center of the yellow, which counts as 10 but serves as a tiebreaker criterion. When the arrow touches the line between two rings, the higher value counts. Each series usually has a fixed number of arrows (e.g., 3 or 6), and the final score is the sum of the values of all the arrows. — The standard World Archery (FITA) target has 10 concentric zones in 5 colors: yellow (10 and 9), red (8 and 7), blue (6 and 5), black (4 and 3), and white (2 and 1). The absolute center is marked with 'X' (the bullseye) — it is also worth 10, but serves as a tiebreaker criterion, counting how many X's each archer hit. Shots outside the target are worth 0; shots on the dividing line are worth the higher value.

7. Why is it necessary to have the Nock Point of the arrow positioned correctly on the bowstring?

   Answer: It ensures that the arrow always nocks at the same height on the string, maintaining consistent flight and accurate shots. — The nock point is a marking fixed on the bowstring that defines exactly where the arrow should nock for each shot. Positioned correctly (usually 1/8 to 1/4 inch above the right angle with the arrow rest), it ensures uniform arrow height on every shot, prevents 'paradox' (vertical oscillations), prolongs the life of the bow, and protects the archer's fingers. Without it, each shot would have a random height and irreproducible aim.

8. Demonstrate in a basic way the following shooting techniques:
   • Stance
   • Nocking the arrow
   • Drawing the bow
   • Anchoring

   Answer: Feet apart at shoulder width, perpendicular to the target, weight balanced, and torso upright. — The basic shooting technique follows five steps: 1) Stance — feet at shoulder width, perpendicular to the target, weight distributed evenly, torso upright, chin parallel to the ground; 2) Nocking the arrow — place the nock on the string at the nock point and the arrow on the rest; 3) Draw — pull the string firmly to the anchor position; 4) Anchoring — establish a fixed reference point (corner of the mouth or chin); 5) Release — let go of the string by relaxing the fingers smoothly.

9. Establish an archery practice routine, at least 2 hours per day, 2 times per week, for 4 consecutive weeks, keeping a record of your score.

   Answer: To track technical progress, identify points to improve, and set progressive goals. — Recording the score of each session (minimum 2h, 2x per week, for 4 weeks) allows the Pathfinder to objectively visualize their progress, compare results over time, identify recurring errors (tendencies of shots to the left, low, etc.), correct technique with the instructor, and set achievable goals. The discipline of record-keeping also develops responsibility, perseverance, and self-assessment — virtues promoted by the Pathfinder program.

10. Using a recurve bow, achieve one of the following scores:
    • Indoor: 30 arrows (6 series of 5 arrows) at a distance of 18 meters, scoring 50 points on a 60 cm target.
    • Outdoor: 30 arrows (6 series of 5 arrows) at a distance of 25 meters, scoring 150 points on a 122 cm target.

    Answer: Score 50 points with 30 arrows (6 series of 5) at 18 meters, on a 60 cm target. — The practical test for the Honor has two options: 1) Indoor — 30 arrows distributed in 6 series of 5, shooting at 18 meters at a 60 cm diameter target, totaling at least 50 points. 2) Outdoor — 30 arrows in 6 series of 5, at 25 meters at a 122 cm target, totaling 150 points or more. The goals combine volume of practice (minimum 4-week routine), technique (stance, anchoring), and discipline (score tracking).