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Archery Glossary

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Anchor: This is the position that bow is pulled to, to shoot the arrow.

Anchor Point: This is the point to which you draw your bow to and anchor along side of face. It is very important to make sure you do this the same with every shot.

Arrow Rest: An item you attach to the bow for your arrow to rest on. It it used to get riser and shelf clearance. Also to aid in the tuning of bow.

Arrow Spine: The stiffness and strength of a arrow.

Bow Square: A tool that is used to set your nocking point and also used to check the tiller of a bow.

Bow String: The main string on a bow in which you nock your arrow to, to make the shot.

Brace Height: This is the distance between your bow string and the handle.

Buss Cable: A cable that attaches to limbs and to the cams on the bow. Used to set up timing. On one cam bows there is only one buss cable and on two cam bows there are two buss cables.

Cable Guard: Attaches to the bow and is used to gain cable clearance for your arrow.

Cams: They are the wheels at each end of your bow limbs. They come in four main types. Hard, Medium, Soft, and Single.

Center Shot: This is lining your arrow up that it is in direct center of your bowstring.

Creep: This is when you are at full draw and while you are aiming you let the bow string drift forward before releasing the arrow.

D-Loop: This is a loop made out of rope or metal that attaches to the bowstring usually tied in at top and bottom of where nock is positioned on string. Used as a aid to clip your release to. Using the d-loop will increase your draw length about a 1/2".

Deflex Riser: This is the shape of a riser that pushes outward.

Double Cam: This is a bow that has two cams of equal size. They come in three main styles.

Draw Length: This is the length in which the bow is pulled to shoot an arrow. To determine draw length, draw an arrow back and mark it at the point in which it is even with the front of the bow. This is your draw length. Draw length determines what length of arrow you should shoot.

Draw Weight: This is the weight you are pulling back until you reach the letoff of the bows cams. This is usually measured in poundage or kilograms.

FOC: This is the balance point of an arrow. Usually 60% of the weight should be in the back of the balance point and 40% in the front.

Grains: This is the standard measurement for the weight of an arrow, broadhead or fieldpoint.

Kisser Button: This item is attached to string so that when you are at full draw it touches your lips. Used to help with consistency as a anchor point.

Let-Off: This is the percentage of weight that you are holding at full draw. Newer bows are usually 65% or 80% let-off.

Limbs: This is the ends of the bow from the riser out. This is the part that flexes to give the arrow it's forward motion.

Limb Bolts: These are the bolts at the end of the riser in which you use to increase or decrease your poundage of your bow. Also are used to adjust the tiller of the bow.

Limb Bolt Locks: These are set screws used to lock your limb bolts from moving. If your bow is equipped with these set screws, make sure before any adjustments are made to your limb bolts that these screws are backed out so as not to do any damage to the limb bolts.

Modules: These are part of the cams. On some bows these must be changed to change the draw length of your bow.

Nock: This is an attachment to your arrow, which is clipped to the bow string to hold it in place.

Nocking Point: This is the spot on your bow string in which the arrow is placed prior to shooting and drawing.

Nocking Pliers: This is a tool used to crimp nock sets to your bowstring.

Nock Set: This is a small metal ring or hand tied serving material placed on your bowstring for your nocking point. Usually place above where your nock is clipped to bowstring.

Peep Sight: An item that is placed on string that you look through to aid in shot consistency and to make it easier to use sights.

Reflex Riser: This is a riser which pushes inwards. This creates a shorter brace height.

Release Aid: This is an item that is used to help in drawing and shooting of bow. Can be a glove, finger tabs, or a release that is set off by mechanical means.

Riser: This is the center part of the bow. This is where the archer holds the bow to draw bow back. Also known as the handle.

Serving: This the area on the bowstring that has extra thread wraps to prevent the arrow or the release from causing damage to the bow string. Keep an eye open for wear to this area and replace at first sign of wear.

Sight Window: This is the cut out area of the riser.

Single Cam Bow: This bow consist of a round wheel at the top of the bow and a cam at the bottom of the bow shaped similar to the number 6.

Stabilizer: A bar that is mounted to the front of the bow to help steady bow and absorb some of the shock

Target Panic: This is the loss of control of ones self while aiming at a target.

Tiller: This is the measurement between the string and the top of riser and the bottom of riser. This measurement should be the same at the top as it is at the bottom of the riser.

Timing (bow): This is the rollover of the cams. They should both rollover and be in same exact position at full draw.

Torque: This is the twisting of the bow by an improper hold.

Tuning (bow): This is the act of setting up your bow to shoot at its ultimate performance.

Tuning (paper): This is where you shoot an arrow through a sheet of paper and changing your bow set-up by the hole that is made by arrow passing through the paper. You determine the changes to be made to your bow by the tear of the hole in the paper.

Velocity: This is the rate of speed in which an arrow travels. Arrows are rated in feet per second. This can be determined by shooting through a chronograph.

Wrist Sling: This is attached to the bow usually at the same place the stabilizer is attached. It can be made of different materials. Used to keep from gripping bow while shooting and keep bow from flying out of your hand.