While not as commonly used as they once were, bows and arrows are still used by some people to hunt and are also used in the sport of archery. While bows and arrows are still sold at many sporting goods stores and hunting shops, it is also possible to craft your own simple bow and arrow set.
Bow
A simple bow with a shooting range of 10 to 20 feet can be crafted out of many types of wood. Cedar, oak, ash, birch, maple, elm, hickory, locust, willow and yew are all good choices. Try to get branches or saplings that are near a water supply, such as a creek or stream, and select one that is as straight as you can find, with no knots or small branches. The diameter should be at least 1 inch at the center and 3/4 inch at the end, but no thicker than two inches at the center. Make sure the length of each piece is long enough so that you can do some trimming and still have a bow that hits between your chest and chin when held up next to you. Choose two or three pieces of wood.
Saw or cut the wood with a knife. Do not snap it. This can cause cracks in the interior of the wood that will weaken your bow. Determine if a piece of wood can be bent into a bow by stepping on the center and gripping each end in a hand. Bend the ends inward three to four inches. If the piece breaks or feels brittle, get rid of the piece and get a new one. Once you have found a sturdy piece of wood, cut the branch down so that it hits between your chest and chin, then peel off the bark by hand. Once the bark is removed, let the bow dry for 24 hours in the shade.
After the bow has dried, create a handle by wrapping leather or tape around the center of the bow. Wrap several layers at the top of the handle. This will make a rest for the arrow.
Make notches at each end of the bow for attaching the string. These notches should face the inside of the bow, the side that will face you as you pull back on the string. Use a "V" shape cut.
Attach a bow string that is 12 inches longer than the bow. This string can be made of several materials, including nylon twine, string, shoes laces or leather. If your string is thin, twist several together to form a strong bow string.
Tie the string to the bottom of the bow and make a loop in the other end of the string six inches shorter than the length of the bow. Bend the bow until you can slip the loop over the top end of it. You can bend the bow around the back of your knee or hold the bottom end on the ground with your foot as you bend the top inward. Once you have placed the looped around the bow, tighten the string to hold the bow in place.
Arrow
Create simple arrows to go with your bow using straight shoots from a branch or saplings. Choose pieces that are between 1/4 and 1-inch in diameter that are free of knots. Arrows will be easiest to control if they are between 24- and 30-inches long.
Once you have chosen pieces of wood for your arrows, break the bark off each piece with your hands and let them dry for one to 10 days in the shade. Straighten the arrows by hand every day to create the straightest possible arrows. When they are dry, create a point by whittling one end. To harden the point, char the tip over hot coals. Whittle a "V" shaped notch for the bow string at the other end, then wrap twine around the end with the notch to prevent splitting.
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