Arrow and bows are some of the most ancient weapons that survive to this day. In the primitive age, these used to be the standard weapon of every army around the world. You can never guess how humans hearts it pierced through so far. An arrow doesn’t know any kings or queens but only its targets.
However, with the dawn of modern inventions, modern firearms had replaced this deadly weapon. But some enthusiastic sportsman has been able to uphold it as a popular sport. Mostly, you get to enjoy it during the Olympic Games.
Sadly, we couldn’t manage to collect all the technology and tactics our ancestors used when dealing bow and arrow; however, we have been able to enlighten a few of them.
And one of the notable ones is dealing with the archer’s paradox. Here, we will have a look at some solutions in dealing with this issue.
What Is Archer’s Paradox?
As an archer, the first and foremost principle you need to master is how to aim by using a good recurve bow and steer clear of the archer paradox.
Well, if you want to understand the archer’s paradox, firstly, you need to understand how does a bow and arrow functions. First thing, the arrow is found on the bow staves’ side while snipping the arrow’s other end onto the string.
As you knock and try aiming the arrow down the sight in the right way, you are going to find the arrow is placed in the opposite of the bow staff. And aiming to the angle instead of at the direction where the rear side of your bow is facing.
The reason behind this is the bowstring position; it’s aligned to the bowstave. What sets up an archer for the paradox is when the arrows for archery is waiting to be released onto the side of the stave and attached to the nocking point of the bowstring, it puts the arrow up at a specific angle.
When you draw the string further and further, the angle of the arrow will keep changing. That time you will be left facing the paradox. Now, the question is, will you hit the target at the spot where it’s pointed now? Or will you hit the spot where it’s been pointed all these times?
And along with this paradox, your aim starts to get a lot more complicated and unpredictable. That’s what is known as archer’s paradox, and now you know the lying reason behind it.
What’s the Effect of Archer’s Paradox?
So, what do you think will happen if you release the arrow? Which angle the arrow tip follow towards, and what would be the trajectory? In this portion, we will have a look at the fallout of the archer’s paradox how it impacts the arrow’s trajectory.
As soon as you let go of the arrow, the bowstring spring comes back to its original place. Now, try to imagine the scenario in slow motion; you would see the bowstring backing down into its initial position gradually.
And during that process, the slow-motion arrow will keep heading towards the initial angle before you launch it towards the target. And the moment it happens, the arrow starts heading towards the bow stave as a result of the inertia from the shot.
The reason is when you had fully drawn the bow the arrow was at a lower angle and the moment the string snaps back where it belongs the arrow tends to go back to that lower angle. That’s how it gets required inertia to head towards the bow stave as soon as it’s released.
That’s where the flexibility of your arrow flashes into the screen. The spine of the arrow makes it wobble, making it go against the force of inertia. However, the arrow won’t diverge from its trajectory as the arrowhead is quite heavy and the fletch balance out the arrow’s flight.
This takes care of the projectile’s balance during the mid-air slow-motion arrow flight, extruding in a linear trajectory.
But you should remember, this issue may affect your aim in certain ways, and that depends on the arrow’s spine, the fletching matter, their category, and some other aspects. For instance, a stiffer arrow wouldn’t balance out that much, and that could be an advantage for bows with cramped staves.
Besides these issues related to the mechanics, this paradox comes with some other issues. If you are a beginner, you are going to have a hard time figuring out what angle might target the arrow at.
How to Cope-up ?
Don’t be afraid. It’s not that much as complex as it appears. Well, we can’t deny the fact, when you will switch to a different bow, this issue may bring few disruptions to the professional archers. Let’s shed some light on some possible solutions to this paradox.
Most importantly, you got to select the right spine of the arrow. The spine is your trump-card in dealing with archers’ paradox. If you can choose the right spine, then the arrow will travel following the same angle every time.
Another solution you can try is trying out some real shots. You got to keep in mind the angle before the draw angle afterward, so your muscle memory will have some clue about the possible hitting point when the arrow is released.
If you are an experienced archer, after trying out few shots, you will get used to them and avoid the paradox. The most effective solution you have is using a good starter compound bow that comes up with a modern design. With enough practice, you will get used to the paradox, and these issues will fade away.
Final Words
It’s amazing that archery still ceases to exist after thousands of years. Still, it has a good amount of popularity among the sportsman around the globe.
Archery is not just a sport; it’s an art, and to master this art, you have to get through some obstacles. One of them is the archer’s paradox. If you are new to archery, you will need some quality practice and patience to deal with this issue.
But it’s not rocket science. As every problem comes with a solution, so does this one.
