Merit Badge of the Week: Archery

Archery. Let's get to the point.

I've just finished a very good series of novels that take place in the 14th century, following an English archer (not Robin Hood). Seems that English archers were widely feared due to their prowess with the longbow in the Hundred Years War. England had a culture of archery, whereas the French did not. Big mistake.

Alphabetically, this is the first athletic merit badge. Blood and sweat will be spent in earning it. Practice is required, and a lot of it. Some Scouts will have a natural ability, and the rest of us will work hard at it.

Visions of William Tell and Robin Hood will fill your head.

This is a wildly popular merit badge: 46,550 were earned in 2007, just edging out Rifle Shooting for 12th place. (BSA Fact Sheet)

In the Archery merit badge, you will explain the safety rules; know the terms related to equipment; make an arrow and a bowstring; explain proper care of equipment; demonstrate knowledge of the rules of scoring and operation of a range; and show proficiency with either a recurve bow, longbow or compound bow.

The latest Archery merit badge requirements from the BSA:

1. Do the following:
A. State and explain the Range Safety Rules:
i. Three safety rules when on the shooting line
ii. Three safety rules when retrieving arrows
iii. The four range whistle commands and their related verbal commands
B. State and explain the general safety rules for archery. Demonstrate how to safely carry arrows in your hands.
C. Tell about your local and state laws for owning and using archery tackle.

2. Do the following:
A. Name and point to the parts of an arrow.
B. Describe three or more different types of arrows.
C. Name the four principle materials for making arrow shafts.
D. Make a complete arrow from a bare shaft.
E. Explain how to properly care for and store arrows.

3. Do the following:
A. Explain how to properly care for and store tabs, arm guards, shooting gloves, and quivers.
B. Explain the following terms: cast, draw weight, string height (fistmele), aiming, spine, mechanical release, freestyle, and barebow.
C. Make a bowstring.

4. Explain the following:
A. The importance of obedience to a range officer or other person in charge of a range
B. The difference between an end and a round
C. The differences among field, target, and 3-D archery
D. How the five-color National Archery Association (NAA) or Federation Internationale de Tir a l'Arc (FITA) target is scored
E. How the National Field Archery Association (NFAA) black-and-white field targets and blue indoor targets are scored
F. The elimination system used in Olympic archery competition

5. Do ONE of the following options:

Option A: Using a Recurve Bow or Longbow
A. Name and point to the parts of the recurve or longbow you are shooting.
B. Explain how to properly care for and store recurve bows and longbows.
C. Show the nine steps of good shooting for the recurve bow or longbow you are shooting.
D. Demonstrate the proper way to string a recurve bow or longbow.
E. Locate and mark with dental floss, crimp-on, or other method, the nocking point on the bowstring of the bow that you are using.
F. Do ONE of the following:
1. Using a recurve or longbow and arrows with a finger release, shoot a single round of ONE of the following BSA, NAA, or NFAA rounds:
a. An NFAA field round of 14 targets and make a score of 60 points
b. A BSA Scout field round of 14 targets and make a score of 80 points
c. A FITA/NAA Olympic (outdoor) round and make a score of 80 points
d. A Junior indoor* round and make a score of 180 points
e. A FITA/NAA indoor* round I and make a score of 80 points
f. An NFAA indoor* round and make a score of 50 points
OR
2. Shooting 30 arrows in five-arrow ends at an 80-centimeter (32-inch) five-color target at 10 yards and using the 10 scoring regions, make a score of 150.
OR
3. As a member of the NAA's Junior Olympic Development Program (JOAD), qualify as a Yeoman, Junior Bowman, and Bowman.
OR
4. As a member of the NFAA's Junior Division, earn a Cub or Youth 100-score Progression Patch.

Option B: Using a Compound Bow
A. Name and point to the parts of the compound bow you are shooting.
B. Explain how to properly care for and store compound bows.
C. Show the nine steps of good shooting for the compound bow you are shooting.
D. Explain why it is necessary to have the string on a compound bow replaced at an archery shop.
E. Locate and mark with dental floss, crimp-on, or other method, the nocking point on the bowstring of the bow that you are using.
F. Do ONE of the following:
1. Using a compound bow and arrows with a finger release, shoot a single round of one of the following BSA, NAA, or NFAA rounds:
2. An NFAA field round of 14 targets and make a score of 70 points
3. A BSA Scout field round of 14 targets and make a score of 90 points
4. A Junior 900 round and make a score of 200 points
5. A FITA/NAA Olympic (outdoor) round and make a score of 90 points
6. A FITA/NAA indoor* round I and make a score of 90 points
7. An NFAA indoor* round and make a score of 60 points
OR
G. Shooting 30 arrows in five-arrow ends at an 80-centimeter (32-inch) five-color target at 10 yards and using the 10 scoring regions, make a score of 170.
OR
H. As a member of the NAA's Junior Olympic Development Program (JOAD), qualify as a Yeoman, Junior Bowman, and Bowman.
OR
I. As a member of the NFAA's Junior Division, earn a Cub or Youth 100-score Progression Patch.
* The indoor rounds can be shot outdoors if this is more convenient.

Resource List:

1. Always start with Introduction to Merit Badges for the steps to a successful merit badge.
2. Worksheet on Archery from usscouts.org. This is a great tool to organize your work, projects and thoughts.
3. Guide to Safe Scouting: Archery
4. Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) from National Archery Association.
5. Getting started in Archery: Minnesota State Archery Association has a good page of information.
6. Archery safety rules.
7. National Archery Association (NAA)
8. National Field Archery Association (NFAA)
9. Federation Internationale de Tir a l'Arc (FITA)
10. Archery Range Whistle Commands
11. Making a bowstring--tutorial
12. Archery "how to make" videos from 3Rivers Archery (YouTube)

Related BSA merit badges: Rifle Shooting, Shotgun Shooting

Do you have a resource for the Archery merit badge? Please let me know via email or the comments below.