Glossary
Archery Terms, Explained
Not sure what a term means? Here are plain-English definitions for the words you'll hear most around the shop. Have a question we haven't covered? Check our FAQ or give us a call.
Anchor Point
The consistent spot on your face or jaw where you draw the string back to on every shot. A repeatable anchor point is one of the biggest factors in consistent accuracy.
Arrow Rest
The component that holds and guides the arrow as it leaves the bow. Types include drop-away, whisker biscuit, and blade rests, each suited to different shooting styles.
Sight & Rest Installation →Axle-to-Axle Length
The distance between the two axles at the ends of a compound bow's limbs. Shorter axle-to-axle bows are typically more maneuverable; longer ones tend to be more forgiving and stable.
Bow Press
A shop tool used to compress a compound bow's limbs, taking tension off the string and cables so they can be safely replaced, adjusted, or timed.
Brace Height
The distance from the deepest part of the grip to the string at rest. Brace height affects both speed and forgiveness, and is set by the manufacturer or during string replacement.
Broadhead
A hunting arrowhead with cutting blades, used in place of a field point. Broadheads can fly slightly differently than field points, which is why hunting setups get checked separately.
Arrow Setup, Cutting & Fletching →Cam
The rotating, often egg-shaped wheel(s) at the ends of a compound bow's limbs that create let-off as the bow is drawn. Most modern compounds use a two-cam or hybrid-cam system.
Compound Bow Services →Cam Timing
How well a compound bow's cams rotate in sync with each other. Cams that are out of time can cause inconsistent nock travel and unpredictable arrow flight.
Bow Tuning →Compound Bow
A bow that uses a system of cams and cables to reduce the holding weight at full draw (called let-off), making it easier to aim steadily. The most common style used for modern hunting and target archery.
Compound Bow Services →D-Loop
A short loop of cord tied onto the bowstring that a mechanical release attaches to, rather than clipping onto the string directly. Length and position affect nocking-point height.
Peep Sight & D-Loop Installation →Draw Length
The distance you pull the string back to reach your anchor point, measured in inches. Getting this right is one of the most important parts of fitting a bow to an individual archer.
Bow Setup & Assembly →Draw Weight
The amount of force, in pounds, needed to pull a bow to full draw. On a compound bow, let-off means you hold much less than the peak draw weight at full draw.
Bow Setup & Assembly →Dry Fire
Releasing the string without an arrow nocked. This sends all the bow's stored energy into its own components instead of an arrow, and can cause serious, sometimes hidden damage.
Bow Repair & Inspection →Field Point
A simple, pointed practice tip used for target shooting, as opposed to a broadhead used for hunting. Field points and broadheads can fly slightly differently on the same arrow.
Fletching
The vanes or feathers near the back of an arrow that stabilize it in flight by causing it to spin. Worn or damaged fletching is a common, easy-to-fix cause of inconsistent flight.
Arrow Setup, Cutting & Fletching →Let-Off
The percentage reduction in holding weight a compound bow provides at full draw compared to its peak draw weight. Higher let-off means less effort to hold steady while aiming.
Nocking Point
The precise spot on the string where the arrow's nock attaches. Its height directly affects vertical arrow flight, and it's one of the first things checked during a tune.
Bow Tuning →Paper Tuning
A tuning method where an arrow is shot through a taut sheet of paper at close range. The tear left behind reveals how the arrow is flying right as it leaves the bow.
Paper Tuning vs. Walk-Back Tuning →Peep Sight
A small ring installed into the bowstring that aligns with your sight pins at full draw, helping you aim consistently. Most compound shooters use one.
Peep Sight & D-Loop Installation →Recurve Bow
A bow whose limb tips curve away from the archer when unstrung, storing more energy than a straight limb. Recurves have no cams or let-off — you hold the full draw weight through the shot.
Traditional & Recurve Bow Services →Serving
The tightly wrapped thread reinforcing specific sections of a bowstring, such as the center serving where the nock and D-loop attach, protecting the string from wear.
Bow String & Cable Replacement →Spine (Arrow Spine)
The stiffness of an arrow shaft. The correct spine depends on your draw weight, draw length, and point weight — too stiff or too weak, and the arrow won't fly true no matter how well the bow is tuned.
Arrow Setup, Cutting & Fletching →Stabilizer
A weighted rod attached to the front (and sometimes back) of a bow to reduce vibration, balance the bow's weight, and steady aim at full draw.
Traditional Bow
A broad term covering longbows, recurves, and other bows without cams, cables, or let-off, generally shot instinctively or with simple sighting methods rather than pin sights.
Traditional & Recurve Bow Services →Walk-Back Tuning
A tuning method that checks a bow's horizontal (left-right) alignment by shooting at the same aiming point from multiple distances and observing how groups track relative to a vertical line.
Paper Tuning vs. Walk-Back Tuning →Still have a question about your setup?
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