| Prior to the 1950s, those who were interested in the | | | | bow. |
| sport of archery were limited to the choices of | | | | One drawback to the archery compound bow is that it |
| longbow and recurve bow. Typically which a person | | | | is difficult to unstring and string. Where long bows and |
| chose depended on what use he/she was going to | | | | recurve bows are unstrung by the archer to release |
| put the bow to, target practice or hunting. Most hunters | | | | tension, the compound bow can only be unstrung or |
| used recurve bows because they had more power | | | | strung with the use of special clamps to hold the limbs |
| than longbows for killing big game like deer and elk. | | | | in position. A person can be seriously injured trying to |
| When the archery compound bow was invented, that | | | | sting or unstring a compound bow without the proper |
| all changed. | | | | tools. |
| The compound bow is very different from previous | | | | In the sport of archery, the compound bow is currently |
| bows because it is strung in a continuous loop that | | | | the apex of the evolution of bows. A compound bow |
| uses a pair of pulleys to multiply the force applied to | | | | is often much more powerful than a longbow or a |
| the arrow. In addition, at least on of these pulleys, | | | | recurve bow, although that can be changed. The fact |
| usually both, is a cam that allows for a release of | | | | that the draw strength of compound bows can be |
| tension on the arms of the archer when the bow is | | | | adjusted is an incredible improvement over longbows |
| fully drawn. This makes it easier to hold the arrow in | | | | and recurve bows that have only one weight. The |
| firing position and aim to get a truer shot than is | | | | release of tension brought about by the cams used in |
| possible under full load as with longbows and recurves. | | | | the pulley assembly makes it much easier for an |
| Another major change brought about with the advent | | | | archer to hold an arrow in the ready position for a |
| of the compound bow is the ability of the archer to | | | | longer time and take a steadier aim at the target. |
| adjust the draw strength of the bow. Longbows and | | | | For hunters, compound bows are often shorter than |
| recurve bows are manufactured to have a particular | | | | even a good recurve bow, meaning less chance of |
| draw strength when fully drawn. Compound bows can | | | | getting tangled in undergrowth and making a lot of |
| be adjusted within certain tolerances in the field and | | | | noise getting it loose. This alone is an advantage when |
| can be changed drastically simply be changing the | | | | hunting wild game, especially whitetail deer, who are |
| pulleys and cams on the bow. This makes it possible | | | | often aware of the hunter before he is aware of the |
| for different people to use the same bow at different | | | | animal. Since its invention, the compound bow has |
| settings based on their size and strength, and | | | | become the archery hunter's best friend. |
| advantage that did not exist before the compound | | | | |