Archery is gaining tremendous popularity at a high rate the world over. Of course, it’s been on the rise for a couple of decades as an effective hunting method and remains a vital skill for all preppers. In today’s fast-paced life, however, you may be tempted to argue that the bow and arrow have no place in a world packed with a variety of firearms. Yes, maybe you’re right, but any experienced survivalist will tell you that a bow and an arrow is a must-have weapon if you wish to survive.
Archery comes in handy whether you’d like to remain dead silent, or your ammo has run out and there’s nothing left to figure out. Here’s a list of reasons why archery is and will always be an excellent survival skill:
Silence Triumphs over All
Via pinterest.com
A contemporary bow is almost dead silent. If the bow is applied with silencers to the string to help absorb vibration, it becomes as quiet as any silenced firearm. If you plan on using a bow and arrow for your prepping, you’re either want to defend yourself or survive.
The Mighty Oak: Survival Food and More
And, if you intend to defend yourself to the fullest, then there’s no better way to do it than doing it silently.
Remember, you never know what surrounds you when you take down your prey. Who knows? Perhaps another predator is around, and if you start firing an unsilenced firearm, they’ll get attracted in a pretty large radius. Hence, a bow lets you hunt for as long as you want without drawing any undesired attention to yourself.
Survival Archery Acts as a Backup Plan
Via pinterest.com
Among several archery debates I’ve come across, some suggest that learning the archery skill isn’t a viable idea considering that they’re ineffectual defense tools. Well, in my opinion, I am afraid I can only say this is ridiculous. Guns have ostensibly grabbed a significant stake as the most effective weapons of defense, but we shouldn’t forget the fact that the bow and arrow have been ranged weapon of choice since time immemorial.
Also, a firearm runs on ammunition, and it might run out of it at any given time. In this case, what are you going to take as your next course of action? A bow and arrow become your only next bet—your plan B.
Additionally, there are some regions across the globe where the use of firearms is restricted. In such places, it’s offense to fire ammunition, which means that you’ll only need a bow for defense, hunting, and so forth. Remember, having a backup plan remains the key to emergency preparedness and long-term survival.
Portability
For those who’ve come across a modern bow, you’ve likely noticed that they are not small. They can be anything between 48-70 inches in length. That is obviously not a portable solution. You can carry a strung bow on your back or over your shoulder, but it’s still a large piece of kit that may not be a perfect solution for a long foot journey.
Luckily, contemporary recurve bows come in takedown varieties. This means that they allow you to detach the string as well as the top and bottom limbs, making it a more portable three-piece item. When detached, a takedown recurve bow fits inside your carry case, and you can easily keep it in your bug-out bag or survival cache.
You can also find something like the SAS tactical survival bow if you’re in search of the ultimate in portability. This tactical survival bow can fold into a long hollow rectangular shape with storage for arrows within the hollow segment. The bow is something like 30-inches in length when folded, and weighs around 2lbs. It’s quick to assemble and has the utmost precision.
The Cost Factor
The cost factor is another perfect cause to add archery to your survival gear. Unlike the case of the rifle, bows and arrows are easy to make right from the comfort of your home. You can obtain cheap materials around and utilize them to craft your bows and arrows.
I’ve heard a couple of folks argue that the homemade bows and arrows aren’t as effective as their name-brand counterparts. But, I’d only state that it depends on how you do it. If you work carefully and precisely, I bet you’ll craft highly effective homemade stuff.
If you choose to opt for the survival archery, never rush to your nearest gear shop and spend all your money on just any item you come across. It pays to do a little bit of research. Apparently, you’re going to be overwhelmed by the cheaper solutions you will find. Doing your initial research will save you a lot of bucks at the archery store.
Arrow Re-use
Arrows come in different varieties—wooden, hollow, or solid carbon. You can obtain your survival arrows that encompass several pieces, and then take your time to screw them together to make your storage a lot easier. Arrows typically include various tips available for different hunting practices.
For instance, arrows with blunt tips are designed for blunt force hunting small game, pointed tips for target and larger game, barbed tips for fishing and broad-heads designed for the most lethal type of shooting. The key aspect about arrows is that, according to my experience with them, you can get 90% of them after you’ve fired. You can shoot your arrow, go get it back and use it again and again.
You can also modify the arrow tips and re-purpose them. This doesn’t apply to a variety of ranged weapons. A bullet for a gun is just a one shot deal. On the other hand, slingshot ball bearings and several other sorts of small ammunition will get lost with ease. Thus, an arrow is probably the easiest kind of ammo to find, use, reuse, and repurpose.
Final Thoughts
In a nutshell, I’d feel secure and comfortable to shout out that survival archery is a vital skill that’s suitable for every serious prepper out there. The archery skill isn’t only exclusive to hunting, defensive or offensive tactics, but it’s largely about the way you employ an arrow and a bow under different circumstances.
It’d be prudent to mention that survival archery demands a lot of commitment to comprehend both the techniques and equipment options available. The main benefit of survival archery is that the skill can be practiced in urban or suburban surroundings without drawing unnecessary attentions.
Author Bio:
Jennifer is the founder of BuckWithBow, a great blog that focuses on helping you learn how to hunt deer with a bow. As an experienced bow hunter, she will guide you through the Do’s and Don’ts of the bowhunting world and transform you into a better hunter. Whether you are an experienced bow hunter or an absolute beginner, you will find BuckWithBow a gem!
RECOMMENDED:
What Everybody Ought To Know About Advantage/Disadvantage of Compound Bow for Survival
Self-sufficiency and Preparedness solutions recommended for you:
Survival System (Learn The 7 Secrets Every Family Must Know To Survive Any Disaster Or Crisis)
Food for Freedom (If I want my family to survive, I need my own food reserve)
Alive After the Fall (Build yourself the only unlimited water source you’ll ever need)
Liberty Generator (How to gain complete energy independence)
Backyard Liberty (Obama’s hidden agenda: more than just your guns…)