Archery Lesson – How to Find Lost Arrows

Archery is a sport of patience, dedication, and concentration. However, there are few things more frustrating for an archer than losing an arrow. Not only did those lost arrows cost money, but so do replacements. Plus, you now have an arrow laying on the ground somewhere that stepped on, picked up by a kid, or run over by a lawnmower.

We feel your pain and put together the following list of tips on how we find those arrows that have gone wayward and missed their targets completely:

• If target shooting, try to set up the targets in front of a hill or embankment; even the smallest hill will do. The hill’s incline acts as a ready-made backstop for your arrow. No more worries of searching wide open spaces for an arrow that could be anywhere!
• Keep the grass cut as short as possible (without killing the grass) and stay away from shooting near bushes. You should be able to easily spot your arrow if the grass isn’t tall. Long grass, weeds, and bushes are impediments to spotting your lost arrow easily.
• Imagine how easy it would be to search for an arrow that is equipped with a nock that lights or is brightly colored. These are perfect for uncovering arrows hidden in shadows. The only downside of these nocks is that the light doesn’t do much good if the arrow is deeply impacted into the ground and covered.
• Soon after a target miss, drop your bow at your feet and walk a distance past the target in a straight line. Once past the target, turn around and look towards your bow. Your arrow SHOULD be laying somewhere between you and the target. While you might not see your arrow right away, this technique helps minimize the search area.
• This tip isn’t the most technical, but it works. Sometimes a plain, old rake can get the job done. Raking through the grass where you believe your arrow should be often times helps. You’ll either snag the arrow or move the grass just enough to see the arrow!

Unfortunately, there are those times when no matter what you do and how hard you search, you simply cannot find that lost arrow. Every archer, both new and experienced, has those moments. When that happens, use it as a learning experience – what did you do wrong, was my form off? Over time, you’ll find yourself spending less time searching for arrows and more time hitting bullseyes.