What is achery to you?

[Pat B]

The bow, the arrow, the flight...   What?

[chamookman]

The arrow in flight does it for Me. Bob

[Pappy]

All of the above plus the folks I have meet and will meet. 
   Pappy

[bowtarist]

I like the flight of the arrow too. I also enjoy being out in nature alone or with family or friends and being able to shoot at stumps or whatnot w/o makeing a lot of noise that scares away every animal around. Simple is better in my opinion and trad/primitive archery is just that. A simple bow, a simple arrow and a simple feeling of oneness. Also I love to see my young boys flinging arrows, but I was into archery before they were born, so that is just an added bonus. 

[PEARL DRUMS]

Next to my faith and family, archery is my life 365 days a year, I even dream about it 4-5 days a week! The people involved are #1 and every other aspect follows behind for me.

[adb]

The quest... for that time when the arrow flies just perfect... straight and true and clean, and hits EXACTLY in the center of the spot you were looking at. And to have sent that arrow from a bow I have crafted from my own hands. That's what keeps me going. I think it would be like hitting that perfect shot in golf, or surfing the perfect wave.

Taking my first deer with a bow I made was pretty special, too!
 
Plus, it sustains me, feeds us, and pays the bills!

[koan]

Next to my faith and family, archery is my life 365 days a year, I even dream about it 4-5 days a week! The people involved are #1 and every other aspect follows behind for me.

+1... And for me, it was therapy when I was goin thru some very dark times.. I still use it as that when I cant get my head or heart right... Brian

[Newindian]

You know I probably liked archery itself more when I was into compounds the idea of flinging miniature spears of death with little noise and a little bit of a challenge is likely what appealed to me along with some of the historical roots. Now days archery is more about craftsmanship and knowledge  that goes into the equipment, as well as just having a trade to be good at that involves creation and working with your own hands. essentially meaning that for me now archery isn't so much about bows or arrows but about having a deep understanding and enthusiasm about something unique I do

[Newindian]

Another thing I love about this particular field of archery is that very few of us limit out hobbies to just archery and/or bow making. We are also tanners, knappers, arrow makers, knife makers, blacksmiths carvers, boat makers, tipi makers, atlati makers and throwers, basket makers, quiver makers we are into primitive fishing and pottery, and we make many of the tools that go along with each of these crafts .as a group we can make almost everything a pre-Columbian Native American would of had and much more. To me archery is about these jack of all trades do it yourselfers

[Stoker]

It's the "zen" In a troubled time of my life it was the only thing that gave me peace.. Walking with a stick and a string hunting everything but nothing....
Thanks Leroy

[Mallorn]

Another thing I love about this particular field of archery is that very few of us limit out hobbies to just archery and/or bow making. We are also tanners, knappers, arrow makers, knife makers, blacksmiths carvers, boat makers, tipi makers, atlati makers and throwers, basket makers, quiver makers we are into primitive fishing and pottery, and we make many of the tools that go along with each of these crafts .as a group we can make almost everything a pre-Columbian Native American would of had and much more. To me archery is about these jack of all trades do it yourselfers

+1  I like to learn new things and build things, and this field keeps me busy!

Thanks for posting Pat

[lostarrow]

A way of life !  A connection to the past that we can all make ,regardless of race colour or creed. It's a part of us, in the deepest sense. So ingrained that we no longer recall where it began, just that it seems it's always been there. It's akin to finding your soul mate.  The first time you pic up a bow, and put arrow to string  ,it's like she's been there all along .Just waiting for you to find her............................................. I guess it would be fair to say I like it

[JW_Halverson]

Another thing I love about this particular field of archery is that very few of us limit out hobbies to just archery and/or bow making. We are also tanners, knappers, arrow makers, knife makers, blacksmiths carvers, boat makers, tipi makers, atlati makers and throwers, basket makers, quiver makers we are into primitive fishing and pottery, and we make many of the tools that go along with each of these crafts .as a group we can make almost everything a pre-Columbian Native American would of had and much more. To me archery is about these jack of all trades do it yourselfers

So long as you remember that pre-Columbian North Americans never had a lock on any of those crafts and technologies! They just happened to be using them later than some other parts of humanity.  And there are still some cultures still making their way with these technologies. 

For me, more than anything else these days, it's about making connections with a diverse group of people with similar interests.  I never wanted to shoot bows all that much, hunting big game was not even something I had any interest in....but the crafting of the bow and the arrows...that was what hooked me.  "Making" was the gateway drug to my current venison addiction!  Grow, adapt, evolve, because the only thing that does not change is the past. 

[Dharma]

Like some others here, traditional archery came to me at a dark period of my life when I needed something to put myself into that would keep me focused and, well, sane. I met a friend who taught me how to make arrows and found a craft that I love. I even wear a Ketoh (Navajo armguard) and an arrowhead with a piece of turquoise tied on to it daily now as jewelry. My wife gave me a Hopi silver overlay bracelet for Christmas and, lo and behold, a Hopi told me that style of bracelet is taken from an armguard.

[kleinpm]

It's a few things for me but the biggest one is I am an introvert and need a certain amount of time by myself. Working on bows and arrows lets me do do that in a productive manner.
I stay home with my extrovert daughter that talks from the second she wakes up until she falls asleep at night. Some quiet time in the shop at night keeps me sane.

Patrick