10 Amazing Archery Trick Shots Anyone Can Do With Practice

Written by Tim Rhodes Last Updated: Oct 1 2023

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Is archery your hobby, or you like it as a game?

Archery is an art or skill practicing by people for thousands of years to hunt, protect, and combat.

It is one of the oldest sports practices till today.

From ancient times hunting wild animals to present times, archery with a rich history is very popular from hobby to professional sports.

Anyone can practice archery, and there is no gender and age limit to it.

10 Amazing Archery Trick Shots Anyone Can Do With Practice

How perfect are you at shooting a bow?

Let’s talk about ten amazing archery trick shots that anyone can do with practice.

1. Flying Target Trick

In the flying target trick, the archer shot the target in a split of a second position at a certain point of shot his aim.

With the help of a second person or auto-machine which throws the disc or object from any of the archer’s side, he shoots the target when it comes into his range of vision.

The archer in the flying target trick shot hits the target by keeping the motion of the target, as the target can come to the archer in a rotating, revolving, swinging motion and can disappear in seconds.

This trick is one of the most difficult to shoot as it requires the archer’s precision and exactness.

Precautions

While practicing, you should not use anything that can be harmful or dangerous for you as a target.

The shot you take may not affect anything, and always practice in an open field or club.

2. Floating Target Trick

How good you are at shooting can be dynamic, but how accurate in hitting your target equally?

The concept is clear, as in the floating target archer shoots at the object that is in constant motion.

Again the object can be in motion like the flying target trick, but in a floating target shot, the target is always in constant motion until the archer hits its aim.

Pendulum like to and fro motion is the best example of this type of target trick shot.

You can also make a floating target yourself instead of taking anyone’s help.

Precautions

While practicing the floating target trick, keep the distance short from your target as it takes a high level of correctness to hit your aim.

It is a challenging activity to shoot at your target, so do not lose patience.

3. Cutting the String

Are you tired of shooting your target in constant motion?

Do you think it is easy to stand at one point and shoot at a fixed target?

Do you want to hit the target in a stationary motion?

As the name suggests, cutting the string is a trick in which the archer hits the thread or rope with his shot to cut it into pieces.

The purpose of this trick is to cut the hanging string and make it fall to the ground.

This trick’s difficulty level increases as the target get small and smaller from a distant point.

You can hang the target with a thin rope or thread and use the aim for the floating target trick.

Precautions

While practicing this trick, keep the distance very short, also try to avoid the rope, and use a thin thread so that you can cut it easily.

4. Popping Balloons

Popping balloons shot is a trick in which the archer shoots the stick balloons as his target.

The popping balloons shot trick is very famous in kids as they are always happy to shoot at them with a gun.

In reality, it is a bow and arrow to shoot popping balloons.

At times people can get addicted to the soothing effect that comes through popping the balloons.

This trick is the most enjoyable trick among all age groups as a recreational activity.

Precautions

While practicing this trick, do not fill the balloons with water, glitter, and paint, which can distract you from practicing the trick to playing with balloons.

5. Shooting fruit off heads

Archery is always so dangerous as it is directly related to man’s shooting perfectness, and it requires courage and guts to be able to shoot the apple at someone’s head.

This trick is the most daring as it puts someone’s life at stake.

Well, this trick happens even very rarely in the ancient times of kings.

In modern times, now you can see this trick only in western movies with camera tricks showing that it is happening in real life.

Precautions

You do not need to practice this trick, and if you want, you can put the apple on the table or shelf where you can fulfill your desire.

6. The candle shot

Do you ever consider shooting an arrow at the flame of a candle?

Do you have any idea how risky it can be playing with fire?

To execute the blowing candle, the archer needs to focus on the flame of the candle.

The arrow passing through the candle’s flame won’t blow out as to confirm a flame-out, the archer must hit at the bottom of the candle’s flame.

The candle shot trick with an arrow is one thrilling archery shot.

At times the flame goes low, moves with the air, and is very difficult to concentrate.

The archer needs to be very patient and strong enough to hit at the right time.

Precautions

Do not try this trick, as there is always a chance of fire.

It can be very risky even if you ensure the risk and have a fire extinguisher.

7. Split the arrow

Split the arrow is another dramatic trick shot most famous in movies like Robin Hood.

In this trick, the archer shoots the arrow at the arrow already shot at the target.

The second arrow splits the first arrow from the middle and hits at the same point as the first arrow.

To use this trick in a better way, the archer can pin round, and a small piece of wood highlights the midpoint as a target to hit in the target board.

The aim would be the midpoint of wood so that the arrow enters and pricks the target.

Precautions

To be on the safer side, use the way mentioned if you want to practice this trick.

Do not practice this trick as off hitting the arrow on the arrow, which is extremely dangerous in hitting anyone else or damaging your stuff.

8. Underwater bottle

To shoot the target below the water surface requires a delicate technique.

The archer needs to compete with the wavelength of water.

In this trick, the archer places the water bottle on the water’s surface like a swimming pool.

Before hitting, the archer ensures that the bottle is heavy enough to stay where it is and makes his target to be in a stationary motion.

He hits the target with his bow and arrow by standing under the surface of the water.

The underwater bottle shot trick is the most sophisticated trick by which even an expert archer can not hit the target at times as the water waves deceive the archer in aiming the target.

Precautions

To practice the underwater bottle shot, you need to be a good swimmer and take all the precautionary measures.

9. Shooting from a ride

Shooting from a riding trick is a very popular trick expert archers use to utilize in ancient wars.

While riding on the horse, the archer hit his opponent with precision.

In this trick, there can be two situations.

In the first scenario, the archer can hit his aim in a stationary motion while being in constant motion.

In the second case, the archer can hit his target in constant motion, which is very difficult while being himself in the same situation.

Archers in the ottoman empire were very famous and considered deadly warriors because of their control, accuracy, and precision.

In modern times we can see this trick in movies where the ride is a car or jeep and use the guns instead of bow and arrows.

Precautions

While practicing this trick shot, you can hit the target moving at the same speed as in a moving target machine cops use to practice.

You do not need to ride a horse or drive a car to hit your target simultaneously.

Do not get pumped by watching movie scenes, as protection is the first and foremost priority.

10. Pinata Shooting

Shooting the pinata trick is more fun than archery.

Instead of more combat skills, this trick shot gives you more cool activity for parties and celebrations.

In this trick, you can build a pinata and pin it with fun stuff like water bottles or balls, candies, food color balloons, glitters, etc.

What happens is when you shoot at pinata stuff, they burst water balls, color balloons to produce shattering glitters and candies in making a colorful get-together.

You can put this recreational activity together for your family and just for kids’ fun.

Precautions

While practicing this trick shot, make sure that you can clean the area around the pinata before anyone passes through and cause some damage.

Additional Reading – Archery Techniques and Facts

Archery practice success techniques

You can improve and upgrade your archery practice by following the below-mentioned success techniques.

1. Stance

Before aiming at your target, your stance is the first and foremost position to take.

There are three basic archery stances:

Parallel Style

Open Style

Close Style

Relax, stand straight with your shoulders down, and head up.

2. Nock

Nock is the end of the arrow, when put in the string, is known as nocking the arrow.

The nock locator is a metal piece archer attached to the bowstring.

3. Set Draw Hand

To set your fingers in the draw hand makes you throw more conveniently.

For a powerful grip, use your index finger with your thumb to keep the rest three fingers set together.

4. Set Bow Hand

To set your bow hand, you need to grip the bow in a balanced way.

Your bow hand does not shake when you shoot the target, as this can result in moving the bow to distract your aim.

5. Pre-Draw

In the pre-draw position, you need to check and make your stance, nock, bow, and draw hand to be in the right direction in aiming your target.

6. Draw

The pre-draw position is the check-point before drawing the bow.

Keep your draw arm elbow straight to maintain a flawlessly balanced position till you take the shot.

7. Anchor

The anchor position is a fixed position in which the archer joins the draw hand to the jaw.

Cheek positioning: pull the string to the side of the lips

Chin positioning: pull the string to the center of the chin

8. Aim

To aim the target, the archer focuses on the point of the target.

The head turns naturally to the target direction.

Besides aiming, the archer does not shoot till all the factors to hit the target favor him.

9. Shot Set-up

Is there too much pressure on the shoulder?

In the set-up position, the archer makes sure that his grip with the draw hand and draw elbow is in the shoulder alignment.

10. Release

When the draw hand fingers leave the string, the release occurs as the arrow leaves the bow.

Keep your elbow above the arrow and clamp your elbow to use the strength of your back muscles.

There are five types of launch actions:

Dead Release

Sliding Release

Soft Release

Forward Release

Plugging Release

11. Follow-Through

The posture should last about 3-5 seconds after releasing the arrow.

After confirming that the arrow hits the target, put down the hands to prepare for the next arrow.

Types of Archery

There are a few common and well-known different types of archery.

1. Target Archery

In target archery, the archer shoots at a large round stationary target from 30 to 90 meters distance.

Also, all age groups and skill level archers can take part in the target archery competition.

2. Field Archery

In the field archery, the archer shoots at a bag target.

3. Traditional Archery

There are different schools of thought for traditional archery.

The most common is the same old fashion type of archery, which uses only wood made bows and arrows.

4. 3D Target Archery

In the 3D target archery, the archer uses a three-dimensional target like animals to experience the hunting desire.

3D archery is also a fun way to practice and compete.

5. Bow Hunting

As the word says, to hunt with a bow and arrow is called bow hunting.

Bowhunting is an old common way to hunt animals from a safe hide position.

6. Mounted Archery

In mounted archery, the archer shoots his target while riding a horse.

In this type of archery, you need to train your horse as with a little off track mistake of the horse can make the archer mishit being on his toes.

7. Bow Fishing

Bow fishing is more of a fun archery type.

People who love fishing also like bow fishing as they can attach a fishing reel to the bow and use the arrows to connect the line in the fishing reel.

8. Run Archery

In run archery, the archer runs through a set course and hits his target.

In this type of archery, it doesn’t matter where to hit, for the archer only matters is not to miss the target.

Types of Bows

There are four main types of bows:

1. Longbow

A longbow is a straight bow with a circular or D-shaped bow.

It’s with thicker grips in the middle and thinner bows at both ends.

The bow is about 5 to 6 feet long, close to the height of the archer.

In ancient Europe, the most suitable wood for longbows was yew.

2. Compound Bow

The Compound Bow is the most technologically advanced bow.

It is equipped with a viewfinder with a stability bubble and is visibly different from the others as it is set on two pulleys placed at the ends of the bow and governing a complex system of strings very different from the single string present in the two other types of the arch.

3. Recurve Bows

The recurve bow is for the Olympic Games, therefore known as the Olympic bow.

This type of bow uses visors and stabilizers.

Recurve bows store more energy due to their curved limbs, the so-called recurves, and are therefore more efficient than longbows.

4. CrossBow

The crossbow, a Chinese invention, is one of the oldest archery bows.

In the crossbow, the archer with a crank mechanism draws the bow back by attaching the string with a trigger mechanism and locks the string attached until he fires the arrow.

Neat Archery Facts

The USA is the best leading nation in archery.

Brady Ellison, from the US, is the current World Archery Champion.

In the skill of archery, everyone’s face and body shape are different, and each person’s posture is slightly different.

Archery is a movement that requires fixed and consistent movement.

After choosing a standing posture, you must maintain it.

Your posture should not be different every time you shoot.

Freehand exercises and rubber band exercises are the most basic exercises for archery.

All excellent archery athletes have done long-term freehand exercises and rubber band exercises for six months to a year, or even before they start practicing bows.

Although freehand exercises and rubber band exercises are dry, they are essential skills to become an excellent archery athlete.

The principle of shooting arrows is to prevent the feathers from touching the bow and affecting the flight path.

Therefore, a fixed angle can use while shooting arrows.

Final Thoughts

“Practice makes a man perfect.”

To develop your skills in archery, you need to spend time every day for training and practice.

Now that you know all about archery types, tricks, and techniques.

Pat yourself on the back as you are all set to practice these tricks.

Lastly, keep all the precautionary measures in mind.

So long as the new moon returns in heaven a bent, beautiful bow, so long will the fascination of archery keep hold in the hearts of men.

That concludes our article on the ten amazing archery trick shots that anyone can do with practice.