With names like Geronimo and Cochise appearing in the pages of Texan history books, the bow and arrow was certainly a feature of life for the early settlers – even if it was aimed against them. In the Texas Indian Wars, Kit Carson’s force of 400 soldiers would have been largely armed with firearms whereas the more than 1,000 Comanche, Kiowa and Plains Apache who attacked them would have included many warriors armed simply with bows and arrows.
It is thought that the original Native Americans independently developed quite sophisticated bows long before the arrival of Columbus. Recent studies also show a possibility that horses were native to the Americas and not a totally “Imported” animal. In either case, the Native Americans soon became highly adept at horseback warfare with their “cavalry” armed with bows and arrows which, until “repeater” style firearms were invented, often proved superior to the settlers’ armies.
By the early 1900’s, the Indian Wars were basically over and bows and arrows became a minority weapon for hunting game. Serious weaponry was firearm based. Many Texans would have owned guns and, not having any real essential use for them, would arrange non-lethal shooting competitions as part of local holidays and festivals. Maybe a few of these would include a bit of archery target shooting for added sporting interest.
Modern Archery
The transition from being, a fearsome weapon that might kill you, to a bow and arrow being seen as something you take up for fun was slow in both Europe and the US. For example, it was not until the Paris Olympic Games of 1900 that archery was first introduced and, even then, it fell out of favor a few times (there were no archery competitions in the Olympics between 1920 and 1972). 1972 saw the introduction of the archery we see today as an Olympic Summer Games event.
The Koreans have a long history of archery in warfare and they have become one of the strongest Olympic archery contingents. However, the US has a reputation of wishing to excel in all sections of the Games and this has probably been part of a growing interest in Archery Lessons In Austin and throughout the country. Not everyone who takes up archery will end up in our Olympic squad but all of them will gain satisfaction from performing to the best of their abilities, they will make new friends amongst their own teammates and visiting opposing teams and will have discovered a worthwhile pastime. Archery Lessons In Austin will have improved the quality of their lives.
Archery Lessons In Austin can be arranged on an individual basis or through group classes through Archery PRO.
