October 7, 2014 • Page 10 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com HUNTING & FISHING 2014 Looking At Archery: Past & Present By Gary Howey Hartington, Neb. The use of archery equipment, bows and arrows go way back, as the first arrowheads were found in Africa, believed to be from before 25,000 BC. Between 1500 and 1027 BC in China, crossbows were the first mentioned, which the Chinese used very effectively in warfare. As bows and arrows became the dominant weapon, the Egyptians produced the first composite bow around 2800 BC, with their archers on chariots a very effective and a large part of their army. In 1208 AD, Mongol mounted horsemen led by Genghis Khan used 70pound composite bows very accurately and effectively in battle. French troops in 1346 AD equipped with crossbows fought against the English army whose archers were equipped with long bows. Crossbows and hand drawn bows became the most effective weapons used in battle through the 1500’s, in what is now Europe and Asia. The first patent granted for a wood handled bow with steel rod limbs in the United States was awarded in 1872. In the United States, the first bow-hunting season was held in Wisconsin in 1934. Bear Archery developed and sold the first working recurve bows in 1953, replacing the straight-limbed longbows. Then in 1966, Holless Allen from Missouri developed the first compound bow, receiving a patent in 1969. Since that time, the sport of archery and bow hunting has grown rapidly with the development of better bows, crossbows and accessories. Present Unlike my first bow and arrow, made from willow and some string from the home, the bows of today are works of art, beautiful, lighter, shorter, faster and accurate. The new bows introduced at the Archery Trade Association Show this year were lightweight, with some weighing only 3.9 pounds, much more compact, with 31-inch axel-to-axel length and with advertised speeds up to 370 fps. Not only have bows become more advanced, crossbows have also come a long ways since those used by the French in 1364. Crossbows, like bows have become lighter, more accurate and in many states legal for bowhunting. Crossbows are now legal for hunting in most states except Oregon. Some allow unrestricted crossbow in all seasons, while other states only allow crossbows in certain seasons or for those with certain medical provisions. Check the state regulations you plan hunting in to the laws that apply to crossbows. In Nebraska crossbows are allowed during all deer hunting seasons while in South Dakota crossbows are only allowed if you have a special medical provision. The sport of archery is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. Facilities like the National Field Archers Association (NFAA) Easton Archery Complex in Yankton, along with the numerous local, state, regional and national events held in the facility have helped to bring archery to the next level. There are numerous way ways to get started in archery including target shooting, field archery, 3-D archery, traditional archery and bowhunting. Archery Hunting 2014 It’s August, the archery antelope seasons are now open with the archery deer season opening up in September. It is the time of the year, when archers will gear up and head out into the woods and prairies in search of deer and antelope. In the Cornhusker state, a recent change in the archery deer season, allows hunters to head to the woods earlier than in years past with the 2014 archery deer season opening September 1 and running through December 31. With the earlier opener, archers may have an opportunity to take a buck in velvet. The Nebraska archery deer season is open statewide with the exception of Nonresident Restricted Youth Permits, which are not valid in the Frenchman, Platte and Republican units. The Nebraska archery antelope season opened August 20 running through the end of December 2014. South Dakota archery deer season will open September 28 through January15th, with only antlerless tags valid from January 1 through the 15th. South Dakota’s archery antelope season began August 17 and is open through October 31, the archery season closes during the firearms season from September 30 through October 13. 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