Req 1b — Range Safety Rules
The Five Range Safety Rules
Every organized archery range follows a set of safety rules designed to keep archers, spectators, and range staff safe. These rules are not suggestions — they are absolute requirements. Learn them, practice them, and follow them every single time you step onto a range.
1. Always Keep Your Arrows in Your Quiver Until You Are Told to Shoot
Arrows stay in the quiver until the range officer gives the command to shoot. No exceptions. You do not nock an arrow, you do not handle an arrow, and you do not pull an arrow from the quiver until you are on the shooting line and the range is officially open for shooting.
This rule prevents accidental releases and keeps the range orderly. When everyone follows it, there is never a question about whether it is safe to be downrange.
2. Always Aim at the Target — Never at Anything Else
Your bow should only ever be pointed at the target. Never swing your bow to the side, aim above the backstop, or point your bow in any direction other than straight at the target in front of you. Even when adjusting your stance or practicing your form without an arrow, keep your bow oriented toward the target line.
3. Never Shoot Straight Up into the Air
An arrow shot upward will come back down — and you have no control over where it lands. Even at a slight upward angle, an arrow can sail over the backstop and travel hundreds of yards. Always shoot on a flat or slightly downward trajectory toward the target.
4. Be Sure of What Is in Front of and Behind Your Target
Before you shoot, confirm that the area around and behind your target is clear. People, animals, or property behind the target could be struck by an arrow that misses or passes through. On a well-designed range, backstops handle this for you — but you should still develop the habit of checking.
5. Only Shoot from the Shooting Line
The shooting line is a marked line on the ground where archers stand to shoot. You do not shoot from in front of it, behind it, or off to the side. Shooting from the same line ensures that all archers are at a consistent distance from the targets and that no one is accidentally downrange when arrows are flying.
Why These Rules Work
Notice that the five rules work together. If everyone keeps arrows in the quiver until told to shoot (Rule 1) and only shoots from the shooting line (Rule 5), then no one is handling arrows while others are downrange. If everyone aims only at the target (Rule 2) and checks what is behind it (Rule 4), stray arrows are virtually eliminated. And if no one shoots upward (Rule 3), arrows stay within the controlled range area.
