“What is the best bow vice I can get for around $100?”
“Do you have any bench design ideas to organize my archery equipment?”
“What brand do you recommend for a 3D target that won’t break the bank?”
You’ll find the answers to these questions and thousands of others in online archery forums. Thanks to the internet, archers around the world can connect and interact with one another anonymously.
In a forum, archers can talk about everything archery-related, such as the latest gear, tips and tricks, bowhunting, DIY projects, buying and selling gear, beginner archery, and more.
If you’re just getting started, you’ll want to learn the basic lingo: user group, thread and post. A user group is either a guest or a member who is using the forum. Depending on whether you’re a guest or a member, you might have different privileges on the site. A thread is the initial question or remark that starts a post. And a post is a comment or a reply within a thread.
The next time you have a question or want to get another archer’s perspective, check out one of these popular archery forums.
ArcheryTalk
ArcheryTalk prides itself as the largest online archery resource in the world. This online forum and community has millions of posts from archers who are not only asking questions, but also chiming in with their own answers and tips.
At ArcheryTalk, you’ll find topics related to general archery, bowhunting, archery brands, traditional archery, women in archery, archers with disabilities, seniors in archery, DIY projects, giveaways and even a classified ads section.
You can also access sub-forums that dive deeper into archery with threads on crossbows, archery reviews, international archers and competitive archery. You’ll even find off-topic threads, like health and fitness or general outdoors.
“There are so many helpful members that offer really good insight into products they’ve tested, bow tuning techniques and advice for new archers,” said Outdoor Editorial Director Lucas Cooney, who first discovered ArcheryTalk as a member. “The big thing that kept bringing me back to ArcheryTalk was the community. Archers helping archers is the slogan of the site and it fits perfectly.”
ArcheryTalk.com has been around since 2002 and has more than 445,000 members today. The general archery discussion section alone has more than 7 million posts.
Bowhunting.com
Bowhunting.com is one of the most popular forums on the web for bowhunters around the country. Naturally, much of the forum is also dedicated to archery-related topics.
Justin Zarr is the general manager for Bowhunting.com. He said the forum is filled with top-quality advice from experienced bowhunters, and it’s a place lasting friendships are made.
“We have a very dedicated, knowledgeable group of archers and bowhunters who are willing to help fellow hunters and enjoy sharing their experiences,” Zarr said.
One of the more unique components of Bowhunting.com is the annual deer hunting contest for forum members.
Archery-related forum topics include archery for beginners, “tech talk” where archers can ask questions about bow tuning equipment, DIY archery projects, traditional archery gear, crossbows, target archery and a classifieds section.
Among the DIY projects, for example, you’ll find step-by-step instructions on how to make a leather hip quiver and DIY targets.
Since its inception in 2008, the number of members has grown to more than 33,500. Bowhunting.com’s forum has more than 1 million posts.
The Archery Store Buy/Sale/Trade – Facebook Group
Facebook also has a forum system called groups. Much like regular online forums, it’s a place where people with common interests can post discussions and share new ideas. You can only join a Facebook group if you have a Facebook account.
The Archery Store/Buy/Sale/Trade group is a place to buy and sell archery gear. That means you can share photos and details of gear you want to sell. When posting, you should include important factors like price, age and condition of the product. If you’re interested, respond to archers who are also selling their gear and ask them questions to help you decide whether the product is right for you.
The Archery Store/Buy/Sale/Trade group is a closed group, meaning you’ll need to join the group and wait for approval to be a member. In the two years the group has been around, nearly 11,000 members have joined.
Traditional Archery Society – Facebook Group
The Traditional Archery Society Facebook group is a worldwide community of traditional archers who discuss longbows, recurves, general archery and bowhunting. Archers have an opportunity to buy and sell products, participate in polls, share photos and video, and get opinions about different kinds of traditional bows.
The Traditional Archery Society also hosts the Traditional Bowhunter World Championship and Stickbow100. The society promotes hunting, practicing and attending archery tournaments together.
The Facebook group has been around since 2016 and is open to the public, which means anyone can join without an approval process. This group currently has nearly 7,000 members. If Facebook groups aren’t for you, the group also has an online forum with more than 4,000 members. You can find the forum at the Traditional Archery Society website.
Archery360.com Facebook Community
Archery360.com and the Archery 360 Facebook Community are great resources for finding information or crowdsourcing. Much like forums, you can ask the Archery 360 Facebook Community questions, share stories and connect with other archers across the world. You can also stay up-to-date with Archery 360’s latest articles.
Before you become a member of a forum, make sure you read the forum rules. General rules include respecting one another, refraining from vulgar language and not spamming. Users who violate the rules could be banned by moderators of the forums.
Of course, forums aren’t for everyone. You may prefer traditional face-to-face communication for your archery questions. Use our shop-finder tool to find a nearby archery shop with experts who can offer advice, tips and coaching.
