There are a number of videos available on the internet where professional archers have attempted these trick shots and smoothly hit the target from some of the most difficult positions.
You can, of course, learn these archery trick shots through experience or you can simply take the advice of a professional coach who can help you in perfecting your technique. Below are some of the best archery trick shots that you can try out:
1. Floating target
If you think you’ve mastered the art of archery that requires simply standing at one spot and shooting at a fixed target, then the floating target is something that will pose a bigger challenge for you.
As the name suggests, the floating target shot requires you to shoot at a target that is constantly moving in ping-pong or pendulum-like motion. To make a floating target, you can simply hang a target down from a horizontal rod and give it a nudge to make it move to and fro.
You can also take someone’s help in keeping the target moving so that you don’t have to run to the target to put it in motion constantly.
2. Flying target
The flying target trick shot is even more difficult than the floating target shot. In the floating target shot, the archer could take his time in letting his eyes get used to the swinging motion of the target. However, in a flying target shot, the archer is required to shoot at a target that comes flying from his side and will vanish within 2-3 seconds.
The flying target trick shot can be arranged with the help of an accomplice who can shoot fireballs or simply throw discs from the side as the archer himself stands ready to take aim and shoot down the ball or disc as soon as it enters his field of vision.
3. Popping balloons
The popping balloons shot is something that we frequently spot in carnivals and fairs. The only difference is that instead of using a gun to take aim at the balloons, you will instead aim to pop the balloons by shooting through a bow and arrow.
You can simply stick on the balloons to an existing target and color code them for the points you earn for popping every individual balloon. Alternatively, you can just take any rectangular or circular piece of wood and use it for this trick shot to stick balloons on.
4. Shooting apples off heads
This is one trick shot that you must have seen in at least one western themed movie. It is considered to be one of the most badass archery trick shots as you are literally putting someone’s life at stake through this shot.
However, you need not to be as dramatic as they show in the movies as there is no objection to simply using a dummy in the place of a real person on whose head you can place an apple. This way you won’t have to worry about accidentally killing a person even if your aim does go a little awry.
5. Cutting the rope
The smaller the target, the more difficult the shot becomes. If you are tired of shooting at standard targets, you can try this trick shot in which you have to shoot an arrow so as to cut a rope. To prepare for this target, you can hang any object from a thin rope or thread.
In fact, you can even use the same target that you used for the floating target trick shot. The aim is to pierce the thin thread with your arrow so that the thread is cut and the object hanging from it falls to the ground.
6. Blow out the candle
Have you ever considered shooting at a target as tiny as a candle’s wick that burns when you put a match to it? The blowing out candle with an arrow shot is one of the best and most difficult archery trick shots, probably because of the tiny size of the target.
It is also a shot that involves a fair bit of fire hazard as there is always a chance that the candle may topple over and cause some surrounding infrastructure to be set on fire. For this reason, it is necessary to ensure that you have a couple of fire extinguishers handy before you try out this archery trick shot.
7. Underwater bottle
When you are shooting at something that is below the surface of the water, you require a completely different kind of technique as the water’s surface dispenses light differently and plays tricks on the eye regarding the target’s actual location.
You can try placing a bottle or alternatively a bowling pin on the surface of a swimming pool which you can then target through your bow and arrow by standing just beside the surface of the pool and peering through the water to take aim.
One thing to ensure here is that the bottle should be heavy enough to stay under water. So, if you are thinking of using a plastic bottle, it will probably not work out.
8. Split the arrow
This is another famous archery trick shot that has also been used in some movies for a dramatic effect or to showcase the high level of skill the archer possesses. What you do in this shot is first to shoot an arrow on the target and then shoot a second arrow that is so perfectly timed that it splits the first arrow down the middle to strike the target at the exact same point that the first arrow had hit it.
Practically, this shot cannot be practiced in this way as it would only result in a lot of damaged arrows. Therefore, a better way of taking this trick shot is to design a hollow cylinder that is just about the same dimensions as an arrow shaft and pin it to the center of the target board. Your aim would then be to shoot in such a way that you arrow enters the cylindrical tube and pierces the target.
9. Shooting from a moving vehicle
You’ve probably seen movies where archers from two armies ride on horseback and take aim at their opponents. Well, this trick shot requires much the same technique.
There are two variants of this shot. However, both the variants require the archer to be riding a moving vehicle such as an open jeep where he can stand and take shots.
The first variant is where the target is simply kept alongside the track where the jeep is running. This is far easier than the second variant in which the target can be put up in trees or at a much farther distance from the vehicle’s track to make it more difficult for the archer.
10. Shooting the Piñata
Not considered to be a particularly difficult shot or one requiring a high skill level, it is nevertheless a pretty fun archery trick shot that is especially great for parties and get-togethers.
If you are putting together a piñata shooting activity for a kids’ party, you can build a piñata and stuff it with candies and glitter so that when you shoot it, it will burst to spray candies on the kids.
Another version of this archery trick shot is to fill balls or balloons with food coloring and corn starch so that when you shoot them, they burst to produce colorful explosions.
We recommend you to ask someone to record your shots in slow motion as the extent of imagery in these shots can really be quite extraordinary.
Archery is one of the most competitive sporting events all around the world. It doesn’t matter if you are competing in an inter-school archery competition or in the Olympics, i is a sport that requires rigorous practice sessions.
It requires discipline and patience so that you can build up your confidence, improve your aim, and your overall shooting technique.
Right from how you hold the bow to how much pressure you put on the bowstring by pulling it back, making adjustments for sighting the bow before you release the arrow, there are so many things to focus on when you are learning archery.
However, once you have crossed the beginner stage of archery and have mastered at least the basic technique of shooting arrows, you can start having a bit more fun at your practice sessions.
There are a number of archery trick shots that you can try. These shots help you in further improving your technique while also highlighting any weak points in your archery skills that need improvement.
Even for experienced archers, these trick shots are not easy as they require a high level of concentration and skill. However, these shots are fun to try out and they do give you a sense of accomplishment when you are able to hit your target through one of these trick shots successfully.
The Final Words
So, are you all set to try these trick shots? We’re sure, they will be worth trying!
