Middle Earth Ranger Forum

In holding the bow horizontally the release-hand is held with the palm uppermost, the arrow, of course, resting on the bow. In the Zuni and Ottawa practice, the bow being held vertically or nearly so, the arrow is placed at the left of the bow. It is possible that originally the bow was held horizontally, but necessities arising, as in shooting in a forest, or shooting side by side with others closely appressed, the bow was required to be held vertically. In thus turning the bow-hand in the only way it could be turned conveniently, the arrow would be brought to the left of the bow vertical.

As will be shown further on, the position of the arrow either to the right or to the left of the bow vertical is determined in most cases by the method of release.

In the primary and secondary releases, however it makes but little difference on which side the arrow is placed; and some tribes, using the bow vertical, place the arrow to the right, and this is probably a quicker way of adjusting the arrow when shooting rapidly. Col. James Stevenson informs me that Navajo Indians practice three methods of release, namely, the primary release already alluded to, the tertiary release, and a variety of the Mediteranean release, which will be described further on.