Have you ever wondered what the future holds for archery in the next couple of decades?
I think we all wonder where our favorite hobby is going to be in the next decade or two. It’s always important for people to know that there is a future for the things they love to do. Some things come and go as trends, while others stay relevant for generations to come.
Fortunately, archery has stood the test of time. This art form always finds a way to gain more fans of all ages. I continuously see more and more people gaining interest in the art of the bow and arrow.
I have always pictured the bow as a very unique weapon that doesn’t need to evolve to survive. With that said, there has definitely been an evolution. Archers all over the world are still using even the most traditional bows and arrows. It seems to me that competitive archery is the area that benefits from technology. That is where the biggest changes will be taking place.
Today, we are going to be talking about some of the predictions regarding archery in the next 20 years. Some are just predictions. Others are considerations made due to technologies currently on development.
The basic construction of the bow and arrow
Some people say that the crossbow is the evolution of the bow and they are right to a certain extent, but I feel that the crossbow never replaced the bow – it just gave people new options. The bow and arrow are far more popular than the crossbow in modern times, except for that sudden promotional service that Daryl Dixon brought to the masses. In case you don’t know, Daryl Dixon is a character from a Show called the Walking dead, and the character does most of his killing and hunting with a crossbow.
The basic constriction of the bow and arrow is not going to change that much in the coming decades. I feel that the biggest changes are going to relate to the weight of the weapon. We have all seen the incredible changes that came from using carbon fiber instead of using wood to build bows. This allowed bows to be stronger but also lighter, which is an incredible benefit.
It’s very easy to see that one of the most important changes has been the weight factor. Carbon fiber is great, but things can take an even more important turn in the coming years. There is a new material used for tests and it could very well make its way to archery.
The material is graphene, and this is right now the lightest and strongest material in the world. It is at least 100 times stronger than steel. Being practically weightless means it would be incredibly good for a bow.
Just imagine being able to shoot a bow that feels like it’s made out of hollow plastic, but it packs the punch and power of a bow made of steel. That is exactly what it would be like if graphene became the main material for bow manufacturing.
If the weight of the bow goes lower, it could end up being a very welcome advance. One that might make endurance and control easier. Just consider the fact that shooting a bow several times is always going to wear your arms out. An even lighter bow could easily help you take more shots.
The latest in hunting technology
It seems like the biggest changes related to archery might not even happen in the bow itself. Many technological advances will allow hunters to achieve better results from their stealth. Things such as cloaking devices are still sci-fi right now, but they could become a reality in the coming decades.
Maybe we are also going to see arrows that have cameras on the tip and then you can view the trajectory of the arrow in HD quality video at incredibly fast frame rates. This is all just speculation, but I would love to see things that allow archers to keep better track of their progress.
Hunting is not really the biggest interest for most archers, but it does seem like the most relevant changes in archery might be taking place in hunting. If competitive archery changes any further, weight changes would be the only accepted change. The materials to build the bows and arrows could end up changing for the better.
Technology should never replace skill
When it comes to archery, it would be boring if bows and arrows had the artificial intelligence to reach their target on their own. What I mean by this is that I don’t want a bow and arrow that will do all the work for me. I can easily see technology that will allow bows and arrows to be extremely accurate without any precision or skill required from the archer.
This sounds great for those who want to buy a bow and arrow for hunting without looking to be competitive, but for archers like myself who love the thrill of the skill – this would make archery incredibly boring. Just imagine how dull it would be for archery tournaments to be all about the bow and arrow with the most accurate artificial intelligence. This would make the archer nothing but a living and breathing pedestal for the bow. I’m sure this is going to happen in twenty years, but I also hope that it never becomes the norm for archery.
Competitive archery needs to preserve human skill as the main component. If you take that away, all you have is a bunch of machines that are trying to outdo themselves.
If that happens, humans are only going to compete in robotics and AI. They will compete in terms of who can create a better robot. They no longer compete as individuals to test their physical and mental skills in any other way. This future does not sound appealing to me at all, but I think this is going to be a reality that we might face in many aspects of life, not just in something like archery.
How much change is too much change?
A large number of people wonder about how much change is too much change in terms of the bow and arrow. There was a time when traditional archers saw the aluminum arrows and the lightweight materials used for the bow to be an unfair advantage. It’s possible that we are going to end up seeing the same problem when an even lighter and stronger material is used to create bows and arrows.
I think that we draw the line in terms of design and not so much in terms of materials. For example, we mentioned the crossbow as an evolution of the bow, but it was never a replacement. Most people who used bows and arrows simply saw this as a new weapon and not a replacement. It’s like owning a handgun and buying a shotgun and thinking one replaces the other. They both use bullets, but they are completely different weapons.
I don’t see a problem if the materials used for the bow and arrow continue to evolve. I find it very exciting to see some of the technological advances implemented in professional bow hunting. Those bows are complex and very intricate in their design. They are nothing like the traditional wooden bows that we all love, but they serve a different purpose.
Legal issues and the future of weapons
One thing that I have noticed about the modern world is that there is a lot of talk about gun control and weapon control in general. I’m a bit afraid that the future holds a lot of restrictions for many kinds of weapons. This could very well include the bow and arrow in those restrictions.
I hope that people who are responsible with their weapons are still going to be able to use them, but we could very well expect a future where the use of any weapon is heavily restricted. The idea of the bow and arrow ever being illegal to own is one I don’t even want to consider. I also know that this is unlikely to happen.
Final thoughts
It’s impossible to be entirely sure about what will be happening twenty years from now. With that said, it’s safe to say that we can expect some amazing changes to take place in the world of archery. Most of those changes relate to the materials used for the manufacturing of bows and arrows. Other changes also related to hunting technology. I would say that I expect the bow to remain the same in terms of its shape.
I believe that stealth technology will reach a new level so we can see some exciting hunting taking place. For those that show no interested in hunting, there is always the promise of lighter and stronger bows and arrows. If you want to experience competitive shooting, you will probably love the upgrades in the coming years.