Archery question(s)?

[XMG5]

As someone who knows nothing about archery or modern bows can someone answer something about it?

Watching the Olympic archery I noticed that when the archer draws back on the bow string there is a sort of lever that stands out from the bow near the arrow tip. This lever remains out from the bow near the handgrip until milliseconds before arrow release when it snaps shut to the side of the bow.

My questions are:

What is this "lever"?
What does it do?
What operates it?
What purpose does it serve?

Just curious really.

[TheGroover]

From here

Clicker - a blade or wire device fitted to the riser, positioned to drop off the arrow when the archer has reached optimum draw length. Used correctly, this ensures the same cast-force each time. Many archers train themselves to shoot automatically when the clicker 'clicks' off the arrow.

[XMG5]

Thanks for the info. How does the clicker get reset before each shot? Is it automatic when the bow's string is drawn back?

[Iatne]

The arrow is placed under the clicker which is what sets it, the noise happens when the blade of the clicker comes off the tip of the arrow.

[XMG5]

Iatne said:

The arrow is placed under the clicker which is what sets it, the noise happens when the blade of the clicker comes off the tip of the arrow.

So the clicker is pressing against the arrow until the draw on the string reaches a certain distance or reaches a pre-calibrated poundage pull which releases the clicker freeing the arrow to be fired?? Is that correct?

What happens if the archer releases the arrow before the clicker comes off the tip of the arrow........if indeed he/she can?

Edited by XMG5 on Wednesday 1st August 21:27

[TheGroover]

That's about the size of it. The archer *could* release before the clicker drops but it would not be a good shot as you wouldn't be at the correct pull length for the setup of your sight, the shot would be low. Also the clicker would probably affect the flight of the arrow.

[XMG5]

Thanks for the explanation guys!