Archery Tip : How To String A Bow (With and Without A Stringer)

Hey archery friends, this is Tara. Today I'm going to teach you how to string a bow with a stringer and I'm also going to teach you how to string a bow without a stringer. So in case you get to the archery range and you forgot your stringer, I'll teach you a few tips and tricks on how to still get it strung so you can shoot that day. So what you're going to notice on your string is on each end of the string there's going to be two loops. One loop will be bigger than the other. The bigger loop will always go on the top limb. So the reason why is because it's actually going to slide down and this is where we're going to string and unstring the bow from. It's from the top limb all the time. That is why the bottom loop is going to be smaller. It's just going to fit over this limb notch right here. See where the limb tip is and it's just going to fit right along the groove there. The best option always is to grab a stringer. So when you purchase a stringer they're only about ten dollars. There's all different kinds. I typically like the ones that have the pockets on them and this one right here, I believe this is a cartel, this one is going to have a big pocket and it's also going to have a small pocket. You are always going to place the big pocket on the bottom limb, the one that has the smaller loop and the reason why is like I was just saying we're never going to string or unstring the bow from the bottom. So you want to actually cover that whole limb tip right there. So see how it's all covered. You don't see the notch. You don't see the string. So that's going to protect it so it doesn't come undone when you're stringing the bow. All right and then for the top you're going to use the smaller pocket. It's going to right over the limb tip there so that way you can actually see the notch so when you string it the string will come right over top of it. All right so now we're ready to string the bow. Best way to string it, I tell my archers go ahead and take your dominant hand, place it on the grip position and then I also take my dominant leg and all I'm going to do is I'm going to step on the string and as you're stepping on the string all you're going to do is you're going to bring that hand holding the bow straight up and as you're pulling this up you're going to use your other hand to push away the string all the way over the limb tip. Now what's really important is when you are stringing and unstringing it make sure you don't put your fingers under the limb. You always want to keep your hand over the limb because otherwise when you go to string it your fingers are going to get caught and it doesn't feel very good. So you want to make sure you just slide your hand on the top part of the limb to string and unstring it so that way nothing gets caught. All right and so then the next thing you're going to do once you get that strong is you are going to take the stringer off the top and just check it to make sure it's fitting into the groove and as you can see it's in the notch. Let's see here it's in the notch and it's fitting in the groove so it's on there nice and safe and then do a double check down here just to make sure it's still in the notch sitting in the groove and there you've strung your bow. So super easy with the bow stringer. Let me go ahead and show you when we unstring it how that's going to look. It's going to be the same thing but backwards. Okay so all you're going to do is you're going to place that big pocket over the bottom limb because remember we never string or unstring from the bottom that's why we're going to have the small loop down here. The top part of the bow stringer is going to have the smaller pocket so that way we can see the notch so we can unstring the bow and all you're going to do is take your dominant hand place it on the grip position take your dominant leg step on the string pull with your dominant hand up towards you and then all you're going to do with your other hand is go ahead and undo the string from the notch and slide it on down the limb and then you can let the tension back down and now you've just unstrung your bow. So super easy with the bow stringer all different kinds of bow stringers so you got to pick out the one that you like and now when you get to the range it'll be easy to string and unstring your bow. Okay so let's say you get to the archery range and you forgot your bow stringer but you still want to shoot archery no problem you can still string it without the bow stringer so same idea as with the stringer you have a big loop small loop the big loop is going to go over the top limb we always string and unstring from the top the small loop is going to go at the on the bottom limb. All right and just make sure it's fitting over that notch there looks good. All right now to string it this is the pull method what you're going to do is you're going to take your shoe I go on my dominant side and you're just going to lift your foot up and place the limb tip underneath your shoe. I would not recommend standing on it that can twist your limb you're just going to use this to kind of guard against there okay so it's just going to fit right up against the bottom of your shoe then you're going to take your dominant hand that is actually going to go on the top of your riser so instead of being down here on your grip like you use with a bow stringer you're actually going to come to the top of the riser and with your non-dominant hand you're actually going to place your hand on top of the limb you don't want to keep your hand under the limb because when you go to string it your fingers will get caught in the string and it will hurt and it'll get stuck so you keep your hands on top so as you're pulling towards you so it's going to be a pull and a push so as you're pulling with your dominant hand the riser towards you you're also going to be pushing away on the limb and you're just going to slide your hand all the way down the limb until the string fits right over the notch and the first thing you always want to do is check it that looks good it's in the notch there get on the limb tip that looks good check the bottom one just to make sure it's all fit in there nice and good okay and now you're all ready to go. I always recommend when you're stringing on stringing not to look right towards what you're stringing but either look forward or look a little bit away especially when you first start out shooting because if you do that and the string slips it can come back in the limb can hit you in the face so always make sure you keep your head away to unstring it let me show you real quick how to unstring it here to unstring it you're going to do the same concept to unstring you're going to place your foot under your shoe keep your foot up dominant hand on the top of the riser non-dominant hand on top of the limb and you're going to just place your thumb and your fingers around the limb so it's not under the string it's just around the limb so it's going to look like this my hands just kind of go around here the outside all right I'll go this way so you can see and as I pull and I push at the same time that string will come loose and you're just going to undo it from the top notch and come straight back okay you're a little closer so you can see I'm going to go ahead and string it so I string it just like that see how everything stays on the outside and when you go to unstring it I'm going to pull towards me and push away from me it's going to loosen everything I'm just going to grab the string and undo it so the next time you go out to the archery range and you forget your bow stringer this is um still gives you a chance to go out and shoot some arrows hope that video helps and happy shooting