Archery allowed the prehistoric human to become an efficient hunter, providing him with safety, food and a degree of status. The bow and arrow, and its angry cousin, the crossbow, were most powerful personal weapon until the fourteenth century, when gunpowder was invented. As guns developed, so did archery as a competitive and recreational sport. In between their crumpets and croquet, the Victorians loved to squeeze off a few arrows.

Today, archery is practised worldwide and is an Olympic sport. Bows can be fitted with a sight, but many archers shoot the old-fashioned way, trusting their instincts alone when aiming. Accuracy is developed through thousands of hours of shooting and calling, "Duck!" to your loved ones.

The main types are outdoor target, field and indoor target shooting. Outdoor target archery involves competitors lining up and shooting at targets from prescribed distances - 100, 70, 50 and 30 metres. The competitors gain points for accuracy - the central gold of the target scores 10 and 9, while the other rings score successively lower points.

Field shooting is another speciality. Participants take themselves off to the woods to practice their art. As hunting with a bow and arrow is illegal, they have to make do with pictures or life-size 3-D foam animals, which they dot throughout the woods. They then sneak up behind the obligingly still, but quite apprehensive, Bambi or Thumper and let loose. The foam victims may also have a target on their back, which some might say is taking their inherent disadvantage a step too far.

Indoor target shooting uses smaller targets and the participants shoot from shorter distances - usually 18 to 25 metres. There are also tiny triple targets for the expert shooter.

Taking up archery doesn't require you to be young, fit and active. Archery is an equal-opportunity sport, enabling the old, wheezy and dormant to beat their smug counterparts. So if you think it might be just the sport for you, add another string to your bow.