When Should You Carry Arrows In The Nocked Position?
Archery and bowhunting can be a fun sport, but it can also be dangerous. You don’t hear about bow accidents as much as gun accidents, but they can happen. In this article, we are going to look at one way they can happen, and that is carrying an arrow nocked. We are going to talk about what this is. Then, we are going to answer the question when should you carry arrows in the nocked position.
When should you carry arrows in the nocked position
What is nocked
Before going into the answer to the question, it is important first to know what a nocked arrow is. The nock is a part of the arrow. It is the little plastic piece on the end. When an arrow is in the nocked position, it means that it is attached to the string of the bow. The bow does not have to be drawn for the arrow to be considered nocked.
How to nock an arrow
It is important to know how to nock an arrow properly. It is pretty simple as bows are made to show you where to nock the arrow. All you do to nock an arrow is hold the arrow between your index finger and thumb. Use your other hand to hold the bow parallel to the ground with the string towards the body. Then rest the arrow on the bow’s arrow rest. Align the cock father up, which is normally the one that is a different color, and then align the slot in the nock with the string. After that, just pull the arrow back until the string locks into the nock making the arrow ready to fire.
Nocked arrow
When to carry a nocked arrow
So, now we can get to the question of when should you carry arrows in the nocked position? The only time you should carry an arrow this way is if you are approaching game cautiously. You should also make sure no one is in front of you. It doesn’t matter if the bow is drawn or not. If you are carrying a drawn bow with a nocked arrow, then you need to be extra cautious. You don’t want to shoot yourself or someone else.
If you are not slowly approaching the game, then you should not be carrying a nocked arrow. Following proper bow safety is important. If you are experienced or hunting alone, then you can get away with carrying a nocked arrow. Also, carrying a nocked arrow on a hand-drawn bow is a lot safer than on a crossbow. That is because crossbows are cocked as soon as the arrow is loaded. If hunting with a crossbow only carry a nocked arrow if you are going to shoot at the game soon.
Conclusion
The question of when should you carry arrows in the nocked position is a really easy one to answer. It doesn’t take a lot of explanation to tell you to only carry it when about to shoot some game and only if no one is in front of you. Following bow safety, while hunting is important as bow and arrows are dangerous weapons. You may not hear about bow accidents as much as gun accidents, but that doesn’t mean that bows can not cause you harm. They can, and that is why it is important to use them responsibly and to not carry a nocked arrow unless you are about to fire it, even if the bow is not drawn.
