How to Make Bows & Arrows From Sticks
- 1). Track down a sturdy hardwood stick. Look for something that is dead and dry as opposed to a branch of a standing tree. The stick should be about a yard long and mustn't be rotten. Bend the stick to see if it will retain its shape without cracking or snapping. Finding the right stick will take patience, but is the most important aspect of making a bow.
- 2). Shape your stick into a bow. It's not important for the stick to have a bowed appearance to begin with. Leave a section near the middle of the stick untouched---this will serve as the grip. Scrape down two sections, one above the grip and one below, facing in the same direction. These scraped sections should be thickest near the handle and taper off gradually at the ends of the stick.
- 3). Cut small horizontal notches in each end of the stick. Attach a length of string from one set of notches to the other. The string should be shorter than the stick; the tension created by it will give the stick its bow-like shape. Pick string that is strong and has elasticity.
- 4). Find smaller sticks to use as arrows. These sticks should be straight and measure about half as long as the bow. If you need to straighten your arrows, hold them over a bed of hot coals; hold them straight while they cool. Cut a notch in the end of each stick, just large enough to fit around the string of the bow.
- 5). Fashion points or arrowheads for your arrows. If you want to keep it simple, it's easiest to just carve the ends of your stick arrows in to points. If you'd like to create arrowheads, flake a piece of flint or an animal bone into a triangular shape. Your arrowheads must be lightweight in order to avoid interference with the flight of the arrows.
