Legends have it that in the days of Robin Hood there was a difference between Robin Hood and his bowman and the King and his archers. A bowman was a rough individual that shot a heavy bow and heavy arrow with the main objective to kill meat for his friends and family. The archer on the other hand was very specialized shooting only targets. I imagine the King’s archers were very sophisticated in their form and equipment.

The term archer and bowman began to fade in the early 1900’s after Dr Pope and Art Young were becoming history. I see today is somewhat the same as it was back in Robin Hood’s day. You have the high tech archer with often times sites, release aids, cams, cables, complete camo gear who spends a lot of time shooting groups on the target range. This archer is generally very conscious of his sophisticated equipment and high scores on the archery range.

On the other hand you have the bowman which I feel are much smaller in number to the archer. The bowman of today is comfortable being called an archer shooting a heavy bow with a broad head arrow often times wearing a felt hat, plaid shirt and bragging about meat in the freezer rather than the high score he got on the archery range.

Do you consider yourself an archer or a bowman? Why has the term “bowman” all but disappeared in todays world of shooting a bow and arrow?

Moosejaw Gary Sentman

Definition of 'bowman' English: bowman1English: bowman2American: bowman1American: bowman2Example sentencesTrends

bowman in British 1 (?b??m?n )

noun Word forms: plural -men an archer Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Therefore, I am an archer, the terms mean the same thing.

Well said Mr Sentman. It is surely food for thought and interesting!

Agree with Larry Hatfield, one is a synonym of the other...one who shoots a bow. I am both.

"Legends have it that in the days of Robin Hood there was a difference between Robin Hood and his bowman and the King and his archers. A bowman was a rough individual that shot a heavy bow and heavy arrow with the main objective to kill meat for his friends and family."

I have no idea where this comes from. A source for it? "Bowman" defines a warrior fighting with a bow in the worst case scenario - when someone wants to contradict the obvious.

The funny part is most of Robin Hood fans ignore him as target archer even though most of the "legendary hits" attributed to him happened during archery tournaments and not hunting.

I am a hunter that uses the appropriate weapon for the task at hand

The word Bowman is derived from old saxon english , whereas Archer is derived from pre-medieval Norman french

What is it with identity labels?

Call me anything you like, I'm going to the hardware store.

They're essentially the same word from two different languages

I could give a rats butt what I'm called.

I practice shooting, I shoot 3D, and I hunt.

I do not consider my bows a weapon. A weapon is something used in a fight situation. has anyone ever had to use your archery equipment as a "weapon" I prefer to call it a toool or any thing but a weapon. Your thoughts.

You can call me bowman You can call me archer Just don't call me Shirley

Must be cabin fever happening in certain parts of the country.

I said to my wife, who does all the computer typing, as a bowman lets stir some talk with the king and his archers. I sit here laughing because I have succeeded in my plan. Yes we were without power for over 10 days. We have been going through the worst winter we can remember on the coastal range of Oregon. And yes I am looking for something to bring humor into the equation.

In defense of my statement though remember the tales of Robin Hood as I heard them as a boy were Robin Hood and his bowman who poached and killed the Kings deer. And then there were the King and his archers who challenged Robin Hood, the bowman, to a target match. When Robin Hood won the challenge the King declared war on Robin Hood and his bowman.

Moosejaw

Yes all above, But i’m Also getting older so I don’t shoot heavy poundage.

If someone walks up with a sick bow how can you tell if he is a bowman or archer. I say he is both because he he shoots a bow.

I click the like button. Click

Sounds like a mole hill being made into a mountain. I am a bow hunter using a bow and arrow, ie, both recurve and compound.

Either way, practice a lot, shoot straight and stay within your effective range. my best, Paul

He also wore tights

bowman/archer yep !

What happened to his band of Merry Men?

Anglo Saxon English .. Cow. Post Norman French ..Boeuf (beef)

Anglo Saxon English .. Pig. Post Norman French ..Porc (Pork)

Anglo Saxon English .. Sheep. Post Norman French ..Mouton (Mutton)

Anglo Saxon English .. Bowe-man Post Norman French l'archier

'Archery' derives from the French, and it's been English custom since, oh probably 1066 AD to hate French-derived words. (Probably because the Normans actually got to *eat* the beef, pork and mutton ;-) )

(If you've ever read 'Ivanhoe' there's a good discussion of this in an early chapter. Tends not to make it to film...)

FITA - Federation Internationale de Tir a L'Arc. (Oui, c'est Francais.)

The merry men are now called Rainbow Archers and live in San Francisco. They're better known for their sword fighting.

I suggest a reread of THE MERRY ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD by Howard Pyle. The second sentence in the book (in reference to Robin Hood) says: "No ARCHER ever lived that could speed a gray goose shaft with such skill". .... However, as has been stated, the two terms Archer and Bowman mean the same thing.

I don't know, this obsession with a bunch of guys who live together in the woods and wear tights and are called merry men. I wonder if they had weed back then or they hadn't come out of the closet yet.

I would stay as far away from them as possible.

As for the question.

Larry Hatfield is correct, but I like Jeff Durnell's answer the best.......Ha!Ha!

Gary , good to see youre alive and kicking . Was wondering about you recently.

I guess I'd have to say I am both archer, and bowman, with a whole lot of bowhunter thrown into the mix.

I've always been a Mutt. Kinda like it that way. 8^)

Rick

To clear the record. Things seemed to be very quiet on Leatherwall. I thought I would stir things up a bit. I am not an expert on ancient folklore. I brought the subject up Archer or Bowman because I remembered the two terms were used in the Robin Hood stories that I heard over 70 years ago. I do, however, use the term bowman quite often because I believe when the bowman term is used it leaves very little doubt where the individual stands or is coming from in my mind. In other words how many Olympic shooters do you hear referring to themselves as a bowman. I leave this topic now only for discussion and I sure enjoyed the old Robin Hood movies when I was a kid. I also enjoyed all your responses. Moosejaw Gary Sentman

I could care less what anyone wants to call it. I just know that I enjoy shooting a bow and arrow.

The Baltimore Bowmen Traditional Classic is loaded with Bowmen.

Ok how about just a killer who makes meat?

Bowman or archer and person who kills is a killer.

Archers in olden times who said they didn't kill too.

I think it was illegal to hunt the kings woods. There was poacher killer then as well as these days still. LOL

Whats changed? LOL

Stir up? You and Frisky must be buddy's. LOL

Seems a number of archery clubs are called Bowman's clubs.

Well .... you do realise Robin Hood never existed don't you

Yes he did!!!, and he courted the lovely Maid Marion, who lived a mere 100 years after his deeds became legend!

Great, what's next, no Bigfoot or Santa Claus?!

About 30 years back there was a member of our archery club who's family name contained just about every letter in the alphabet including X Y and Z. Hungarian or Polish, i don't remember. Anyhow it caused him so much grief that he had it legally changed..yes! ..to Bowman. Sandy

Phil, no Robin Hood! Next the Easter Bunny and Santa don’t exist!?????? RonL

Hi Gary,

I get what you are saying and as you know I'm a bowman...........and in today's world often feel like an alien. : > )

Hope you all see Spring weather soon...........I'll be in touch.

Take care,Mike

OH no Ron ... the Easter Bunny and Santa are real enough ... but not Robby Nud

Robin Hood must be real he's on a he internet and we all know they don't lie on the internet:-)

An archer and bowman got into a fight, and out of the mess came a toxophilite.

I'm a bowman but I identify as an archer.....sometimes. Other times I'm an archer who identifies as a bowman. Today I'm a cat.

I guess we need to add "A" and "BO" to LGBTQ!

Neither. Toxophilite (Roger Ascham, "Toxophilus" 1545). Probably Latin- time for Phil to step in again!

Medieval Yeoman. A Medieval yeoman was of an intermediate social status in medieval Europe. It was a social status that was higher than the lower-class foot soldiers and peasantry, but lower than the nobility and knights. A yeoman typically possessed land, owned arms and took part in fighting on behalf of his lord. Many soldiers of the middle ages could shoot a bow pretty good. For some time in England it was law that all heads of households be proficient with the bow and arrows. Remember Robin Hood and Little John fighting with quarter staff? The staff made from a strong and straight oak stave(split in quarters and rounded-was very formidable weapon and a strong and athletic yoeman could take down a armored knight off his horse. The yoeman often had a small farm of his own to raise his family. A yoeman could probably do much more than stand and shoot arrows at the enemy. They had to forage and hunt for food. They often had armor to wear that they harvested off enemy opponents who they bested in mortal combat. Or when the enemy solders had enough of the yoeman , they just dropped all they had an ran. Maybe too bad that all those tights being worn now day don't have Errol Flynns legs.

Aw, come on, it's winter and cabin fever is is peaking.

Not latin Dan , it's Greek ... Toxo ( bow) Philo ( student or lover of a subject)

Grew up on Bowman lane with Bowman families around me, I'll pick archer. They pronounced it different though.

A bowman is someone who sits in the front of a boat and paddles. I shoot a bow and am an archer.

In New England it's 'au-cha'.

BOWHUNTER......... If I didnt hunt, I wouldnt shoot. BUT, I shoot alot in order to hunt better......

Alright, Phil- so I'm really a "Toxophilistine"!

George, you nailed it. "Weah do ya pahk ya cah?"

...ovah in de yahd....Havhad yahd.

Bowman/ archer/ bowhunter, all of those. On days I can't hit a barn from inside the barn, I call myself a dumbass.

Bowman is the person the front seat of the canoe that I yell at when they don't know what they are doing. An archer is anyone with a longbow. The ones with wheelie bows are neither, they are sports enthusiasts.

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet". I'll take kindly to being defined as either of those terms.

YOU GUYS MISSED IT!!!!!!!

Larry Hatfield made a funny!!!!!!!

I am a bowhunter

I believe!!!

Mr. Sentman, well played.

All I can say is that anywhere I can find info from Gary Sentman followed by info from Larry Hatfield is my kind of place. And that is what will keep me coming back here.

DDave

Camodave - I have brought back my instructional DVD “Straight Talk, Traditional Archery”. I feel it has some good information for all archers. PM if you are interested.

Moosejaw Gary

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