My PSE Response
Before I explain why everyone should shoot archery, let my introduce you to my bow. This is a PSE response compound bow. I have it set to draw at 70 pounds and it shoots somewhere in the neighborhood of 330 feet per second.
The Zen of Archery
Not only are the "bullets" reusable, but compound archery, in my opinion, requires much more skill than shooting a rifle or handgun. The amount of concentration required to shoot archery well at long distances cannot be underestimated. To shoot well, you must devote all of your concentration to centering the site on the target. There are so many parts to consider!
Pull back smoothly with left hand
Place back of hand in on the corner of jaw.
Align peep site with the front site of the bow; level the bow.
Aim at the center of the target.
Release the bow without twisting the front or back hand.
Sure, that was only five steps, but coordinating them and repeating them perfectly every time is incredibly difficult. Attempting to do so turns into a practice of meditation. Maybe this is why I love to shoot my bow so much. This meditation melts away the stress of my day. This meditation centers me and grounds me. It is one of the favorite parts of my day.
I shoot to be an effective hunt, yes, but that almost doesn't matter to me. What matters more is the alone time I get when I shoot my bow. It allows me to decompress and think about my day.
If you've never shot a compound bow, or any bow for that matter, go try it. It might just change your life.