What does shooting off the shelf mean?

It means resting the arrow directly on the bow's shelf, the ledge above the grip, instead of on a separate arrow rest. Traditional and longbow archers often shoot this way. The shelf is usually covered with leather, felt or hair, with a side plate on the window, to quieten the arrow and protect the riser.

What should I cover my arrow shelf with?

Anything soft and durable that gives a consistent contact point: leather, felt, carpet strip or calf hair are all common. Use a matching side plate on the window. Under World Archery field and 3D rules, side padding may be no thicker than 3 mm and rise no more than 1 cm above the arrow.

Is the shelf the same as an arrow rest?

It can be. Many traditional bows and longbows are shot off the shelf, and World Archery's field and 3D rules count it as a rest for Traditional and Longbow, alongside simple non-adjustable rests for Traditional. On most other bows the arrow sits on a separate rest instead.

Shelf

The shelf is the ledge cut into a bow's riser, just above the grip, where the arrow can rest. Traditional and longbow archers often shoot straight off the shelf, usually covered with a soft material such as leather, felt or hair; on most other bows a separate arrow rest carries the arrow instead.

Details

Shooting off the shelf is the simplest setup there is: the arrow lies on the shelf and against the side of the sight window, with nothing to adjust or break. It is quiet and forgiving of rough handling, which is why it suits traditional bows and hunting. The trade-off is less control over where the arrow sits than an adjustable rest gives you.

A shelf is usually covered. A strip of leather, felt, carpet or hair on the shelf, and a side plate on the window, protect the riser, quieten the arrow and give a consistent contact point. Some shelves are rounded or crowned so the arrow touches at one small point instead of along the whole shelf.

Under World Archery's field and 3D rules the shelf counts as a rest. A Traditional bow may use only a non-adjustable rest, which can be a simple self-adhesive plastic rest, a feather rest or the shelf. A Longbow may use its shelf as a rest. In both, the shelf may be covered with any material, and padding on the side of the window may rise no more than 1 cm above the arrow and be no thicker than 3 mm. Other federations set their own rules, so check the rulebook for your class.

Because the arrow rides on the shelf and against the riser, arrow spine, fletching and nock height all need matching to the bow. Feathers usually clear the shelf better than vanes, and a bow cut close to centre lets the arrow sit nearer the line of the string.

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Common questions

What does shooting off the shelf mean?: It means resting the arrow directly on the bow's shelf, the ledge above the grip, instead of on a separate arrow rest. Traditional and longbow archers often shoot this way. The shelf is usually covered with leather, felt or hair, with a side plate on the window, to quieten the arrow and protect the riser.
What should I cover my arrow shelf with?: Anything soft and durable that gives a consistent contact point: leather, felt, carpet strip or calf hair are all common. Use a matching side plate on the window. Under World Archery field and 3D rules, side padding may be no thicker than 3 mm and rise no more than 1 cm above the arrow.
Is the shelf the same as an arrow rest?: It can be. Many traditional bows and longbows are shot off the shelf, and World Archery's field and 3D rules count it as a rest for Traditional and Longbow, alongside simple non-adjustable rests for Traditional. On most other bows the arrow sits on a separate rest instead.