The bowstring should have a knot, a timber hitch, on the bottom end, and a loop at the top. (If you are stringing a recurve bow your string will have a loop at each end. The large loop goes to the top and the small loop goes to the bottom). Put the top loop over the top end of the bow and let it slide down a few inches. Put the knot on the bottom end of the bow and tighten it in the two slots, the nock. Place the pouch of the bowstringer over the bottom nock of the bow and over the knot, with the cord of the bowstringer on the same side of the bow as the bowstring.

Now place the saddle of the bowstringer over the top of the bow, with the ears of the saddle facing back towards the handle of the bow.

Push the loop of the string towards the end of the bow, and push the saddle of the stringer close behind it. Not on top of the loop, nor past the loop, but behind it. Make sure the saddle and the loop of the bowstring are as close to the end of the bow as you can. With your left hand hold them in place so that they cannot slip back.

Hold the grip of the bow with your right hand and hold the bow so that it is horizontal. Bend down, and put your right foot on the bowstring. You should now be holding the handle of the bow with your right hand, your left hand should be holding the saddle of the stringer against the loop of the string, and your right foot should be pressed against the ground with the bowstringer underneath your foot.

Now start to pull the bow upwards, and when you have lifted it some way the saddle will grip the top limb so that you can let go of the saddle and it will stay in position without sliding down. Your left hand is now free, and you can use it to slide the loop towards the end of the bow and slip it into the slots at the side, the nock.

If you cannot get the loop close enough to the nock to slip in, then either you are not pulling the bow high enough to give you enough slack, or you have let the bowstring saddle slip down towards the handle.

POINTS TO WATCH

It is important to start with the saddle close to the loop, and the end of the bow, otherwise all the bending of the bow will be on the bottom limb, which will eventually cause it to snap or become distorted. BOTH limbs of the bow must bend as you string it. It is also important to make sure that the loop goes firmly in both sides of the nock, otherwise it may jump out again when you shoot.