Originally posted by Maelstrom:

Bows do mostly pierce damage. Skeletons are resistant to pierce damage.

Damage types matter in this game. A lot actually. You should use a mace on skeletons and draugr as they're weak to blunt damage.

Originally posted by Breezie:

I've noticed that with the iron sword, I can end a sword and shield skeleton in one hit, but the bow skeletons take 2.

The point was that the ranged skeleton supposedly has more defense than the melee skeleton. He wasn't trying to use the bow on the skeleton.