Feb 26 2016

Shoot report – Harlequin Bow Hunters – February 2016

Mark mustering the archers at the start of the day

So last weekend was a baptism of fire back into the field archery circuit with Paget de Vasey shoot on Saturday and Harlequin club shoot Sunday.

So with slightly aching shoulders we set off up the motorway to Harlequin’s grounds. You can read my previous shoot report here. (Just so you don’t get confused Harlequin changed the club name recently from Hay Smiths to Harlequin)

The course was a mix of 3d, 2d and paper faces set over sensible distances. In fact I would say it’s one of the best set courses I have shot for a long time.

We had great company on the shoot with Roger and Julie joining us shooting Hunting Tackle and Barebow respectively.

Sharon shooting at Harlequin

The club have a lovely piece of woodland offering some great opportunities to frame shots and use dead ground, including a cracking shot at a 2D lynx which was across a small pond that wasn’t even visible from the first peg. A great example of how to cleverly lay a target.

Action shot of Roger shooting the 2D Lynx

Due to recent heavy rain areas of the course were very muddy and waterlogged.

The shoot had a really good vibe with a relaxed atmosphere. Catering was run really well by the club especially as it was the first time they had done it.

Sharon shooting 3D goose between the trees

It was also, like Paget, well marshaled, something that became apparent when the whistles blew and the shoot was stopped. An archer had slipped and injured her back and was helped off the course. The fact the marshals handled it so well was great to see and a credit to the club. It was also great to see that all archers also obeyed the rules and had stopped shooting.

Martin bear paper face set between the trees

Great framed shot through the trees

I think the only negative I could say was that the latter quarter slowed which I think was down to people misjudging targets and having to take second or third arrows. I know I took way too many second and third arrows.

Sharon taking a shot after lunch

I must say though it was good to shoot a challenging course, made challenging by clever course laying and not stretched targets. Nothing couldn’t be reached you just needed to take time to judge it carefully. In fact we started on, I think, the longest target – the 2d tiger.

First target at Harlequin the long 2D Tiger – sorry slightly out of focus

The small (read very small) bedded fawn caught a few out as it had been set in such a way that you thought it was the large one.

Congratulations to Sharon on her first in Ladies American Flatbow with a score that would have got her placed second in the Gents class. Congrats to Jim Kent on his placing and JT on getting his personal best.

It is a shoot like Hawk that we will do our best to get to in future as I think it is one of the best on the circuit.
As for me I need to practice more and to build up the strength in the shoulders to cope with two days of shooting. P.S, Mark if you are reading this sorry for not hearing the comment about targets, I was distracted by some fellow SVYF archers talking to me.
Thanks for reading.

Feb 23 2016

Shoot report – Paget de Vasey – February 2016

As I’ve said before I always see Paget de Vasey shoot as the start of the NFAS season. It was the NFAS first shoot I ever attended so I make an effort to get there when I can. Fortunately there was no snow or ice this year and the rain mostly stayed away too.

Unlike previous years though this February shoot was smaller, as they were only using the smaller wood which meant it would be a twice round 18. To keep the interest and to make the two halves different the first would be entirely 3d targets and the second would be entirely paper.

Sharon looking amused

You can read my previous shoot report here. Anyway on to the shoot report.

There would be four in our group so joining us would be Andy shooting in gents hunting tackle and Viv in ladies longbow.

Viv at the first target of the day at Paget

Overall the shoot ran smoothly with the only delay being at lunch break which was expected as people took the time to warm up and have some hot food.

Andy shooting a 3D at Paget

Unlike others I seemed to cope with the paper faces better with very little difference in scoring on the two halves, probably because I shot the 3d targets so poorly. The paper faces were a challenge especially the timber wolf. One nice thing they did was try to match the paper faces with the 3d targets where they could.

Viv shooting the timber wolf

I think a couple of nets would have been good on a few of the targets not from a safety perspective but for screening. Since they were using the small wood it was inevitable you would see other archers wondering round when you were on the peg .

Andy shooting a 3D at Paget

I still feel that Paget de Vasey is a good shoot for a newbie as it’s friendly, well organised and marshaled.

Sharon shot well especially it was only her second offical time out with her new Blackbrook American Flatbow winning the ladies class.

The day didn’t go well for all though as a friend of ours Nadeem had his Border recurve break at full draw. Fortunately no one was badly hurt and here’s hoping he manages to get it sorted.

So the archery year has started with a friendly and relaxed shoot. They have another in August where they hope to use both woods making a 36 or maybe 40 target course. We’ve already booked our place, who knows maybe we will have warm dry weather.
Thanks for reading.

Dec 7 2015

Shoot Report – Spirit of Sherwood – December 2015

Spirit of Sherwood Wooden Arrow shoot

So last shoot of the year and our thanks to all at Spirit of Sherwood for making it a good one. They hosted a wooden arrow only shoot which unsurprisingly was well attended with an excess of 100 archers. Spirit ground is a long drive for us and knowing they wanted an early start along with the weather not looking great we decided to stop over in Worksop the night before. For those overseas readers, parts of the UK have been battered by high winds and heavy rain resulting in serious flooding in Cumbria and southern Scotland, with the rest of the country experiencing high winds.
As it was the choice of motel was good as it was a 10 minute drive to spirits grounds and an easy walk to a local bar for an evening meal on Saturday.

3D baboon in the morning sun light

So Sunday morning saw us packing up and heading down the road to Spirit. As I’ve said the shoot would be wooden arrow only meaning reduced number of classes, with there being Longbow, Amerian Flatbow, Hunting tackle and Primitive, all shooting wooden arrows with feather fletchings and no sights. Here is a link to last years shoot report.

It would be a 36 target course with a majority of 3d targets and only a few paper faces.

3d beaver complete with sawdust

Our group would include Jackie and Charlie from Castle Bowmen both shooting hunting tackle. This would be the first time Sharon would be shooting her new Blackbrook American flatbow at a shoot, though she had had a little practise down at the club woods.

Sharon Shooting off the tree stump at 3d

The course included one moving target a festive 3d turkey along with a predator prey.
Throughout the course Spirit had distributed boxes of sweets as festive treats for archers to help themselves, a very kind and generous touch.

Spirit of Sherwood gift to archers

The shoot flowed well with no hold ups or apparent problems with the whole thing being completed by 3 pm allowing for all to set off home while there was still light.

3D bedded dear

There were some nice new 3d targets I hadn’t seen before including a 3D boar and bear.

Nice 3D bear target I hadn’t seen before

3D Boar hidden behind the tree

Being a pretty flat ground spirit made use of a couple of tree stumps for elevated shots along with a few nicely framed shots between trees including one of a climbing cat 3d I’d not seen before.

Shooting off the tree stump at 3d

3D car climbing the tree

Overall it was a really relaxed enjoyable shoot with good company and great atmosphere. There we no stretched targets just well set course at sensible distances, well done guys. We were lucky with the weather too as it was mostly dry except for the briefest of showers. It was nice to chat with friends and fellow stick throwers along with other Fellowship of the Bow Facebook group members.
Sharon shot well and she came away with first in ladies American flatbow sadly I only managed third missing out on first by 8 points.
Thanks for reading and have a safe and enjoyable festive season.

My Archery Experiences

Field archery experiences, shoot reports, equipment & book reviews, tips and advice from a UK archer and coach.

Category Shoots Reports

Shoot report – Harlequin Bow Hunters – February 2016

Shoot report – Paget de Vasey – February 2016

Shoot Report – Spirit of Sherwood – December 2015

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