Tag Archives: AFB

Mar 24 2016

Shoot report – Thornbury – March 2016

Thornbury Field Archers

Thornbury Field Archers

Last Sunday we headed south on the motorway to Thornbury Field Archery Club for their 40th anniversary shoot. I have come to the conclusion that I really hate road works on motorways and especially 50 mile an hour limits, which only some people adhere to. Anyway on to the shoot report. We’ve shot at Thornbury a couple of times and this was by far their busiest shoot with over 120 people attending. You can read the last shoot report here.
Despite the size of the event it was still friendly and flowed quite well with only a couple of hold ups.
3D bird target just over the bank

3D bird target just over the bank

We would be shooting with a couple we’d not met before, Helen and Jason. Helen shooting Barebow and Jason his compound. It was really nice to meet another archery couple and we hope to shoot with Jason and Helen again in the future.
Shot between the trees

Shot between the trees

Unlike previous shoots at Thornbury, this one would be a full 40 target course, with a mix of 3D, paper and hessian faces. They had managed to secure the adjacent field to their wood which has enabled them to set 4 targets in field including a lovely 3d target of a badger under a fallen tree.
Sharon shooting 3D badger

Sharon shooting 3D badger

There were a couple of predator prey shots (only one arrow at each target allowed) along with some challenging shots over banks or window shots between trees.
3D target between the trees

3D target between the trees

I think one of the hardest shots of the day was one of the special shots, where you had three 3d deer targets and a wolf 3d behind. The target was the wolf and if you hit the deer you blanked the shot.
Jason shooting a 3D hare

Jason shooting a 3D hare

I’m not sure but think they must have some very gifted artists in the club as they had some lovely hessian targets on the course including a fantastic tiger and a fish jumping out of the water for a dragon fly.
An example of the great hessian faces

An example of the great hessian faces

The elephant shot returned, though not at the great length it was previously, but it still made for a challenging shot between the trees.
The elephant shot makes the return

The elephant shot makes the return

Sharon shooting off one of the towers

Sharon shooting off one of the towers

My complements to the cooks as the chilli at lunch was great as was the homemade lemon cake. Sharon shot well winning ladies AFB and I was pleasantly surprised coming first in gents AFB.
Thanks for reading.
Mar 17 2016

Shoot report – Centaura archers – March 2016

Centaura archers

Centaura archers

Many years ago I was watching a World War two documentary on the London blitz. The narrator an American journalist  made reference to a saying I still remember to this day.
“The sign of a great fighter in the ring is if they can get up from the floor after being knocked down.”
It was in the context of how Londoners would pick themselves up every morning following the German bombing raids and carry on with life.
Three weeks prior to their shoot the Centaura club had been a victim of a break in, resulting in a theft of some of their 3d targets, power generator and other items needed to run a shoot. A damaging blow for any club but when you are due to host a shoot for over 100 archers a scant few weeks later it could be devastating.
Despite this I am delighted to say the club and it’s members proved their commitment to archery by picking themselves up and hosting a good friendly shoot with some challenging shots and unique target faces.
The archery gods must have been looking after them as even the weather seemed to be kind on the day, bestowing a bright sunny early spring day, if at times slightly chilly in the morning. If you are interested in reading a past shoot report you can find one here.
Our shooting companions for the day would be Gayle and Amy both from Harlequin club ,  joining Sharon and I wondering round the woods admiring the banks of snowdrops and primroses that were in full bloom.
Bank of snowdrops

Bank of snowdrops

The polo shot returned this time with a skinny meerkat face one of many faces a club member had sourced.

The polo shot

The polo shot

Sadly I did not make the most of the day and would like to thank Jim Pierce for his assistance at the lunchtime break for taking the time to look at my shoulder. I had injured it on Saturday when lifting a boss resulting in a sharp pain each time I drew up. Not great for a draw dynamic really. Hopefully it will settle down over the next week. While I remember congratulations Jim on your first place.
Back to the shoot report.

Shot from the hill top

Shot from the hill top

Yes there were many familiar targets but they all seemed to work and the day flowed well with only a couple of hold ups on the more challenging shots.

Valley shot - sadly cost me an arrow

Valley shot – sadly cost me an arrow

On the subject of targets it is noting that there were some excellent custom target faces. I loved the owl looking out from behind the tree and the meerkats,  though I think the fox must have been on a diet.
In short well done to Centaura for showing what is possible despite the criminal element in our society.

Luckiest shot of the day

My luckiest shot of the day

On a lighter note to end this report can I say how great it was to have the opportunity to meet in person and talk with a reader of this blog. I’m really glad you like the site and enjoy the shoot reports and thanks for taking the time to chat.

Sharon shooting her BlackBrook American Flatbow

Sharon shooting her BlackBrook American Flatbow

Special congrats to Sharon who showed she is becoming more used to shooting her afb by out shooting all wooden arrow archers both male and female on the day.
Thanks for reading.

Feb 26 2016

Shoot report – Harlequin Bow Hunters – February 2016

Mark mustering the archers at the start of the day

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

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

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

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 set between the trees

Martin bear paper face set between the trees

Great framed shot through 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

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

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.