Tag Archives: American Flatbow

Feb 23 2015

Shoot report – Paget de Vasey – February 2015

Paget announcements

Paget announcements

I always think of the Paget shoot as the start of the NFAS year. Though in the NFAS unlike other societies there is no indoor and outdoor season, with shoots going on all year round, Paget just feels like the start. You can read previous shoot reports here 2014, 2013 and 2012.
Having said this it never feels like the start of spring as it is always cold, sometimes bright and cold but always cold. This year was no exception with the morning being cold and exactly as the forecasts predicted after midday it started to rain and didn’t let up until near the end. So Sunday morning saw me scraping the ice off the car before heading up the motorway. Paget is one of our closest shoots so only 40 minutes drive saw us pulling up in the car park.
The course was a mix of 3d targets and paper faces set at sensible distances with a couple of challenging shots but nothing stretched. I think they had taken on board people’s comments from last year. The course is spread over two woods the smaller being their club grounds and the larger rented for the weekend from the activity centre.

Paget is always a popular shoot and this year was no different with most groups being five to a peg. So Sharon and I were surprised to see only one other person join us Anthony from Frankly shooting hunting tackle.

Paget marshals sheltering from cold

Paget marshals sheltering from cold

Not sure if the photo does it justice but they had a new dinosaur 3d between the trees.

Dinosaur 3D

Dinosaur 3D

I didn’t approach the shoot with much confidence following a fall I had at SVYF on Saturday which jarred my back and shoulder.
Sorry there aren’t many photos but I didn’t want my phone being soaked so only have a few from earlier in the day.

3D mountain lion

3D mountain lion

Catering was as fantastic as always with the cottage pie warming us up for the second half perfectly. I think the only downside to the day were a few delays which occurred when target bosses had to be replaced as heavier poundage bows were passing through. This the organisers dealt with as quickly as possible but inevitably did cause a few delays and hold ups but in fairness I’ve seen this at other shoots too.

Sharon shooting a paper face deer.

Sharon shooting a paper face deer.

Paget has great facilities but they pay a price as they have limited access to the larger wood which I know they struggled with this year.
Unlike some from SVYF members who did well on the raffle we didn’t win anything. I mention the raffle as I liked the way the organisers bagged up multiple items into one prize which looked good and worked well. It meant there were 10 or so decent prizes rather than a mix of good and not so good.
Despite the poor weather, Sharon shot really well winning ladies hunting tackle and in fact scoring better than all the men too. As for me the shoulder held out partly due to attaching a heatpack to keep it warm. I managed a respectable second place with my second time out shooting AFB, but was aching lots on Sunday night.
Thanks for reading.

Feb 10 2015

Shoot Report – HaySmith – February 2015

Hay Smith Shoot just before start.

HaySmith Shoot just before start.

So this is my first shot report of the new year and it sees us heading north to Leicestershire to try out a brand new club and ground. The “HaySmith and Spares” club was set up following the success of the course they laid at last year’s 3d championship course.
So on a cold frosty Sunday morning we headed up the motorway. I approached the shoot with some trepidation as it was to be the first time out for several years with my American flat bow (AFB). I’ve been trying to build up my strength to cope with shooting it for last couple of weeks but this would be the first real test.

Cold and frosty start to the day

Cold and frosty start to the day

The club’s grounds are quite a small deciduous woodland with a few streams running through, but generally a flat course and easy to navigate.

To say the shoot was popular is an understatement with it being fully booked within 24 hours of registration opening.  The shoot itself was to be a twice round 20 targets with five archers to a peg and all pegs being filled.

Being a new club there were a few 3d targets with  the majority being paper faces. Having said this they did have some new 2d foam targets: a wolf and rabbit which I hadn’t seen previously. Maybe in hindsight reducing the numbers on the shoot to 4 a peg with a couple of empty pegs might have made the day flow more quickly but you live and learn. Having said that it was great to catch up with so many people many of whom we hadn’t seen since last year. It was also good to meet up with Jim Grizzly Kent from Merlin Archery Adventures and have a chat.
One thing the organisers did right at the beginning before the shoot started, which I though was a great idea, was have every archer check the arrows of the archer next to them. After which they announced that anyone found with unmarked arrows would be escorted off the course.
I think it is fair to say the club members put a lot of effort in to making access around the wood easy with numerous bridges across the brooks and secure steps cut into the banks.
We started on target 7 and were joined by Alan and Neil from Pines Park and Josh from Centaura.

Target 7 - first target of day

Target 7 – first target of day

One interesting thing they did was take some standard faces and change the scoring zone and to ensure all archers were aware of the new zones they provided copies at administration and catering. One of these was to be our first target which fortunately I managed to hit.
There were some lovely set shots including one of a 3D wolf across the small pond, thought the reflection looked great.

3D wolf shot - target 20

3D wolf shot – target 20

There were some lovely framed shots which unfortunately suffered due to the low sun and shadows making them not only hard to hit but also hard to see.

Hard to see target

Hard to see target

They had the space to put on a particularly long shot to a 2d hessian tiger which was over 50 yards and probably closer to 65.

Long Tiger shot

Long Tiger shot

In all there were good shots but I  didn’t feel they knitted together as a course as well as they could.

Unfortunately not all things went well for them, which was a shame considering the effort they had put in. There were a couple of issues with targets where the overshoots were close to the next peg so when archers on one target missed the boss the arrows were heard to land near the group in front. This perception of danger often unsettles archers. A ricochet off the ground by one target landed near Administration, resulting in the shoot stopping until the organisers rectified the issue, which they did quickly.

Like many clubs HaySmith relied on outside catering and unfortunately they weren’t the fastest which resulted in delays as groups waited for food. In fairness the food was good and it was the first time the caterers had done such a large event.
Sadly these issues and delays resulted in a long and at times slow day and for this reason the organisers decided to reduce the number of targets that the archers were to shoot from 40 to 30.
It was a brave move by the organisers on the day and I think given the delays they were encountering it was probably a good idea. It meant people could get off the ground and set off home before it got dark.

 They are running a second shoot this weekend due to the initial demand and speed at which their first was booked up.

I’m sure they will review and develop the course over time addressing any issues.
Sharon did well winning ladies Hunting Tackle and being only a few points behind the top gent archers. As for me I didn’t do well and need a lot of practise to get my head in the right place with the AFB. I did have one very lucky shot on a 3D standing bear that was a lot smaller than I expected.

Lucky shot of the day

Lucky shot of the day

I think the mark of a course and shoot is whether people would go back. Despite all the problems I know we will and I hope others do too. Yes there were problems on the day but they reacted to them and will know for the future. Not all clubs learn from their mistakes.

Thanks for reading.

PS I still say the club colours are pink and not salmon Chris.

Mar 17 2014

Shoot report – Centaura Archers – March 2014

Sharon getting ready for shoot

Sharon getting ready for the shoot

This last weekend we took a break from sorting the garden and on Sunday we headed north to just outside of Derby for a return to the Centaura Field Bowmen grounds. It had been a couple of years since we had last shot this ground and not since Pete Bates had passed away. Pete had been a very well known character on the field archery circuit in the Midlands and had been the driving force behind Centaura for years.
Bench donated to the club in memory of Pete

Bench donated to the club in memory of Pete

Considering the very wet winter weather we have endured in the UK, Sunday  was an absolutely lovely early spring day. Bright sunshine and blue skies all day, with our temperature gauge in the car showing 15 degrees when we left to head home late afternoon. Pub beer garden weather or better still shooting weather.
Practise bosses before the start

Practise bosses before the start

The shoot was to be a wooden arrow only shoot, with the course being a 36 target, mix of 3D and paper faces. Normally wooden arrow only shoots have a low turnout but there were over 100 archers split across the different classes of longbow American flat bow and hunting tackle attending the event.

Great Atmosphere

I think it would fair to say  that the shoot was probably one of the most relaxed and laid back shoots I have been on for a very long time. Everyone was smiling and relaxed with very few hold ups on the course.
There was a brief lunch break between 12:30 -1:15 which was necessary as the club ground doesn’t really make for a shoot through.
Post lunch break

Post lunch break

Woodland regeneration

The club is presently working with the local council on a 10 year project of woodland management to rejuvenate the woodland. It’s very obvious how much work has started with clearing and felling of some trees which has opened up areas.

The course

As I’ve said earlier the 36 target course felt split into two main sections one part having the shorter more technical shots dictated by the terrain.

Polo shot

Polo shot

We started on peg 11 which I will call the polo shot. A hole had been cut into a foam boss with a second boss positioned some  5 yards or so behind. You had to shoot through the hole to hit the target, a paper raccoon.

Starting Peg with Sharon, Dave and Graham

Starting Peg with Sharon, Dave and Graham

We were delighted to see Dave and Graham waiting on the peg, longbow archers we’d shot with before.  Our day was filled with jokes and laughter with little consideration of the competition and more about having a good fun day shooting with friends. Thanks guys.
There were some challenging shots out there though an Ermin at 3 yards and low to the ground. Sharon nailed this with a near perfect shot. In fact she nailed the 2 smallest targets on the course,  scoring 24 points on each.

Sharon as she shot the ermin

Sharon as she shot the ermin

There were a couple of predator prey shots one being a crocodile 3d with a 3D goose in its mouth.
There was also a deceptively difficult little 3d fox which caught a few people out.

Graham on 3D fox

Graham on 3D fox

Another was a nice herd shot of 3 3Ds all deer of different sizes and distances.

It was good to catch up with so many old friends who we hadn’t seen since moving house 18 months ago. SVYF came away with a few placings Chris Harley came second in longbow and Sharon and I managed to come away with firsts in Ladies and Gents Hunting Tackle.

I’m sure that with the work the club has already undertaken and are planning it will go from strength to strength.
As always thanks for reading.