Tag Archives: archer

Aug 19 2014

Equipment review – Mybo boss

Over the last few weeks I’ve been doing some coaching with a couple of new archers down at the wood which has been great fun. Been good to get back to doing some coaching.
One of the students was asking about getting a practice boss for their garden and what to get, how much to spend etc. This got me thinking, dangerous I know.
Well, a while back I wrote a piece on setting up a practice boss and the safety considerations. (Here is the link if you are interested.)
This was based on a layered foam boss, but there are bag targets out there and a few months back I picked one up from Merlin archery store. You can see the Archery Adventures  video review here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVx16sYH2JE) .
So I thought it a good time to write a review of how we have found it.

So why did I buy one of these?

We were after something we could use not just for the recurves and flat bows but also the compound. Whist at Merlin I got chatting to the guys about target bosses and how our old tuff butt had seen better days and we were looking to replace it. They showed me the then new mybo sureshot  target boss range they had started to stock.

The staff demonstrated its stopping power by shooting a compound crossbow at about 5 yards into it. The result was about an inch or two of the bolt sticking out the back of the smallest boss. Not bad and a good demonstration of its stopping power.

First few arrows

First few arrows

Cost wise they aren’t bad. I believe replacement covers can be bought from Merlin.

90 cm are £75 and 70 cm are £49

There are three sizes are available. We have the mid range one. (70cm)

The mid range one isn’t to heavy,  manageable by me  to move round so can’t be that heavy as I’m not the strongest archer in the world. There are a couple of handles on top to make it easier to move. I’ve used these with some rope to tie ours in place.
The larger one needs a couple of people to move more due to the bulk than weight.
I’ve put ours on top of our current boss so you have a size comparison.
Mybo bag target

Mybo bag target

Initial tests are positive we’ve been using for a few months now shooting at it a couple of nights a week.

  • Arrows are easy to draw too.
  • Weave hasn’t frayed yet and the holes appear to close up quite well but can still be seen after drawing the arrows.
  • The arrows don’t penetrate too far at least from our recurve bows.  Haven’t tried my compound yet as concentrating on practice with recurve for upcoming National champs in September.
Hole after drawing arrow.

Hole after drawing arrow.

I think it works well for a practice boss and has lasted well from repeated shots though I haven’t shot it with anything other than recurves and flatbows. Although I do think you need to occasionally to shake the bag up so that the contents resettle themselves (bit like when you fluff up a pillow)
Whilst I don’t think you could replace foam bosses with these for a shoot.  I think they work well for practice at home or for a club indoor range potentially.

Top tip

One tip I would give is to get some heavy duty plastic sheets.  I’ve got a load I use in the garden and when I’m not shooting at the boss I cover it to protect it from the worst of the British weather. It also helps prevent birds or other wildlife using it as a scratching or scent post.
I hope you find this useful and if you have one of these or experience of them then let me know. Please remember when setting up a target consider safety above all else.
Thanks for reading.
Aug 8 2014

Some sad news – passing of Roy Bickerstaffe

This week I received some sad news from my old clubs (Black Arrow) chairman Kevin Bunting, concerning the passing of a well know archer and fellow club member Roy Bickerstaffe.

Kevin has put these words together and asked I share them with the wider archery community.

Roy Bickerstaffe - perfect style

Roy Bickerstaffe – perfect style

It is my sad duty to advise you of the death of Roy Bickerstaffe after a short period of rapidly declining health. Roy started the ‘Derby Carriage and Wagon Welfare Archery Section’ in March 1965 (was this the longest archery club name ever?)

Roy shot both target and field in those days and was very proficient in both, swapping with apparent ease between the classic target ‘Freestyle’ and ‘Heavy Tackle’ as Hunting Tackle was originally known.

Roy involved himself in all aspects of the sport: administration, coaching and, of course, shooting.
 
In 1970 the BFAA merged with the EFAA and soon Field Archery as we had known it was changing and not for the best.  Roy with a few others decided that enough was enough and with the hindsight afforded by their experience of the BFAA and the benefits of a clean sheet of paper, founded the NFAS in 1973. This gave field archers the wonderful opportunity to again engage with the sport as they wanted.  True, the NFAS migrated down a path they may have strayed somewhat from Roy’s vision but there is not a single true field archer that does not owe Roy and his band of merry men and women a debt of gratitude for what we all enjoy today.
 
Roy could talk for hours on a wide range of subjects and frequently did and there are many who have missed appointments, meals, loved ones and sleep as they tried without success to prompt an end to the dialogue or rather, monologue.  But one thing is for sure….that all who benefited from time with Roy was the richer for it.
I’d like to pass on my condolences to all the Bickerstaffe family. Though I only met Roy a couple of times when I first started shooting as Kevin says he had a wealth of experience that he was always willing to share.
Thank you, Roy  for all the work and effort you  made to a hobby I have the privilege to enjoy.
Thank you for reading.
Jul 31 2014

Merlin archery adventures – instinctive archery

One of the blogs I follow is Archery Adventures which recently became Merlin Archery Adventures. (http://archeryadventures.tumblr.com/)
Written by Grizzly Jim, it covers articles on equipment and other things of interest to the archery community. One such post that caught my eye recently concerned instinctive archery.I believe I shoot Instinctively, I don’t gap shoot and don’t have sights on my bows. My head tells me where to aim and I draw up. I sometimes get asked how far do you think a shot is and my normal reply is don’t know and I lift my bow arm and say about there.
The fact I don’t gap shoot or consciously know what my point on is surprises many of my archery friends.

I remember talking to one of my fellow club members Stephen a few months back. He was  saying how his point on was I think 43 yards with his new bow. Stephen then asked what mine was. My reply I think surprised him when I said I didn’t know. We went to the range and he had me shoot a few arrows and I explained that when I draw up I’m not looking at the arrow point and barely conscious of the arrow shaft. Instead I’m focused on the target and the spot I want to hit.
This may sound strange especially coming from a coach but it is the way I feel comfortable to shoot.
I just know when I get to a shooting peg and view the target I need to either “aim” below if it’s close,  at it if medium distance or above if further away.
Or as someone once said to me.
“Aim for below the belly, the belly or the rider on top.”
By the way,  some of you may not be familiar with what point on is so here is my definition of point on.
It is the distance at which if you have your arrow tip on the centre of the target when at full draw and released your arrow, the arrow would land in the centre of the target.  Exactly where the arrow tip had been at the point of aiming.

Point-On — The measurement of distance a given bow and arrow will shoot when an archer sights the tip of his arrow upon the point of aim and hits that target. (http://www.tradbow.com/public/Glossary-of-Archery-Terms.cfm)
Gap shooting is another process that some use. The archer judges the distance and knows through practice that at say 24 yards thet have to aim 4 inches below where they need to hit. That’s the gap above or below the target the archers aiming for
In reality I think most people are somewhere between instinctive and gap shooters. Next time you are out shooting give it some thought and ask your fellow archers.

As always thanks for reading and if you get the chance check out his blog.