Nice video by Jim Grizzly Kent about aiming and focus with archery, which is worth viewing.
Some readers might remember I wrote something a while back Aiming for the Fish’s eye
Thanks for reading
Tag Archives: archery blog
Shoot Report – Wasp Archers – April 2015
WASP archers wood
Sorry been a bit slow in writing this shoot report, but here goes. A couple of Sundays back we headed north to just outside Derby for Wasp archers shoot. Having had twinges in my shoulders which had cut my practice short on Saturday I wasn’t feeling confident.
Many years ago we had visited their old ground but this shoot was at a new site and would be their first shoot there.
Many years ago we had visited their old ground but this shoot was at a new site and would be their first shoot there.
Though slightly cooler than previous days it was still bright and warm enough for a spring morning.
Unlike some grounds who struggle with parking Wasps have ample space, which was good as the event was well attended with 100 or so archers present.
Unlike some grounds who struggle with parking Wasps have ample space, which was good as the event was well attended with 100 or so archers present.
Sharon chatting with Mark from Artemis
Added to this ample parking they have a lovely little wood, with a great mix of deciduous and conifer woodland, with a small valley which allows for a good mix of down hill shots.
View of the woods
Though a small wood they make good use of the grounds.
First target
The course would be made up of 40 targets with a 50/50 split of 3d targets and paper faces. Unlike Highcross the week before, Wasps alternated the targets so you would shoot a paper face and then 3d target then paper and so on. Something I think worked really well.
We would do two loops round the wood.
Sharon shooting across hollow
I don’t think there was anything over 40 yards.
Of all the targets I think there was only one which could have done with an addition of a net behind. Not for safety reasons, simply because it was well laid and tricked you causing you to just overestimate the distance resulting in arrows disappearing into the pine needles. Having said this there were marshals there to help. Thanks guys.
3D Turkey target
They had one special target, a 3D owl on a tree stump. If you missed you ran the risk of hitting a paper face behind and what you scored on the paper would be deducted from your score. So there was a chance of a -24 -14 -8 on one target, I’m not a fan of negative target scoring but it was far enough that you had to be unlucky to get negative points.
Shooting group
Joined by Ann Marie and Shelley, both from Black Sheep Archers shooting barebow.
Last target of the day
It was a really relaxing and flowing day and would definitely go back
Sharon won ladies hunting tackle but no medals for me as missed third place by 8 pts and 50 behind first. Still feel like I have a long way to go to get to the level I feel I should be.
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Shoot report – Highcross – April 2015
3D deer shot at Highcross
So Sunday saw us heading south on the motorway to Highcross clubs ground. Though Sharon had shot Highcross once before, it had been at their old wood, so this would be a new venue for us both. It was nice to visit somewhere new as everything is completely unknown.
Fortunately the weather was good, with a slight chill in the air it did feel cooler that earlier in the week. The good weather did mean I was able to get quite a few photos.
Unlike other shoots where there are upwards of 150 archers, Highcross had some 60 archers which made for a relaxing and easy shoot.
Highcross have a lovely wood with a 36 target course set up with targets 1-18 paper faces and 19-36 3d targets. For the shoot they had been able to secure an extra part of woodland which was where they housed the 3D shots.
First target of the day
Personally I’m not sure if I liked the 50/50 split, the 3d targets were really nicely set, well placed and at sensible distances, which gave archers confidence. The paper faces in general weren’t too bad, but I think it would be far to say that some were stretched. In stretched I mean target face being too small for the distance, this was especially the case for the smaller faces. an example of such was our starting one the rabbit. By having them in two halves it could make people feel despondent if they shot the papers first.
Sharon on our second target
Having said this the course was still fun to shoot. The course layers making extensive use of framed shots between trees.
Another framed shot
Really liked the setting of the capercaillie in the trees, looked very natural. It was lovely to wander round a wood and to hear only the sound of other archers in the distance.
Shot through the tree at capercaillie
It was also lovely to see so many primroses in flower covering the ground throughout the woods. Could have been called a Primrose shoot.
Minefield of primroses
Another great shot was the flying duck, shown below.
The duck shot
Sharon did really well getting a pro kill 24 point shot, the only problem was when you hit it, the target would spin round.
The 3D duck with Sharon and my arrow in
Our group included Steve and Rae both shooting barebow, with Gerald joining us to walk round with Rae and his dog Two-Bob.
Sharon chatting to Steve
It was a very sociable and relaxed day overall and it was nice to hear positive comments form archers who had attended our shoot the week before.
Rae Shooting at 3D
The day flowed well with no hold ups, maybe because of the lower numbers or simply because it was a good course, along with good catering especially the selection of home made cakes.
Sharon won ladies hunting tackle and I somehow managed a first in American Flatbow.
Think it will be a shoot we will return to, though not sure when their next shoot is.
Thanks for reading
My Archery Experiences 