Tag Archives: blog

Bows resting on tree
Aug 11 2017

Shoot Report – Spirit of Sherwood – August 2017

Archers briefing at Spirit of Sherwood shoot

Archers briefing at Spirit of Sherwood shoot

So August is normally thought of as the height of summer in the UK, but I can’t say it really felt like it when we set off. Thankfully it remained dry through the day, if a little chilly first thing, though it did brighten up later on. Since it is a good two hour drive for us, if the motorways are clear, we decided to travel up the night before and stay over in Worksop. I don’t know what it is but the UK motorway network seems to be having more and more roadworks and temporary speed limits.

Archers arriving for Spirit of Sherwood shoot

Archers arriving for Spirit of Sherwood shoot

So there are few things in life that can be relied upon. Normally the phrase includes birth, death and taxes. Well maybe Spirit of Sherwood shoots should be added, as the ones I have attended have always been good, with targets well placed, not stretched, admin organised, along with good marshalling from start to finish. This Sunday was no different, even at the end when the admins had to resort to doing everything by hand due to computer problems it worked. I think the only thing that let them down was the catering van they brought in, who were quite slow and seemed to run out quickly.

Those wanting to read a previous shoot report can find a link to one here. As I write this I’ve realised I never did write a shoot report for last Decembers wooden arrow shoot at Spirit. Sorry.

The course was a mix of paper faces and 3D targets, organised in a clover leaf formation round the central point. This would mean we’d pass the catering stop a couple of times whilst navigating the 40 target course.

With I think over 200 people attending the shooting groups were quite large with 5 archers in most. Sunday would see Steve and David from Lincoln longbow, two comparative newbie archers having been only shooting for about 12 months, joining Harry shooting compound Unlimited, Sharon and myself.  We also had Mathew Harry’s grandson with us, enjoying a walk round as he wasn’t shooting.

3D deer shot at Spirit of Sherwood

3D deer shot at Spirit of Sherwood

The course itself was challenging without the targets being stretched, with some clever use of bracken as cover. Speaking of bracken, Spirit course layers covered all the bosses with foliage making them disappear in to the background. I especially liked the paper deer they set behind the shade of a bush, which made it very hard to identify if it was a 3D,2D or paper face. Vey cleverly set.

3D bobcat target between the trees

3D bobcat target between the trees

Another well set target I thought was the black bear 3D on all fours which was set in a clearing, see photo. It looked good and I always think that is part of the battle when making a course work.

3D black bear between the trees

3D black bear between the trees

I seemed to have a day of not quite judging the distances correctly, probably down to the lack of practise I am getting. Though I have to say it also could be down to the clever course laying. I seemed to get a lot of sixteens but very few twenties, with my arrows landing just over or under the higher scoring zones.

Steve shooting at 3D

Steve shooting at 3D

Spirit of Sherwood normally have some form of moving target and this time it was a 3D crocodile which I am surprised to say  I managed to hit. Normally I don’t fare well on moving targets. I know some groups found the day quite slow, which I think is inevitable when you have so many archers. We kept a steady base throughout the day, with our only real hold up being at the second food stop, where the groups in front had stopped for food.

Special thanks should go to young Mathew for volunteering to carry the 3D target we finished on in by himself, thank you. Here’s hoping you have a great birthday in a few days. Sharon and I shot ok, with Sharon winning ladies AFB and me scraping a first too. Thankfully the drive home afterwards  wasn’t too problematic, so in all a good day.

Thanks for reading

Jul 19 2017

Do I still love archery? Maybe, maybe not so much right now.

This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot over recent months. I’m sat here trying to writing up a couple of shoot reports, along with some notes on future articles and one thing struck me. I don’t have the same drive as I had 12 months ago.

Don’t get me wrong, I like seeing people, catching up with friends, being sociable and meeting new people. Shooting with friends is very relaxing and enjoyable, with the recent shoot at Forest of Arden with Roger and Julie proving this. Added to this are the number of conversations I’ve had at recent shoots with archers, which start with “Are you Rob?”, “I read your blog” which is amazing. Likewise having the opportunity of being in a team setting one of the 3D championships courses was great, if a lot of hard work and we’ve had some very positive feedback from archers who shot the course.

But I feel I’ve seen, and in some ways been the target of some of the darker side of the hobby, the politics, arguments, power games some might call it. True these happen within all clubs or organisations where people interact. But I think it has affected me and my enthusiasm for the hobby.

I think it struck me first last September at the NFAS championships. There I saw some people being very vocal in complaining at having their arrows checked by marshals at Administration on arrival. (Arrows have to be checked to ensure they have name and shooting order on to comply with the shooting and safety rules of the society. This can be easily done with a piece of tape or Sharpie pen.) Yet there were some who complained and weren’t always very polite about it. I think I took this to heart. I couldn’t understand why people were complaining about something that is and always has been a rule for all shoot nots just champs. Everyone marshalling the courses, checking arrows, doing the admin etc. is a volunteer. So why have a go at the volunteers because you haven’t followed the rules?

Then later in the year as many of the regular readers know Sharon and I had our membership renewal for our old club blocked. This left a very bad taste in my mouth and something I still think of now. To be honest I’m not sure if I ever really got over it or the way it was handled. I wonder if people realise the impact such actions have?

I know this kind of behaviour and actions is not just affecting me, as I know others who have had similar experiences in recent months.

So now I find I have less enthusiasm and find it hard to make time to practise. This time last year I’d be shooting 2-3 times a week, 120 plus arrows a night, and again at the woods on Saturday and a competition Sunday. Yes in the last 2 months I’ve practised 2-3 times, tops.

I think some of the problem with me feeling like this is I don’t get to shoot that much now, either as a competitor or simply at a wood with friends. So the relaxing chilled element of the field archery where you are shooting in a wood and seeing the seasons change has been lost.

Yet as I write this I think of all the people I’ve been fortunate enough to meet through archery. Especially those who have introduced themselves by saying they have read this blog. For a few that is how they heard about field archery. I have to say I’m amazed that one small blog in the UK can have such an impact.

By the way if you do read this blog and bump into me on a shoot then be warned I will ask you what you find useful. It is something I always ask as I try to write what I hope people will find interesting and useful to know.

It’s interesting to hear the responses, as time and again it seems to be you want more write ups on shoots you’ve either attended or are thinking of going to in the future. I know one person at Hawk shoot commented on how they’d read previous shoot reports to get an idea of what to expect.

I am always amazed that anyone reads these rambling of mine. What is even more amazing from my perspective is what one archer I met at the Druids shoot recently said the blog had been recommended to them!

I still feel uneasy about my hobby. I know I’m not the only one who has experienced the darker side of the hobby as a few of you have reached out to me in the past.

So what now? Well, I’m still here a little more jaded and a lot less energetic.

Those who know me, know that I will still help with coaching, arrow selection etc I’m just a bit quieter now and less likely to volunteer or comment on Facebook, web-boards etc.

Sorry if this sounds bit of a downer article, but I just wanted to share my thoughts and in some way explain why my writing on this site has been less frequent.

Thanks to all of you and thanks for reading.

Me shooting the large 3D red dragon
Jul 4 2017

Shoot report – Hawk archers – June 2017

Hawk Club and archers massing

Hawk Club and archers massing

Okay so this may come across as a bit of a fanboy write up of the shoot report for Hawk but I will freely admit that I really like Hawks grounds and the shoots they host. A fact any regular reader of this blog might already be aware of.
Those of you haven’t read my write ups before might be thinking “Why do I like the shoots so much?”

Well I find the courses challenging not because targets are stretched, but because they cause the archer to read the ground, the inclines etc. and try to factor that into their shots. In essence that is the appeal of field archery to me. Hawk course layers force you to focus and push yourself, in a good way. You can have a read of previous shoot report here if you are interested, hopefully you are.

The last report was from a couple of years back as they didn’t run an NFAS shoot last year, which was a real shame, but I know they were busy setting a course for WFAA .

3D fox at Hawk grounds

3D fox at Hawk grounds

I know that many archers that have shot Hawk can find the ground challenging to get round and the shots difficult, not because of the distance but the landscape and terrain. Even those used to shooting on an incline will find Hawk a challenge but I truly believe that it is well worth exploring this Welsh hillside. If you are wanting to test your archery skills, head to their next shoot.
Interestingly at their last shoot I know one reader of this blog was talking about this to another archer at the shoot. She had searched for Hawk Archers on the internet, and found this blog, with the write up of previous shoots, so they had an idea of what to expect.
So enough of my rambling, let’s get onto the important stuff and the actual shoot report for Hawk Archers.

So being in Wales it is appropriate to start with a comment about the weather. Heavy showers had been promised but thankfully those we had early in the day weren’t a problem and cleared quickly, leaving a warm dry day. Yes dry day in Wales.

Troll in a hole

Troll in a hole

As always there was a very friendly and relaxed atmosphere at Hawk shoot and this time it was great to see so many people there, since traditionally Hawk shoots are quite small. This time there were over eighty archers attending.
Our shooting group for the day would consist of Luke and his dad Ant both shooting in the primitive class. I know that some archers find shooting with juniors difficult but Luke was a great sport and coped with his new bow really well.

Luke shooting at coyote

Luke shooting at coyote

This year Hawks course would be a 36 target course with a mix of 3ds and a few paper faces, with a theme of Dragons this year. One of which was a huge 3D red dragon on the hillside, along with a black dragon and a couple of really cool custom paper face.

Hawks black dragon 3D

Hawks black dragon 3D

I guess the giant red can’t have been that huge as it took me 3 arrows to hit it, with the first two landing just at its feet. (Must have been the Welsh man in me not wanting to shoot our national flag)

Me shooting the large 3D red dragon

Me shooting the large 3D red dragon

The shoot would be a shoot through with you passing the catering hut twice, where you could fill up on supplies before heading off again. Only downside this year was the lack of their homemade chilli, which is usually great.
Another very cool custom target made by the guys at Hawk was a two headed wolf, that was amazingly detailed and well sculpted.

Two headed wolf 3D

Two headed wolf 3D

Hawk was also the first opportunity for us to catch up with some of the archers who had shot our 3D course and find out their views of the course, which appears to have been very favourable. I will put an write up on what happened when I get the chance.
Despite having not touched a bow very much over the last few weeks, Sharon shot well, winning ladies AFB and despite not picking up a bow in what seemed ages I did ok and won gents AFB.

Sharon on the practise bosses

Sharon on the practise bosses

This year Hawk introduced a memorial trophy in both gents Bare Bow and American Flat Bow in memory of past members. I have to say I feel very honoured to be the first person to receive this new AFB trophy in memory of Bob Nourish.
From what I understand Hawk will be one of the teams setting a course for this years NFAS National Championships in September, which going by their normal standards should be a great course.
Thanks for reading