NFAS shooting style – Barebow

Firstly a huge thank you to all who have offered feedback on the first shooting style video. Taking onboard this feedback I’ve produced another video on an NFAS shooting style. This time it focusses on Barebow class.

You might recall back in November I released the first of these on Traditional Bowhunter

If you enjoy the content, please hit the Like button and consider subscribing to the channel.

Most of all remember to enjoy your shooting and as always thanks for listening, watching and supporting.

As always thanks for reading, listening and support this site. Enjoy your archery.

Episode 134 – How to build confidence in distance judgement

In my latest podcast I provide a quick update on what has been going on over the past couple of weeks, including appearing in both Bow International magazine in a contributor’s sections and the official National field Archery Society members magazine, as the author of an article on encouraging children into the sport.

I would to say thank you to those who reached out to me after the last episode (Episode 133 – Is it time to license bow ownership in UK?). I really appreciated the feedback and insights you all offered.

In the second half of the episode I launch into the coaching content of the episode where I explain a technique I’ve used myself and have coached other archers with. It is surprisingly straight forward and can help build confidence in distance judgement and overall shooting. It revolves round the basic idea of shooting 2 arrows, the goal to have them both land the prime spot of the target. It sounds simple but I go into a more detailed explanation in the episode, outlining how it can build confidence and factors to consider concerning consistencies etc.

As I’ve mentioned before I can embed Spotify material on this site but for those of you who use amazon music I can only provide a link.

As always if you have any questions or queries you can drop me an email on or via this website  There is my YouTube channel if you enjoy the content, where I will be hosting the shooting style outlines, I mention in the podcast. I think the Traditional Bowhunter will be the first one out. If you enjoy the content, please hit the Like button and consider subscribing to the channel.

Most of all remember to enjoy your shooting and as always thanks for listening, watching and supporting.

visitor on the arrow

Shoot report – NFAS 3D Championships & episode 120

Welcome to this write up on this years National Field Archer Society 3D championships. This two day event, was held at Thoresby Estate with around 500 archers attending. Each competitor would shoot 2 courses, one Saturday and one Sunday, in mixed groups. The courses consisting of 36 3D targets of varying sizes and distances, the longest being 68 yards I think. I all there would be 3 course A,B and C.

This year I had chosen to shoot barebow so I could be on the same course as my son who had put down his recurve, to shoot a full unlimited setup.

As always I have recorded an episode of the podcast giving my thoughts on the event. Below is a link to the Spotify copy of the recording. The podcast is also available on Amazon Music (https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/c649e917-695a-4c30-aa50-d99742ccd824/episodes/22c25f8c-362d-4cb1-8f6e-25f098d3a212/off-the-arrow-shelf-episode-120—shoot-report—nfas-3d-championships-2025) Sorry I can’t get the embed code to work for Amazon on this site.

This would be the first year where binoculars would be allowed for all archers and I feel this did help, especially on the longer shots where you weren’t sure what you were shooting at or whether the arrow was in or not. My feeling was it sped the day up and I know that others I spoke to felt similarly.

I’ve created a couple of galleries the photographs I took over the 2 days. First course was on Saturday which would be B course having been set by Centaura club.

Sunday would be a very early start with admin being open from 7 am to 8 am, and it would see us shoot C course which was set by Castle Bowmen. I felt that Castle was the tougher course of the two I shot, being the furthest walk out and not helped by the amount raking undertaken when looking for wayward lost arrows.

Overall it was a good event though I did feel that the courses were a lot tougher that in recent years. I know several people struggled with the distances. Though I know it is very hard to please everyone and setting a 3D course is very exhausting, I do feel that a few well placed archery nets would have made a huge difference on a couple of targets, especially in respect of finding missed arrows.

We were very fortunate with the weather as the rain arrived in the evenings, leaving the days dry and pleasantly warm. A distinct change to how warm it had been over the past few weeks here.

My thanks to all who were involved in the setting of the courses, managing and marshalling the event. I think it is was one of the smaller championships with only about 500 archers and no large trade stalls which is really unusual.

If you are interested you can listen to episode 119 where I ask if events like the champs as really worth it?

As always thanks for taking the time to read the review and listen to the podcasts. Enjoy your shooting.