Target Archers have no sense of adventure?!!

[SVL]

I am a regular target archer, but have also tried field archery on the NFAA ground near me. It is fun and something very different to my regular shooting. I shoot recurve for target archery and longbow for field archery. I also had a first go at clout this year .. shooting barebow. It was great fun....I even have a county record now (118 for the two way clout) :-)
I actually got my first longbow after coming to England and seeing/holding/shooting a longbow for the first time ..... WOW it was beautiful. I take it out a few times a year for target... still cannot get all six on the target at 60y.... but working on it.

Archery in its many forms is fun. I have yet to shoot a head to head and would also like to have a go at popinjay. The different types and styles of archery set very different challanges, taking on a new challange can sometimes help keep you on top of the game.

[morphymick]

This "target" archer has already entered for the NCAS/YAA Field Champs next month, and will be spending the 4 days prior to the competition in the woods at High Melton preparing to do battle.

See you on the 14th & 15th, Iain.

Mick

p.s. I only shoot target cos I like competing against LMP. Now if she were to convert to field..................

[Merlin Archery]

I love archery. Period. I love target and field shooting. It’s all one and the same to me. But what I do believe is that they compliment each other. Participating in both raises your overall game. You learn things field shooting that improves your target shooting, and in the same way target shooting will improve your field shooting. If you shoot only one discipline you will be missing out. I prove it to myself every time I switch to the other after just concentrating on one for a while.

[Old Bloke]

Well said Ben.

[Raedwald]

Looking at it from the other side....

Shooting at 20yds indoors, arrow after arrow isn't for me - yes it was good practice for some things but that's all. Quite frankly I found it boring (other than it was an opportunity to shoot and to improve/learn). If that's what people want to do (or stand in line across a field and do the same thing) then fine, that's their choice. May they enjoy it, may they score well.

For me, I'm happier in the woods - whether field, hunter, forrester of big game faces (yes, it might be 4 different faces and therefore 4 different "rounds" but is that really any different from a Hereford/York/Portsmouth/Worcester/American/FITA/etc....? I'd think not - a round is a round, surely?).

Shoot, and enjoy it, whatever you shoot. If the chance arises, then try something different, but that's all it is, different - not better.

As for closeness, my nearest club (about 4 miles) is our Field club - the nearest Target club is a fair bit further.

Originally Posted by NoAngel

Not at all thunk, I think its totally barbaric to hunt, shoot or kill any animal in the name of sport, how is sporting???

Why not just use a picture/model of a human, oh because that’s seen to be politically incorrect. If we are not shooting to kill, then surely it doesn't make any different when target is shot at, unless people like the idea of killing?

But that’s not what’s being ask here, I am just going off on one.

Yes, my favourite round is big game (which I've shot under EFAA and NFAS rules, so both marked and unmarked). Yes, it's pictures of animals, but that doesn't mean I want to wander the woods shooting at real ones - far from it! Like you NoAngel the idea is abhorrent to me (and to most Field Archers in this country I'd think). I think it's fair to say that most field archers would NEVER hunt live game. That's not why we shoot field, nor is it what we're imagining when we do.

Political Correctness? A few years ago we had animal faces out at the local showground for a pay-and-shoot. Someone complained so we replaced them - and one of the replacements was a military-style "enemy soldier". There were NO complaints - seems pictures of people are OK to shoot at but pictures of animals are not.....

A target is a target, whether it's big game, 3D or a FITA face. Shoot it, enjoy it, yes have a crack at another discipline if you fancy it, but above all - enjoy!

[Swaledale]

Thanks everyone, that got you going!
I was after a reaction hence the bull headed post!! And I got one!
Haywain saw straight through it but plenty bit.
A lot of valid points have been raised some of which I had not realized were an issue. The confusion about the different rounds and societies is particularly worrying. None the less it is disappointing how few are willing to explore field if only for the experience. The issue of style superiority, well that is an argument that does not nor ever will hold water. But there are those who will still argue about how their chosen discipline or bow is the best, the original, the most demanding or that another is so much less than theirs. This is divisive and it is probably a contributory factor in why there are so many field societies.
Another is the hunting aspect and whether the use of animal faces is in some way ‘unhealthy’.
Perhaps the next move would be for us to explain why each society exists, the differences and the motivation behind them.
Next!

[Old Bloke]

The constitution of each society tells all. I will dig mine out and post later.

[Raedwald]

Can't speak about the field aspects of GNAS – I'll leave that to those more qualified.

The EFAA came about in East Anglia, and was linked to the NFAA in the USA (something to do with large amounts of US service personnel in East Anglia). Their influence was what drove things towards marked distances. At the time there was also a BFAA (British Field Archery Association), but this merged with the EFAA in the early 70's, due to the International body, the IFAA, only recognising one organisation per country.

NFAS came about out of the EFAA in about 1972. I think it had something to do with classes and arrows.

The NFAS is probably the largest of the Field organisations.

[Haywain]

In response to Old Bloke, the folowing is the preamble to the NFAS consitution:

"The N.F.A.S. exists to foster and promote Field Archery as a sport in which archers enjoy themselves by shooting at inanimate objects of suitable sizes, placed at distances unknown to the archers, set in natural undulating terrain populated by trees and shrubbery with few or no clear-laned targets.

The N.F.A.S. believes that Field Archery being originally devised to simulate hunting and to provide as much pleasure as possible in the practise of the sport, all courses should be constructed with this in mind.

The N.F.A.S. believes that in the true spirit of field Archery, the archer is competing against himself, the field, the peculiarities of the terrain, the organisers design and layout of the round with the natural objects and obstacles that have been included.

The N.F.A.S. is not interested in International Competition."

EFAA Constitution:

"a) To foster, expand, promote, and perpetuate the practice of Field Archery and any other form of archery the Association may adopt, both amateur and professional, and to establish uniform rules, regulations, procedures, conditions and methods of practising such activities.

b) To provide a basic plan by which individual archers can organise into clubs, that can join together to form the association, in order to regulate and administer the sport in England.

c) To conduct a continuous educational programme, designed to acquaint the public and the archer, with the use of the bow as a recreation.

d) To conduct tournaments to determine, in accordance with Procedures Rule 6, National Champions in all forms of archery adopted by the Association.

e) To foster and perpetuate a spirit of good fellowship and sportsmanship amongst all archers.

f) To evolve and conduct programmes that will give recognition to archers for proficiency with the bow and arrow, in all recognised competition.

g) To inform regularly all members of the major problems and issues affecting the sport of Field Archery, and/or of the actions proposed or taken, in order that the membership may make its will known to its duly elected representatives.

h) The EFAA does not support the use of the bow and arrow in the pursuit of hunting."

GNAS is a little harder to show due to the length and complexity of the costitution. Not being a member I don't want to miss anything out that may be important, but the main crux from what I have read so far is:

"To encourage, promote, develop and control Archery other than
Bowhunting in the United Kingdom amongst all sections of the
community.

To promote and organise or assist in promoting and organising
the holding of archery meetings, championships, competitions,
demonstrations and events, to select competitors to represent the
Society and Great Britain and to enter into any agreements and to
make any arrangements which may be necessary or convenient in
connection therewith or with any of the objects of the Society and
to do all or any of the above things either alone or in conjunction
with any other person or persons or any other body."

There is more, but I think a GNAS member would be better placed to point out the other important aspects.



At the end of the day, each society is there to foster and promote archery in one form or another. And as has been said earlier in this thread, we are first and formost Archers, regardless of which society or which rules we shoot under.

[Old Bloke]

Flippin 'eck!

I just spent an hour looking for the constitutions and Haywain had already done it! Story of my life.