The Next Big Thing?

[Jimbo]

You know how, when you buy a new car (for example) every other car on the road suddenly seems to be the same type?

I took up field archery a couple of months back (after a few months of target archery ) and it seems every other person and their dog now seems to be starting. I'm certainly not criticising this, the more the merrier as far as I am concerned but I was just wondering if this is just my perception or has there really been an increase in discussion of field? (I'd possibly also include traditional archery in that as well)

[Field Archer]

Jimbo, interest in field archery within EFAA and NFAS has been growing for a few years now. I can’t answer for GNAS/FITA because there is no separate field membership like there is with the other two. It may just look like it is a recent growth due to the conversations on this forum.

I don't know about the car question, I have still got the same car I bought 14 years ago.

[FlightyRachel]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I took up field archery a couple of months back (after a few months of target archery ) and it seems every other person and their dog now seems to be starting.

LOL Well, I'm hoping that I'm one of the every other people, and not the dog!!

Rachel

[Haywain]

I've been shooting field for 2 years now and I have certainly noticed the uptake since I started. Most of the good shoots on the NFAS circuit are now over-subscribed and are pre-book and/or pre-pay. On other less well known shoots, you'll be lucky to get a place these days if you try and book anything less than 3 weeks before the date.

Turning up on the day and getting a place is a rarity now.

Field shooting is more akin to those fun Saturday programs on TV, walking around the woods shooting at targets, hidden or not, in the bushes. So it seems to appeal to more and more people.It reminds me of my days as a child running about the woods and shooting sticks from another bigger stick.

It's a release from the everyday grind and because the rules are not as stringent as target you can enjoy yourself without the added pressure of someone checking on the shade of green in your trousers

[Raedwald]

Not sure if it's new Jimbo. All I've ever shot is field (over a year now). Can only speak for our club, but with membership at over 70 (most active) and with a steady stream of trainees/interested parties over the year I wouldn't say it's recent.

Had many a discussion with people on here about field, I think it's just that those who want to try it and get the chance to have taken that chance and realised what fun it is!

[tharrowaster]

I'm afraid the prospect of shooting arrow after arrow at the same target at the same distance has never appealed to me in the slightest field archery on the other hand rarely allows one the oppertunity to get bored. Knackered yes, bored no.

[gwynn]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

You know how, when you buy a new car (for example) every other car on the road suddenly seems to be the same type?

....and it seems every other person and their dog now seems to be starting. I'm certainly not criticising this, the more the merrier as far as I am concerned but I was just wondering if this is just my perception or has there really been an increase in discussion of field?)

Do you not find it's related to what's on the films? I remember after "Lord of the Rings" a sudden influx into the club, everyone wanting to shoot like Leg of lamb and now Robin Hood on telly. I think it's great, even if one in ten stay on it's good.
And field, of course, is the only way to go - target for discipline, field for fun - but it's so boring throwing arrows at the same boss time and time again. I reckon NFAS is one of the best decisions in my life

[cuddles]

I have been shooting field for 7 years, yhere has been a steady increase in numbers for all of that time . I also shoot target and this has been increasing in numbers also. The big problem is turn over, we loose a number of archers as well .Target clubs have regular club nights but a lot of field clubs dont. But of the two field is more fun, maybe because it is more relaxed

[mechcad8]

Hi, I participate in the GNAS/Fita field side and generally there has been an increase in numbers on this side too. Although not as much as what I have been reading on these threads from NFAS & EFAA.
I understand that GNAS make it difficult for other organisations to join in - but I do know a couple of individual’s who are on committee’s at GNAS are trying to change things to open it up for more to enjoy. Unfortunately it takes an age to get any progress.

The foot & mouth outbreak in 2000 / 2001 caused a lot of tournaments to be cancelled during that time and attendance figures in 2002, 2003 & 2004 were affected as archers who regularly attended seemed to stayed away. However a new bread of interest is out there and things have begun to look up.

This year at Crawley Archery Club it was a full course, the first time for approximatly 10 years. Other tournaments have also seen an increase in numbers especially in Wales. Membership in Northern Ireland has exploded this last year.

New shooting venues have appeared in the UK during the last two years, with a mixed amount of success – for some reason it appears to take a couple of years for a new venue to get established.

In Sussex a small group in the Eastbourne area have invited archers from local GNAS clubs for an introduction to Fita Field at the end of November. It has seen a good amount of interest. Crawley Archery Club will be doing something similar in February 2007, the idea is to try and demonstrate how much fun shooting around a field course can be.

[Archers-Rest]

The club I shoot with (Long Eaton Field Archers) is bursting to capacity we currently have 330 odd members I believe and still growing, last year we had to cancel a beginers course because we couldnt accomodate any more members