Fun with archery!

[fireheart]

So I started the beginners course today at the archery centre sort of close by to us. It was fun, although I've learned that 2.5 hours of archery does not work in my favour. 90 minutes, yes. 2.5 hours? Not so much.

The coaches were awesome and were able to give us plenty of advice. I also discovered that I shoot better with a very light bow, although I did try a slightly heavier bow after a while. (Bows do come in different "draw weights" which is determined by your "limbs" (the bits the string attaches to). The draw weight determines how hard/easy it is to pull back the string roughly. The lowest weight for an adult is usually 16lbs, I was shooting 16-18lbs, my partner was shooting 20-24lbs and also a slightly bigger bow.)

Thankfully, my partner and I learn quickly. We were some of the few to consistently hit the target each time (more or less), while the other people in our course varied between consistent and all over the place. Towards the end, I started getting tired though and it was showing in my shots. Most of mine were going into the 4-8 range each round, with a few hitting the 9 and I did get 1 "10" at one stage. By the end however, they were mostly 1's and 2's and also into the wood beams holding up the target. One of the other guys who was shooting nearby also wound up with a few lodged INTO the wood beams directly behind the target. It was kinda funny.

We'll be going back soon to finish the other two sessions before we join a club. The club that trains at the centre was there this morning and we got to watch them in action. They're pretty damn good and it was interesting seeing how a club shoot actually looks.

[bhskittykatt]

Glad you had fun!

Last time I did archery was in a friend's backyard out in BFE. Out of the arrows we started with, all were lost to the forest behind the targets, and I lost half of them.

I think the bow we have is just a 16 lb one. Hubs also has a compound bow that's 70lbs that I'm to scared to try drawing. :P

[dalesys]

... compound bow ... that I'm to scared to try drawing. :P

Visual: bhskittykatt with head trapped in strings, ears wrapped around pulleys.

[bhskittykatt]

Visual: bhskittykatt with head trapped in strings, ears wrapped around pulleys.

Yeah, something like that is probably what would happen!

Challenge for Fireheart: work your way up to compound bow archery!

[fireheart]

Glad you had fun!

Last time I did archery was in a friend's backyard out in BFE. Out of the arrows we started with, all were lost to the forest behind the targets, and I lost half of them.

We were warned during the safety briefing for the come n try session (we did a come n try session first, then the first beginners course afterwards) not to point our bows too high. Why?

Because behind the targets and off in the distance are a number of mangroves and behind said mangroves is a picnic area. Apparently there HAVE been a few stray arrows fired in that area.

Challenge for Fireheart: work your way up to compound bow archery!

No thankyou

[Argabarga]

I've found nothing humiliates/humbles one like trying archery for the first time....

Glad you had fun.

[darkroxas45]

Apparently there HAVE been a few stray arrows fired in that area.

But what if some people LIKE having a picnic with a little danger? I mean if I'm eating my high fat triple decker bacon chili cheese burger, I have to work off that meal.

[fireheart]

But what if some people LIKE having a picnic with a little danger? I mean if I'm eating my high fat triple decker bacon chili cheese burger, I have to work off that meal.

They'd be in more danger from the actual archers than from us!

Most of the bows in the beginners course are between 16-24lbs. The 24lb bows definitely do have some more power behind them as my partner and I discovered when we were retrieving our arrows. My arrows were fairly easy to pull out of the target, partners were lodged in quite a bit.

Next to us we had the club archers (the club we'll be eventually joining) who varied between recurve and compound bows. They were really going the distance...

[Gizmo]

Not only that but when a shot goes high gravity makes it more lethal. My tutor and Reenactment Lord was doing high shots the other day and they hit directly vertical into the ground with a serious punch.

The other reason not to go too high? As you tire (certainly with a longbow) your aim does kick upwards. As proven by me when I first started training.

We had a 35ft long garden, 6ft high target and I was using a 25lb fibreglass recurve (no adjustables though). I was coming towards the end of an hour long practice and getting tired. The shot slightly arched upwards and on only about a half pull (trying for groupings) it flew over our target, over the 7ft fence and into the neighbours drive (facing west when we faced north). I went into there and looked and took me ages to find it as it had gone a good 100ft+ from the start position and was right by their far fence. Much further and I'd be looking in the road between us and the next block!

We did have a rule: You miss the target entirely then you take a minimum of a 5 min break. If you miss it twice in a row 15 minutes or you are done for the day. (but we were using Bodkin and Hunter points). Obviously if it was due to a misfire like catching the arrow as you release or a "cock up" issue then no worries.

[fireheart]

The other reason not to go too high? As you tire (certainly with a longbow) your aim does kick upwards. As proven by me when I first started training.

That might explain why my shots were going over the target towards the end. I was told by the coach to aim for the bottom of the target to get higher scores and by the end of it, I was kicking upwards. The arrow rest was also slightly bent, which resulted in the arrows constantly falling out.

Oh and I managed to break a nock

I have shot before as a kid, but I didn't receive a whole lot of coaching. One of the activities I did with my holiday care program as a kid involved travelling out to an archery centre. We were given a brief coaching session and measured up for our bows, then we did some field shooting. By the end of said session I was consistently hitting bulls-eyes. (This was when I was about 10). My partner was more recent, as he did some longbow shooting with his re-enactment club. He plans on going traditional (which is going to be interesting to explain on the train...) while I'm going recurve (at least I can take that one apart!)

[Gizmo]

Yeah, nocks break.

And for the "train" issue? See if you can get a fishing equipment bag. no one will look twice at a tall "rod" bag. Although most suppliers I know of of traditional longbows do supply them with the fabric bag which in itself doesn't look bad.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Visual: bhskittykatt with head trapped in strings, ears wrapped around pulleys.

Now I'm picturing Seraph trying her hand at archery for some reason.

Ye gods, let's hope that never happens to our dear Enemy of Normalcy.

[dalesys]

Yeah, something like that is probably what would happen!

Doo eet! ...
Then at the campfire sing-arounds you can be the demonstrator...

Can you tie 'em in a knot, can you tie 'em in a bow?
Can you through 'em over your shoulder like a Continental soldier?
Do your ears hang low?

[Shangri-laschild]

The longer you shoot and get used to it, the easier it will be to go up in draw weight. My brother has a range set up in his back yard and he started at 15 or 20 and is now up to 45 I believe. I haven't been shooting lately but I've been trying to include an arm exercise into my routine to help me build up those muscles so that I don't lose what I've gained for when I do start shooting again.

I'll have to take a picture of his bow. The guy at the shop did something to it to help the arrow rest so the arrows don't fall off. They said it was super easy to do yourself even and it doesn't adjust the aim of the bow. And he has broken some of his arrows in very amusing ways. Had the back half of one explode recently too, though that was due to carelessness on his part and not paying attention to equipment.

[Crossbow]

Yay archery! Think I enjoy it with my handle?? Actually, I used to be on my university's archery team and coached the first semester class before I transferred.

Challenge for Fireheart: work your way up to compound bow archery!

If you want, but you don't have to go to a compound bow to have a high draw weight. All the pulleys do is reduce the draw weight once they kick in. It makes it easier to hold a full draw for a longer period of time. It's entirely up to you.

Oh and I managed to break a nock

Happens all the time. Remember, as much as arrows cost, they're ammunition. Expect them to be used up eventually.

Now I'm picturing Seraph trying her hand at archery for some reason.

Ye gods, let's hope that never happens to our dear Enemy of Normalcy.

Heh. I might actually be willing to coach her if she wanted. But I am a glutton for punnishment.

The longer you shoot and get used to it, the easier it will be to go up in draw weight. My brother has a range set up in his back yard and he started at 15 or 20 and is now up to 45 I believe. I haven't been shooting lately but I've been trying to include an arm exercise into my routine to help me build up those muscles so that I don't lose what I've gained for when I do start shooting again.

I'll have to take a picture of his bow. The guy at the shop did something to it to help the arrow rest so the arrows don't fall off. They said it was super easy to do yourself even and it doesn't adjust the aim of the bow. And he has broken some of his arrows in very amusing ways. Had the back half of one explode recently too, though that was due to carelessness on his part and not paying attention to equipment.

There's an excercise for building up the muscles I learned when I was on the Univ. team. If you'd like, I can detail it here.

You don't want to know what horrors I've inflicted on my arrows over the years... Ok, maybe one, and it wasn't mine. A group of about 30 were shooting at the line, with maybe 6 targets total. I fired just about the exact same time as someone a bit to my right. Problem was, he was shooting at a target a bit to my left. My target was (give or take) straight in front of me. (Ahyone in the SCA will understand an "Advancing Man" target layout...) His arrow never made it to the target. I literally shot it out of the air. Never going to be able to duplicate that move...