West Essex Bowmen A Beginners Guide To Archery
Edition: 2 Issue Date: May 2017 Contributors: Dawn & Paul Tolson, Jeremy Clifford All information contained herein and copyrights remains with the original authors. Because the contributors have given of their time and wisdom freely, no part of this document may be reproduced in part or in whole for any form of gain or profit without the prior consent of the authors. Any and all modifications must be approved by the authors and all acknowledgements must remain.
G.N.A.S Scoring Gold: Scores 9 Red: Scores 7 Blue: Scores 5 Black: Scores 3 White: Scores1 Outdoor Target Rounds Distances are shot in yards. 122cm faces are used. 5 zone scoring is used.
G.N.A.S Rounds 122cm Face ROUND 100yd 80yd 60yd 50yd 40yd 30yd 20yd 15yd YORK 6 4 2 HEREFORD 6 4 2 BRISTOL I 6 4 2 BRISTOL II 6 4 2 BRISTOL III 6 4 2 BRISTOL IV 6 4 2 BRISTOL V 6 4 2 ST GEORGE 3 3 3 ALBION 3 3 3 WINDSOR 3 3 3 SHORT WINDSOR 3 3 3 JUNIOR WINDSOR 3 3 3 NEW WESTERN 4 4 LONG WESTERN 4 4 WESTERN 4 4 SHORT WESTERN 4 4 JUNIOR WESTERN 4 4 SHORT JUNIOR WESTERN 4 4 AMERICAN 2½ 2½ 2½ St. NICHOLAS 4 3 NEW NATIONAL 4 2 LONG NATIONAL 4 2 NATIONAL 4 2 SHORT NATIONAL 4 2 JUNIOR NATIONAL 4 2 SHORT JUNIOR NATIONAL 4 2 NEW WARWICK 2 2 LONG WARWICK 2 2 WARWICK 2 2 SHORT WARWICK 2 2 JUNIOR WARWICK 2 2 SHORT JUNIOR WARWICK 2 2
F.I.T.A. & Metric Scoring White Outer 1 Inner 2 Black: Outer 3 Inner 4 Blue Outer 5 Inner 6 Red Outer 7 Inner 8 Gold Outer 9 Compound 10 Inner 10 Compound archers need to hit the inner ( gold) circle to score 10 points
F.I.T.A. & Metric Rounds 122cm Face 80cm Face ROUND 90m 70m 60m 50m 40m 30m 20m 15m 50m 40m 30m 20m 15m 10m WA 1440 (Gents) 3 3 3 3 WA 1440 (Ladies) 3 3 3 3 METRIC I 3 3 3 3 METRIC II 3 3 3 3 METRIC III 3 3 3 3 METRIC IV 3 3 3 3 METRIC V 3 3 3 3 LONG METRIC (Gents) 3 3 LONG METRIC (Ladies) 3 3 LONG METRIC I 3 3 LONG METRIC II 3 3 LONG METRIC III 3 3 LONG METRIC IV 3 3 LONG METRIC V 3 3 SHORT METRIC 3 3 SHORT METRIC I 3 3 SHORT METRIC II 3 3 SHORT METRIC III 3 3 SHORT METRIC IV 3 3 SHORT METRIC V 3 3 F.I.T.A. 900 2½ 2½ 2½ WA 70 metre 6 WA 60 metre 6 WA 50 metre 6 F.I.T.A. Standard Bow 3 3
Indoor Rounds ROUND DISTANCE DOZENS FACE WA 18m 18m 5 40cm full size or triple WA 25m 25m 5 60cm full size or triple WA Combined 25m 5 60cm full size or triple 18m 5 40cm full size or triple Bray I 20yd 2½ 40cm full size or triple Bray II 25yd 2½ 60cm full size or triple Portsmouth 20yd 5 60cm full size or 6 zone Stafford 30m 6 80cm full size Special Rounds ROUND DISTANCE DOZENS FACE Notes Worcester 20yd Indoor 5 Special Vegas 18m Indoor 5 Special Frostbite 30m Outdoor 3 80cm Scores 5,4,3,2,1. Arrows shot in ends of 5, Single spot face of five spot 3 spot, shot in order Not an official round. Shot in Winter
Archery Lines & Whistles Archery Lines When you are shooting target archery you will find lines on the field. These lines are: The shooting line (over which the archers shall take up their shooting positions) A 3meter line, this is for when an arrow is dropped or accidentally shot. You may retrieve it and shoot it again A waiting line shall be placed at least five yards behind the shooting line. A tent line:- all tents and other shelters (except those for the judges use) and all spectators shall be at least 10 yards behind the shooting line, maintaining adequate room for the free passage of competitors and officials. Spectators shall not advance in front of this tent line without the agreement of the judge. Whistles When shooting in competitions you will hear different whistles these are: One blow of the whistle shall indicate when the first shooting detail shall take their place on the shooting line and begin shooting. Three blows of the whistle means all archers have shot and can move forward to score and collect arrows. No other archer shall advance from the shooting line before the whistle. If during a shoot you hear the word fast shouted or 6 to 7 continuous blows of a whistle, this means any un-shot arrows must be returned to your quiver and everyone must stop shooting until told to re-shoot.
Archery Etiquette A Good Archer does not: Talk loudly whilst others are shooting Talk to others whilst on the shooting line Offer advice unless asked Express joy or disgust on the shooting line for others to hear Touch any archers equipment with out asking first Walk along the line comparing scores Collect arrows that have missed the target before they have scored the ones that have hit A Good Archer always: Helps to set up the field and close it down at the end of the day Is always polite to other archers Apologizes if breaks or damages other archers equipment due to carelessness, and offers to pay.
Bow Terminology Upper bow limb Limb bolt Top stabilizer mounting Bowstring Tiller measurement point Clicker mounting Clicker extension system Lower front stabilizer mounting Riser Lower front stabilizer mounting Brace height Hand grip Lower back stabilizer mounting Limb bolt Lower bow limn Tiller measurement point
Arrow Basics Identification/Specification Examples 1- X7 1816 Denotes an X7 shaft (high grade aluminium), 18/64ths of an inch outer diameter and 16 thousandths of an inch (0.016 ) wall thickness. 2- A/C/C 3-71/300 Denotes 3 wraps of carbon fibre material on an aluminium core tube of 0.271 ins diameter (the first decimal place value, 2. is ignored) and the arrow shaft has a spine deflection of 300 thousandths of an inch (0.300), under specified loading conditions. Spine Measurement: Spine is a measure of the arrows stiffness, or conversely, whippiness i.e. The amount it bends under load. There are two aspects of spine that concern us, static and dynamic: Static Spine: This is a measurement of the deflection of the shaft when it is supported at two points, a standardised distance apart, and a specified weight is hung on it, central between these points. This gives a comparison between shafts of varying diameters and assists in initial arrow selection. For instance, selecting a shaft of greater external diameter, but thinner wall section will produce a lighter, but less robust arrow, with the same spine.
Arrow Basics Continued Dynamic Spine: This describes the amount of flexibility in the arrow when it is shot from the bow and is of major importance when tuning a bow for optimum performance. Dynamic spine is affected by several factors: 1. The static Spine of the shaft, a low number will give a stiffer arrow. 2. The length of the shaft, a short shaft will be stiffer than a long one. 3. The weight of the pile, a heavy pile will make the arrow whippier. 4. The weight and type of fletching's, long, heavy ones will make the arrow stiffer 5. The weight of the nock and any inserts or adapters, more weight, more stiffness Factors such as string material and number of strands or attachments will also influence the dynamic spine of an arrow. Bow set-up and arrow spine are therefore, inter-related.
Personal Safety Rules to follow for personal safety: Tie long hair back No Dangly ear-rings No sandals No Loose clothing Always use a bracer Always use a finger tab Use a chest Guard (if required) Use a bow sling/finger sling No toggles or strings Always walk, Never run
Bow Safety Rules to follow for bow safety: All bolts are tight String in good condition (not frayed/damaged) Loops in good condition Sight is tight Arrow rest in good condition Bow sling is secure No damage to limbs (delaminated) Always use a stringer String on right way up Limbs on right way up
Range, Field & Target Always walk never run. Never shoot an arrow straight up in the air. Never aim an arrow at a person or animal. Approach the targets from the sides. Look out for short shot arrows. Never stand directly behind the arrows when they are being pulled from the target. SHOOTING LINE Shoot from here and here only. WAITING LINE Do not cross till your turn to shoot ( 5 meters from shooting line). TENT LINE Seating, tents and personal equipment (5 meters from shooting line). 3 METER LINE This is 3 meters in front of the shooting line. Make sure there is enough over shoot (outside). Make sure there is back netting (indoor). Target secured safety (bungee cords-indoor/backstay-outdoor). Do not load bow until you are on the shooting line. Do not shoot till safe to do so (Whistle). Do not collect arrows till safe to do so (3 Whistles). FAST remove arrows from bow and replace into quiver (danger).
GNAS The Grand National Archery Society is the governing body for the sport of archery in the United Kingdom. Under this main body are 8 regional societies and then many different county societies. It is affiliated with WA or World Archery Federation. Archer GB is the trading name for the Grand National Archery Society. The dress code for competitions is any colour garment with the exception of blue denim, olive drab or camouflage. Wording or badges on clothing must represent archery organisations. FITA The International Archery Federation (FITA, from the French Fédération Internationale de Tir a l'arc) is the world governing body of the sport of Archery. Now known as the World Archery Federation. The dress code for FITA is your country colours i.e. Great Britain = Red, white and blue.
Target Captain The duties of the target captain include: Recording of the scores (but not their own) To complete the score card at the end of shooting Has full control of the target Please note during scoring: No-one touches the boss. No-one touches any of the arrows. No-one touches the target face. When all arrows have been scored they then indicate that all arrows can be removed from the boss, and any missed arrows to be collected. Field Captain The duties of the field captain include: Make sure the safety signs are visible. To ensure that adequate safety precautions have been observed in the layout of the field. Targets pegged down and strapped to stand. Target faces are in good order and pinned to boss correctly. Control of archers with the whistle..
The Long rod or Stabiliser This is screwed into the front of the bow handle and is used as a damper against the vibration caused when shooting. When the bow is shot vibration caused will travel along the long rod and back towards the archer but becoming less and less. As a stabiliser it allows the archer to be steadier in the wind helping to create a better shot.
The Pressure Button This is a spring-loaded device that aids the tuning of the arrows to the bow. This is screwed into the side of the bow handle coming through the arrow rest. When an arrow is loosed they bend in towards the handle, the button then pushes the arrow back to the straight position. The Clicker This is a thin piece of metal that is screwed into the side of the handle, same side as arrow rest. It is used as a draw length indicator or as a release indicator. They work by placing the arrow under the clicker. When the arrow is drawn back to the reference point and the archer is at full draw the clicker will sound after which the arrow is loosed.
Good Posture and Technique Posture Like many sports, good performance in archery is dependant on good use of the body. In the case of archery, good posture and balance provide a stable and efficient platform from which the shot is made. The archers weight should be distributed evenly over both feet and with the feet directly below the shoulders. The archer stands at right angles to the target ensuring that the load imposed by the drawn bow is transmitted down the long bones of the draw arm to the shoulder joint which is held in a stable configuration by the muscles of the shoulder and upper back. The muscles of the upper back and shoulders provide most of the power supplied to the shot. Good control of the shoulder and back muscles provides a stable configuration which both holds the bow on aim while the shot is executed. Draw force Line (DFL) This is an imaginary line from the tip of the draw arm elbow, through the point of contact with the string and continuing on to the point where the bow hand is in contact with the bow. This line should be straight in all plains and any bend or kinks, in any plane, will lead to variation in where the arrow goes when shot.
Eye Sight Arrow Relationship Correct alignment of the eye, sight and arrow is important. The arrow should sit directly below a line from the archers eye to the sight pin. The importance of a vertical head position related to a vertical bow position is explained as Eye Sight Arrow Relationship (ESAR). If these 2 elements are not both vertical then errors appear in the horizontal plane caused by the archer either canting (tilting) the bow or the head and looking through the Bow Windows - That space between the drawn bowstring and the bow riser.
Range Layout
Some Of The Different Forms and Disciplines Target Archery Outdoor. Shooting at standard, ringed targets, at set distances. Variety of GNAS and FITA rounds, using different distances, different numbers of arrows and different sizes of target faces. A range of bow styles is permitted recurve, compound and long-bow. Indoor. GNAS and FITA rounds but smaller target faces, shorter distances and fewer arrows being shot. Field Derived from hunting. Archers shoot at a variety of varying sized targets. Archers follow a course from target to target across different terrain. GNAS and FITA rules. Wide variety of rounds and bow styles, marked and un-marked distances. Clout Archers shoot 36 arrows, at distance, towards a target, either a circular straw target about 18 inches in diameter set on the ground, or a small flag, 12 inches square, on a vertical stick set close to the ground. The closer the arrow to the flag the higher the score. GNAS rules for distances and scoring. Popinjay The target consists of imitation birds, a cock bird, hens and chicks set on top of a high vertical mast. Archers shoot vertically upwards to dislodge the birds, using blunt arrows. Variety of bows used, including crossbows. Popular on the continent and in parts of Scotland, there known as Papingo.
Your first Days as a Member If you have just completed a beginners course and joined the club as a new member you may be feeling slightly nervous and not entirely sure about what happens next. Membership allows you to shoot at our field during daylight hours, while the country park is open, normally all year round. For safety you should always avoid shooting by yourself, other then that simply turn up when you want to shoot, set up a target and off you go. If in doubt ask someone, you are of course always best advised to speak to your coach about any issues relating to kit, technique etc. But anything else including etiquette simply ask anyone you meet at the field. All members have membership badges and will have these on display, if you come across anyone who isn t displaying their badge ask to see it, only members or members guests who are charged a small fee to shoot and must be registered with ArcheryGB may shoot at our field. If on arrival there are other members shooting, please be aware of the safety rules, most of which are common sense. If shooting on the same side of the field, do not approach the targets until shooting has finished, remember there may not be a field captain using a whistle if there are only a few of you and you are just practicing. You should also try and shoot at the same time as everyone else, which will allow you to practice more. The most important thing is have fun and don t be afraid to talk to other members, start with asking them about their kit, or use that classic opening line, about the weather. For a detailed calendar of events look on our website where you will also find the members pack which includes lots of useful information.
Club Committee West Essex bowmen, Junior Bowmen and Para Bowmen are run by a committee of volunteers, elected annually at the clubs AGM, normally held at the end of January. President: This post is a unique post as it is held until the holder steps down; the president is called upon to officiate at award ceremonies. Chairman: webchair@webarchery.co.uk Responsible for the direction and coordination of the club and club activities, presides at committee meetings and has a casting vote. Vice Chairman: webvicechair@webarchery.co.uk Responsible for assisting the chairman in managing the direction and coordination of the club and club activities, presides at committee meetings when the chairman isn t present, at which time has a casting vote. Secretary: websec@webarchery.co.uk Responsible for all the club correspondence and keeping of records (other than scores) call meetings as directed by the committee, take minutes, represents the club to the county and ArcheryGB, organises beginners courses, holds copies of the clubs documents, including the club constitution. Membership Secretary: membership@webarchery.co.uk Manages G.N.A.S. submissions, club memberships for all three clubs (West Essex Bowmen, West Essex Junior Bowmen and West Essex Para Bowmen) and parking passes. Treasurer: treasurer@webarchery.co.uk Responsible for the collection of subscriptions and other funds, payment of club accounts and preparation of an audited annual balance sheet to be presented at the AGM. Records Officer Senior: webrecords@webarchery.co.uk Responsible for recording all senior scores, handicap figures, recommendation for recurve league teams and confirmation of matches. Also responsible for the award of classification badges and compiles year end personal shooting records for all senior members to be presented at the AGM.
Records Officer Junior: jnrrecords@webarchery.co.uk Responsible for recording all junior scores and handicap figures. Also responsible for the award of classification and progress badges and compiles year end personal shooting records for all junior members to be presented at the AGM. Equipment Officer: equipment@webarchery.co.uk Responsible for the club equipment, ensuring such equipment is of the required standard. Additional duties include maintaining the equipment container, organising the marking out of the shooting field and liaising with suppliers. Field Marshall: Responsibilities include managing general field maintenance, including organising grass cut s, assisting with the organisation of the marking of the field, the placement of field markers, and the maintenance of the targets. Junior Club Representative: Responsible for representing the interest of the juniors to the committee at the committee meetings and looking after the general welfare of the juniors by reporting any issues that may affect juniors enjoyment of the sport. The junior representative is also the team captain at any team events. Competition Secretary: Responsible for the managing of all aspects of club open competitions. Para Club Representative: Responsible for representing the interests of the Para club to the committee and promoting the para club within the community at large. Child Protection Officers: webcoach@webarchery.co.uk Responsible for the welfare of all junior members. This includes acting on reports of abuse and liaising with GNAS, Social Services and the Police where necessary. Social Secretary: Responsible for organising all social events. Catering Secretary: Responsible for managing the catering at all events, including league matches held on our home field, open competitions, coaching sessions, beginners courses and the Frostbite.
For further information please visit our website: www.westessexbowmen.org Other related sites include: Essex County Archery Association to which we are affiliated: www.ecaa.org.uk Archery GB, our governing body: www.archerygb.org