It was the shoot of choice in the 40's through the 80's so a lot of folks did it. I'm going to a field round on Sunday up on the mountain at Mountain Bowmen. Folks nowadays think thirty yards is a long shot and that's pretty sad.
Any of you guys want to try it come to Ohio next month to the Ohio State field archery championship. You have to pre register to assure you get to shoot since its a shotgun start. Also in August Ohio Archers is having a 900 round if y,all feel up to 90 arrows at 40 50 and 60 yards. Check Ohio Archers weight for dates times and registration. See if it's easy as it looks,lol.
Just - with your new ILF, all you need is some matched arrows, some gas, and somewhere to go. "Get'R'Done" a few times, and like any other type of archery, U'll get the hang of it. You will see shorter target arrows preferred since there are longer targets, than for the short distances we shoot in 3-D's.
That's NFAA right? Still getting my head around it all. If you shoot "Barebow" you will be competing against Compounds? I you shoot "Traditional" you can have a 12' Stab, Plunger, Rest but you CAN'T String or Facewalk?
I found a club 2 hours away that hosts Field. Looks like fun to me.
If you find yourself in san Diego, look up San Diego Archers, we have a field round of some kind every month. We also host nine 3D's every year and 4 themed fun shoots.
80 yard shots are the norm for club members and the first target is just that.
tradmt, I've come to expect that from you regarding posts I make. But anyway, maybe you should talk to guys like Steve Gorr who were about as good on the field range as anyone and can take elk, mule deer, antelope etc. as good as anyone on the planet. You can dismiss it if you like, but that just shows your lack of knowledge about previous archers/bowhunters and what can be done by those old field archery guys. You likely could learn something.
It goes to show, how great skill can bridge the gap in equipment.
If you didn't notice, each team had a Compound, Olympic and Barebow shooter. The barebow shooter, on both teams, matched or exceeded the other shooters scores.
However, the compound shooter, equipped with all the bells and whistles was the only one to punch center holes.
Dave Cousins that was shooting compound....he's a machine. It's not just the gear. In these team shoots, the Barebow shooter looks to be 5 meters closer (the blue stakes). You can read the stakes in a few scenes on the video
The announcers didn't say the ranges but I think the Barebow was 10-40 meters. The elevation was pretty steep.
10m at a 20cm face 20m at a 40cm face 40m at a 60cm face 50m at an 80cm face
For the team matches, the Barebow archer will shoot one arrow at each. For individual medal matches it's three arrows at each. Very unforgiving to say the least.
The reason field isn't popular is that field has made no effort to gain popularity. Lack of popularity is also the fault of nostalgic/negative types who fail to respect modern target archery, 3-D in particular.
Jon, "JRW, what is the difference between Barebow and recurve?"
When you see "Recurve" by itself, it generally means Olympic style. Sights, big stabilizers. "Barebow" generally means no sights and allows String/Face Walking.
George, I agree with you 100%. I am glad that I was able to participate in field archery in the 1950s and 1960s. I wish that it was popular today——it sure was fun!
I know NFAA made a rule about 7 or 8 years ago that if the club wanted to allow it at any tournament below sectional, traditional shooters could shoot from youth stakes but I haven't kept up on this for quite a while so I dunno if Ohio Archers honors that rule or not.
Been shooting the field course again the last couple years and enjoying it. Rejoined the PSAA. Using my normal hunting recurve. Also have a couple other stickbow shooters shooting. Brushed out behind the eighty yarder so the newer guys can air one out and it's fun watching the launch.
I believe the max distance for PSAA trad bow classification is 50 yards, use to be 60, the same as the bowhunter class. But you just haft to shoot the 80 yarder just 'cause its there!
Most archery clubs in the western states still have field archery courses. Most have 2 courses of 14 targets each. Some have three, a few have 4 or 5 courses. Many members of those clubs hunt deer and elk.
3D is also popular and a good many of those events use the full distances, largely because the compound bow user enjoy the long distances. That is important because there are many more of them than of us and we need their participation to maintain the clubs and the ranges.
But even the traditional only 3D events generally have at least one target at 45 yards or more. This makes for all around good archers, capable of more than short ranges accuracy. - lbg
The event in the video is structured for spectators. Normally a "Round" will be on a walking course and contain 28 targets where 1 to 4 arrows will be shot at each target.
For anyone interested in NFAA field, just go to the NFAA's website and read the current document entitled "Constitution and By-laws. It spells out the different shooting styles, equipment and age divisions and also describes the different rounds we shoot. I.e. "field", "hunter" , "animal" "lake of the woods", "international" round and so forth. There's also range set-up and staking guides. Very informative. Pretty much answer all your questions. I'm a long time member of one of the oldest field archery clubs in the south east. We're still going, albeit not like the old days, but we're still here.
"If you didn't notice, each team had a Compound, Olympic and Barebow shooter. The barebow shooter, on both teams, matched or exceeded the other shooters scores.
However, the compound shooter, equipped with all the bells and whistles was the only one to punch center holes..."
Taking nothing away from Demmer - the barebow stakes are at least 5M closer, if not 10. But still. Incredible shooting.
Yeah...they made Demmer shoot from the kiddie stakes :) They were 5 meters closer on all the targets. I watched a couple of other finals where you could read the stakes.
Dude..great videos! Amazing how rarely anybody links to field archery events, given that they're apparently audience-friendly (unlike 3-D and indoor stuff).
On that WA video above the course itself is in the woods and you walk from target to target. The shoot off at the end was on that hill to be spectator friendly.
For stickbows look up your state has club for classes and rules. Since the stickbow only classes are fairly new I called the nfaa director. He said nfaa still has only one stickbow class for national events but each state is allowed their own rules according to the need for other classes. Ohio has 3 classes,2 recurve and 1 longbow.
Dude, that national organization is falling down on the job. Ought to use (hire?) you for publicity. They obviously need somebody like you. Maybe Hoyt or Lancaster will step up to that plate.
John I'd just like to see guys get out and have some fun. Lots of different archery endevors are loads of fun. Archery golf is one thing that's a blast but the price of land stops clubs from having archery golf. Target shooters are always seen as just paper punchers. Here in Ohio the OAA(our nfaa org) was the last to hold team hunting competitions in ohio. I haven't shot field archery for ages, nor have I did a lot of other things that are fun in archery. But I'm gonna get out and do as much as I can just to put more fun into it. Some take themselves too seriously to enjoy this stuff, but some of us not so much.
Gary, the few local NFAA field shooters have contributed energy and events that have helped our 50-yr-plus range in operation through the onslaught of wheelies. One of them was important to my own archery restart in the 90s at Harold Groves' range...that guy's still at it, a great influence.
I think JOAD and women in particular represent a lot more potential...maybe because they're not heavy camo enthusiasts.
My city is very big on personal athletics (bicyclists and runners relocate here from Africa and elsewhere in order to train at our mile-high altitude). My city doesn't seem much into college athletics (which are in decline) or television sports (for good reason). Leatherwall folks like to pose as extreme macho characters and don't think of themselves as athletes...and many think being elderly will last forever :-)
Oh btw people, most nfaa clubs have 3d as well. But it's usually longer distance and marked yardage. Before anyone say anything about marked yardage, it takes the advantage away from the guys who's club is putting on the shoot. Anyone who's been a member of a club for any length of time can tell you , the club members know every inch and what the yardages are no matter how much they move the stakes. Marked yardage gives the visitors the same advantage.
"For stickbows look up your state has club for classes and rules. Since the stickbow only classes are fairly new I called the nfaa director. He said nfaa still has only one stickbow class for national events but each state is allowed their own rules according to the need for other classes. Ohio has 3 classes,2 recurve and 1 longbow."
The NFAA has two "stickbow only" classes for sanctioned events. Traditional has been around since 1985. Longbow is about a decade or so old.
...... google this, then click on nfaa constitution and by laws. You'll get a contents page n it'll tell ya what page the classes are on. This is aa 2 year update of constitution and by laws. Ohio had the 2 recurve classes and longbow class but the nfaa itself doesn't. So the states classes are what counts, in whatever state your shooting. The basic rules are the same tho.
I have changed from being a mad keen Bowhunter into an archery nerd who loves flinging arrows who happens to Bowhunt. ... being really good at Field Archery can only help make you a better hunting shot. The old 'target vs Bowhunting' is inane ad nauseum.
My big problem is I'm still pretty crap at Archery.
One last thing. Nfaa isn't just a target org. They used to have a sheet you could keep track of small game on for awards. They give awards for big game. They also used to have team hunting competitions. I say used to because I have no clue what all they have going on as of right now for bowhunters but they've always promoted bowhunting in a big way.
"The event in the video is structured for spectators."
Yep. But it beats four kinds of snot outta watching golf!
JMO.... Anybody who doesn't shoot 50+ simply has no idea what he's missing.
And it makes no sense to me that someone who claims to hunt with RC/LB because they just prefer shooting one would then state that he doesn't shot past what he considers Hunting Distance because "there's no point in it". That sounds like an extremely utilitarian POV. It makes as much sense as buying a really great (but less-than-entirely-practical) automobile because you're a car buff and a skilled driver.... and then you only drive it to the grocery store.
?????????
I love the idea of NFAA because (IIRC) they are set up so that you can achieve some objective standards that tell you where you stand in the grand scheme of things. Some people get fixated on bragging rights, for which - frankly - I have absolutely no use (neither the bragging rights nor those who pursue them); but I just like the reality check.
You can think you're pretty Hot Snot in the comfort of your back yard, where you never push yourself beyond 50 feet, but I'm happier knowing that thousands if others have accomplished more than I have, because it means I have plenty yet to accomplish before I need tell myself that I've topped out... Keeps the motivation factor where it belongs...
Shooting longish is fun (as long as yo aren't breaking or losing too many arrows)! 55+ yards is scary for me. At this point, I am not ready to change my technique to get closer to point on.
I would like to go shoot a 900 round with zero misses. That's my goal. Holding top of the target at 60 yards gets me a "3". Trying to find a system like maybe one arrow point above the top of the target. As long as I am on a big 122CM it would work.
Although the NFAA is only about their field archery and indoor events, when I was a member, they used to recognize bowhunting by providing a libilaty insurance amount of of $500 to land owners for current NFAA members hunting on someone's land. That was a lot of money then (five decades ago) and said a lot about the NFAA recognizing that their members were also hunters.
Sure would like to shoot some field events in the near future, and also hope some of us on here post some information of their experiences doing so. Always enjoy the photos of field archery such as those posted here.
"I would like to go shoot a 900 round with zero misses. That's my goal. Holding top of the target at 60 yards gets me a "3". Trying to find a system like maybe one arrow point above the top of the target. As long as I am on a big 122CM it would work."
They figure on a lot. Non sight classes used to have a rule that your arrow rest or side plate couldnt extend more than 1/4 inch above or below the arrow shaft to keep people from using the edge for distance markers,lol.
I was just noticing. Our own Dwayne Martin shot in the nfaa indoor nationals here in Cincinnati a couple months ago. He was ahead the first round but fell back by 6 points the second round for second place. Not bad for the nationals. He shot 286 and 282 in traditional class. Calvin Smock of PA won the longbow class with 265 and 232. Great shooting under the pressure of a huge shoot like that.
My favorite round + Hunter & will be at the Iowa State Field Dyersville, Ia July 9th & then the NFAA 3 day Nationals in Yankton, S.D. July 28,29 & 30th.. (went from 5 to 3 days this year) For me, it is the round that brings out the best in you & definitely separates the boys/girls from the men/women for sure.
It was a fun shoot to be a part of. The quality of the barebow archers around the world is very good. It's why I shoot what I shoot. Like GF was saying, it's nice to have somewhat of a standard that you can compare scores to see where you are at and what is possible. Our field Nationals in Darrington this year will have the deepest/strongest one yet. IDK if anyone here wants to join or not, but check it out if ya want. We shoot from 5-50 meters.
