Archery Beginnings

[THOaken]

I've been thinking of getting into archery for a while now. I done a bit of it back in school, about five years ago, and I've just learnt there's an archery centre a few miles away. I researched archery for a bit, but I didn't have enough money to buy a bow. I know about compound bows and some things about archery terminology.

Here's the archery centre. http://scottisharcherycentre.co.uk/index.html

What do you think?

Any tips?

I think I'll go up next weekend.

 

[boatman]

Looks as though it could be expensive, a club would be better for starting with. They generally have bows you can borrow even though these will probably be plastic rather than wood.

One can shoot in one's own garden, taking exceeding care that arrows do not fly next door, perhaps point towards one's own windows! Even 5 yards can be a range to start with. This will give the fun of shooting and experience of loosing the string and the importance of aiming low! Bow of hazel rod and string with dowel arrows with pigeon feather fletchings is still archery. Targets of cardboard or cardboard boxes stuffed with rags, newspapers or plastic bags.

 

[dwardo]

I would try any local NFAS club and go for one of their beginner days/weekends. Usually about £30 if I remember.
This will give you a good refresher and also give you an idea as to what draw weight and style of bow is comfortable for you.
Nothing worse than being "over-bowed" meaning the bow is too heavy for practising your form. Being able to shoot a heavy bow half dozen times is a far cry from being comfortable shooting all day. They should also be able to give you the tools you need to correct problems with your form so you can learn alone.

Does not matter if you dont want to join but its hard to fidn land to shoot on that's safe and with permission. If i shoot at home which is only to test a bow I am only shooting a few yards which would get boring fast if i didnt have another place to shoot.

Alternative is you take the plunge and just take advice from a local archery shop but you run the risk of the shop selling you what they need rid of rather than what you want. Then you would also have to re-learn how to shoot which can take for ever including bad habits.

 

[bearbait]

I've recently taken up archery and my club has a 6 week beginners' course with a free try-before-you-buy first lesson. Other clubs may do the same. They also have a number of reasonable club bows at various weights. My coach is gradually working me up through the different weight club bows until he decides that's probably the weight for me, then I can start looking for a bow of my own. Club members will occasionally change or upgrade their bows, or limbs if a takedown, so you may be able to get a pre-loved bow from someone else in a club. And I'm sure many members will be happy to let you try a few arrows with their bows once you know what you're doing.

It's target archery I'm doing at the moment but I quite interested in having a go at field archery - at different size animal targets over uneven terrain at unknown distances. A great way to break and lose arrows I believe. Once I've got a bit more competent I want to try barebow - shooting without a sight as I'm a bit more interested in the lower-tech end of the sport.

Anyway, as your other correspondents have also indicated, I'd suggest finding a club to get yourself started. This also has the benefit of starting with little or no expense.

 

[Chainsaw]

+1 to go to a club, you'll get good instruction and free(ish) use of kit. If you are 'out east' there are a couple of clubs in the area. Have a look through here;

http://www.scottisharchery.org.uk/linksclubs.php

Most clubs do recurve, compound and a lot do horse and longbow as well.

HTH

Alan
Falkirk Company of Archers

 

[Goatboy]

I concur that joining a club is usually cheaper (though I nearly fell off of my seat when I looked to one of the links and saw what my local club was charging - WOW is all I'll say, must be some place).

My old club was buttons to join and had some excellent helpful members who like here were generous with skills and kit. We also had a great woodland course with 3D targets which was fun. To get any use at the sport though I'd say you have to train almost daily. Was lucky I could shoot in my garden, (towards the house and as arrow stops I found a couple of layers of old carpet suspended from the top edge hard to beat. - Also make sure no-one else is in the house and doors are locked to avoid sticking family members and spouses coming out of doors.) You don't need a pricey bow with all the toys either start off with a simple bare bow that you can easily draw and build up that muscle memory then draw weight.

 

[dwardo]

I concur that joining a club is usually cheaper (though I nearly fell off of my seat when I looked to one of the links and saw what my local club was charging - WOW is all I'll say, must be some place).

My old club was buttons to join and had some excellent helpful members who like here were generous with skills and kit. We also had a great woodland course with 3D targets which was fun. To get any use at the sport though I'd say you have to train almost daily. Was lucky I could shoot in my garden, (towards the house and as arrow stops I found a couple of layers of old carpet suspended from the top edge hard to beat. - Also make sure no-one else is in the house and doors are locked to avoid sticking family members and spouses coming out of doors.) You don't need a pricey bow with all the toys either start off with a simple bare bow that you can easily draw and build up that muscle memory then draw weight.

A guy I sold a bow to on here also went to a local club, albeit a target archery type place and the costs were horrendous.
As was the 6 week minimum course to be able to become a member and then the years fees up front.
The NFAS places seem to be much more reasonable and relaxed. When the boy is a little older and I have more time I will be joining my local club in Helsby.

 

[Niels]

If you want to get good at this, you should at least 30 arrows a day from different distances when you get started. Once you start getting really good this sort of training becomes less necessary.

 

[Swallow]

have a quick scally at this

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100130&highlight=historic+archery+technique

 

[adestu]

I did a bow making course and subsequently broke my effort . bought a lovely horse bow from a nice on here and it's lovely to shoot . I am lucky as one of my shooting permission s has archery butts I can use.

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