[b]Any Field Archers Out There???[/b]

Sep 25, 2003
8
0
kent
hello rob, i have shot down your way at saxon and senlac, but my nfas (and gnas) membership has now lapsed do you belong to nfas? what club are you from, i know all the lads at rye bowman down your way, we may have met!
i still shoot but now only for fun and i dont do competitions any more, are you longbow, afb or other?
steve
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,638
2,718
Bedfordshire
When I was at Uni. (three years back now) I went to a number of field shoots around the West Country. I was into building my own bows, variations on American flat bows and Holmegaards, shooting foam animals was so much more fun that trying to keep up with the techno-bow crowd.

Sadly I went and tore a tendon in my left shoulder in my final year, didn't know what it was and didn't get treatment. :-x :-( It put me out of shooting for about 2 years and means that my tendons still clonk about rather disturbingly. It was only this summer that I started to shoot again in a small way.

I think part of my problem is that I like making the bows as much as shooting them, I keep making new ones to try, never settle on one and practice with it :-? :-D
 

Rob

Need to contact Admin...
Excellent. There are a few of us out there.

Actually, field archery is how I ended up on the bushcraft road - I guess it was just all that time I spent in the woods.

I shoot AFB, and am a member of the NFAS. I also have the job of Shoot Organiser for Holmbush FA near Henfield in West Sussex. I have shot at Saxon and Senlac plenty, and the Senlac shoot this year was spot on - even if the humidity in the woods on the day made it as close to the tropics as you will probably ever get over here. Never been to rye, are they NFAS?

I dont think that you have to take the competition side seriously, I just see it as being able to shoot new shots in new woods as often as I can. I like 3D targets (I got hold of 50 of them second hand the other month and they are now filling up my loft and garage) :-?

I met a man the other week who was mad about making bows, out of anything he could find - he had a real knobbly one made from hawthorn. I made a hickory bow in the woods with Mr Mears and Mr Boyton this summer - only problem was that it ended up about 18 Lbs, shortened to just over 20, and I think I am going to have to do another 3 days scraping a stave whilst sitting on it to make the big bugger I had been wanting. Still, I am sure I will get use out fo the girly one.

I hope to be orgainising at least 2 shoots next year (one over a weekend for Holmbush, and one for a venture I have planned). People should come play and craft their bushes at the same time. :wink:
 
Aug 4, 2003
365
0
47
Hatfield, Herts
I'm an ex target archer. Had to give up with 2 knackerd shoulders. Now I'm lucky of I can shoot more than 5 dozen @ 32 lb draw weight, not much for a 6 foot bloke :( However all was not lost, I now shoot air rifles and thats how I got into bushcraft. Its amazing that a hide with a bit more work turns into a shelter.

Simon
 

Doc

Need to contact Admin...
Nov 29, 2003
2,109
10
Perthshire
I dabble - have an old Bear recurve and loose a few arrows in the garden occassionally. Should really join a club and get more into it, but lack of time is a problem. Might pursue it more as my three sons get older (oldest is just six, and very keen on camping and campfires already)
 

pteron

Acutorum Opifex
Nov 10, 2003
389
12
60
Wiltshire
pteron.org
I used to be into field archery, initially up in my home city of Lincoln and later at Uni in Southampton.

I shot at Dunster a few times, wonderful place, even if they did focus on target shooting. (I won my class one year too)

I mainly shot compound limited - but often dropped it to barebow when shooting field.

I still have my bow, but haven't shot for years.

Andy
 

DG

New Member
Dec 31, 2003
3
0
www.wildernessliving.co.uk
Hi Rob
We kind of do our own field archery stuff. At the moment I don't belong to a club but have a massive field to ping arrows in and can get access to wood if needs be. Two self bows so far with medium success could do with spending a few days with an experienced bow maker if anyone knows of any workshops coming up I'd love to know.
regards
DG
 
If you have already made two self-bows, Why don't you give me a ring, I am sure I can just tell you some do's, don't and tricks to make sure you get a top-notch bow at the weight you want. I teach bow-making classes however, I import Osage Oange from the states, which is a really good wood! With the experience you gained on your previous attempts, I am sure, we can talk about some important stuff without stumbling over basics! I think you could spend your money and time wiser in this way, instead of going to a bow-making class where they will teach you the basics all over again (As I would, if you came to one of my classes) This is all depending on how good your previous experience has been though...

Phonenumber: 028 383 25 108. You can give me a ring anytime, but I'm out A LOT teaching, so You might get to speak to my wife who can tell you when I should be back.
 

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