I would like to try archery...

[offroadmick]

I would really like to try some archery... I live in Ilford, Essex and it looks like my local club is 'The Noak Hill Archers'

Are any of you guys a member there? And if so, can we get together so I can visit the club?
Sound sad for a grown man, but I don't want to go on my own!!!!

 

[Nonsuch]

Try a few clubs and join one that is friendly. When I went along to my local club for the first time with my traditional bow they made it abundantly clear that beginners were a lesser form of human life, especially my kind of beginner. As you might imagine I didn't end up joining and found a brilliant field archery club 40 mins drive away.

 

[offroadmick]

Try a few clubs and join one that is friendly. When I went along to my local club for the first time with my traditional bow they made it abundantly clear that beginners were a lesser form of human life, especially my kind of beginner. As you might imagine I didn't end up joining and found a brilliant field archery club 40 mins drive away.

Thats what i'm worried about... being a noob and not be welcomed in.... Thats why i'm hoping a member may be on here.
Thanks for the advise, i'll have a little scout around on the web and see what pops up.

 

[morch]

I know exactly what you mean Mick. I was made to feel so unwelcome at the club i joined in cumbria that i didn't bother going back. First impressions and how you are received are so important, shame some of the clubs don't realise this

Best of luck

Dave

 

[offroadmick]

Thanks Dave... I'm gonna bite the bullet and give the noak hill club a try... Even if I have to go on my own. Maybe i'll be lucky!

 

[DavidJT]

Welcome to come and have a go out our club up in Suffolk. Bit of a drive for you, but I'll be shooting sunday morning.
Give your local club a chance anyway, I'm sure they won't bite!

 

[telwebb]

You have to realise its a two way thing - if you turn up with a fixed set of ideas of what you intend to do and its outside of the clubs normal routine then its not going to work. Most target archery clubs run structured courses to a pretty fixed format as laid down by their governing body - they have to do this to be covered for any liability issues which may arise. If your main interest is in traditional bows and shooting in woodland then go straight to a field archery club - they are geared to this type of archery. Hope you find what you're after!

Edit: Just had a look at noak hill online - seems they embrace all the main disciplines and offer a 'have-a-go' session for you to decide if you want to book a course or not. Where this often falls down is you get enthusiastic and they tell you they have a course available sometime next year....

 

[Fizzlebang]

my local club run a beginners course twice a year and I found them very friendly and welcoming. Go and give it a try - put them to the test to see if they are good enough to join

 

[Dave Budd]

Generally field artchers are friendly and welcome new folk openly, I think unless you turn up with a bit of an attitude you should be fine Of course there will always be one or two miserable sods in a club; just approach somebody in a group rather than shooting on their own (they might be on their own for a reason!)

May be a bit of a treck, ut I used to shoot for Panther Bowhunters based near Galleywood down the A12/A16 towards Billericay. Nice bunch and I enjoyed my time there very much.

might be worth popping along to a coupe of local clubs without a bow and just chatting with people to get an idea of local protocals. I suggest first thing in the morning or catch during a tea break

 

[offroadmick]

May be a bit of a treck, ut I used to shoot for Panther Bowhunters based near Galleywood down the A12/A16 towards Billericay. Nice bunch and I enjoyed my time there very much.

I'll look into that Dave, thank you...

Welcome to come and have a go out our club up in Suffolk. Bit of a drive for you, but I'll be shooting sunday morning.
Give your local club a chance anyway, I'm sure they won't bite!

Bit far out for me mate!!! But thanks for the offer David....

 

[TeeDee]

Can anyone tell me the Legal point if view if you just poddle off to the local woods and shoot at a target by yourself in a safe manner?? If its public access woods but shooting down into a Gulley???

How much of a reaming would one potentially receive??

 

[mrcharly]

Whether it is legal or not, I think it would be very unfair to other people who enjoy archery. It's public perceptions that end up driving stupid laws (like the knife-carry laws).

 

[TeeDee]

Whether it is legal or not, I think it would be very unfair to other people who enjoy archery. It's public perceptions that end up driving stupid laws (like the knife-carry laws).

Well thanks for your view point. I disagree but respect your view.

Still interested in the Legal POV.

 

[Grendel]

As other have said try a few clubs. I used to shoot Longbow (mainly for medieval re-enactment clout shooting) and had one or two clubs look down there nose at me since I was using medieval hand hade arrows and didn’t have any bells and whistles on the bow like some of the compound chaps.

 

[resnikov]

Bit of a hijack but archery related. Anyone know of an archery clubs in Yorkshire (Leeds area) that shoot longbows? Would love to have ago.

 

[Grendel]

Bit of a hijack but archery related. Anyone know of an archery clubs in Yorkshire (Leeds area) that shoot longbows? Would love to have ago.

You could try looking here:

http://www.nfas.net/clubs.asp

Although they don’t seem to list all clubs?

 

[Rob]

HNA - Havering NALGO are a good NFAS Club - based near Billerickay.

 

[Partickpebbles]

Bit of a hijack but archery related. Anyone know of an archery clubs in Yorkshire (Leeds area) that shoot longbows? Would love to have ago.

Place just off the A64 near Monkscross Shopping Centre, York.

 

[resnikov]

You could try looking here:

http://www.nfas.net/clubs.asp

Although they don’t seem to list all clubs?

Shame no clubs near me

 

[offroadmick]

HNA - Havering NALGO are a good NFAS Club - based near Billerickay.

Thanks for that, i'll look into them whem I get home.