First field competition for years

ajh499

Member
Hi all

I'm a fairly experienced recurve target archer about to do my first WA field shoot for 5 years (and then I only did the one). I'm trying to remember all the things that I learnt on that first comp, that I've forgotten since.

I think I have a good idea of how to gauge distance to unmarked targets using my sight pin as a measure, but what actually are the rules/opinions around doing that? I seem to remember it being frowned upon, but people doing it anyway. Can I raise my bow without an arrow nocked to measure the distance, or do you have to "pretend" that you're going to shoot with an arrow nocked?

I'm going to take binoculars with me, so I'm trying to get used to shooting with them around my neck and I'll take a backpack with drinks, nibbles and tools with me. Does anyone have any suggestions or tips in these areas?

Is there anything else I need to know :) Open ended question I know....

Any tips would be much appreciated


Alex
 

bimble

Well-known member
Supporter
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
AIUK Saviour
I think I have a good idea of how to gauge distance to unmarked targets using my sight pin as a measure, but what actually are the rules/opinions around doing that? I seem to remember it being frowned upon, but people doing it anyway. Can I raise my bow without an arrow nocked to measure the distance, or do you have to "pretend" that you're going to shoot with an arrow nocked?
on the old FITA website they use to have a document that explained how to do that, it's what they call "fieldcraft" and I've been doing field for a lot longer than 5 years and I've never known it to be frowned upon. Way back they use to not allow you to adjust your sight after your first draw until after your first arrow was shot, but even that's not been the case for a long time.

You aren't allowed to take your reminders on how to work out your distances, that has to be committed to memory, as are your cut marks (if you bother to work any out). But you can take your sightmarks out with you, or put together a sight tape for your sight. And you are allowed to take the distance ranges for the possible face sizes out (so bunny 10-15m/40cm 15-25m/60cm 20-35m/80cm 35-55m) so if you can identify the target size you can narrow down the possible distance range.
 

Shirt

Well-known member
I think I have a good idea of how to gauge distance to unmarked targets using my sight pin as a measure, but what actually are the rules/opinions around doing that? I seem to remember it being frowned upon, but people doing it anyway. Can I raise my bow without an arrow nocked to measure the distance, or do you have to "pretend" that you're going to shoot with an arrow nocked?
It has to at least look like you're trying to shoot it. The other side is that holding the bow at full draw will put your eye a consistent distance from the sight pin (clickers are useful for this!). Just holding it up and waving it around will cause the eye-sight distance to vary significantly, which will make your ranging massively inaccurate.
 

ajh499

Member
Thanks for the replies,

on the old FITA website they use to have a document that explained how to do that, it's what they call "fieldcraft" and I've been doing field for a lot longer than 5 years and I've never known it to be frowned upon. Way back they use to not allow you to adjust your sight after your first draw until after your first arrow was shot, but even that's not been the case for a long time.
I've seen that document, thanks, but I wasn't sure what was current about the actual process allowed, even though it's on the FITA/WA website it doesn't seem to explain how it's allowed to be used in a competition.

It has to at least look like you're trying to shoot it. The other side is that holding the bow at full draw will put your eye a consistent distance from the sight pin (clickers are useful for this!). Just holding it up and waving it around will cause the eye-sight distance to vary significantly, which will make your ranging massively inaccurate
I was thinking I'd hold the bow as if I was about to start drawing it, but without an arrow and only putting enough pressure on the string to hold the bow in place - a couple of inches of draw as it were. That way I wouldn't accidentally shoot and I can start my shot routine as I normally would by taking an arrow from my quiver once I've set my sight. The eye-pin distance should be pretty consistent that way too. Is that method likely to be a problem with the judges / other competitors, do you think?
 

dvd8n

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
I was given this card a while back and it really is helpful with unmarked:

2017-04-09-0001.jpg
It's ok to carry it on the course as bimble says, and it can stop you making silly errors.

Don't just look at your peg; look at the others too. The positions of the other pegs can really cut down the likely position of yours.
 

bimble

Well-known member
Supporter
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
AIUK Saviour
Don't just look at your peg; look at the others too. The positions of the other pegs can really cut down the likely position of yours.
This is very true, I remember coming to one single spot target with all three pegs next to each other and going, "well, that's easy to know." Turned out none of my group knew other peg distances so didn't realise this could only be a 60cm face at 20m.
 

ajh499

Member
I was given this card a while back and it really is helpful with unmarked:

View attachment 8743
It's ok to carry it on the course as bimble says, and it can stop you making silly errors.

Don't just look at your peg; look at the others too. The positions of the other pegs can really cut down the likely position of yours.
Thanks, I have made something like that up with a table of numbers, but seeing it visually like that is better
 

Shirt

Well-known member
I was thinking I'd hold the bow as if I was about to start drawing it, but without an arrow and only putting enough pressure on the string to hold the bow in place - a couple of inches of draw as it were. That way I wouldn't accidentally shoot and I can start my shot routine as I normally would by taking an arrow from my quiver once I've set my sight. The eye-pin distance should be pretty consistent that way too. Is that method likely to be a problem with the judges / other competitors, do you think?
If you're looking to play by the rules, then you should have an arrow in the bow. Without an arrow it's blindingly obvious you're ranging, if there's an arrow in there everyone can play by the same fiction.

I would also recommend ranging at full draw - holding just before the clicker drops will be way more consistent than any quarter-draw stuff, where you've got no idea if your shoulders and head are in the same position relative to the sight.
 

ajh499

Member
If you're looking to play by the rules, then you should have an arrow in the bow. Without an arrow it's blindingly obvious you're ranging, if there's an arrow in there everyone can play by the same fiction.
So that's back to my original question, what are the rules here? It seems very open to interpretation, if ranging is allowed, then it's allowed - "pretending" that you're going to shoot an arrow should be irrelevant.

I would also recommend ranging at full draw - holding just before the clicker drops will be way more consistent than any quarter-draw stuff, where you've got no idea if your shoulders and head are in the same position relative to the sight.
I'll give it a try, my worry is that I'd let the arrow go. I'm not sure my ranging technique is going to be accurate enough that slight head position changes would make that much of a difference anyway. I think the best I can do is a check that I haven't completely messed up the distance estimation.
 

bimble

Well-known member
Supporter
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
AIUK Saviour
So that's back to my original question, what are the rules here? It seems very open to interpretation, if ranging is allowed, then it's allowed - "pretending" that you're going to shoot an arrow should be irrelevant.
It's allowed, you just have to look like you're shooting. You could argue it's irrelevant, but I guess most people would rather risk losing an arrow if they accidentally loosed when ranging, than risk losing the bow by dry-firing it. Plus it's more accurate if you know that your eye-sight are the correct distance apart, which being at full draw with an arrow will give you.
 
Top