Garden Practice range , is this a good idea?

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I used to shoot in my garden. I had a small foam boss on the ground and a low earth bank behind. If I missed I expected to hit the bank, so safely inside my own property. I was shooting downhill, too, so what possible danger was there?
That is how I thought, before the accident!!!
I was lucky, the accident caused the arrow to shoot very low; but it could have shot very high.
I have not shot in the garden since. If the arrow can escape from your property, eventually it will.Not intentionally, obviously, but accidents aren't intentional, are they?
I shoot inside the garage.
 

fanio

Active member
Once you've hunted with your bow and have had complete "pass-throughs" on animals significantly larger than humans (I have) you fully realise the power of a bow and arrow. Do you take appropriate steps to minimise the risk of an accident happening (eg appropriate back stop, proper equipment maintenance, control your distance, don't draw like a knob, etc
).

But in my view the very small remaining risk is acceptable - the chance of hitting someone with asb arrow in these circumstances is significantly less than hitting your neighbour's child whilst driving up the road, but it doesn't stop us from owning and using a car in residential areas...
 

DavidH

New member
I think a lot of beginners like the idea of shooting in the garden. I must admit I did many years ago, and realise now how stupid it was. I nearly had another bout of stupidity recently, but luckily my much more sensible wife stopped me;)
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Hi Fanio, I see what you are saying and statistics give a new perspective on this. However, I don't see this as a percentages thing.It seems to me it is the whole situation taken in context.
Road accidents have complex causes sometimes and not always the result of one guilty party.
An accident with my bow and I have no defence and no one else to blame, not even in part. Also, my hobby and my reluctance to go to a safe place, don't seem that important once the accident has happened.
I took a risk and for years had no problems. One accident; and until I found the arrow, my life went on hold!! The sense of panic can return just thinking about it. Call me selfish, BUt I don't want to have to go through that ever again.
 

DavidH

New member
We can all guess what would happen if there was a serious accident or death from a bow shot in the garden. The public would clamour for a law banning it from anywhere but licensed archery fields. There would be headlines in the Daily Mail. We'd have a special division of bow police, wed have to get a licence to shoot, we'd need bow cabinets. OK my imagination has now gone a bit too far;)

edit: I'm feeling sorry for Phil now. He thought it was an innocent question, and most of us have been guilty of shooting where we shouldn't. I know one club member who has shot a few arrows across the road and even through one of the doors in his house. Luckily I cant raise my longbow indoors as I hit the ceiling, but with my new horsebow I could. I wont though, promise!
 

Microphonic

New member
the car analogy doesn't fit at all! I've been driving for 20 years with no accident (shouldn't tempt fate here!). I've also shot my compound on the range out to 70m with someone stood next to the target as we both had full confidence in my shooting. That hasn't stopped me having 2 potentially very serious incidents in the past 3 months.. The last one being at a competition opened a few eyes. I think the first oops is in the fonz section on here.. The arrow ended up on the grass on the other side of the road. At the competition.. The arrow was found out to the side where it had ricocheted off the trees, we assume!

why is it ok to shoot away from your house in case someone is behind your windows? Bit of a double standard there for me, you won't put your family at risk but its ok to put anyone else at risk?

You also have no idea of the power behind an arrow.. As a recurve shooter I feel your advice may encourage someone with a compound! I have seen a compound put someone in hospital when the arrow was simply flicked from the bow.. Maybe pulled back 2" and travelled 6 foot, again.. People present couldn't believe how that arrow travelled or the subsequent outcome!

Inevitably people will do there own thing. In my line of work I have to take positive risks but with archery and the safety of others it simply isn't worth it! A boss against a wall at home is plenty to practice your release and aiming! :beer:
I didn't say shooting away from the house is OK, but shooting towards it isn't. It's just some people seem to be saying one is intrinsically safer than the other. Like I said, each situation needs assessing on its own merits.

I realise I've been shooting a lot less than most here but I've been shooting in my garden for a long time and I am a very safe person. I don't think I am encouraging compound shooters to shoot in their gardens as I have said in my post, compound is potentially more dangerous (higher poundage, accidental releases)

I was just trying to counteract the 'never shoot in your garden' argument.

To be honest as I upgrade my bow poundage I will probably stop shooting in the garden, and I would never shoot a compound there.

Also it's worth remembering that every single archery shop sells so called 'garden targets' and 'garden kits' so really they are the ones encouraging it, for profit.

Having someone stood next to the target while you shoot is surely much more dangerous than garden shooting? You say you were both confident in your ability, and I would say the same for me shooting in the garden.

However common sense and responsibility rule here. I would NEVER shoot if there were children in the next door garden, out of courtesy more than anything. In fact I only shoot when no one is in their gardens, and are at work or at school.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I think this situation goes beyong how safe the archer is and how long they have been shooting.
The arrows escaping from their intended confines, is rarely down to bad form or a reckless five minutes.
You could decribe it as a "one in a million event".
The problem with those sorts of events is that there is no way of ensuring that it happens on the one millionth occasion. It is as likely to happen on the first, nineteenth, or any other time.
 

GoneBad

Member
I can tell you factually that 2 layers of backstop netting will not stop the arrow from a 50# compound.. Neither does the reinforced double glazed window that hides behind the netting! I've been shooting on & off since 2006 to a reasonably good standard and did not expect to miss but in the last 3 months, I have shot through 2 windows!! If you must shoot at home.. Shoot against your own property.. 8M is enough to improve technique, an indoor boss against a wall is my preferred option :cake:
Is that how you got your Fonz?
 

english_archer

New member
Ironman
I've been shooting on & off since 2006 to a reasonably good standard
We will have to change your name to "Little Miss Modest" :p The first York I shot after switching to compound after 4 or 5 years with the recurve so not a novice, About 2 dozen in to the 100 yards I had the only release misfire I have ever had we eventually found the arrow almost a 170 yards beyond the boss ! so no I dont like the idea of shooting in the garden
 

Little Miss Purple

The American
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
American Shoot
We will have to change your name to "Little Miss Modest" :p The first York I shot after switching to compound after 4 or 5 years with the recurve so not a novice, About 2 dozen in to the 100 yards I had the only release misfire I have ever had we eventually found the arrow almost a 170 yards beyond the boss ! so no I dont like the idea of shooting in the garden
You know me.. Never one to blow my own trumpet!

@Dave.. Hmmmmm :ashamed:
 
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