What are your favourite rounds to shoot?

[Steve_J]

Since taking up archery last year, I've enjoyed trying several different rounds. In fact, I'm slightly obsessed with trying them all (got a long way to go with that!).

Do you have any particular favourites?

In terms of number of arrows to shoot and the time I often have available, I do like the National rounds. I've done 12 dozen rounds before but only rarely because of the amount of time they take to shoot.

 

[bimble]

I've always enjoyed the longer rounds (Yorks and the like), but that might have something to do with the fact that as a fairly experience compounder, with the shorter distance rounds, it becomes more a case of if you slip out of the gold the round is ruined...

 

[fanio]

All time favourites: Hunter round (IFAA style field round) - distances from 11-70 yards.
Also starting to like FITA field round (marked; unmarked is a nonsense - for compounders and recurves with sights, at least - as the "system" used means everyone who is even half prepared should "know" the distance to within a couple of m anyway)

Target archery: FITA round (144 arrows, 90/70/50/30)
I am starting to quite like the 70m/50m round too, because it can be done so much quicker (a full day out for a 12 doz round is difficult with a family).

Indoor rounds it has to be Vegas round (proper Vegas round used at Las Vegas, i.e. not the UK "Vegas round" which is just a FITA18 with a different target layout).

 

[Furface]

Yorks - physically and mentally the most demanding round there is.
American for the sheer querkiness.
Frostbite, because it's the only one I can get through these days

 

[fanio]

Yorks - physically and mentally the most demanding round there is.

Mentally it may be tougher than a FITA (depending on how you feel about 100y/90m, though the large gold is less mentally tricky at short distance), but it's not tougher physically - if anything it's less tough, as with a FITA there is usually +/- 30 minutes of practice/warm-up (so maybe 3 ends of 6 or more), whereas with a York only 6. So with a FITA you end up shooting at least 162 arrows in a day compared to 150 max for a York.

- - - Updated - - -

Yorks - physically and mentally the most demanding round there is.

Mentally it may be tougher than a FITA (depending on how you feel about 100y/90m, though the large gold is less mentally tricky at short distance), but it's not tougher physically - if anything it's less tough, as with a FITA there is usually +/- 30 minutes of practice/warm-up (so maybe 3 ends of 6 or more), whereas with a York only 6. So with a FITA you end up shooting at least 162 arrows in a day compared to 150 max for a York.

 

[Steve_J]

I've never done an American before but was actually thinking of doing one of those in March. I've mainly been shooting indoors over the last few months but am getting a bit bored with doing Portsmouths at the moment!

 

[DarkMuppet]

My favourite has to be the six dozen 70m round. Dead easy to set up and shoot on an afternoon, and it's great to keep track of how your shooting is going as a whole.

 

[Raven's_Eye]

At the moment, I like the Albions. Mainly because I don't get to practice longer distances often so Yorks can be a bit tough esp the 6 dozen at 100yds. I don't really like FITA rounds because they are mainly all the same or bits of the main FITA (in my view)
Though saying that I have found I'm enjoying the 2-way style shoots more than the one way. It provides an extra challenge throughout the day.

 

[Wheeltrax]

OK, I may be slow on the uptake here but...
Ive been shooting 6 years but never done any rounds.
Is there somewhere I can get a list of the different types with a short description of what's involved?
I'm intending doing some kind of comp this year and it'd be good to know what's available

(shooting recurve barebow btw)

 

[Steve_J]

My favourite has to be the six dozen 70m round. Dead easy to set up and shoot on an afternoon, and it's great to keep track of how your shooting is going as a whole.

A few of the guys down at my club do that quite regularly on a weekend. I haven't shot that far yet as I've been working on my technique as shorter distances. Might give it a go much later in the year though.

 

[fbirder]

Is the somewhere I can get a list of the different types with a short description of what's involved?
I'm intending doing some kind of comp this year and it'd be good to know what's available

I normally turn to the Wikipedia entry when I forget which is which (quite often).

 

[Steve_J]

OK, I may be slow on the uptake here but...
Ive been shooting 6 years but never done any rounds.
Is the somewhere I can get a list of the different types with a short description of what's involved?
I'm intending doing some kind of comp this year and it'd be good to know what's available

(shooting recurve barebow btw)

Hi Wheeltrax,

There's an Excel file with the rounds here:

Resources

The tabs along the bottom show the different categories (RC Gents etc). Recurve, compound, and longbow.

Plenty of rounds to choose from

 

[Mine's-A Pint]

OK, I may be slow on the uptake here but...
Ive been shooting 6 years but never done any rounds.
Is the somewhere I can get a list of the different types with a short description of what's involved?
I'm intending doing some kind of comp this year and it'd be good to know what's available

(shooting recurve barebow btw)

GNAS Rules of shooting contain all the info

 

[Insanity-Rocks]

Field tournaments are where I'm most happy, I prefer the unmarked FITA when I'm shooting longbow, and the marked FITA with the compound, althought IFAA rounds are fast becoming close

 

[JOKer]

I like shooting a New Western for the balance between 100yds and 80yds.

 

[efbe]

Anything that's not too long. seriously don't see why shooting a York is any more fun, it's just way too long. means you have to take a day out to shoot a round rather than get a couple of rounds in in the morning.
Nationals and Westerns for me. Actually the portsmouth is a good amount of arrows, like doing two in a row, because if you don't have time to finish the second, you can just call it quits with one done!

Edit:

If you want to make a round more challenging, then shoot more arrows at once. a portsmouth done 6 arrows at a time, with quick arrow collections becomes a tiring task. If you are after a physical challenge, then this seems a much better way of doing it, and also much more true to the history of the sport surely?

 

[Matthames]

My favourite round has to be the FITA. Yorks don't do it for me, plus I enjoy the challenge of the change of target size at the shorter distances. I also enjoy the head to head round, this offers a completely different challenge mentally.

 

[Compound10]

Agree that with limited time these days 6 doz rounds are good shot in ends of six. Couple of hours down the club. Sorted.

 

[Steve_J]

Anything that's not too long. seriously don't see why shooting a York is any more fun, it's just way too long.

I suppose everyone is different when it comes to where they are finding their challenges and enjoyment. I wouldn't find enjoyment out of a York because it's certainly way too long for where I am with my archery at the moment (ignoring the fact that my bow can't shoot that far anyway!).

I get a suitable buzz out of lower distance rounds when I see my grouping getting tighter, my average score per arrow going up, and...beating my personal best. The distance I shoot over is much less important to me.

 

[gster123]

FITA's and 70m FITAS are my prefered rounds.

For FITA's I like to shoot dozen ends at the longer distances and 6 arrow ends at the shorter distances (50 and 30), manage to get a round in in about 2-3 hours if no one else is about on the field. I find that it really helps stamina.

For the 70m round I ewither shoot dozens or 6's depending on time limits. Out of both of them I prefer the 70m round, just beacuse its fast and easy to guage how I'm shooting at that given time.