Archery

[Koogie]

Due to overwhelming demand (ahem,) I am starting an archery thread.

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Just moved to a new property with a couple acres of land. In the spirit of increasing my hobbies and interests prior to full ER (which seems about 3 years away now. Whether I like it or not) I purchased a takedown recurve bow from Cabelas to do target shooting. (Samick Sage)

I know nothing about archery but have been slowly educating myself.

It has been a riot so far. Very enjoyable. Well, it has been since I made my homemade duct tape armguard. The black and yellow bruise from string slaps is fading underneath it.. hahaha

Went on Amazon last night to order a few supplies (like replacing my ghetto bowstringer). Thankfully so far it is a cheap hobby but I can see how it might escalate.

I'd be interested in hearing from people who have it as a long term hobby.

 

[sengsational]

I went out shooting with a couple of buddies of mine. Theses guys were both kind of geeky and trained statisticians. The first guy completely missed the target by a foot to the left. The next guy missed the target by a foot to the right. Imagine my surprise when, after that second shot, high-fived and yelled "bulls eye!"

 

[Nemo2]

I went out shooting with a couple of buddies of mine. Theses guys were both kind of geeky and trained statisticians. The first guy completely missed the target by a foot to the left. The next guy missed the target by a foot to the right. Imagine my surprise when, after that second shot, high-fived and yelled "bulls eye!"

 

[candrew]

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[Christine]

Due to overwhelming demand (ahem,) I am starting an archery thread.

Thanks!

Growing up we used willows to make bows and arrows. It was fun but no way accurate.

Years later on a job do we could try professional looking equipment and it was really great fun! I even hit the board the target was painted on.

 

[Koogie]

I did half an hour practice this morning.

It is great exercise ! By which I mean, lots of walking around the paddock looking for the blasted arrows.....

I ordered a dozen more from China. They're coming by mail. So between China Post and Canada Post I should get them by the time I move again...

 

[atmsmshr]

Last year my sister and I rented out a house on the Susquehanna River for vacationing with our families. Thinking of family activities, I went to Walmart and got a starter bow and arrow setup.

Put a range and target parallel to the river and called it the Hunger Games. Two teenage girls and three twenty-somethings (Plus three 'mature' adults) thought it a hoot and spent hours in keen competition that week.

Reminded me of my own teenage days during which I learned the hard way to get an arm guard. Bought one for the family vacation, but my 22 year old daughter did not think it was fashionable enough to wear. Her red, blue and yellow forearm was spectacular.

Archery is on the hobby list for DW and I when we stop w*rking.

Atom

 

[Breedlove]

Too bad you are not near Houston . A very good friend of ours is ranked 8th in the world . He has a range in Grimes county that shoots at all levels . It is kind of cool , you walk the trail and a animal will pop up . From giraffes to squirrels . When he has competition you see people from 3 states . I don't shoot but I love to go to the meets . They even have buggies for people who cannot walk the course.
He believes archery is for everyone . He also sponsors free hunts on this property for wild hogs.

 

[6miths]

Still have a couple of compound bows in the basement - DW was quite serious about it before we met. I grew up playing some serious cowboys and 'First Nations' - and have a nice scar on my chin to show for it. An inch higher or lower and I might not be here to tell the tale.

 

[fisherman]

Built a bow for bow fishing this spring. Alligator gar is the target. Its a little challenging to hit a slow moving fish from a boat that is moving and to account for the depth of the fish but with practice it becomes instinctive.

 

[cooch96]

I used to shoot a 20lb Walmart bow in the backyard but haven’t since we got a flock of chickens. I suspect I’ll pick it up again once I FIRE and can take the time to drive to an archery range on weekdays. It’s got to be a cheaper and less frustrating hobby than golf. And much cheaper than most of the shooting disciplines.

 

[street]

Archery is a big part of my life. I do use a compound but have a recurve also. I spend month's bow hunting and mostly enjoy being in the outdoors is why I archery hunt. The seasons are long and are at the best times in the fall and early winter.

 

[Bir48die]

For Spring term my freshman year I took archery as my PE class. It was a hoot. Really enjoyed it especially when the weather was good. Last day we put targets approximately 75-100 yards away. Teacher gave us all one shot. He tells us "whoever hits the target gets an automatic A". So I do the aim for the arc and I'm the only one that hits the target. Still can't remember if I got the A.

 

[eytonxav]

I can remember when I was stationed at Offutt AFB back in the 60s visiting a local archery range that was laid out like a golf course with many challenging targets throughout a wooded area, some that were quite a distance to shoot. I enjoyed it.

 

[Christine]

OK I'm a newbie so...

Do you use plain bows or fancy gadgets that help you aim like on a rifle?

Can I just start shooting in my backyard or are there rules to think about?

 

[Badger]

I did half an hour practice this morning.

It is great exercise ! By which I mean, lots of walking around the paddock looking for the blasted arrows.....

I ordered a dozen more from China. They're coming by mail. So between China Post and Canada Post I should get them by the time I move again...

I would get a bigger target.


Cheers!

 

[Koogie]

I would get a bigger target.
Cheers!

Next door there is a farm with a barn that is broadside to us. If I just get a more powerful bow..

OK I'm a newbie so...
Do you use plain bows or fancy gadgets that help you aim like on a rifle?
Can I just start shooting in my backyard or are there rules to think about?

There seems to be three main types. Longbows and recurves are used in so-called "traditional" archery and then there are compound bows that seem to be a mix between a bow and some sort of rube goldberg contraption...

Speaking just for myself, I have bought a plain jane recurve bow. You can fancy them up with ALL kinds of add-ons but I'm not there yet (may never be). I just use "instinctive aiming" although in my case instinctive missing might be more accurate. I just shoot in my side yard so far. I'm not much of one for joining clubs or teams, so I doubt I'll ever get into the "rules" side of it.

I just pick up the bow, put an arrow on the string, try and remember that the pointy bit is supposed to aim away from me and shoot it down range in the vague direction of the target. Then I spend an agreeable 10 minutes or so in the sunshine looking in the long grass for the arrow. Rinse and repeat.

Simple minds make for simple hobbies...

 

[RAE]

Archery is a big part of my life. I do use a compound but have a recurve also. I spend month's bow hunting and mostly enjoy being in the outdoors is why I archery hunt. The seasons are long and are at the best times in the fall and early winter.

+1, same here. I have a compound bow as well as a crossbow, and use both for hunting deer in the fall. Practiced a whole lot when I was first learning archery, but at this point I know my equipment and my abilities pretty well, so I just take a few practice shots and check everything out before hunting season starts, and I'm ready to go. Being out in the woods in October is great.......maybe my favorite time of year to be outside.

 

[LuckyDog]

I have been shooting bows since age 5. LOTS of target shooting, Archery hunting for the past 40 years. As was said above, Fall is the very best time to be in the woods. Also took 2 (Archery) PE classes in college. The instructor put a folded one dollar bill on the bullseye and said 'whoever hits it, gits it!'. I shot first and got the dollar. He did not put another dollar on the bull!

 

[Christine]

I have bought a plain jane recurve bow.

Thanks! Sounds like a good place to start.

 

[Amethyst]

I've been considering learning archery, so I can at least thin the monstrous deer herd that has taken over our back yard. But then I'd need to get a burn permit for the 200-pound carcass.

 

[yakers]

Not an archer, went to Bhutan a few years back, it is their national sport. They shoot like 100 yds and actually hit things, people walk along the shooting range trusting shooters accuracy, totally nuts if I were shooting.