The Course was going to be the traditional 36 targets over undulating woodland that had plenty of branches and logs scattered across the ground (they had been logging recently) which made the going tough and finding arrows interesting. In addition the woodland provided a marshy area that the course layers had taken advantage of and this was definitely not an area where you wanted to miss the target because it was more that likely that you would never see the arrow again as it buried itself in the smelly mud around the target. At the end of the day I heard more than a few metal arrow archers complaining about lost arrows in this section but from my point of view it was fun if a bit smelly and wet.
Well today I would be shooting a new set of arrows having bought some shafts at the 3Ds I was only able to buy cedar at my spine weight so I thought I'd give them a go today having, only, completed them on Saturday. So with John not feeling up to it (to hot) I was on my own and after standard safety briefing etc it was off to target 14 to meet up with my shooting partners for the day Ken, Derek and Vanessa. We were going to be a completely wooden arrow group with two longbows and to AFBs. Ken (longbow) was going to be shooting some of the Tonkin Bamboo arrows which I had been considering since spotting the advert in the NFAS Newsletter and after seeing the way they performed I ordered some when I returned home.
With a single blast of the horn it was time to start shooting and we had decided that we would shoot in the order of the scoring cards. This was rather interesting because it meant that I always shot first well at least I got it over with quickly. As I have mentioned it was a glorious day and not a cloud in the sky. The result of this was some very distinct bright and dark patches within the trees and fortunately our first target (14) was a Standing Deer in one of the brighter patches. Requiring 3 arrows it was not a good start but I was the first time I had shot the Cedar arrows and I don't think they are spined quite as well as my pine shafts. Moving on quickly it was time for a single arrow shot at a sitting Rabbit and although I hit the 3D it was in the green base so not points for me.Next was a Large Bedded Stag and a quick 16 put me back on track but then it was a complete miss at the next Standing Deer. What a day I was having so far you could say it was "Hit and Miss". Although I blanked it mine was not quite as spectacular as Ken who hit the Antler and spun them around.
With the Deer out of the way it was time for a small Bedded Deer and then quickly on to another Standing Deer before a nice open shot at a Reindeer. With out quick foray into the open complete it was back into the woods and a Duck before moving onto another Standing Deer an then a Tiger our penultimate before lunch. The only thing between me and lunch was a multiple target consisting of a Fox and 2 Rabbits with a single arrow at each. With a maximum of 72 available I managed two wounds and hence a 32.
So it was time for a quick lunch break of Peanut Butter Sandwiches that had been in the back of the car all morning and a slightly warm banana.
With lunch out of the way it was a short walk to the next set of targets and a Walking Bear. With the Bear out of the way it was time to take a shot at a very deceptive Standing Stag that was slightly downhill with plenty of dead ground between the pegs and the target. I still managed a first arrow wound and then it was off towards the marshy area and a Bobcat that had a lot of tree debris around it. With the Bobcat only providing a 10 it was to shoot a Javelina with some very soft and marshy ground behind it not a target you wanted to miss. The next target was another Standing Deer before we moved onto a Boar and a blank.
It was time I started getting my act together and hitting a few of these targets and hence the Goat that followed provided me with a 16 before a Standing Deer and another 16. This was quickly followed by another Standing Deer and a Rising Boar and then onto another of those Multiple targets. This time it was 3 Standing Deer with a single arrow at each.
A quick 48 was good for the score sheet although the 2 Pigs that followed cost me a few points as I blanked them but then it was back the the break area for a drink.
Having refreshed ourselves it was back into the woods to target 1 and a Mountain Lion before another Standing Deer in some soft ground that ate arrows. The next target was worse for this because it was a Tortoise in the middle of a boggy area where a number of the metal arrow archers simply lost their arrows as they disappeared under the moss.
With the wet area out of the way it was time for another multiple target shot at a Crocodile and 2 Carp which proved me with a useful 52 before another Standing Deer and a Turkey.
What followed was probably the best target of the day a very long Standing Moose.
With the moose out of the way it was back to the smaller targets with a Jackalope and then on to a Honey Badger before another multi target shot. Again this was a Pair of Standing Deer with one shot at each and just like the pigs I blanked them both which was not good dropping that many points. As you can see below Ken again managed to hit the antlers but completely removed them from the head of the Deer this time. With his Bamboo arrow through the horn he managed loose the pile from the arrow trying to extract it.
A large White Mountain Goat across some open ground followed and once out of the way it was time for a single arrow shot at a Turkey and my one and only 20 of the day. The final target of the day was a downhill Goat that we watched member of the group in front hit ricochetting of branches and road but a hit is a hit. Having shot the final target all we had to do was return it to the road, not bad as it was right next to it, and then a short walk back to the car park and the quick trip home for a cold shower and an even colder beer.
| Target | Target | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Me | John | Me | John | ||||
| 14 | Standing Deer | 8 | - | 34 | Rising Boar | 16 | - |
| 15 | Rabbit | - | - | 35 | 3 Standing Deer | 48 | - |
| 16 | Large Bedded Stag | 16 | - | 36 | 2 Little Pigs | - | - |
| 17 | Standing Deer | - | - | 01 | Mountain Lion | 16 | - |
| 18 | Bedded Deer | 4 | - | 02 | Standing Deer | - | - |
| 19 | Standing Deer | 10 | - | 03 | Tortoise | 16 | - |
| 20 | Reindeer | 16 | - | 04 | Crocodile and 2 Carp | 52 | - |
| 21 | Duck | 16 | - | 05 | Standing Deer | 10 | - |
| 22 | Standing Deer | 10 | - | 06 | Turkey | 16 | - |
| 23 | Tiger | 4 | - | 07 | Giant Moose | 4 | - |
| 24 | Fox and 2 Rabbits | 32 | - | 08 | Jackalope | - | - |
| 25 | Standing Bear | - | - | 09 | Honey Badger | 8 | - |
| 26 | Large Standing Stag | 16 | - | 10 | 2 Standing Deer | - | - |
| 27 | Bobcat | 10 | - | 11 | Large Mountain Goat | 4 | - |
| 28 | Javelina | 16 | - | 12 | Turkey | 20 | - |
| 29 | Standing Deer | 16 | - | 13 | Goat | 10 | - |
| 30 | Boar | - | - | - | |||
| 31 | Goat | 16 | - | - | |||
| 32 | Standing Deer | 16 | - | - | |||
| 33 | Standing Deer | 16 | - | - | |||
| 222 | 220 | ||||||
| Total | 442 | ||||||
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