Fleet Ibex Shoot Report 14th August 2011

Fleet is always a shoot I look forward to and as I mentioned in the last Fleet report the last thing I did was book myself in for this shoot. With the weather promising to be warm but humid at least it looked like I was not going to get soaked to my underwear like  Avalon.

Yet again I would be shooting my Bamboo arrows, I'm really beginning to prefer these to wood, although I had not replaced the slightly washed out wraps but hey-ho you could still, just, read my name and that was all I needed after all who else shoots 36" bamboo shafts.

So it was time to grab the cards, a Bacon Roll for John and a cup of tea for me before we had the transitional pre shoot chat and then it was off to the first target. We were starting on Target 22 today which for those who know Fleet is out the back-end of the woods. Little did I know as we were walking out that we would be shooting with a celebrity today in the form of Mark Jones (front page of this months NFAS magazine and multiple other shots inside) and his son Scott from Excalibur.

So with the horn blown it was time to start shooting and today I'd be using my new camera so maybe I'd get some good shots of John. The first target of the day was going to be a Prong Horn through the undergrowth and over a log, a classic a Fleet with the target only visible through a small window, and then it was onto a Hyena and the realisation I'd forgotten to use the camera. Oh well I'd have to grab a shot at the end of the shoot as we would be passing the target again on the way back.

With the Hyena out of the way it was on to a shot at a Boar  from a peg inside on to the bomb craters (last time we shot into it and now we were shooting out). Moving on it was time for a shot at an open Wolf with a single cross branch to draw the eye. A 14 was a luck result before we moved on, past the Tea hut, for the first Standing Deer of the day and a nice 20 even though you could not see the kill through the bracken.

As we had to pass the tea hut on the way to target 27 we decided to take out first break for the day and this would give us time for a quick burger and tea whilst watching the group a couple behind just all who were eating lunch.

So far we were all having a good time and once the tea was finished it was off to target 27 and a single arrow at a small Pheasant through the bracken. With a single arrow providing a 16 it was off to another Boar which required a step back to avoid the tree that was directly in front of the Red peg. But once this had missed the white provided a nice shot and a 14.

Moving quickly on it was time for the first multi shot of the day with 3 Turkeys spread throughout the trees and 1 arrow at each. With a maximum 72 on the cards my 32 did not look so good but it was a fun shot. The turkeys were quickly followed by a long downhill shot at a Standing Deer behind a stump (a classic Fleet shot) and then it was on to a Standing Bear hidden through some densely packed saplings.

Once the bear was sorted it was time for another multi target shot with 3 Pigs and having shot the first little pig and then the sow their was only the second little pig to go but my third arrow ended up in the snout of the sow which was covering the back-end of the piglet. Well at least I didn't lose an arrow this time.

Moving on through the woods it was time for a shot at a green Frog before moving onto a downhill shot at the Elk. Now we all know the size of the Elk but today it was at an angle and hence not as simple as it could have been. With the first skimming the top of its back the second found its mark and we were off to the next target and another Standing Deer over the bracken. Fleet have a lot of bracken and it ofter provides some interesting shots an deceives the eye.

Our next shot was a Ptarmigan under the bushes before moving on to a Walking Bear through the Saplings and undergrowth. This was quickly followed by a Standing Buck well it was supposed to be standing but at some point it had either been pushed over or was drunk and was at an angle. As it was this did not make much difference to me but I still only scraped a 4.

With the Buck out of the way it was time for another Standing Deer, and 14, before another Standing Deer and then on to the tea hut again and a piece of coffee cake for John. Having promised him the cake at the last stop their was none to be seen it was all gone, or so it seemed, but their may be some later. So having filled John up with a bacon roll or two instead and my self with another cup of tea it was off to target 1.

Target 1 was the first of a 13 target loop and was going to be another Standing Deer of the open ground partially hidden behind a tree. With Mark having some quick banter with Fleets photographer I took 2 arrows before I wounded the Deer and then it was on to the next a Bobcat. This was to be my luckiest shot of the day with a ricochet of a branch I just managed to pass through the edge of its leg the branch it was sat on and my arrow was stopped buy the metal peg holding it in place. Although I scored a 16 the pile on my arrow no longer look right.

Next we had a Baboon and then it was time for an Orange Frog before the classic Fleet, target 5, tree shot. Today it was going to be a shot at a Bedded Ibex and the kill was only visible from the platform much to Marks anoyance given that he is not too good with heights.

A Standing Deer followed and we all required 2 arrows to hit because the positioning and distance were again deceptive but at least their was a nice tree to stop the arrows behind its neck. This deer was followed by a Grazing Deer and then it was onto a Walking Bear through a small window in the trees and overhanging foliage.

A Pig followed and it was not the pig Mark thought with a kill in wrong place which suited me fine as it provided a nice 20 before it was on to a Standing Bear, well the one leaning again a tree, through horizontal branches at eye level and an overhang that was in the way of the bow requiring some interesting squatting to take the shot.

The next shot at a Fallow Deer did not require any abnormal leg positions but did need to be shot through the many, thing trunks, of a densly packed tree. Then it was quickly on to a Standing Deer and a Turkey before another tea break and this time their was coffee cake for John.

So with the coffee cake eaten and the tea drunk it was time to move onto our last circuit starting with the target that robbed me of a Bronze 2 Rabbits either side of a tree. A single arrow at each and the first skimmed the back of the first rabbit and the second hit the base of the second rabbit. Oh no it was my first and only blank of the day and a miss that would cost me a lot.

It's all part of the game and so with the target out of my mind it was off to a Standing Stag and a 16 to bring me back into form before we moved on to another, short, Standing Bear behind the bracken. This was followed by another multi shot with 2 Bedded Deer and a 36.

We were now up the back-end of the Fleet woods with only 4 targets to go and we had still not shot the Bison. So knowing it would be somewhere and that it would be a long shot we looked forward to an interesting shot. it was not to be our next target which turned out to be a, downhill, Wolverine which was followed by an odd looking Badger.

As it happened out penultimate target of the day was going to be the Bison a long downhill shot. Now we all know the Bison stands about 5' but the guys at Fleet had removed its legs (well not fitted them) and hence for all those used to this target altered the perspective. But as life would have it this turned out to be my best shot of the day and I was very happy with a 20 before moving on to the last target a trick Fox and then back to the tea hut to hand in the cards and wait for the prizes.

Having spent a very enjoyable day with Mark and Scott they had convinced me that I should try a shoot a Excalibur, which Mark would be laying, and so I had a chat with Theresa and booked us in for the weekend shoot at the end of August.

All that remained was for John to pick-up his Gold for U16 Longbow and the Second place for the Junior handicap shoot before it was time to head off.

In the end I was simply two Rabbits from a Bronze as close as I have been for a long time.

Target				Target
		Me	John			Me	John
22	Prong Horn	10	4	02	Bobcat	16	14
23	Hyena	16	16	03	Baboon	16	4
24	Boar	20	10	04	Orange Frog	16	10
25	Wolf	14	10	05	Bedded Ibex	16	-
26	Standing Deer	20	-	06	Standing Deer	10	10
27	Pheasent	16	-	07	Grazing Deer	10	16
28	Boar	14	-	08	Walking Bear	16	16
29	3 Turkeys	32	36	09	Pig	20	16
30	Standing Deer	16	16	10	Standing Bear	16	-
31	Standing Bear	16	20	11	Fallow Deer	16	10
32	3 Pigs	36	16	12	Standing Deer	16	4
33	Frog	16	10	13	Turkey	16	16
34	Bedded Elk	10	-	14	2 Rabbits	-	32
35	Standing Deer	20	24	15	Standing Stag	16	10
36	Ptarmigan	16	20	16	Standing Bear	16	14
37	Walking Bear	16	4	17	2 Bedded  Deer	36	16
38	Standing Buck	4	16	18	Wolverine	16	20
39	Standing Deer	14	14	19	Badger	10	4
40	Standing Deer	16	16	20	Bison	20	10
01	Standing Deer	10	14	21	Fox	14	10
		332	246			312	232
				Total		644	478