Avalon Shoot Report 10th April 2011

Avalon was going to be my first field shoot of 2011 and I had been looking forward to it for sometime. Having not shot much over the winter and just arriving back from a trip the Washington it was also going to an entertaining day. As usual the Avalon guys had set an extremely entertaining course that combined fun and difficulty to make the one of the most enjoyable for a while. In addition to a well laid course we had exceptional weather for early April with clear blue skies, as seen below, and temperatures in the 20s (I'm glad we were under cover for most of it or the factor 30 would not have been enough).

As events would happen John was not feeling up to shooting today so it was going to be one of those odd days shooting without his banter but at least he would not out shoot me as he usually does. As it turned out I was going to be shooting Debbie, Wayne and Steve from Invicta HT archers so I had the honors of the Longbow Archers on my shoulders to prove we can score just the same as they can.

With a good chatty friendly group today's shooting was going to be fun but first a bacon butty and a cup of tea.

We we due to start on Target 6 "The Bees Nest" and following a warning by Clive we avoided the taped area near the Red peg and awaited the sound of the horn to start the shooting. The first target of the day was a Bedded Deer and it was with some trepidation that I took to the Red peg. The first field shot in, ooooooo, months. But as it was a 16 was on the cards and I was off to a good start and shooting coming back to me like falling off a bike.



With a score on the card it was a short walk to target 7 and a Raccoon through the low hanging fir tree branches and time to squat (I'm glad I was the only one with a camera). Another 16 and it was off to the next target a Javelina partially hidden behind the trees but by stepping back you could open up the shot.

After 3 shortish targets target 9 was a long Standing Dear that required the use of two arrows before it fell to a wound. This was one of those great shots where distance judgment can be fooled, as most of us found out, but on a day like today with glorious sunshine who cares.

After the long Standing Deer it was back to a shorter Bobcat and then onto a long down hill Standing Bear. With one in the bonce it was 16 again and very happy I was. With the Standing Bear out of the way it was off to a tricky little Coyote and another 10 before moving onto target 13 a pair of Vampire Bats. We had to nominate one and then take a shot so I picked the left and another 16.

With the Vampire Bats drained it was off for another longish shot at a Prong Horn before a Leopard through the V of a tree and another second arrow. Oh weel at least I was not taking 3.

Spoke to soon the next shot was an easy Mountain Goat that got my goat and required 3 arrows before I finally got a wound. The first was just over its back whilst the second, for some unknown reason, I placed in the middle of the tree it was hiding behind.

It must be time for another cup of tea but no their were still 4 targets to go. So onwards and upwards to target 17 a side on Turkey through the fir tree branches and then a Howling Wolf before we reached the target designed for Fred (Westcott).

The Avalon Guys like using this spot for a target and today it was a Mini Bear hiding below the branches of a large Fir tree. The reason I say this was a Fred shot is that to shoot and take the picture I needed to be doing the splits, quite low, and angling my bow because their was not way I could hold it up straight but a 16 was mine and once I had extracted myself from the position it was off to our next target a Honey Badger and a 24 before moving onto the Tea  Area and an early lunch.

Having filled up on Burgers and Black Pudding with a "Posh" Coffee to follow we moved out to target 21 wondering is the post lunch blues were going to set in or would our shooting be up to the pre-lunch standard.

Well the "Posh" Coffee seemed to have had a slightly negative effect with a 10 on the first target, a Javelina,  and a 4 on the long Standing Bear that followed.

Oh dear maybe I'll have to give that a miss next time and stick to the tea although with a 20 on the Honey Badger maybe I was wrong. No as luck would have it the next target was another Mini Bear through the trees that I just could not hit and the first blank of the day and the first broken arrow which split the bark of the tree as well as the arrow.

With that out of the way it was off to another long downhill shot into the open at a Standing Deer. Another great shot but for some reason I decided to shoot too far right with the first (second time today but at least there was not tree this time) and hence required 2.

A quick Turkey shot next and then onto another Coyote and another Fred shot (see below) where when I stood straight the only thing I could see was the trunk of the tree. Shooting from a squat is not the best position and hence a miss and then another from the white but finally a wound from the blue.

With the Coyote out of the way it was off to the next a Cheetah and a 14 before another Raccoon and then a longish Walking Bear before another long open Mountain Goat and an unforgivable 4. What was it about goats I just could not hit them with the first for the whole day.

A nice shot a Mountain Lion followed and then onto a Wolf and another Mini Bear as we headed along the track into the the woods. We were heading back to the Tea tent for another quick break but before we arrived we had another 6 targets and the next was a tricky little Antelope and another 4.

The Frog that followed was another nice shot as was the long uphill Climbing Bear that was target 37. With a couple of 16s shooting was going well and then it was time for another Goat / Ram and 3 arrows. What had I done to them I hadn't even told the old joke about the dyslexic who went to a toga party dressed as a goat.

Oh well a Stegosaurus next and a 16 followed by an Antelope and another blank and then another cup of tea.

With only 5 targets to go it was a short break before we moved onto target 1 and a nice shot at a Walking Bear before smelling our way to the Skunk that was target 2.

Target 3 was one of the best shots of the, although I took 2 arrows, it was another Walking Bear but a long downhill through trees and could only be seen from the pegs (below). The drop away made it difficult to judge the distance and we all made exactly the same mistakes with the arrow just going over and the second hitting.

The penultimate target was a Grazing Deer that cost me another arrow as it ricocheted off its back and into a tree. Whilst the final target was an easy Frog that required 2 arrows (Doh) and then it was time to bring the target back to the road before returning with the score cards.

After an excellent days shooting on a exceptional course (as usual with Avalon) in glorious sunshine (they can't take credit for that though) it was time to pack up and head off home. 

Target				Target
		Me	John			Me	John
06	Bedded Deer	16	-	26	Turkey	16	-
07	Raccoon	16	-	27	Coyote	4	-
08	Javelina	16	-	28	Cheetah	14	-
09	Standing Deer	10	-	29	Raccoon	16	-
10	Bobcat	16	-	30	Walking Bear	14	-
11	Standing Bear	16	-	31	Mountain Goat	4	-
12	Coyote	10	-	32	Mountain Lion	16	-
13	Vampire Bats	16	-	33	Wolf	14	-
14	Prong Horn	16	-	34	Mini Bear	20	-
15	Leopard	10	-	35	Antelope	4	-
16	Mountain Goat	4	-	36	Frog	16	-
17	Turkey	16	-	37	Climbing Bear	16	-
18	Wolf	10	-	38	Bedded Ram	8	-
19	Mini Bear	16	-	39	Stegosaurus	16	-
20	Honey Badger	24	-	40	Antelope	-	-
21	Javelina	10	-	01	Walking Bear	16	-
22	Standing Bear	4	-	02	Skunk	16	-
23	Honey Badger	20	-	03	Walking Bear	10	-
24	Mini Bear	-	-	04	Grazing Deer	10	-
25	Standing Deer	10	-	05	Frog	10	-
		256	-			240	-
				Total		496	-