Given that Fleet was going to be my second shoot of the year I was hoping that I would improve on the Avalon score from last week but today was not going to be my finest hour(s). As the scores below, 4 broken arrows and 2 lost show I was slightly off form. Oh well at least Fred (from Westcott) has a few more arrows as he tend to shorten my broken ones.I suspect, having thought about it, my problem started because I did not have the traditional Bacon Butty and a cup of tea (I'll remember that for South Wilts next week) but we live an learn but at least I did not break my bow like the FreeStyle archer who snapped his limbs whist shooting on the practice targets or whoever owned the broken longbow I spotted at lunch.
Having said all of that today's shoot at Fleet Ibex was an extremely enjoyable day out, as usual at Fleet, with another day of glorious sun and a course laid to Fleets usual, high, standards. Having missed the Bacon Butty, partly because John was sick again, it was off to Target 39 to start the day. Here I met my shoot partners for the day Simon and Matthew where we exchanged cards and decided who was scoring and who was searching.
Target 39 was a single arrow at a well hidden Javelina and it was a pig of a shot through the directly between the peg and he target (see picture). This was not going to be a good target to start on one arrow and go for broke. So I stepped up to the peg and missed not even the dignity of a third arrow. Oh well it was the first and only a single arrow and things would get better with the next target or so I thought.
Walking the short distance to Target 40 we were looking for the what we were going to be shooting and it was well hidden by the group in front. Once they moved away we spotted the Skunk and to say this was a stinker of a shot is putting it mildly. It was hidden between to thin trees with some nasty overhangs between the peg and the target. Oh no this was worse than the Javelina well at least I had 3 arrows this time and so 3 chances to miss which is what I promptly did skimming off the back of the Skunk on each occasion. This was going to be the story of my morning ricochets off the backs of the targets.With desolation in my heart, not really I was enjoying the shots, it was off back to the tea hut and on to Target 1 and a Bobcat where 3 arrows finally got me a 4 on the score cards. My luck had changed the first score an off we go but no fate was playing cruel tricks on me and the next target was an Owl sitting on a branch and I was back to skimming the target and another blank.
What was happening today it was time to pull my self together and a nice Walking Bear through the trees was time to prove it. A 16 and I was happy the Pheasant the followed provided an 8 and then it was off to Target 5 and a climb into the trees (below). This was a long downwards shot at a Standing Deer and for me another blank with 2 short and 1 over the back.
Target 14 was past the tea hut and so we decided to stop for a bite to eat. So a Cheese Burger, a piece of Carrot Cake and a cup of tea later we were off again for the first shot of the afternoon a Turkey. With the lunch sitting well a 20 was in order and maybe my luck really was changing this was followed by a 16 in a, nice longish, Ibex and then another on a Standing Bear. This was going well and my scores were improving the next target was a tricky Standing Deer through a V in the trees but the burger was working well and another 16. Then we came to the Raccoon hidden in the roots of a fallen tree. As I had alluded to before Matthew had been keeping an eye on where the arrow landed (after all he was the collector) and every time he watched I hit with the first arrow. So trusting the Matthew Magic Eye the Raccoon was sure to be a 16 and so it was.With the first 20 targets shot our 21st was going to be a Coyote and a Wiley one at that. With his usual ineptitude he was not well enough hidden and a 20 was on the cards.
With that under my belt it was off up the hill for a long, downhill, shot at a Bison and, unfortunately, a 4 before moving onto a Bedded Ibex and another 20. Following was a long tricky Leopard through the trees and a 16 and then a Standing Deer with lots of potential for a ricochet. But the Magic Eye was working and 16 was on the cards.
Target 24, as they say, was "Simples" with a pair of Meercats and 40 point available with 2 arrows. With 40 points in the bag Aleksandr Orlov and Sergei would no longer TV stars.
Back to the tea hut for another cuppa an a piece of cake before we were off to shoot a Large Bedded Stag from the path. The distance on this was very deceptive but the Magic Eye was still working and provided me with a 16 before we moved onto a rather interesting and somewhat difficult Standing Bear. Target 29 was another Turkey and then it was time for a downhill Standing Deer that should have been easy but the Magic Eye failed.Next was a Walking Bear and another broken arrow before the Magic Eye kicked back in and a tricky Badger provided another 16. The Honey Badger that followed was less accommodating as was the Standing Deer across the Valley that was next.
The next Standing Deer was one you did not want to miss because to do so would mean a long overshoot because it was on the brow of a small hill with a drop off behind. This successfully drove me to another 20 and the last few targets were looking good.
With only 3 targets to go it was time to shoot a Turkey up the bum before the penultimate target a Howling Wolf which cost me 2 broken arrows. One from an exploding ricochet and another from a hidden stone. Oh well another one for Fred even he could not use what was left after the ricochet.
The final target of the day was a Bedded Deer and I was not going to finish the way I started so a single arrow provided me a 16.
With a fairly atrocious score I could be forgiven for note enjoying the day and complain about the course. But the simple fact was the key component of my longbow was not up to it on the day. The course was exceptionally well laid and the company for the day was entertaining and I'm looking forward to going back in May.
| Target | Target | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Me | John | Me | John | ||||
| 39 | Javelina | - | - | 19 | Coyote | 20 | - |
| 40 | Skunk | - | - | 20 | Bison | 4 | - |
| 01 | Bobcat | 4 | - | 21 | Bedded Ibex | 20 | - |
| 02 | Owl | - | - | 22 | Leopard | 16 | - |
| 03 | Bear | 16 | - | 23 | Standing Deer | 16 | - |
| 04 | Pheasant | 8 | - | 24 | Meercats | 40 | - |
| 05 | Deer | - | - | 25 | Deer | 4 | - |
| 06 | Climbing Bear | - | - | 26 | Javelina | - | - |
| 07 | 3 Pigs | 32 | - | 27 | Large Bedded Deer | 16 | - |
| 08 | Grazing Deer | 16 | - | 28 | Standing Bear | 4 | - |
| 09 | Ptarmigan | 8 | - | 29 | Turkey | 10 | - |
| 10 | Stag | 20 | - | 30 | Standing Deer | - | - |
| 11 | Wolf | 4 | - | 31 | Bear | - | - |
| 12 | Walking Bear | - | - | 32 | Badger | 16 | - |
| 13 | Frog | 10 | - | 33 | Honey Badger | 10 | - |
| 14 | Turkey | 20 | - | 34 | Standing Deer | 10 | - |
| 15 | Ibex | 16 | - | 35 | Standing Deer | 20 | - |
| 16 | Standing Bear | 16 | - | 36 | Turkey | 16 | - |
| 17 | Standing Deer | 16 | - | 37 | Wolf | - | - |
| 18 | Raccoon | 16 | - | 38 | Bedded Deer | 16 | - |
| 202 | - | 238 | - | ||||
| Total | 440 | - | |||||
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