Fleet Ibex Shoot Report 31st March 2013

It has been some time since I last shot an arrow essentially last September at the Nationals and so I was looking forward to what I expected would be an entertaining first shoot of 2013 at Fleet Ibex. So after what was an early start with the clocks going forward this weekend it was to Fleet and a rather chilly start to the day. The one thing you notice about Fleet Ibex is the wind certainly whips across the field that is the car park and into the woods.

So with plenty of layers on it was off to registration and, unfortunately, not an immediate bacon roll that would have to wait until after the first target as we would be starting on target 40. Today we would be shooting with Dave and Alex who I've shot with a couple of times and as it seems mainly at Fleet and so with 2 adults a junior and cub we had a small group that would be quick to shoot and with John not scoring that would be slightly quicker as well.

So having registered and waited for a few stragglers, I can only assume they forgot to set their clocks, we were off to the first peg and a standing Deer through a few narrow gaps. With comments from Dave and myself about that being a tough one to start on little did we know that this was an indication of what was to come. Today the Fleet Ibex course layers had excelled themselves putting together a rather entertaining and technical course. This essentially meant that there was not clear shot at the whole of the target if they were not covered at both ends then there would be plenty of trees and undergrowth in the way there were only two exceptions to this a long large stag and the Hog Roast shot, below, with the distance on the Stag proving just that little to far and then not quite far enough as I miss-judged it completely.

So having started with a quick deer on target 40 it was time for a quick bacon roll before heading off for what looked like a simple shot at an owl but there was plenty of small branches around to cause the unwary archer an issue or two and then onto a badger before back to a series of Deers. This shoot Fleet were using the tree platform and so it was a quick climb at target 5 to take a shot at a Bear walking through the trees taking a shot at a Leopard.

With various extremities beginning to freeze it was turning into a day of wonderful blue sky and clearly visible targets and so it was off up the top end of the woods and out of the wind for a while shooting a few more deer and an extremely interesting bear through the trees before taking a pot shot at a partially hidden Bobcat.

Moving on around through the woods we took out a number of pigs, wolfs and turkeys before stopping for a quick lunch and a well deserved cup of tea around the fire.

Having finally warmed up it was off into the the cold again for a quick shot at a badger before moving onto a deer and then a long shot at a dinosaur that was reasonably well hidden behind a tangle of branches. This as it turned out was my best shot of the day with a quick first arrow.


After a successful dinosaur it was off to a rising boar and then on to the Hog Roast and one of those entertaining Fleet Shots. This was probably the easiest shot of the day being the only one not covered by undergrowth. The thing is when you hang the pig upside down the instinctive shot at the kill becomes a hindrance.

With the pig cooked it was time for another long shot at a larger bedded deer before move back on through the woods and heading back for a second tea break and another warm from the fire. After warming up it was off to the final 13 targets of the day and out towards the bottom of the woods and near the car-park which at this time of day was getting cold with the wind whistling through the trees.

So to keep things moving the plan was first arrows all the way and then we would be able to return to the fire as soon as possible but, as with the rest of the course, this was not going to be the case because the targets were exceptionally well laid and not exactly what they seemed.

So having had a great day, even though it was low scoring, we finished off and handed the cards back in before heading off home for an early bath. What I must say is that this was probably one of the most technical shoots that Fleet have laid (that I've shot) but it has to be said it was great fun and thanks to the course layers I had another exceptional and entertaining day at Fleet.

This is not where it looks.