so who flings POC round the woods on here then?

[legendgamesmaster]

yes, i'm still here! sooooooo busy at present, no Surf dramas, no time to fart let alone post on here... but the wife's out tonight so here I am.

anyhow... to the uninitiated, that subject line reads:

Anyone here a field archer?

if so, whaddaya shoot and where, and are you any good?

I'm a longbow man with a bit of AFB thrown in, shoot at Severn Valley Yeoman Foresters in Ombersley, worcs - nice shoot. To be honest I have not shot a round for some months as i discovered climbing last year and that combined with Jenna (now 6 months old!!!!) steals ALL my free time!

I love the smell of POC in the woods, smells like....... victory.

[Chillitt]

I don't know if I am or not, yet!! Iv'e just made my first bow (yew, longbow) and as soon as I get my delivery of feathers off a mate, I will make some arrows...Tomorrow, I'm dropping an Ash tree in my bosses 'garden' so I'll have plenty of material for the arrows, and might even make some bows out of it..
Does that count?

where on earth do you climb in your neck of the woods? Wye valley? gloucester wall? ( I haven't been climbing for a couple of years, but I wont admit to giving up yet...

[legendgamesmaster]

hell yeah that counts! making yer own self-yew bow is cool!!!

we climb in worcester at vertical limit. not as cool as the wall at gloucester, but 5 mins drive from me. also outside at symonds yat and the crag at cleeve just outside cheltenham.

lust starting to lead indoors, my mate has a few outside leads under his belt now, and just seconded the pinicle at symonds yat.

enjoy yer archery mate.

[Chillitt]

My mate lives at the top of wintours leap... Have you done golden fleece yet? classic polished route... takes me back... Great north wall is a another stunner... I would have expected castle rock to have fallen over by now... there was a route not in the book, goes up through the triangular concave bit near the middle... its a bit fingery, but a doddle if you are an archer....
might look into an Archery club, before I learn too many bad habits, Was interested in field archery(I think its called) untill I read about the meet in Usk just recently... It was a bit lively apparently

[CaptainBeaky]

Chillitt - If you're going to shoot longbow, field or roving is the way to go!

I shoot HT recurve, home club being Bridge Woods down near Rochester. AS to being any good - wouldn't like to say. Haven't had the time to go to any competitive shoots yet, since taking up field early this year. Used to shoot GNAS when I was at school - best result was 3rd overall at the Schools Nationals and a pair of JMB scores (didn't manage the third, tho' )
Dropped out of it for a long time, then took up field 'cos No1 son wanted to shoot
Great fun, and very relaxing - the times I shoot, I very rarely see anyone else at the wood: excellent for a sociophobe

[legendgamesmaster]

Great fun, and very relaxing - the times I shoot, I very rarely see anyone else at the wood: excellent for a sociophobe

YEAH! I agree. I used to shoot regularly down Devon/Cornwall way, with a group of mates. Did a lot of NFAS comps, got a lot of medals, but never really troubled the really good long-bowers.

Our 'home' turf was Ashcombe Valley near Teignmouth, when Bob Ambridge was the man running it.

Enjoyed shooting with my mates, wasnt interested in taking it too seriously.

Severn Valley is a nice wood to shoot round, and again very few people there - we often shoot alone. At worst you hear the odd twang-thump from some distant shooter elsewhere in the wood!

Must get back into it, as its a great hobby. hmmm... ebay for arrows today me-thinks, not enough time to make my own these days.

[legendgamesmaster]

My mate lives at the top of wintours leap... Have you done golden fleece yet? classic polished route... takes me back... Great north wall is a another stunner... I would have expected castle rock to have fallen over by now... there was a route not in the book, goes up through the triangular concave bit near the middle... its a bit fingery, but a doddle if you are an archer....
might look into an Archery club, before I learn too many bad habits, Was interested in field archery(I think its called) untill I read about the meet in Usk just recently... It was a bit lively apparently

Yep, the fleece ones and introductory rock area are where we go at present, and its good fun. We are just getting to do the harder ones now.

DO join a NFAS club, as you will will be insured when you join NFAS and can then shoot at comps and other clubs. Find some cool long-bowers who are happy to shoot a round with a novice, and don't give up if it doesnt go well the first few shoots.

Remember LB (longbow) is one of the 'instinct' groups, no sights etc. You draw to the same place (usually corner of the mouth) every time, and you will soon get into your stride. And don't close one eye either, just focus on the kill spot of that target, ignore your bow and the arrow!! as you get more practised, those arrows will fly right where you are looking.

If you just look at the target, then the arrow will go anywhere! Concentrate on that one spot - a flash of white, a previous arrow hole, the centre spot if the target has one, a dapple of sunlight and then zone in on it, tunnel vision in almost, Become The Arrow (thats the name of a good archery book by the way).

When you get it just right, as Capn Beaky will tell you, you KNOW its right and as you watch that arrow fly in slow-mo, seeking the target, and see it sink into the kill just before hearing that satisfying 'thunk' that drifts to you on the wind, thats when you just get this 'YEAHHHHHH, I knew that was a good one' feeling.

Oh if only all shots were like that!

If you ever want to pop over to Worcester, I would be happy to take you round the SVYF shoot. COOL!

[Chillitt]

Sounds like a plan... I cut the ash tree down yesterday, and it's a bit daunting to split it down into something that may end up as an arrow. but I'm going to have a go...
going to try making a bow or two out of the ash, since I've got a surfload of it..
Still haven't tracked down my mate with the feathers.. but they don't fly too bad without, on my backgarden range!
Once I get all the toys sorted out, a guided tour would be fantastic, You could tell me what I've done wrong!

[CaptainBeaky]

you KNOW its right and as you watch that arrow fly in slow-mo, seeking the target, and see it sink into the kill just before hearing that satisfying 'thunk' that drifts to you on the wind, thats when you just get this 'YEAHHHHHH, I knew that was a good one' feeling.