Field Archery

Field archery is similar to golf but using bows and arrows. The archers walk around the course, shooting at targets set at various [known] distances, moving from one to another. The targets used are black and white in colour and come in two varieties called field and hunter. The field target face has a black centre circle, a white inner ring, and then a black outer ring, whereas the hunter face is essentially a white centre circle and has two outer rings which are both black.

The scoring is the same for both target types, 5 for a centre, 4 for the inner ring and 3 for the outer ring. 4 arrows are shot by each archer at each target. There are several ways in which the 4 arrows are shot. On some targets all 4 arrows are shot from one distance, on some each arrow is shot from 4 different pegs set side by side at the same distance from the target (called a fan), on others each arrow is shot from  four different distances, in a line getting progressively closer to the target (called a walk up).

Field targets are shot from different distances than the hunter targets.

Whitford Forrest Archers have adopted the NZFAA rules for field club shoots.

Target Archery

This is the more traditional type of archery as seen at the Olympic and Commonwealth games, in which the targets are all set side by side in a line, and archers shoot at the same target from the same distance. Unfortunately Whitford Forrest Archers are not able to cater for this type of shooting due to space limitations, but are able to put people in touch with target archery clubs around Auckland if you decide that that style of shooting is what you want to do. However, we find that the variety in field archery is usually more appealing to many people.

The targets used in target archery are different to field archery targets in that they are multi coloured, the centre ring being yellow or gold, and the other scoring zones are red, blue, white and black.

Scoring in target archery is 10 for gold, progressively dropping to 1 for the outermost white ring.

Target archery is governed by FITA rules.

Unmarked Archery

There are also various forms of rounds in which arrows are shot at different types of animal targets from unknown distances, which have scoring zones marked on the bodies. Part of the skill in this type of shooting is the ability of the archer to accurately estimate the distance away the target is.

Whitford Forrest Archers have a permanent unmarked course utilising paper animal targets, but the two main kinds of competitions that we take part in utilise three dimensional animals set up to simulate hunting type scenarios. These two competitions are the IFAA Unmarked andIBO series .

IBO is run according to the rules of the International Bowhunting Organisation.

There are many different variations of this type of shooting with slightly different rules, and scoring methods, too many to list here. But rest assured, it is very good fun.