Artemis Archers are a family-oriented club enjoying the benefits of a wonderful sport called field archery. The Club comprises of families all spending time together both indoors and outdoors, either practicing, socializing, or competing.
So, what is Field Archery?
The Photo Galleries link on the menu will better explain, a picture paints a thousand words as they say. Simply put, it is ordinary people shooting bows and arrows in beautiful woodland up and down the country. The woods you often drive by wishing you could walk in and explore. Safety springs to mind for most people, but this is one of the safest sports about, as we obey extremely strict rules.
So how do we go about it?
We walk a marked trail of numbered targets (36 or 40 is the norm) in groups of 3-5 people. At each target we shoot at the target from marked pegs, each archer in the group in turn. There is the all too frequent breaking of arrows on trees, accompanied by laughter. When everyone in the group has shot at the target, you go and score the target, collect your arrows then follow the course to the next target. You repeat this process until you’ve shot and scored all targets on the course.
Where do we do it?
Every weekend, we can and generally do attend what are called open shoots where we drive to another club’s wood and meet up with approximately one hundred other like-minded individuals. On arrival, you register and collect your score cards. The cost to enter these open shoots or competitions varies from £7 to £10 depending on the club that is organising them ..and collected score cards and await the call to gather. While waiting for the days shooting to start, we socialize, drink tea/coffee, and maybe have a bacon butty if you’re so inclined.
The day’s competition usually starts at 10am or 10:30am when the organisers will call all archers together for a briefing. At the briefing, we are instructed on arrangements and safety protocols for the day. Once the briefing is complete, we are led out to our pegs by the course marshals. Once at your designated starting peg, you await the starting signal. This can be either a single air horn blast, firework, rifle, or something similar that can be heard everywhere on the course. This then begins the days event, with stops for lunch during the day. At the end of day, everyone gathers back at the admin tent for score collection and placements for all classes of bows/sexes and ages.
It’s as simple as that?
No, it really isn’t. Archery is a relatively simple skill that can be learned over a few weeks, at which point you will be competent and more importantly safe. It will then take a lifetime to master that skill. This is very addictive so be warned, your Sundays will never be the same again.
We are members of a society called the National Field Archery Society (N.F.A.S.) which has around 6,500 members up and down the country. This society provides us with Insurance, calendar of events, strict safety rules and guidelines, two annual National Championship events and coaching courses.
Artemis Archers is also affiliated to the English Field Archery Association (E.F.A.A.). This provides our members the opportunity to enter the European Championships, World Championships, and other International Events governed by the Internation Field Archery Association (I.F.F.A). These competitions differ slightly from the competitions governed by the N.F.A.S. in that we shoot, for the most part, at spot targets from marked distances. The N.F.A.S competitions are unmarked distances and distinct types of targets. This intended to simulate hunting. We do not hunt live animals, hunting with a bow and arrow is illegal in the UK.
Facilities
We can practice seven days a week. Our outdoor range is a twenty-acre area of woodland in Belper and is available every day from dawn till dusk. In the woodland we have fixed distance practice butts ranging from ten yards to eighty yards. A fixed distance, fourteen target EFAA course, and an unmarked distance eighteen target NFAS course.
As a responsible club we embrace all aspects of safety, which is why we have a Child Protection Policy. This is a live document and will be constantly evaluated by our Child Protection Officer.
If you have any questions, please contact us using the details on the contact page.