Yeo Bowmen Archery Club

G.N.A.S. Affiliated

Founded. 1963

SAFETY on the ARCHERY RANGE

To Etiquette

The “Fast” Warning

Anyone present at the shoot (even those not shooting) must call “Fast” if they witness unsafe behavior. All archers must stop shooting immediately and come down. Remove the arrow from the string and place it back into their quiver. If necessary, the call of “FAST” should be repeated by other archers to ensure that everyone has heard and stopped shooting. Shooting will recommence only on the instruction of the Judge or Field Captain.

Bows

No loaded bow, either drawn or not drawn, shall be pointed at anyone or anything other than the target. When drawing the bow, keep it level with the target. Drawing high and then lowering the bow could be very dangerous should a premature release accidentally happen (at a competition or official shoot, a judge could instruct you to change your shooting style).

Arrows

Arrows must ONLY be shot at the target. NEVER shoot an arrow vertically into the air. Arrows should only be nocked on the shooting line and pointed in the direction of the targets.

Shooting Line

You MUST have one foot on either side of the shooting line while shooting. ALWAYS shoot from the shooting line, NEVER from in front of or behind the line. NEVER step forward of the shooting line for any reason whilst shooting is in progress. NEVER approach the shooting line until the Field Captain signals that it is safe to do so (generally one blow of a whistle. You will be informed at the start of the shoot if procedures for the present shoot are different).

Waiting Line

ALWAYS return to the waiting line once you have shot your arrows.

Collecting Arrows

ALWAYS wait for the signal to proceed forward to collect arrows (generally two blows of a whistle. You will be informed at the start of the shoot if procedures for the present shoot are different). NEVER run. Keep looking for arrows that may have fallen short of the target (this is especially important when shooting outdoors).

Withdrawing Arrows

Stand to one side and ALWAYS make certain that no one is behind you when withdrawing the arrows from the target. ALWAYS ensure that anyone who is scoring their arrows has finished doing so before ANY arrows are removed from the target. ALWAYS pull arrows from where they meet the target (pulling from further down the arrow shaft can damage the arrow).

Arrow Length

ALWAYS make sure the arrows you are using are of the correct length for you and your bow. They must be long enough so they cannot be drawn off the rest and fall inside the bow. If they are too long, it will affect the flight of the arrow. If in doubt, ask.

Scoring

ALWAYS call scores in groups of three, e.g. 10-9-8 pause 7-6-5.

Reference Point

Always draw the string of the bow to the reference (or anchor point) and NEVER beyond. If you are not sure what this is - ask.

Bows - Warning

NEVER, EVER DRY FIRE A BOW (do not draw the bow up and let the string go without an arrow attached to it). NEVER let anyone draw or shoot your bow if their draw length is longer than yours. Over drawing of the bow can cause damage to the bow.

Cease Shooting

If there is the slightest likelihood of anyone entering the shooting range stop shooting. If a person risks crossing in front of another archer, call “FAST”.

Field Layout (Johnson Park) Open to see layout of field.

ALWAYS follow the instructions given by the Field Captain

Remember a bow is a dangerous weapon; DO NOT mess around with one

As well as safety issues, archery etiquette is also important at a shoot.

Archery Etiquette

A good archer does not:

• Talk to another archer who prefers to be silent.
• Talk in a loud voice or make an exclamation when others are on the shooting line.
• Offer advice unless asked.
• Exclaim on the shooting line for themselves or others, either in joy or disgust.
• Touch another archer’s equipment without their permission.
• Walk up and down the line comparing scores.
• Go behind the target to retrieve his arrows before their score has been recorded.
• Drop any litter.
• Carry a Mobile phone on the shooting line.

A good archer always:

• Offers to pay to replace someone’s arrow (or any other piece of equipment) if they break it through their own carelessness. (He / She Pays on the spot)
• Helps to put out the equipment and put it away.
• Helps to look for someone else’s missing arrows
• Calls his score in groups of 3, e.g. 7-7-5 pause 5-5-3.
• Pays cash on the spot if he breaks another's arrow.
• Thanks the target captain (scorer) at the end of the round.

Shooting Commands

ONE BLAST of the Field Captain’s whistle signifies that the range is clear and it is safe for you to start shooting.

TWO BLASTS of the whistle signifies that you must stop shooting and that it is safe to collect your arrows.

“Come down” means relax from a full draw position without shooting the arrow.

THREE BLASTS of the whistle signifies the end of the shoot. You must stop shooting and collect your arrows for the last time.