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Some Thoughts On Targets

 

Over the years I’ve been to shoots with interesting, fun and challenging targets and I’ve been to some that weren’t. Designing a shoot that fits all of these criteria is a challenge. I wanted to share some thoughts and suggestions on how to do this.

 

First, consider the archers who will be shooting. If the shoot is to determine a champion then it should be a true test of a champion. That would mean the targets should not be easy. I personally believe a true archery champion should be able to pick up any bow and set of arrows and hit the target within three shafts. Thus a shoot using “unknown equipment”, read here borrowed equipment, is entirely within limits. Other shoots could include speed rounds, moving, different stances, i.e. kneeling, lying down. Remember, we are looking for the best of the best in a championship shoot.

 

For populace shoots it is imperative to remember you will have champions and novice shooters. A good shoot will be challenging for the champions while permitting a novice to get some points. Think back to your first days shooting archery. Did you do the happy dance because you finally hit the butt at 20 yards? But now you are better. So, can you hit a 2 inch circle at 20 yards, consistently?

 

At SAAD I have always attempted to accommodate all levels of archers. That’s one thing that has made SAAD the success that it is has been. Another factor that has been commented on, is that no one shooting station has a maximum score that is significantly greater than any other, i.e. there is no golden apple at 50 yards worth 500 points. Thus in a multiple target/shooting station shoot strive to have each station have about the same maximum possible score. Sometimes this can be very challenging but it is a goal worth seeking. On timed stations I typically use a time of 45 seconds and assume the better archers will get off 7 shafts. Thus 7 times the maximum score per shaft is the maximum approximate score for that station. You have to realize that there are archers out there who can get off 10 – 12 shafts in 45 seconds though.

 

Now let’s talk about targets. I have written articles on how to construct target butts and given some suggestions on actual target faces but here I want to discuss the actual target. First and foremost, it has to been seen. You are most likely saying DUHH! Yeah, well, I’ve been to shoots where the target that scores the most points is about the size of a number 2 pencil at 20 or 30 yards or more. My eyes aren’t quite what they used to be so at those distances I can not actually see that target! I’ve done shoots where the maximum score is a 2 inch square target at 40 – 50 yards. No hope of ever seeing that! Therefore actually hitting something this small is pure luck. So make your targets big enough to be seen and mark the high score area sufficiently so it can be easily seen at the distance at which it will be shot, i.e. outline it with a red marker, color it red or a contrasting color.

 

So how big or, more correctly, how small should a target be? If you think about the standard Royal Round target face the gold is 4 inches across. The inner ring of the gold is 2 inches across. Now ask yourself, how often do I hit the gold or the inner ring of gold?

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