Welcome!

[red_trillium]

This is my first attempt at mod'ing a community, be patient with me! A bit about me:

I'm also new at shooting. I bought my recurve bow last month and am slowly getting started. I'm shooting a 30# Greattree Mohigan with Easten Jazz aluminum arrows. I've already lost one arrow and I need to work on strength and form.

I'm interested in 3D shooting and am in New Zealand.

I hope this becomes a place for people to share their passion for their sport, a place for beginners like me to learn more and for experienced shooters to take pride in their accomplishments. And more importantly, a place you can share picts of your gear!

Kick back and enjoy.

Comments

[senmut]

Unfortunately, I don't own any gear. Archery was a hobby in HIgh School, half a lifetime ago. But it's one I have been thinking about resuming.

I always preferred a recurve to a compound, which my older cousins ridiculed for me, but they were bow hunters, and I can see the point of the extra pull there.

[red_trillium]

Welcome!

I owned a cheap fiberglass longbow as a kid, did a tiny bit of archery at a school camp but all that was decades ago. I've been wanting to get back into it but didn't really have the time. I got lucky, got a coupon for $150NZ back for anything I spent on sporting goods or gym membership because I didn't use my insurance last year (forgot to put in for it!). That went towards my gear.

I wanted to shoot recurve, I'm a bit of a romantic that way. Compounds are fine and some people really like the tech aspect of it. Recurves can be high-tech too since they shoot them for the Olympics. Hah, tell your older cousins shooting with a recurve is an Olympic sport so there isn't anything to be ridiculed about! You can get different metal alloy risers and high-tech limbs. You can hunt with a recurve (as long as you've got one with a high enough pound draw--at least 40 to 50 I was told at the shop) but I can see the advantages to using a compound for accuracy and easier draw for more power.

I am getting into 3D archery, where there are animal-shaped targets & bales with 2D animal-painted targets placed throughout a forest block (or open field). You have a course you walk in order, come upon your critter and shoot it from a series of pegs depending on your ability. You get 3 shots and first scoring shot counts.

[senmut]

That sounds like a really good way to do archery. Round targets at preset distances get boring.

[red_trillium]

That's what I thought. And target archery seems to be more regimented (you have to wear certain colours/"uniform" when you are shooting competitively!). The 3D (or field archery) is more like golf in some ways, you go around in a small group (2 to 4 people), shoot the course together, score it. You hang out and chat & have some fun. You can check Google or sporting goods stores in your area to see if there are any field archery clubs near you to stop in and see what they are about. Some clubs will have gear you can hire or will have coaches who will loan you gear while they are teaching you. I took 4 lessons and got to use the club bow and arrows, then got my own. Some clubs have postings of 2nd hand gear for sale.

Since I'm really new I've been keeping to the practice area for now. Once I get my sight set (it's adjustable so I have to figure out what settings for what distances). Once I get more comfortable shooting I'm going to start going to our weekly club days. You sign up on the day, get put into a group and start at different parts of the course, shooting & scoring through until you are done.

[rhaegal]

Hi! Sorry for being random, but this seems to be the only archery community on here so far so thought I'd check it out!

I'm also new to archery, just started through a university club last October. I haven't yet built up anything resembling upper body strength, though, so am shooting a 26# recurve :-)

This 3D shooting sounds really cool. I've only done indoor targets so far, but might have to check out something more adventurous after I move later this year!

[red_trillium]

Not random at all! Check us out, feel free to post questions or just an intro if you prefer. Right now I seem to be the only one posting, which is ok but I'd love to get some more interaction & discussion going!

I'm still working in the strength thing myself. I took some lessons and the 24# was too light for me. Stupid me (and a bit of masculine pride) I bought my bow at 30#. I'm slowly getting used to it but think I should have jumped to a 28# instead.

What kind of bow are you shooting (not that it matters but I'm a curious bugger) & what kind of gear have you picked up?

The 3D is fun. I personally can't hunt but the idea of just shooting at the same round targets didn't quite appeal to me. Check out your area and see if there are any semi-local 3D clubs. It takes a bit of land so you might have to go a bit further out than for a target club. Most (all?) have club shoots, where people come together to shoot the course. You can ask if it's ok to come along and see how a club shoot goes, even if you walk the course without shooting it, and get a feel for the sport.

Good luck and welcome! Feel free to post.