# Field archery, this should be more popular



## RJH1 (Jul 30, 2015)

After shooting 3d for a few years i just shot my first field archery round and can't figure out why it is not more popular. It might be my favorite archery game. Really like the flow to the match, the further shots, and the amount of shots. I won't get to do it much more this year, because the closest match is 3 hours away, all the ones 2 hours away have already happened, but will shoot the state championship and hopefully 4 or so next year. In this part of the world ASA is very popular, but field seems to have no outreach/advertising. I had to stumble across it on youtube, then hunt for it to find a match. IDK if it is that way everywhere, but that is how it is here. Maybe that is why it is not more popular. Anyway it was very fun and i plan to do it much more in the future.


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## nestly (Apr 19, 2015)

Yeah, I don't understand why people that claim to love shooting bow don't seek out and shoot Field. I shoot field every chance I get, which this weekend was a full 28 target league Saturday, then again on Sunday, and again today (Monday) at another club about an hour away.


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## Sgt. Fury (May 30, 2010)

I shot 3D for years. Then, I got hooked on Field Archery.... Love it! I enjoy the "rhythm" you get into with it. Shooting short, medium and long distances, as well as learning your "cuts" ..... Field Archery just forces you to become a better archer.


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## huteson2us2 (Jun 22, 2005)

There are several every year and well advertised in Washington State where I lived, but only have one a year in Arizona where I now live. You must be a NFAA member to shoot it and have to know where to see the ad for it.


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## GMtech (Mar 28, 2013)

I love field archery as well, mixed distances and a not level playing ground.


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## EPLC (May 21, 2002)

huteson2us2 said:


> There are several every year and well advertised in Washington State where I lived, but only have one a year in Arizona where I now live. You must be a NFAA member to shoot it and have to know where to see the ad for it.


Actually you do not have to be an NFAA member to shoot field archery. You have to be a member to shoot NFAA competitions. Our field shoots are open and I assume there are plenty of others as well.


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## josh_gml (Jun 21, 2019)

I shot my first field tournament earlier this year. I set up a Hoyt GM with some Carbon One arrows got my sightmarks and with no real preperation when to the shoot. 









Had lots of fun and will return with my normal WA bow and x10s.


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## sdmc530 (Oct 28, 2019)

I am newer to the archery deal this year but my club has an outdoor "golf" course to shoot. Its 28 holes and just an amazing time to do. Probably my favorite way to shoot.


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## 57Loader (Nov 27, 2008)

EPLC said:


> Actually you do not have to be an NFAA member to shoot field archery. You have to be a member to shoot NFAA competitions. Our field shoots are open and I assume there are plenty of others as well.



The one field shoot we have every year in AZ you do have to be a NFAA member to compete. You can shoot as a guest for fun. 

It’s my favorite game also and only do it once a year. 


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## Tipe (May 19, 2018)

I love shooting.. 3D mostly, Field and even indoors... FLINT is the best indoor shoot what there is.
Shame that we don't have so much competitions here Finland. Would love to shoot every weekend.
I shoot WA and IFAA (FFAA here) style.


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## kballer1 (Aug 31, 2010)

Most 3D guys don't shoot field because to many arrows & too much thinking to shoot 112 arrows for score. There are some field shoot here in WI. but the 3D guys never show up even when they are in there own back yard lot alone traveling to a shoot.


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## nestly (Apr 19, 2015)

I'll stop short of giving my opinion "why" not many 3D shooters will participate in Field (or any form of target archery for that matter), but they'd be better at archery in general if they did.

It goes the other way as well though. I know plenty of target archers that scowl at the prospect of shooting arrows at rubber deer.


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## Arcus (Jul 7, 2005)

nestly said:


> I know plenty of target archers that scowl at the prospect of shooting arrows at rubber deer.


Not doubting you, but this isn't the case for me. I'm a target archer, and I consider rubber deer as just another target. Two reasons that I avoid 3D shoots are the limit of one arrow per target and the unmarked distances.


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## Tipe (May 19, 2018)

I think one thing is that in 3D you need to estimate distance without drawing your bow back.
In field.. U actually measure distance with your scope. So there's bit different there. 
When U know how to measure that distance, you're gonna be pretty darn close to real distance.
Is that reason and do some think they can't have both ?

Don't know.. I like to shoot both and it's always better to shoot 112 arrows than 48 with same fee at competitions.
You get more for your money :wink:


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## Mr. Ken (Aug 6, 2019)

Back in the mid 80's, I shot field archery and indoors. My favorite is indoors because of having to be more accurate. I also like to shoot field archery. I will shoot a known 3-d match if it is within a reasonable driving distance. 3-D is my least favorite because of one arrow per target and a lot of down time between targets. I don't shoot unknown 3-d because I can't judge distance accurately enough.


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## TNMAN (Oct 6, 2009)

Mr. Ken said:


> Back in the mid 80's, I shot field archery and indoors. My favorite is indoors because of having to be more accurate. I also like to shoot field archery. I will shoot a known 3-d match if it is within a reasonable driving distance. 3-D is my least favorite because of one arrow per target and a lot of down time between targets. I don't shoot unknown 3-d because I can't judge distance accurately enough.


I shot the Tangi Field Invitational several times back then and earlier. It was always special to get to shoot with Durwood Nails. Good times.


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## kballer1 (Aug 31, 2010)

No aim spot on rubber deer & the kill is usually on the shoulder. I use a 6X scope & still can't see the spot on the rubber deer.


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## Tipe (May 19, 2018)

kballer1 said:


> No aim spot on rubber deer & the kill is usually on the shoulder. I use a 6X scope & still can't see the spot on the rubber deer.


I scout those line's first with bino's to see where spot is. Few times and last time just before I shoot.

I have 4x IR Perfectium and I actually can see those lines from new or newish targets.
But not from old targets where U hardly can see those lines with bino's when they're worn out enough.

But after all, You need to know where they are when U shoot.
They're not in optimal hunting shot place every time, some targets has ring's bit out of best location for hunt.
Depending much who makes those targets. Our range is variety of different manufacturers targets so need to see them.


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## TxDefArcher (Sep 3, 2019)

So which organization sponsors mostly Field Archery - new to Competition Archery and currently doing indoor archery. This looks like a fun style of archery - (Currently in Texas - so know where to look)


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## wa-prez (Sep 9, 2006)

I hate to say it, but even National FIELD Archery Association (NFAA) doesn't sponsor "mostly" Field Archery, although they (when you include the States and Sectionals) have more Field than United States Archery Association (USAA).

Every NFAA state is required to hold one Indoor and one Outdoor "State Championship" tournament, with the expectation that the outdoor event be a field unless that is not possible. Each USAA state is required to hole one Indoor and one Outdoor state championship, but expectation is that the outdoor would be a Target event.

Field is by far my favorite format because of walking in the woods and various terrain and environments.

In Texas you should look at TFAA - Texas Field Archery Association
https://texasfieldarchery.org


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## Arcus (Jul 7, 2005)

wa-prez said:


> Field is by far my favorite format because of walking in the woods and various terrain and environments.


Ditto for me for those reasons plus the variety of distances, number of arrows, and marked yardage. That's also why safari shoots are my second favorite.


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## Mr. Ken (Aug 6, 2019)

RJH1 said:


> After shooting 3d for a few years i just shot my first field archery round and can't figure out why it is not more popular. It might be my favorite archery game. Really like the flow to the match, the further shots, and the amount of shots. I won't get to do it much more this year, because the closest match is 3 hours away, all the ones 2 hours away have already happened, but will shoot the state championship and hopefully 4 or so next year. In this part of the world ASA is very popular, but field seems to have no outreach/advertising. I had to stumble across it on youtube, then hunt for it to find a match. IDK if it is that way everywhere, but that is how it is here. Maybe that is why it is not more popular. Anyway it was very fun and i plan to do it much more in the future.


We do need to have the local support. Run ads in the local papers. Put fliers in the local sporting goods stores. Have the local TV stations do a telecast from the range and get the news reporter taking a couple of shots on camera. Set up the shots so they are very easy. Make it so the reporter has a lot of fun. It takes a lot of ground work and not everybody wants to do that. I bet a lot of local shooters are not even aware of the matches that are shot right in their own back yard (so to speak).


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## hcorrigall (Apr 1, 2009)

Why people have trouble with distance judgement and cannot shoot unless they have sights amazes me? Have to have everything made so easy these days? Where is the fun in it?


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## Mr. Ken (Aug 6, 2019)

For me being accurate is fun. I enjoy it more. If I am missing I am not having fun. I am just not that good at judging distances accurately.


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## nardoclark5 (Jul 6, 2018)

57Loader said:


> The one field shoot we have every year in AZ you do have to be a NFAA member to compete. You can shoot as a guest for fun.
> 
> It’s my favorite game also and only do it once a year.
> 
> ...


Are you talking about the Arizona Cup?


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## 57Loader (Nov 27, 2008)

nardoclark5 said:


> Are you talking about the Arizona Cup?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


No the AZ Cup is an outdoor WA 50m round. 


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## rsarns (Sep 23, 2008)

TxDefArcher said:


> So which organization sponsors mostly Field Archery - new to Competition Archery and currently doing indoor archery. This looks like a fun style of archery - (Currently in Texas - so know where to look)


Google Texas Field Archery Association. They have Shoot Your Way Across Texas (SYWAT) indoor and field events. Most of the events were canceled due to COVID restrictions though.


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## MarkSirko (Jul 18, 2020)

112 shots is more fun than 30 espixslly when you are standing on the yardage marker


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## thewy_2007 (Jul 21, 2020)

I grew up with field archery and remember going out with my dad to a local rod and gun club shooting my little recurve. One of my great memories as a kid. I think the hard part is outdoor activities have become less popular these days...


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## Chad61610 (Feb 3, 2021)

I live in WA state and would be interested in attending some of the Field Matches. Does anyone know where I could find more info?


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## 1/2 Bubble Off (Dec 29, 2016)

I would love to give Field Archery a try... The problem around here is, all of the Field rounds seem to coincide with the bigger local 3D Events....


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## huteson2us2 (Jun 22, 2005)

WA State has a web site with all tournaments listed.
Calendars - Washington State Archery Association (washingtonarchery.org)


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## Chad61610 (Feb 3, 2021)

huteson2us2 said:


> WA State has a web site with all tournaments listed.
> Calendars - Washington State Archery Association (washingtonarchery.org)


Thank you.


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## wa-prez (Sep 9, 2006)

Chad61610 said:


> I live in WA state and would be interested in attending some of the Field Matches. Does anyone know where I could find more info?


Source of information for archery in Washington State:

Our website www.WashingtonArchery.org

Our Facebook Page Washington State Archery Association

Our Facebook Group Facebook Groups

We annually conduct a WSAA Field Championship tournament. For this year it is scheduled for 17-18 July 2021.

We usually host the NFAA Outdoor National (field) every third year. 

Some of our Clubs host Field tournaments - see the WSAA Calendar of Events here: Calendars - Washington State Archery Association


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## joebel (Nov 2, 2003)

kballer1 said:


> Most 3D guys don't shoot field because to many arrows & too much thinking to shoot 112 arrows for score. There are some field shoot here in WI. but the 3D guys never show up even when they are in there own back yard lot alone traveling to a shoot.


They’re probably over bowed and can’t say they misjudged the 10 ring location


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## ahunter55 (Aug 17, 2009)

I started in 1956 & Field & 900s, 600s were the outdoor tournaments. 3D, if any were home made targets & FUN/novelty events. For me Field/hunter & Target (900s600s) are competition & 3D is still fun & novelty. 3D, marked or unmarked is fun but a big part of the game for score is "knowing" where that high score ring is. In all your spot rounds, everyone knows exactly where it is.. I know in 3D, MANY of my shots would be GREAT kill shots on a "real" animal but not so great on foam..


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