# Is the NFAA Field Rounds loosing ground to 3D shoots



## rsarns (Sep 23, 2008)

NFAA has both marked 3D and unmarked 3D Nationals and sectionals. One of the biggest NFAA events and IMO the best outdoor shoot of the year is the marked 3D in Redding....


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## rlbreakfield (Jun 6, 2009)

3D seems to be alot more popular around home. I personally have grown a little bored with it. I would really like to see more Field/FITA style shoots.


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## kirktink (Jul 15, 2011)

I just started shooting again after retiring from competion in 2000

I started shooting competitively in the mid 70's... NFAA field has lost ground to 3-d every since 3-d has been available.. shooting 1 or 2 shots (depending on round) with the luck element (unmarked distance), plus it is just fun.. I've been retired from competiton for 11 years. some time around then the outdoor nationals went to 3 days, from the week long event it was for years. I think field archery probably dropped in popularity every since i've been shooting. This may have leveled off?? I know it really dropped when IBO & ASA started in the 80's... 

Field (target) archery is just plain more demanding (physically & mentally) of a game. 3-d is more of a casual, fun game for the masses.. 

I'm back to competing too & Vegas 2012 will be my pro debut since the lay off.

Kirk


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## sweet old bill (Apr 21, 2003)

I shot the NFAA from 1970 till about 1987 then droped off the map for awhile. I found that when I go to 3D shoots there just is not a lot of NFAA clubs around anymore. I use to love going to the eastern shoot of the NFAA at Watkins glen in NY. There use to be a NY flag there that showed in NY had over 60+ clubs that were NFAA, ther emaybe about 40% of that number still in Business. I think were they lost it was they seemed to want to have a class for every type of shooting. I always wanted then to just have you as a a, b, and or c shooter based on your skill level and the only two classes type was fingers or release. I even since women now have the same rights should also be in the same mix. I see a lot of women now that can beat the hell out of a lot of the ranked male shooters. Keep it simple. The other is the time required, for a 28 target course it is about 4 plus hours to shoot. People just do not want to spend that amount of time. Maybe change it to 14 targets with 4 arrows per target or 56 arrow total 56 arrows. That would be about 1/2 the time and leave people to shoot and still meet other needs of time.


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## hdracer (Aug 8, 2007)

I don't think time is a real issue as alot of the 3D shoots around here take 4 or more hours to complete. There are that many people showing up. We had an introductory to field shoot a coulpe years ago. Initially we had quite a few 3D shooters but after the first 14 targets (we have a 14 target course) most left saying that there was too many arrows to shoot, distances too long, etc. Our course is on the same land and intermingled with the 3D course. They didn't feel the same excitement as shooting 3D. Field also shows your shooting flaws a lot better and I guess some don't like seeing jsut how bad they shoot. There is also no "line pushing" or "pencil pushing" in Field. We've tried getting more shooters out there but it is usually the same folks each shoot. We did have approx. 36-38 show up for the State shoot a couple weeks ago. This was a really good turnout considering our past numbers. I prefer Field over 3D. I shoot FITA as well and enjoy the FITA Field over the stand-on-the-line type. But I try to shoot everything I can.


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## pat13b (Nov 7, 2010)

I think some of it might be a lack of advertising archery in general? and allot of it simply might be that there are more folks interested in hunting and the 3D is much closer in that regards as opposed to shooting spots.

I myself, am not a hunter and get some strange looks when I say I'm not a hunter and never hunted. Not against it at all, just not my thing. Rather be shooting at a spot target and better my skill.

-pat13b


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## x-hunta (Mar 10, 2010)

People are just intimidated by the amount of arrows in a FITA or a field shoot. Look at it this way...

The average 3d shooter on a day at a tourney including practice will probably shoot around 60 arrows, with most being one at a time.

They see the FITA round as 144 arrows which is over twice as much as they would usually shoot and thats not even including practice.

Pretty much the same deal with Field, 112 arrows in a round and then practice puts you in around 140-150.

Now I am not trying to be rude but you see alot more people OVERBOWED in 3d because they want the speed. Going out for a field round with you being overbowed will make you tired VERY quickly.


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## rock monkey (Dec 28, 2002)

money......

you dont get paid just for showing up in a target venue.


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## r302 (Apr 5, 2004)

I pretty much agree with what is being said by everyone here. 

Personally I still like the field rounds, but simply can not compete because I get too tired at my over 60 age. 

Until I made a proposal for marked 3Ds or the Rangefinder's division in this area and before it was accepted, I was unable to shoot 3Ds competitive shoots at all, (one eyed & can't judge yardages), and Field shoots were few and far in between back in 2000. 

Lucky for me there is the Rangefinder's division now and it seems the Field rounds are making a little bit of a comeback here in New Mexico, but nothing like it use to be.

I don't agree with mixing Field rounds & 3Ds together. That combination is what motivated me to seek a Rangefinder's division in 3Ds. My club had a combination Field round and unmarked 3D round for a state shoot. You had to shoot both rounds to compete for over all state awards, which I felt was unfair since I had never shot unmarked 3Ds before. Short story, I campaigned for Marked 3Ds and won a Rangefinder's division for men, women, for seniors, and it has grown beyond my expectations here. The state has not combined any other state tournament shoots again in this manner, thank goodness.

r302


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## bowjoe1800 (Sep 8, 2008)

I have been shooting competively for over 30 yrs. now. I have attended 4 field shoots, 3 of those the past 3 yrs. I enjoy shooting them though it is alot of arrows. If you like to shoot and want improve, a field shoot is a real eye opener to how good of a shot you really are.
I plan on going to the Nationals in Mechanicsburg, Pa. next year if God willing.


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## ThatArcheryDude (Jul 26, 2011)

Well, in Missouri, I have noticed that the indoor events, both NFAA 5 spot and Vegas, is blowing away our big 3Ds in numbers. For example, our biggest Missouri Bowhunters Assoc. lately has been 130-ish. Our MBH Indoor brought twice that not to mention the NFAA sectional in KC and the other big indoors. I would much rather shoot indoor anymore. Much less pencil pushin if you ask me. Plus, its a good environment being with good friends and its always nice to have a place to shoot in these Missouri winters!


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## zestycj7 (Sep 24, 2010)

Here in So.Ca. The NFAA really doesn't do anything for thier members, except take thier money. They have 3 shoots a year and thats it.
I like shooting the field, hunter and animal rounds at my local club, they are fun. We have NFAA qualifire rounds we can shoot so we know what class we would shoot in, but for what reason?
Almost everyone I know has dropped out of the NFAA, ever sence they moved to S.D. no reason to belong to the NFAA.
CBH is the top shooting body here in Ca. There is a 3-D shoot every weekend some where that I can shoot within an hour of me. To do the NFAA shoots I would have to go out of State alot, can't afford that.
Don.


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## rock monkey (Dec 28, 2002)

one of the biggest problems the NFAA has is that they're a BOTTOM-UP organization. works fine, IF the member clubs support and contribute. works like the root system of a tree. when it's functional and contributing, it shows in the overall health of the tree.

now, as with everything compared to the ASA, they work TOP-DOWN. home office runs everything, makes contracts, makes payments for events and the like. the ASA is a PRIVATE AND FOR PROFIT establishment. it is in their absolute business interest to make a profit, to make the events become popular and grow more popular.

the IBO is club oriented. the club does the work, the club supplies the labor, the club provides the facilities. the club is rewarded.....much to the dismay of many selfish archers. yes the IBO has a governing main body and yes the IBO sanctions major event shoots along with smaller regional events. the IBO's main goal is to support and defend bowhunting and archery related activities. they are a NON-PROFIT organization and by law, MUST HAVE A ZERO BALANCE at the end of the calender year or be able to prove that the balance is allotted.


with the dysfunctional attitude among the governing body and the distrust and displeasure of 'bottom' of the NFAA membership, there is not much that can be done without a total overhaul of the governing body's business model.

the NFAA can be saved, but it's going to hurt. management needs to listen to the people who are their heart and soul. the rules need to be more common language and less lawyer-ese. the operating instructions must be separated from the rules of the games. bottom management and middle management need to stop thinking about just making changes for the short-term gain and look bigger picture. when you make a class for your buddy, and your buddy no longer plays the game or is active in the sport.....why does that special accommodating section and rule allowed to survive and pollute the whole? why is it easier to find hen's teeth than it is to make a needed correction?

there are too many classes, there are too many special interest classes. streamline it, make it easy to read and easier to understand.

i cannot offer any suggestions to make it popular. society has changed and not all of it is for the better. sportsmanship has been replaced with selfishness. all we can do is support the game we all enjoy and hope it can flower again.


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## steve peterson (Feb 7, 2011)

the NFAA did not like that the MSAA IN MINNESOTA did not have all their members belong to the NFAA , the MSAA has around 2400 members and around 300-450 members at that time also belonged to the NFAA .Well what happened after the split the NFAA lost most of those members including myself.the MSAA state indoor always has around a 1,000 shooters at that two day tournament ,i think the NFAA with there rules are foolish they have lost hundreds of shooters just in Minnesota .we have many field archers that just are not going to join more clubs to just belong to the NFAA. STEVE


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## pat13b (Nov 7, 2010)

Thanks for all the replies and education on this topic. Regardless of the NFAA, I really hope the field round doesn't die off. It's very rewarding and challenging type of shooting. 

-pat13b


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