# The Most Challenging Field Course...



## RatherBArchery (Oct 31, 2006)

Ours is tricky at spots, especially the second half!! Some guys prefer to bounce their arrows into certain targets


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## nock tune (Jul 5, 2009)

Darrington has a couple, so does Watkins Glen, and the cardiac ridge at the gold cup in Maryland!


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## crag (Dec 6, 2002)

Cumberland, MD is one of the best on the east coast
Lancaster Archery Club and Palmyra Sportsmen in Central PA are the most challenging I have shot in PA.
Black Knight Bow Benders in NJ is another good one


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## willieM (Nov 18, 2007)

crag said that the Cumberland Bowhunters range was one of the best on the East coast. I agree with him , but then I belong to that club. No. 1 target is the hardest 25 yard target I have shot [up hill slant with poor footing]. The 50 yard on first half is steep uphill, very hard to hold, 65 yard on first half is around the hill and you had better watch your level. The back half has a downhill 65 and a down hill 80 that you really have to know the cut. Several targets on the back half are steep up hill and a couple sidehill shots that are tough. But, I have seen people come into this club and shoot the best score they have ever shot.
This is the home of the Hillbilly Shoot and if you want to have a good time, come to Cumberland Md. to that shoot, you will enjoy it, I am sure.


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## rsw (May 22, 2002)

I have shot a lot of club ranges to include Gold Cup, Cumberland, Watkins Glen, and Darrington. The toughest I remember is Casper, WY range though. I remember it from many, many years ago as very steep and always windy. The field range west of Las Vegas is also real tough because of the open slopes and strong winds that are common there.


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## coastiehunter2 (Jun 27, 2011)

nock tune said:


> Darrington has a couple, so does Watkins Glen, and the cardiac ridge at the gold cup in Maryland!


 I will be shooting darrington tomorrow cant wait.


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## R&B (Oct 4, 2006)

Evergreen Archery Club in Spokane Washington. 

The FITA Field Nationals are often shot there. It is my favorite field archery range (most challenging). 


-R&B


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## field14 (May 21, 2002)

rsw said:


> I have shot a lot of club ranges to include Gold Cup, Cumberland, Watkins Glen, and Darrington. The toughest I remember is Casper, WY range though. I remember it from many, many years ago as very steep and always windy. The field range west of Las Vegas is also real tough because of the open slopes and strong winds that are common there.


I agree with RSW on this one. I happen to be so lucky to have had the Casper Mountain Course as my "home range" when I lived in Casper, Wyoming in the 1960's are early 1970's. Back then...they had two ranges up there: 28 field and 28 hunter. Each range was laid out as 28 targets, so that target 14 was as far as you could get from the clubhouse (picnic area, no "clubhouse" per se). I also helped reposition a few of the targets and clear the 3 foot high sagebrush from the open to the wind practice area. You don't move bales too easily on the range because the terrain isn't "vehicle friendly" at all, ha.

Makes the courses at Watkins Glen FLAT by comparison; and I absolutely love those courses at the Glen, especially the West Virginia and Presidential, and the Connecticut and New York.
So, you go out onto the course, and on the field side, for the 1st 14, you are shooting downhills, and side hills mostly as you work your way DOWN, about 1100 feet or so to target 14 (you get a break...that one is FLAT). Then you start climbing your way back out for the next 14 targets...on the ridge-line (wind always blows). 

Target #2 is a tough, and I do mean TOUGH 40 yard uphill of about 30 degrees. You WILL cut this target, or you WILL shoot a poor man's 20! The next one is a sidehill/downhill 50 that looks easy...problem is the wind is always blowing up the draw...so..you not only cut this target yardage, you also have to bubble it to boot...unless you like shooting 3's at 2 o'clock! Then the killer is a 65 yarder that doesn't appear to have any real problems...it isn't all that much downhill (doesn't LOOK like it, haha), and you have a nice shooting pad area...BUT...if you don't cut that target to 63 or 64 yards and cant the top limb to the LEFT; welcome to 16'ville or worse, if the wind is blowing! The wind cuts through a subtle draw between you and the target. You are in the aspens or so it appears...but nope....you WILL have to cant the top limb to the left or you are in deep doo-doo. The 80 on this side is all down hill and you "cut" less for each distance as you walk 'em on down the hill. Plus fighting the crosswind that doesn't bother your aiming all that much...but you are on the same ridgeline, the wind is between you and the target. I remember that two years in a row, a monster mulie buck used to bed down behind the bale and wouldn't move as the arrows hit the target. You wouldn't know he was there for sure until you got to the target and he busted loose out of his bed and scared the bee-jezuz outta you. He'd bounce off about 20 or 30 yards and stop, turn, and give you the look like you really had interrupted his siesta! What a beautiful animal he was! We had that all the time up there, however with those mulies.

The last 7 targets on that 28 target field course are KILLERS (unless they've changed it). The first 3 on that side aren't walks in the park either, but I remember the last 7 as "HELL'S ROW". 
1. There is a severely angled sidehill/ downhill 65, followed by an 
2. uphill 30 that is at the crest of the slope so wind nails you, 
3. then a 35 fan up IN THE WIND, 
4. then a steep 25 yard DOWNHILL of about 25 or 30 degrees.
5. Then 80 walk up is set just below a 'cliff-line', and also slopes from R to L...problem is that the cliff isn't so high that your arrow doesn't get up in to the wind! So, you think you might have it knocked because the wind isn't hitting you at the stake...but...it nails your arrow in flight to the target. Feel thankful for an "18" on this one!
6. Then there is a decent 45 yarder, but you gotta watch your bubble AND the wind coming up from the downslope!
7. You finish with an UPHILL 50 yarder that is a bearcat, because it is so deceiving. You have to cut it about 1/2 yard AND bubble into the slope to boot because it not only is uphill, but it is sidehill...AND you are so tired after 27 tough targets that finishing on this 50 is really, really tough.

The hunter side has been radically changed, but I can tell you that there is a steep downhill 23/20 of about 35 degrees as No.1, and that unless it has changed a very challenging 32 fan, 44, 40, RIGHT IN THE WIND AT THE TOP OF THE RIDGELINE...the 44 going one direction, then the 40 going 180 degrees the other, and then the Bunny, which should be simple used to be #28...was out in the open right on the top of the slope...narry a tree or wind break in sight!

By far the toughest field course I've ever shot on in this country! But also, was one of the BEST courses, too, because we always saw wildlife and you really were out in the sticks. The Timber Rattlers could be bothersome, however, but seems we always got rewarded by monster Mulie bucks bedding down by the target bales, or feeding mulies between us and the target and stood there while we shot over them. Blue Grouse, Prairie chicken, squirrels, an occasional coyote or bob cat...and the view from there on a clear day...you can probably see 50 miles or more!
The last time I shot that course was around 1996 or so, I was shooting exceptionally well, but that course will give you a dose of humility. Seems I mustered something like a 547 on the field side and in the mid 540's on the hunter side; not too bad for a tough, hilly, and windy field course up at nearly 8,000 feet or so?
field14


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## Kade (Jan 11, 2011)

I haven't shot Warkins Glen or some of the other tough courses he and F14 mentioned. But I have shot Cardiac more then once. That course is nice but doesn't qualify IMO. I wouldn't even rank it in my top 5 and most in that group aren't that tough. 

But Cumberland has a very nice range that will kick you in the twins. Jarlickers range is still probably the baddest little range I have been on. It has the roughest bunny that's for sure and the only one that compares to some of the extreme bunnies you find in the Euro stuff. 

Some of the Euro stuff is tougher because they shoot their own distances. The bunny isn't shot like our bunny and isn't always closes close. 


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## field14 (May 21, 2002)

Kade said:


> I haven't shot Warkins Glen or some of the other tough courses he and F14 mentioned. But I have shot Cardiac more then once. That course is nice but doesn't qualify IMO. I wouldn't even rank it in my top 5 and most in that group aren't that tough.
> 
> But Cumberland has a very nice range that will kick you in the twins. Jarlickers range is still probably the baddest little range I have been on. It has the roughest bunny that's for sure and the only one that compares to some of the extreme bunnies you find in the Euro stuff.
> 
> ...


Actually, Europe either shoots IFAA, NFAA, or FITA STANDARD distances; many of which are in METERS instead of yards...so they are NOT off on their own doing as they so choose. The FITA field round is exceptionally challenging; especially when done upon those courses throughout Europe that don't seem to know what "flat" is, ha.

The Money Tour that Cousin Dave shoots in is a wee bit different in that yes, they "toughen it up" quite a bit by shooting the "bunny target face" at longer distances, along with the exceptional uphills and downhill shots.
field14 (Tom D.)

field14 (Tom D.)


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## psargeant (Aug 1, 2004)

Cumberland bowhunters is probably the toughest range on the east coast overall... the tough ones just keep coming and coming...

Some of the shots out on Sugar Hill were challenging, but not for the whole course like Cumberland.

Another one was my home course when i lived in NY, Hawkeye Bowmen. The field range isn't there anymore, but that was a challenging course with some really extreme (and beautiful) shots on it... Another from up that way was Avon near Rochester...


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## Kade (Jan 11, 2011)

field14 said:


> Actually, Europe either shoots IFAA, NFAA, or FITA STANDARD distances; many of which are in METERS instead of yards...so they are NOT off on their own doing as they so choose. The FITA field round is exceptionally challenging; especially when done upon those courses throughout Europe that don't seem to know what "flat" is, ha.
> 
> The Money Tour that Cousin Dave shoots in is a wee bit different in that yes, they "toughen it up" quite a bit by shooting the "bunny target face" at longer distances, along with the exceptional uphills and downhill shots.
> field14 (Tom D.)
> ...


That's what I was referring to. The Pro Tour 


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## field14 (May 21, 2002)

Yes, Psargeant, HAWKEYE Bowmen's course was tough...but not so tough as the Capser course of which I speak, or even the OIL CITY, Pennsylvania course either.

Hawkeye was by far the toughest of the courses around Buffalo, those being Double-T, Evans, Allied Sportsman's Club (right next door to Hawkeye), Skyline (Jamestown), the one up in Canada right across the border, Bradford, PA, and Warren, PA's course. The biggest challenge, IMHO about Double T was it was flat, and it was so easy to lose your concentration and get complacent that, in my case, the first couple of times I shot Double-T, I shot LOWER scores on it because I got complacent because I didn't have to take any cuts, there was no wind to speak of, and the frickin WHITETAILS were so pretty to look at, hahaha.
By far, at the Glen, the Presidential and the West Virginia were the toughest, and yet I shot my highest scores on the Presidential, and my lowest on the Pennsylvania...go figure. Still miss shooting at the Glen!


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## psargeant (Aug 1, 2004)

Another one up there that was pretty tough was 7-clan. May have been before your time there, but they had a bunny that was ridiculous, as well as a few other really tough shots.

I still miss Hawkeye...that place was like my second home growing up, I may have spent more time there than at home really...

I've never gotten an opportunity to shoot out West, i would imagine with the terrain you could build one doosey of a field course...


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## Xander (Dec 4, 2003)

I've shot in Watkins Glen in '98 - '99 when I worked in on a US summercamp in upstate NY. It was very pleasant to shoot their, and meet all the US shooters. 

But coming from Europe, and shooting numerous field shoots a year, an uphill or downhill shot is nothing compared to the targets we shoot here in Europe ;-)

For example the first leg of the 5 nations included;
+50 degree bunny, unmarked 14m
-35 degree bunny, marked 20m
+30 degree 80cm, unmarked 48m
-25 degree 60cm, unmarked 27m
....

Take a look on www.fieldarchery.org and watch the photoalbums. Especially take a look for the courses in Theux, Lier (both belgium), Vertus, Sedan (both France), Trier, mullenborn (Germany) and Cadier (the Netherlands).

Best ones I've shot over the years;
Swedish open - Goteburg, Sweden Shooting on the clifs at the sea
Vagney, France 48 targets though mountains and waterfalls (home of the european champs in 2005)
..., Finland In the middle of nowhere, shooting a small course of 12 targets, great scenary, great targets
Vertus, France Always a treat, coming up again in 3 weeks, 48 uphill/downhill targets, good friends and a lot of champagne ;-)


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## psargeant (Aug 1, 2004)

field14 said:


> Yes, Psargeant, HAWKEYE Bowmen's course was tough...but not so tough as the Capser course of which I speak, or even the OIL CITY, Pennsylvania course either.
> 
> Hawkeye was by far the toughest of the courses around Buffalo, those being Double-T, Evans, Allied Sportsman's Club (right next door to Hawkeye), Skyline (Jamestown), the one up in Canada right across the border, Bradford, PA, and Warren, PA's course. The biggest challenge, IMHO about Double T was it was flat, and it was so easy to lose your concentration and get complacent that, in my case, the first couple of times I shot Double-T, I shot LOWER scores on it because I got complacent because I didn't have to take any cuts, there was no wind to speak of, and the frickin WHITETAILS were so pretty to look at, hahaha.
> By far, at the Glen, the Presidential and the West Virginia were the toughest, and yet I shot my highest scores on the Presidential, and my lowest on the Pennsylvania...go figure. Still miss shooting at the Glen!


The one that always ate my lunch there was NY. I guess it was just a little sneaky if you weren't paying attention.

WV and Presidential you knew were coming, NY took you by surprise sometimes...

I've shot all of those courses you mentioned around WNY...as well as several you didn't (Newfane, 7-Clan, East Aurora). I have a bunch of good memories of the courses and people at all of them...

My dad once found a 180+" gross score buck rotting in a ditch while shooting a field round at DoubleT. I've got a great story about that rack, a spindly 5 pointer, my uncle Mark, our RV, and the farmer whose land we hunted. Almost created a local brawl...


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## mag41vance (Mar 13, 2008)

Sherwood in Roanoke has some shots that the set is fairly level but the footing is ridiculous. I am going to practice more this year shooting while balancing on a coffee can.


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## field14 (May 21, 2002)

psargeant said:


> The one that always ate my lunch there was NY. I guess it was just a little sneaky if you weren't paying attention.
> 
> WV and Presidential you knew were coming, NY took you by surprise sometimes...
> 
> ...


Pat,
Seems I remember Newfane and 7-clan; but not East Aurora. What I enjoyed about W NY was that you could shoot a field tournament every weekend because of the way they rotated their schedule. Same with indoors...Started in December and there was an indoor tournament every Saturday and Sunday up thru March...when the outdoor season started. I guess it isn't that way anymore, what with losing Allied, Losing Hawkeye. Is 7-clan and Newfane still there or are they out too?
Jamestown is history as is Bradford. Don't know about Evans, but Oil City PA is gone.

T


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## field14 (May 21, 2002)

mag41vance said:


> Sherwood in Roanoke has some shots that the set is fairly level but the footing is ridiculous. I am going to practice more this year shooting while balancing on a coffee can.


Make yourself a tilt board...they are easily fabricated. It is the same thing that exercise centers use to help people stretch their calves and hamstrings. Heck you could even use the curved ramps that bicyclists use to do their jumps...Anything that will allow you to place one foot below the other, or if you turn 90 degrees to practice shooting with toes up or toes down...or both at the same time. This can be done on flat ground and even on a flat course...at least you learn how YOU can deal with this type of footing...and that is the majority of the battle!

Be ProActive and PRACTICE it...you'll obviously be the better for it.
field14 (Tom D.)


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## psargeant (Aug 1, 2004)

field14 said:


> Pat,
> Seems I remember Newfane and 7-clan; but not East Aurora. What I enjoyed about W NY was that you could shoot a field tournament every weekend because of the way they rotated their schedule. Same with indoors...Started in December and there was an indoor tournament every Saturday and Sunday up thru March...when the outdoor season started. I guess it isn't that way anymore, what with losing Allied, Losing Hawkeye. Is 7-clan and Newfane still there or are they out too?
> Jamestown is history as is Bradford. Don't know about Evans, but Oil City PA is gone.
> 
> T


Last time I checked WNY was down to Double-T, Evans and Lasalle for outdoors... and Evans was only maintaining 14 targets...

Its a darn shame... there were some pretty good clubs with great courses up there...


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## Rattleman (Jul 6, 2004)

Origional Yankton. By far the hardest that I have ever had the pleasure of shooting. Up/Down and side hills not to mention the wind on the top. Hard to walk and the footing was bad. None of the courses at the Glen even come close. Even though it was hard it was equally beautiful. By far the nicest towns people that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Oh and did I mention the HEAT or should I say HOT. WHen we shot it was in excess of 103 degrees F every day.


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## rsw (May 22, 2002)

Rattleman: Original Yankton was tough, but not like some of the ranges like Casper, WY or Spokane, or several of the ranges I shot in the British Isles either. The toughest part about Yankton was the heat and the bitey bugs!!! What I did like about Yankton was the fact the nearly every target had some kind of challenge.


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## Rattleman (Jul 6, 2004)

I never had the pleasure of Casper or Spokane. Same for overseas. At Yankton there were no GIMMEES. Every shot had to be shot with utmost concentration. Footing, wind, heat, up/downhill, sidehill, bugs all made that range exciting.


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