Archery in the UK

New Avon Arms
Threads on bowhunting to tend to get shut down pretty quick, presumably because they always end up being a squabble over the rights or wrongs of whether it should be allowed in the UK, and the ethics etc.
Neither do we shoot lions or elephants in this country, but there's a legit place to discuss these sports on the site - in the Big Game Hunting forum. I'd like to suggest to the site managers that the "Big Game Hunting" section be re-named "Overseas Hunting", so that all those keen on bowhunting have an appropriate place on the site to discuss their sport without it being a UK think. Is that a possibility?
 
VSS said:
Threads on bowhunting to tend to get shut down pretty quick, presumably because they always end up being a squabble over the rights or wrongs of whether it should be allowed in the UK, and the ethics etc.
Neither do we shoot lions or elephants in this country, but there's a legit place to discuss these sports on the site - in the Big Game Hunting forum. I'd like to suggest to the site managers that the "Big Game Hunting" section be re-named "Overseas Hunting", so that all those keen on bowhunting have an appropriate place on the site to discuss their sport without it being a UK think. Is that a possibility?
Click to expand...

That sounds reasonable. I had posted other bowhunting news there, about deer, bear, and boar.

I started this thread more out of curiosity about archery as a target sport, and was not sure where to put it, because I asked about overseas hunting, too, and knew it would get into some history.
 
Orion said:
Make you right there. The recovery, stabilisation and conservation of the many longbows and arrows from the wreck of the Mary Rose, (and attempts to get some of them back into shooting condition), is dealt with in detail by author, actor and toxophilite Robert Hardy in his book, the aforementioned "The Great Warbow" - a cracking read and available for a few quid from the usual suspects.

As an aside, anyone care to comment on what is the hot ticket at the moment in compound bows for hunting and field archery?
Click to expand...
In the bow stores I have visited (Gander mountain , Bay archery, Bass pro shop all in Michigan) this week there are no more normal shaped compounds on sale, they are now all the big wheeled squat type with the risers coming back out almost horizontal towards the bowman (not shooter) check out google the shop assistants main improvement claim was they are to have a quieter letoff. The power, speed and draw weight all appear to me unchanged but the dollar prices are now at the 1000 and rising mark everybody is upgrading and so stonking bow offers are now on craigslist for $150-200 ish.
I found an unused set with a $60 case, 7 arrows and a PSE Bruin bow for only $150 last weekend and I have a stand set up now for this Sunday in the Manistee forest to hunt whitetail with an old pal.
I know it is not to everybodys cup of tea but they say "if you have not done it do not knock" it so here goes.
Martin
 
Wife shoots all that you mentioned and crossbow with a county club and actually is pretty good I've had the odd shot when allowed lol and could get into it but not just to shoot paper I'm afraid it's a bit the same with clay busting I don't see the point and get bored easily .
guess its the stalk that's gets yr juices flowing don't get that standing on a line .
norma
 
‎I truly do not understand either the hostility or censure this subject solicits whenever a thread such as above comes up and to suggest it is an "off topic" if discussing other than the legal status seems at best rather strange.

Deerstalking is not deer management for 99% of us but rather hunting with a rifle. Those who suggest otherwise and in consequence seek to deny they are animated by the hunting gene do themselves and the sport an injustice in my opinion.

To crave a return to a simpler and more challenging way of hunting; the longbow in my case, ‎strikes this member as a wholly understandable progression from the rifle if the word challenge features in one's self-fulfilment equation. Why else would Pine Marten, as but one example, have purchased a 2nd type of fowling peice that will never be the match for his bolt gun if mechanical consistency is the benchmark?
‎
I love my walnut and steel but it is the accompaniment to a far greater passion that is to hunt. To ‎be afforded the opportunity to venture into the woods with 7ft of yew and a quiver of broadheads would be a far, far greater privilege than what the granting of a FAC allows.

K
 
Klenchblaize said:
‎To ‎be afforded the opportunity to venture into the woods with 7ft of yew and a quiver of broadheads would be a far, far greater privilege than what the granting of a FAC allows.
Click to expand...

Nothing to stop you 'venturing' old chap - just give the hosiery and funny hat with a feather a miss if you don't want to start rumours. ;)

View attachment 48359
 
Klenchblaize said:
I love my walnut and steel but it is the accompaniment to a far greater passion that is to hunt. To ‎be afforded the opportunity to venture into the woods with 7ft of yew and a quiver of broadheads would be a far, far greater privilege than what the granting of a FAC allows.
Click to expand...

I guarantee you that to correctly select an ambush point that brings a deer within 20 yards of you hours later, or move closer and closer through the woods for a clear shot, until you are within 10 yards of a wild boar, bear, elk or moose, and to draw an arrow you crafted yourself, is as near to your ancestors as you can get.

The same is true for choosing to hunt with a handgun, or a cap and ball or flintlock muzzle loader. There is part of that challenge but also some sort of connection in hunting with an old rifle or drilling, using iron sights, the same way it previous owners did, especially if the rifle belonged to your father or grandfather.
 
Thanks for the replies. I enjoyed learning more about the archery shops, clubs, meets, and the Royal Company of Archers.

Those who are archery enthusiasts are probably family with longbow shooter Byron Ferguson and Time Wells, but for those who are not, here are some links:

Shooting a coin out of the air

basics
byron ferguson hunting - YouTube

Wingshooting with a bow


Breastplate vs warbow
 
"Wingshooting with a bow". AWESOME!

Some of those shots would challenge any number armed with a 12 gauge.

Definitely something to watch before condemning what can clearly be achieved if given of a natural affinity for the bow allied to regular practice.

K
 
The last use of the Longbow in war was, incredibly in WW2.

Jack Churchill was an officer in the British Expeditionary Force in 1940 in the Manchester Regiment. His section ambushed a German patrol in France and the first contact was Churchill who said he would shoot the first German, a sergeant, with his longbow, which he did.

Have a look at his entry on Wikipedia if you're interested. He also carried a basket hilted Scottish broadsword into battle. He was the epitome of the eccentric British Army officer.
 
Hey, he sounds like a total warrior to me. A longbow and a broadsword are still effective weapons.

US Special Forces have been using crossbows and tomahawks since Vietnam.

Your post made me think back that my interest in archery was kindled by a boyhood friend of my father, a real Tarzan. During WWII, he served in the Marine Corps in the Pacific. He made a flat bow and used it to kill Japanese sentries, and brought it back with him, arrows and quiver, too. Getting to shoot that the first time was like holding a magic wand.
 
Ey up,

I have shot longbows for 4 years now at a target club. Longbows nowadays in the uk are usually made from a number of laminations glued together and shaped and tillered into a bow. I started off with a 44 lb padauk, purpleheart and bamboo bow and progressed to a 60lb yew and hickory laminate. Yew self bows i.e. a yew bow shaped and tillered from a yew stave are still available from a few bowyers in the uk but are eye wateringly expensive. I have a 60lb self bow on order for later this year a treat for completing 25 years service at work. 60lb draw weight with red deer antler nocks and arrow pass

One of the difficulties with shooting longbows is having to shoot so quickly, as a longbow at full draw is 3/4 broken so we only hold for a maximum of 2 seconds also the bow loses efficiency (known as cast in the archery world) so you still have the full draw weight on your fingers but not the oomph.

Target archery in the uk is done over differing distances with 6 classifications to be gained, starting with bowman level 3 ,2 ,1 bowman, master bowman, grandmaster bowman.

Bowman and above requires shooting at 100yds ( i gained bowman two years ago and am nipping at the heels of master bowman)

prolific bowyers in the uk include
varin smith who is making my yew self bow
adrian hayes
lee ankers
pip bickerstaffe
 
Great iinformation, GSMAR.

There are a significant number of bowyers in the US making longbows of a yew stave, or some other wood. But most are laminate longbows. Some are takedowns for travel. I still have a 30 lb longbow from when I was a boy, but have shot recurves for hunting ever since I graduated from college, got a job and could afford to buy a 50#, then a 65# Bear.

There are several magazines devoted to longbow and recurve, making bows, arrows and tackle, and hunting - Traditional Archery being totally focused on this. There are several mail order suppliers of stave wood, arrow shafts in Port Ortford Cedar and Norway Pine, fletching, nocks, and all that. I build my own wood arrows, but never attempted a bow. I live near two famous bow designers and builders, Owen and Tom Jeffery.

When I was in my late 20s, I lived in the foothills of the mountains, and belonged to a club of traditional archers, some of whom built their own bows. Monty Kennedy built and hunted with longbows up to 120 lb draw to the mouth, and killed a world record Kodiak Bear with that.

Some states have minimum draw weights for bows, disregarding the difference between recurve and compound bows. Friends who venture out West to bow hunt every year or so have taken elk with bows as light as 45 lbs, shooting completely through the chest, cutting ribs on entrance and exit. My 30 lb bow has shot completely through a 150-lb deer with a wood arrow at 25 yards.
 
Nice to see a peaceful exchange about bow shooting. I shoot one long bow and three recurves. I don't even consider a compound bow to be a bow...~Muir
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

I learnt that you can hunt in the UK with a catapult/slingshot. Can you hunt with a bow and arrow then?
2 3 4
Replies
74
Views
10K
Franchi Matt
F
Some local stuff highlighted in bold,plus YOU can enter the Hog Deer ballot from the UK too.
Replies
3
Views
376
Loki
Loki
Prepping for ibex hunt in Tajikistan
2
Replies
23
Views
2K
Tralle
Tralle
Hello from the Ozarks
Replies
11
Views
716
Hornet
Hornet
  • Poll Poll
Legality and Efficacy of Bowhunting in the UK
8 9 10
Replies
199
Views
13K
Tim.243
Tim.243
PSE Composites Limited - The next level Rifle Stocks
Back
Top