Archery in the UK

[rodp]

I've got a mate who makes and shoots longbows (and the arrows), when we last met in the woods he was eyeing up which tree to fell next in order to stock up on yew. Didn't realise there was so much to making a longbow. You have to admit they look like a stick with some string tied on, apparently quite a bit more to it though

 

[gonna shoot a wabbit]

Interestingly a large proportion of the yew that is imported into the uk is from america. And in this world of ultra techy everything i quite like the traditional aspect of the english longbow as it appeals to my eccentric nature.

Also whilst people may look at the latest compound and admire the technicalities of construction my longbows always get novices coming over for a chat and some seasoned archers too, walking straight past the rows of recurve and compound bows. It always helps when at 20yds you are thumping arrows into the gold on a 40cm target HA HA.

When i moved up from the 44lb bow to the 60lb bow talk about a learning curve. i could shoot the 44 lb bow for hours. when i first got the 60lb bow i could shoot it for 30 mins and then my form would start to suffer with my left shoulder near my ear HA HA. i can now shoot the york round which is 6 dozen arrows at 100yds, 4 dozen at 80yds and 2 dozen at 60yds. 144 shots with 60lb bow equates to collectively pulling just under 4 tons on three fingers if my maths is right. yes a certain amount of strength is required. hence in medieval times there was a saying i have read from a number of sources that says it takes 10 years to train an archer. Not to learn archery but to steadily advance to the heavy draw weight bows. my own experience supports the theory.

 

[teyhan1]

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

With all due respect, I think that compound bows are a modern engineering masterpiece.
I don't consider a car to be a horse, but they will both get you from A to B.

 

[Muir]

With all due respect, I think that compound bows are a modern engineering masterpiece.
I don't consider a car to be a horse, but they will both get you from A to B.

And any idiot can drive a car.
I owned a compound. It had a peep sight and sighting pins for different ranges and it was very easy to hit my target right off the bat. My 50M groups were superb. After growing up on recurves, however, it was hard to consider it a bow. Much in the same light way I don't consider a cross bow, a bow; though there is a generation of young people who consider shooting a cross bow "archery".

When I returned to recurves I remembered why I found instinctive archery so satisfying.~Muir

 

[gonna shoot a wabbit]

it really depends on how difficult you want to make your archery and if it is the group sizes or the challenge that appeals.

i started off with a recurve with sights and stabilisers and it was a bit too easy to do well with it. Plus i prefer the longbow looks and minimalistic approach with the most difficult form to master. also i will confess who didnt want to be robin hood when they were a kid HA HA HA

the really good bit with archery is that there is an aspect to appeal to everyone. whether you're a dyed in the wool gadgetmaster with a top flight compound with red dot sights and carbon arrows or a bent stick with feathery twigs (well perhaps not but you get the idea) as long as you enjoy what your doing, Happy days!

 

[Taff]

I love my compound, but attempted to build a longbow, I cut a yew approx 4 inches round and 7 ft long, dried it for 16 mths, and split it with a axe and bill hook , the grain kept running out so ended up with a flat bow, it looks good ( to my eyes) White wood with a red back, not sure how it will shoot but a great summer project whittling on a warm evening.

 

[gonna shoot a wabbit]

Ey up,

i have 4 pieces of hazel and 2 pieces of elder that i am also going to attempt to make into flat bows next summer.

i agree a great summer project

happy whittlin'

 

[Southern]

This thread has brought up questions about archery in the USA, and elsewhere...maybe a thread on that with some hunting reg variations from state to state.

Monster whitetail deer taken with a longbow.
Sticks for Bows...: Monster Whitetail taken With a Long Bow

 

[mark@mbb]

Have a word with Mike Norris he is a serious bow hunter and very good looking at the wall decorations

 

[phitt]

That's an impressive day at the doos. There's a club about 5 mins from me. I often see the National competitions taking place and have gone down for a wee look. There's always a good range of spotting scopes on show. Better range than any shop if you fancy trying any out

 

[Slartibartfast]

Hi if anyone is interested this is the link to the UK Natonal org Archery GB | Official Website for archery in Great Britain and Northern Ireland : Home |. They cater for all types of bow. All ages and abilities can take part, there is even a sections for VI and blind archers. There are no licenses, or police checks. there are lots of clubs arround the UK that run have a goes and beginners courses.

 

[tackb]

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

it is nice to see a peaceful discussion about archery , yours is the first contentious post in this thread ! Well done........

 

[jubnut]

I have never understood the hostility towards Archery, I practice it myself.

My favourite arch is Marble arch, closely followed by the arc de triomphe.

 

[Dragunov]

Interesting discussion. Am I right in thinking the "bow staves " recovered for the Marie Rose are oak?

 

[Muir]

it is nice to see a peaceful discussion about archery , yours is the first contentious post in this thread ! Well done........

I try. I did explain my stance in a later post.~Muir

 

[Orion]

Interesting discussion. Am I right in thinking the "bow staves " recovered for the Marie Rose are oak?

No, all were yew. There is in existance the 'Anthony Roll' which is in effect a complete manifest of the entire fleet at the time, (now in the Pepys Library of Magdalene College, Cambridge), which indicates that the Mary Rose had on board at the time of sinking, " Bows of yew 250; Bowstrings 6 gross; Livery arrows in sheaves 400" (9,600 arrows).

Other manifests of the era have shown that bows constructed from different woods were carried in other vessels - mention of both witch-hazel and elm, (wych elm), is made - but in inferior numbers to those of yew. No mention as far as I can see of oak.

 

[teyhan1]

And any idiot can drive a car.
I owned a compound. It had a peep sight and sighting pins for different ranges and it was very easy to hit my target right off the bat. My 50M groups were superb. After growing up on recurves, however, it was hard to consider it a bow. Much in the same light way I don't consider a cross bow, a bow; though there is a generation of young people who consider shooting a cross bow "archery".

When I returned to recurves I remembered why I found instinctive archery so satisfying.~Muir

I have watched many videos where people miss with a compound bow.
The main advantage in using a compound is that the left off wheels allow you to hold on shot for a little longer.
If you are so against technological advances in bows then I would think that you would not call a modern rifle 'a rifle' when compared to a muzzleloader. It does not have rifling (a huge advance in weapon design) or cartridges or a telescopic sight etc etc.
But we all know you like your 'rifles'

 

[Muir]

I have watched many videos where people miss with a compound bow.
The main advantage in using a compound is that the left off wheels allow you to hold on shot for a little longer.
If you are so against technological advances in bows then I would think that you would not call a modern rifle 'a rifle' when compared to a muzzleloader. It does not have rifling (a huge advance in weapon design) or cartridges or a telescopic sight etc etc.
But we all know you like your 'rifles'

And i do like my rifles and your analogy has some validity, but....
I'm not against modern advances in bows. I just don't consider compounds as bows just as I don't see crossbows as bows. I once made a splendid crossbow but I couldn't consider its use any form of archery. In this light I don't see compounds with their let off, sights (scopes!) and trigger releases as being a 'bow' as I know it. Like the crossbow, it's something different.

I like muzzleloading rifles and shoot them. In many States, the traditional muzzleloading hunter gets a separate season from the boys using In Line bolt action muzzleloaders with Timney triggers, scopes and firing a sabotted jacketed bullet. The reason is because the State recognizes that just because it loads from the muzzle does not make it the same weapon as a side-lock rifle.

That's my analogy.~Muir

 

[User00005]

Just joined here yesterday and surprised to find a thread discussing archery. But, I'm delighted because I'm a toxophilite myself. I shoot both recurve and compound for target and 'field' and I'm a member of both Archery GB and the National Field Archery Society. I shoot compound outdoors only, as I'm unable to hit a 100 yard target with my recurve. My current Classification is Bowman First Class and next year I will try to achieve Bowman. I've shot 3D both here and in the USA and in 2015 I will compete at the European Masters in Nice, France. Happy arrows as we say.

 

[Southern]

winchester9244,

Tell us more about the targets, number of arrows shot at 100 yards, types of recurves and longbows used and their draw weights, and the arrows.

I have not attended in a long time, but there is a big traditional archery meet and convention on a farm every year in Brownsville, Indiana, just west of Indianapolis. If you dress in attire complementing your archery tackle, you are permitted to camp there - in proper period tents, of course. There are plains Indians camping there in buffalo skin teepees, with the who family in buckskin clothes. There are archers from Germany and France in medieval attire, with tents to match. It is great fun, you meet a lot of interesting people, and a lot of hunters who swap information and help each other set up hunts in new places.