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Field Archery Info

What is Field Archery?

Archers that have not had the pleasure of shooting a field archery round often think of it as standing at a stake in an open field and shooting at a yonder target. Not so! A field round is a challenging course, generally located in a woods, in varying terrain, with different distances from target to target. It is a proven fact that a proficient field archer is also a proficient 3-D and target archer.

There are a few basic differences between field archery and most 3-D courses. Most notably, field courses have marked yardages. As it was so aptly put by one of our NFAA members: “Field archery is a game of shooting – not yardage estimation.” The basic NFAA field archery round is made up of 28 targets. The round is two 14 targets units. There can be 28 targets one after the other, or you can have a 14-target course and shoot it twice to make the round. Each 14-target unit has the same number of shots, but not necessarily in the same order on a 28-target field course.

You shoot four arrows at each target for a total of 112 arrows per field and hunter rounds. Some of the shooting positions let you shoot all four arrows from one marked stake; some shooting positions have stakes at four different positions where you walk toward the target on each shot, or in a fan position. The distances vary according to the round you are shooting. The standard NFAA field round has distances that vary from 20 feet to 240 feet. There are four different size target faces, the further the target distance, the bigger the target. You might say, “I don’t shoot at deer that are 80 yards away.” Well, neither do the rest of us. The idea is that it teaches you to aim at a spot and it will make a better all-around archer out of you.


The younger folks get a break. If you’re under 14, your longest distance is 50 yards; if you’re under 12, your longest range is 30 yards. Targets are round, with black and white faces. There is a possible 20 points per target, and a perfect round is 560.


Other types of “field” rounds are also offered, There’s the hunter round, something like the above field round except that you shoot at an all-black face with a white dot. The ranges on this round vary between 33 feet and 210 feet. Again, 2 14-target units make a round. There are four size faces to shoot at, and different distances on the roving course. Scoring is identical to the field round.


The animal round is much like the 3-D round, but the targets are 2-D. That is, an animal printed on a sheet of paper that is usually pasted to cardboard. Again, distances are marked to give everyone an equal chance. Scoring is a bit different in this round. You take three of your arrows and mark them 1, 2, and 3. When you get to the shooting stake you shoot arrow number 1. If you hit the scoring area you need not shoot another arrow. If you miss the first shot, you move up to the next shooting stake and shoot number 2. If you hit the scoring area, there’s no need to shoot number 3. If you missed number one and two, move up and shoot number three. The scoring area is divided into two parts, the vital area and non-vital, with a bonus X-ring in the center of the vital area and scored accordingly. Scoring is based on ‘where’ you hit with ‘which’ arrow. The first arrow shot is scored 21, 20 or 18. The second arrow is scored 17, 16 or 14, and the third arrow is scored 13, 12 or 10. The best score per target is 21 and the total possible score for the round, is 588.


Scoring on NFAA courses are identical throughout the USA. No matter where you live you can compare your score, your level of proficiency, against an archer shooting in your division, and style anywhere else in the country. You always shoot against your competition whether you prefer release, fingers, bowhunting equipment or whatever.


If you want to improve your 3-D scores – shoot field archery.


For NFAA membership information visit
www.nfaausa.com or call 605-260-9279