“But the most delightful feature of archery as a competitive game, is seen in the private social shoots held under the direction of some hospitable friend of the sport, when few congenial spirits are called together for an afternoon to be spent in merry contest and converse, and closed with a simple and informal dinner.”

From The Witchery of Archery by Maurice Thompson. Originally published in 1878, reprinted 1984 and currently available free online or from Martin Archery in book form.

Welcome to the world of Field Archery! There is nothing like hiking and shooting with fellow archers (or alone) in the great and beautiful outdoors provided by ranges like the Redwood Bowmen Club. Like most of us, you probably caught the archery bug in Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, or summer camp – lobbing arrows at a target tacked to hay bale, “twanging your arm” with a recurve string! Little did you know that Field Archery is well defined and organized sport. For more information visit the National Field Archery Association website, and the California Bowmen Hunters website. While Field Archery is but one of many ways to practice archery, we believe that the Redwood Bowmen archery range is the ultimate place in Northern California to enjoy it! So, we thought we'd give you a bit of information about how to use a Field Archery course like ours. You can of course “rove” and shoot from any marker, but click the link at the bottom of this page for a brief summary of the official Field Archery rules followed at outdoor Club Shoots and other Field Archery tournaments world wide and how to use a range like the Redwood Bowmen's.

A Word for Beginners (good advice from The Witchery of Archery!)

“A good way to train correctly, is to place your target ten feet from you at first, and shoot at that distance until you can hit a four-inch ring every shot; then remove it ten feet further and repeat the practice till you keep inside the ring; move again and so on until you are shooting sixty or one hundred feet. You may then increase the distance daily, say three feet, till you can show good work at sixty or one hundred yards. When at sixty yards you begin occasionally to pierce the nine-inch central ring of the target, you may begin public shooting with confidence. . . When, after considerable experience and success at mark-practice, you begin to shoot in the woods, you will discover that to be a good shot is not the half of what it takes. . . Some of the finest shots you will ever make will be misses, and some of the poorest will be centre hits. Such is luck. . . To do regular, even shooting requires a great deal of preparatory practice at unequal distances and under a large variety of influences, with every difference of surroundings and in all sorts of weather.”

Mr. Thompson's 150 year old advice is still relevant today:

• Start out at short distances - Youth or Cub stakes (you'll lose less arrows that way – if you do lose arrows, ask to see the lost and found arrow bucket inside the Range House – we regularly find arrows when we clear brush during our Work Days).

• Set goals and move on after you've achieved them – it's tempting to shoot the long targets because you see the experienced archers doing it – it can also be frustrating – you'll build your confidence faster by working your way up.

• Remember to balance score keeping and achievement with “form” training/practice – take a lesson or two from a coach and pay attention to your form flaws and try to correct them.

• Keep it fun, “rove” once in a while, shoot with others, and laugh at yourself – all archers make bonehead mistakes from time-to-time, these are occasion for laughter, not self-derision!

• Enjoy the outdoors and the scenery - there are no rules demanding that you shoot indoors – don't be a “fair weather archer.”

Studying Archery

As suggested above, beginning and experienced archers can benefit from lessons, workshops, and individual coaching. The Redwood Bowmen club does not currently offer lessons or coaching; but becoming a club member enables you to meet experienced archers of all classes and styles and learn informally from them as you become acquainted – a valuable membership benefit.

The following Bay Area archery shops offer lessons and coaching at varying levels, and indoor leagues and programs in addition to selling archery equipment and tackle. Contact them for more information:

Archery Only , Newark CA (510) 795-0460

The Bow Rack , San Pablo CA (510) 236-8303

Pacifica Archery , Daly City CA (650) 756-4868

Please think before ordering archery equipment via the Internet - patronize our local archery shops and help keep them in business for the good of archery!

Click here to learn how to use our range