Target archery

Target archery is the most popular form of archery, in which members shoot at stationary circular targets at varying distances. All types of bow – longbow, barebow, recurve and compound – can be used. In Great Britain, imperial rounds, measured in yards, are still used for many tournaments and these have slightly different rules to metric (WA) rounds, which are used internationally. Archers are divided into age groups and by type of bow.

Modern competitive target archery is governed by the World Archery Federation (abbreviated WA), formerly FITA – Fédération Internationale de Tir à l'Arc. WA is the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) recognized governing body for all of archery and Olympic rules are derived from the WA rules.

Currently 142 nations are represented by WA archery governing bodies. The largest of these are the FFTA (French archery federation) with approximately 60,000 members, FITARCO (Italian federation), DSB (German Shooting Sport and Archery Federation), All-Japan Archery Federation, and ArcheryGB formerly known as Grand National Archery Society (GNAS) of Great Britain, with approximately 40,000 members. In the United States the WA affiliated governing body is USA Archery, with approximately 25,000 members, which dates to the 1870s, making it the third oldest archery governing body after GNAS and FITARCO, which date to the 1860s.

Archery competitions may be held indoors or outdoors. Indoor rounds are normally shot at one distance, whereas in years past outdoor competitions normally consisted of several distances. Recently World Archery has determined that only one distance is needed for outdoor competitions. Since archery involves the use of potentially lethal equipment, much attention is paid to order and safety. Whistle commands are used to signal the different phases of shooting, or an 'end'. Two whistle blasts means archers can approach the shooting line. One whistle blast means archers can begin shooting. The archers are not allowed to collect their arrows whilst other archers are shooting. The signal to collect your arrows is three whistles from the field captain or a judge. These rules apply to all forms of target archery. Other rules, or points of etiquette, include:

The allowed equipment for Target Archery are Recurve, Compound, Barebow, Longbow (American & English) and Traditional. Recurve uses a sight, dampener (long stick that is in front of and attached to bow), stabilizers (smaller sticks on either side of archer), weights at the ends of the dampener and stabilizers, arrow rest and a plunger (a spring that pushes the arrow away from the bow). A Compound bow uses a sight, weights, dampener, a single stabilizer and an arrow rest. Barebow uses the bow, weights and arrow rest and can usually be taken apart. The difference between that and a longbow is that typically longbows cannot be taken apart and do not use any equipment that can be attached to the bow.

Arrow selections vary depending upon the type of bow that is used and what division someone is competing in. Wood arrows are usually used with Longbows and Barebows. Carbon Fiber arrows are used with Barebow, Compound and Recurve. Aluminum arrows are usually used by beginners or as a core to Carbon arrows at the higher levels of competition.

Standard personal equipment would be a quiver (to put arrows in), some sort of release aid (mechanical or finger), arrow puller and if someone wants to practice at home instead of at a range then they would need their own target butt (as seen in the picture with the Barebow on the right) and these come in many sizes and types.

Competition is broken up by the age of the archer. Each equipment type has the same class as seen below. The "Under" categories may compete in the next age group up but must do so for the entire indoor and outdoor season since points are awarded each competition season (each year) therefore going back and forth between classes isn't allowed so that points are fairly awarded.