Some garden archery, just mind the chickens.

[MagiKelly]

Got a chance to do some archery in the garden today and took some video footage. Just have to watch out for those pesky chickens

[smurf xx]

Nice shots,

Have you tired a ping pong ball?

Thought you were going to have Chicken for lunch for a moment there!!

Smurf xx

[Canal Cajun]

Very nice shooting John. Is the bow you are using Yew, lemonwood or somthing else?

I don't know if you have seen Malc's (Johnjayrambo11111) videos on youtube? he makes and shoots his own bows.

here's a link....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5YaSdGdOj0

regards

Canal Cajun

[DougR]

Can I make a plea for some backstop netting - it can be used to make a serviceable chicken run - and has other advantages.

[Lloyd]

You've got more balls than I do...

[Crow]

Never mind the chickens, it's the poor guy holding the camera I feel sorry for.

And that awful sound when you pulled the arrow out of him...

[Magic Bus]

Have you tired a ping pong ball?

Met a tired girl called ting tang once in Hanoi, who taught me that ding dang dong meant I haven't got any money.... which after meeting her, I didn't.

[GrahamC]

I hope that you're not getting tickets for Wimbledon this year, that sort of behaviour is somewhat frowned upon (but I guess our guy need all the help he can get )

Graham

[MagiKelly]

Very nice shooting John. Is the bow you are using Yew, lemonwood or somthing else?

The bow is a Viper flatbow

http://www.bowsports.com/acatalog/Vi...e_Flatbow.html

It is a 55# one but at my 32" draw I am drawing 63# on the fingers

[Canal Cajun]

Thanks for the link..... I am tempted to get the plastic out

[MagiKelly]

Always worth keeping an eye on ebay too.

[Big Al.]

Note to self.........

Don't fall out with MK when I go to Scotland for the Becky Mason gig.

[TonyBR]

Ok Ok....we´re not derailing threads anymore!!!! Message understood!!!

Now who´s playing the banjo and who will play the fat guy????

[TGB]

So we know why the chicken crossed the garden, (to inspect the flight). But I still don't know for sure, why the chicken crossed the road. (Jokes please...)

TGB

[TonyBR]

So we know why the chicken crossed the garden, (to inspect the flight). But I still don't know for sure, why the chicken crossed the road. (Jokes please...)

TGB

To check MK´s balls?

[David Perry]

Impressive film and nice shooting.

[Silvergirl]

Liked the rebound as it hit the bouncy ball (my computer decided to stop it at that bit )

Very impressed!
I had Euans bow out earlier as he wanted a shot and the boy next door tagged along for a lesson too.
They were most impressed when I hit the target with my second arrow, and it was rather bigger than a tennis ball (more beach ball sized ). Although in my defense i was in a rather large field.

[Sundown]

You've got more balls than I do...

Memo To Self: "... Cowboy... Never Piss Off Magi... Yer An Easy Target..."

Sundowed

[barefoot]

That's really impressive stuff, John; and coincidentally I have been recently thinking of taking up

archery for the purpose of extending my deer season by 2 months (and having the luxury

of hunting alone). I have used a compound bow but never a longbow; trying not to take this thread

sideways, so just a simple question....any good links with concise beginner info, etc. that you

know of ?

[Blutack]

Nice one! Now, if you could balance an apple on the chicken's head........

[MagiKelly]

I have used a compound bow but never a longbow; trying not to take this thread

sideways, so just a simple question....any good links with concise beginner info, etc. that you

know of ?

A compound bow is an efficient machine but it lacks the soul of shooting instinctively with either a recurve or a longbow.

If you were not so far away I have a pile of books and DVDs I could have lent you.

Now first off I have only been doing archery for a few months so am no expert. Remember that when reading my advice

A good book to start is this one

http://www.3riversarchery.com/Books+...6_product.html

In fact if you read that book alone you could probably just practise a bit and you would be fine.

You will find a load of books and DVDs on the 3Rivers site but be careful as there are a few different techniques so while it is fine to know them you really need to stick with one and use that. A consistent form is the secret. If you hold the bow the same way, draw the string to the same place and release smoothly all you need to do is concentrate on the target. Your subconscious will do all the calculating and do the aiming for you.

There are also huge amounts of books etc on hunting with a bow. The traditional Bowhunter magazine is worth a read for info as well

http://www.3riversarchery.com/Books+...X_product.html

I guess I should make clear that hunting with a bow in the UK is illegal. So while the above information on shooting is valid anywhere the hunting side of things only applies to countries where the Law permits this.

[Chainsaw]

Good shooting sir, I'm nowhere near as good as that yet, only getting about a 50cm group at 18m need loads more practice (or some carbon fibre multirod stabilizers and a decent sight or in your case a very good video editing packaged )

Cheers,

Alan

[barefoot]

A compound bow is an efficient machine but it lacks the soul of shooting instinctively with either a recurve or a longbow.

If you were not so far away I have a pile of books and DVDs I could have lent you.

Now first off I have only been doing archery for a few months so am no expert. Remember that when reading my advice

A good book to start is this one

http://www.3riversarchery.com/Books+...6_product.html

In fact if you read that book alone you could probably just practise a bit and you would be fine.

You will find a load of books and DVDs on the 3Rivers site but be careful as there are a few different techniques so while it is fine to know them you really need to stick with one and use that. A consistent form is the secret. If you hold the bow the same way, draw the string to the same place and release smoothly all you need to do is concentrate on the target. Your subconscious will do all the calculating and do the aiming for you.

There are also huge amounts of books etc on hunting with a bow. The traditional Bowhunter magazine is worth a read for info as well

http://www.3riversarchery.com/Books+...X_product.html

I guess I should make clear that hunting with a bow in the UK is illegal. So while the above information on shooting is valid anywhere the hunting side of things only applies to countries where the Law permits this.

Thanks for the links, that's just the stuff I need... and I agree about the compound bow...
I'd much rather go the direction of the recurve style..
Now, all I need to do is build a tree stand and get good enough to hit the broad side of a deer at 30 yards. I'll use a shotgun for tennis ball season...

[monkey_pork]

A compound bow is an efficient machine but it lacks the soul of shooting instinctively with either a recurve or a longbow.

Urgh! - Compound bows are the work of the devil (that's the non-denominational 'devil' of course).



I'm a flatbow man myself, but the 'soul' thing applies equally well there.
I like a lighter bow, as it means I can use it for longer, and flatbows suit that nicely.

Granted it's not archery, but it seems that we both had a maybe, similar'ish kind of weekend.
I found some cooked, but well out of date beetroot in the back of the fridge, and, well, you know how it goes ...

Get the cats safely in and get the guns out.



I usually prefer the long heavy Prometheus steel pellets, but they slip through beetroot in such a sterile, surgical fashion it makes for a very dull shoot - in fact sometimes it's hard to see if you've even hit them, the hole is so clean and tight.

I'm going to try the hollow-pointed 'vermin' pellets next time and see if they make [even more] more mess than the flat pellets I used here, although the one on the right has been nicely sawn up by the pellets yawing through.

[Chainsaw]

oooo the horror

weirdly this is making me want to go out and shoot something, where's my PS3....

Cheers,

Alan

[MagiKelly]

Apples are quite fun as well, especially if you use a blunt

What I really want is one of those ball things you see with the tail attached that roll about in an unpredictable manner. I think one of them and a quiver full of blunts would provide lots of fun. If course I think the ball would only survive one hit.

[Lloyd]

My last archery experiences were a few years back when I was teaching some boys at a youth event. I was surprised at how difficult "today's youth" found it. A lot of "My fingers hurt" etc. I had to move the shooters to within 10 yards of the target to avoid loosing arrows.
In the end one boy could not hit a regulation target at 10 yards in 9 shots?

I guess I am a crappy teacher; the range was safe though. I made the boys wear the finger tabs and arm protector and a good thing too. One of them managed to tag himself with the bow string every time. Personally I am an instinctive shooter and never aim, I have crap form and almost never hold the arrow on the string for more than a split second. That said the pointy things seem to go where I want them to? I just wish I could find a left hand bow to see if I like the sport?

I successfully scored higher than all challengers but that wasn't saying much unfortunately.

[Chainsaw]

I'm a lefty, left eyed that is, not handed... My recurve is a left hander and my longbow doesn't care! Canoe archery is supposed to be quite entertaining. Old pic of me doing it wrong...



Cheers,

Alan

[MagiKelly]

I have crap form and almost never hold the arrow on the string for more than a split second.

That is actually a recognised form and used by quite a few of the "pros"

[Lloyd]

Is that why the pointy things are on target? Maybe I should make a left hand bow and give this a try?

[Crow]

It's a bit worrying that all the mods here seem to be hot shot archers.

Here's the style I used to do. (Until I shot one of the judges.)

[Lloyd]

I used to play at that in my horse days. Trick is releasing when all 4 feet are off the ground. Otherwise there are some wild results and the neighbours cows may get hit.

[DougR]

... I just wish I could find a left hand bow to see if I like the sport?
.....

L.H. bows are easy enough found.

Teaching and lefties can make an interesting mix. - My sister is a natural lefty (left eye dominant) and the fist time she met a bow.

Yes - that's right - stand side on to the target.
Nock the arrow - with the different coloured feather away from the bow.
Point it at the target
Pull back
And - smoothly - let go.

99 people out of 100 will let go of the string...

[TGB]

...I usually prefer the long heavy Prometheus steel pellets, but they slip through beetroot in such a sterile, surgical fashion it makes for a very dull shoot - in fact sometimes it's hard to see if you've even hit them, the hole is so clean and tight.

I'm going to try the hollow-pointed 'vermin' pellets next time and see if they make [even more] more mess than the flat pellets I used here, although the one on the right has been nicely sawn up by the pellets yawing through.

I favoured H&N Semi-wadcutters, penetration but still a good flat impact, never really got on well with their pointed ribbed pellets. (H&N made wadcutters in one piece but their semi' were two part, with the inner surface of the concave tip made from a more brittle material. (Coated with a slight film of oil, so they didn't tarnish and one could cut done on the number of times one needed to hone the barrel.)) Good for rabbits and birds alike but my hunting days are over now.

TGB

[monkey_pork]

I used to play at that in my horse days. Trick is releasing when all 4 feet are off the ground. Otherwise there are some wild results and the neighbours cows may get hit.

I've not tried this on horseback, but the mare has retired now, so it's not going to be fair on her to start now I guess.

It'd been scarily unpredictable to involver her anyway given her err, spiritedness as a younger horse ...

Now my old Dartmoor/Exmoor cob, he'd have been ideal, kinda looked like a bit steppe pony too in his winter coat (Epona bless him).

I favoured H&N Semi-wadcutters, penetration but still a good flat impact, never really got on well with their pointed ribbed pellets. (H&N made wadcutters in one piece but their semi' were two part, with the inner surface of the concave tip made from a more brittle material. (Coated with a slight film of oil, so they didn't tarnish and one could cut done on the number of times one needed to hone the barrel.)) Good for rabbits and birds alike but my hunting days are over now.

TGB

Ah, now I think it must have been these that my pal was talking about yesterday when we had a chat about pellets.

She keeps chickens, and has to control the resident rat population, and whilst she doesn't especially like it she does regard it as necessary, but / and is very responsible towards the rats, and will only shoot if she feels that she can make a quick, reliable kill. She is also very picky about her pellets as a consequence.

I on the other hand only ever shoot 'stuff' - old computer parts, out-of-date beetroot, oh, and card targets of course ... , so I prefer stuff like the Air Arms Diablo Field's in a 5.52 for use in my old classic BSA (as it's a bit sloppy), and the afore mentioned Promethius in my Weirach.
Both pretty heavy, so you need to watch the drop, and have a decent backstop in the garden too.

[Crow]

I've not tried this on horseback, but the mare has retired now, so it's not going to be fair on her to start now I guess.

It'd been scarily unpredictable to involver her anyway given her err, spiritedness as a younger horse ...

Now my old Dartmoor/Exmoor cob, he'd have been ideal, kinda looked like a bit steppe pony too in his winter coat (Epona bless him).



Ah, now I think it must have been these that my pal was talking about yesterday when we had a chat about pellets.

She keeps chickens, and has to control the resident rat population, and whilst she doesn't especially like it she does regard it as necessary, but / and is very responsible towards the rats, and will only shoot if she feels that she can make a quick, reliable kill. She is also very picky about her pellets as a consequence.

I on the other hand only ever shoot 'stuff' - old computer parts, out-of-date beetroot, oh, and card targets of course ... , so I prefer stuff like the Air Arms Diablo Field's in a 5.52 for use in my old classic BSA (as it's a bit sloppy), and the afore mentioned Promethius in my Weirach.
Both pretty heavy, so you need to watch the drop, and have a decent backstop in the garden too.

Beetroot's good. And old airfix models.

But the best was blasting cowpats with a 10 bore. You have to wait til they have a crust on them, but are still wet inside...

[Lloyd]

Not to go too far off topic but are BSA scopes any good? I am thinking on getting one.

As for horseback archery; geldings every time for me. Predictability.
I do have to go looking for a nice piece of wood to make a bow from though. it has been far too long. There are no real archery stores withing a few hundred miles of me.

[barefoot]

Not to go too far off topic but are BSA scopes any good? I am thinking on getting one.

As for horseback archery; geldings every time for me. Predictability.
I do have to go looking for a nice piece of wood to make a bow from though. it has been far too long. There are no real archery stores withing a few hundred miles of me.

Okay, the thread tangent police are going to be hot on my heels for this one, so I'll just post it and run:

As I have no access to Lemonwood or Yew, what's 3rd or 4th choice, i.e. a tree on my
property, preferably. Ash or red oak a possibility?

I've got an Alaskan Mill and an 80cc chainsaw just itching to make something other than
scaffold planks.....

[Lloyd]

Do you have hackmatack (Tamarack) in Ontario? I met an old English long bow maker that had moved here who swears by it. It took me 40 minutes to convince him to tell me what he used as it was his secret. He only agreed after I showed him a bunch of hand carved paddles and talked shop with him for a while.

They are easy to spot they drop their needles in the winter.

[TGB]

Not to go too far off topic but are BSA scopes any good? I am thinking on getting one...

Always liked the Tasco range. Excellent lens and build with good quality lens coating. They used to make an armoured scope, which could take the odd harder knock, without harming the alignment of the scope. Plus they come with a good guarantee with excellent after sales service.

TGB

[barefoot]

Do you have hackmatack (Tamarack) in Ontario? I met an old English long bow maker that had moved here who swears by it. It took me 40 minutes to convince him to tell me what he used as it was his secret. He only agreed after I showed him a bunch of hand carved paddles and talked shop with him for a while.

They are easy to spot they drop their needles in the winter.

Got lots of tamarack (aka larch?) just north of here... I would have thought it was too splintery for a bow......thought it was only good for pulp; okay, I'll have to get hold of my buddy in Barry's Bay....

[Chainsaw]

I thank ash should work, assuming it's the same ash as we have over here?? I've seen references to ash self bows. I'd love to see how you get on.

Cheers,

Alan

[Sundown]

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/top...-bow-wood.html

Sundown

[barefoot]

One last question then I'll crawl back into my den till spring....
Ever heard of a bow made of Black Cherry? Got some decent sized ones in the back 40;
sure is a nice looking grain and colour to it, but don't know about the mechanics of that
particular wood.....