Y.A.C.S. - Youth Archers of CS!

[lucee]

Username: Roses.in.the.rain
Nickname (what you'd like us to call you): Roses, Rose, Ro, Ro-Ro… I don't mind!
Would you rate yourself as beginner, intermediate, or experienced archer? (please be honest): Ehehehe... Complete beginner.
Preferred type of bow (recurve, compound, etc.): Recurve.
Preferred type (target, field, flight, etc.): Target.
Do you hunt or hope to hunt in the future?: Nope.
Do you compete or hope to compete in the future?: Nope - I need to work on hitting the target first xD
Preferred aiming technique? (Barebow or sight)?: Um… I'm not sure. Sight?

Thanks!

[Pure Dragon]

Hi Roses! Barebow is basically where you shoot without a sight aid, like a pin with a little ball on the end or a scope. If you have a plain old recurve (which is cool ^^) without any kind of attachments, you're probably a barebow shooter. If you do have a scope or sight pin, then that's... well, shooting with a sight. ^^

[lucee]

Oh, okay, thanks for explaining that. Let me edit- barebow shooter, definitely. I actually have to borrow my friend's bow whenever I get the chance as I don't have my own, and we take turns shooting a cardboard box. I hit it about seven times out of ten... Which is okay, I suppose. Thanks again!

[Pure Dragon]

No problem. ^^ Personally, I think barebow shooters are the cooler archers - it requires real skill and practice, as opposed to lining up a sight with your target. I respect both kinds of archers though. ^^ Also the best target you can get cheap is to:

- get a piece of cardboard
- draw a couple rings on it
- draw a dime to quarter sized solid dot for the bullseye (I know it sounds hard, but it'll actually help you practice a lot better!)
- buy a hay/straw bale or two and stack them up
- stick the target onto the bales somehow

(For my 2D deer target, there were holes on the top edge so I strung some of those cheesy mardi-gras bead necklaces onto them, then wedged the necklaces beneath the cords on the bale, stuck a pencil through the end, and twisted so it couldn't come out.)

It actually makes a really good target, I listed all the good things about it a couple posts ago if you're interested in reading. And it only costs about $8 to make! (That's what I paid. Of course, my mom bought the cardboard deer target, but if I just cut out a big piece of cardboard from an old box and drew a target on it, it would have been free for the target itself and you'd only need to pay for the hay/straw like I did.)

[Pure Dragon]

I'm going to use this post to keep track of my progress. Now, I've already been doing it for two or three weeks, so the days just refer to the days I recorded my score. I'll edit my post everyday I shoot.

My target: I have a life-size 2D deer target with vital organ patches. There is an orange quarter size spot in the prime shot location.
My scoring system:
- Missed the target, or missed or hit edge of the deer [0 points]
- Hit the deer but missed any vital organs [2 points]
- Hit the vital organs, but missed the black vital organs patch [3 points]
- Hit the liver on the black vital organs patch [5 points]
- Hit the heart or lungs on the black vital organs patch [10 points]
- Hit the orange quarter sized spot [25 pints]

Day 1:
Round 1: 67 points
Round 2: 89 points
Round 3: 98 points
Round 4: 129 points
Average: 95.75 points

[Lunaestrella]

Thanks for explaining all of that! Now I'll know how to build a nice target when I get my bow

[Pure Dragon]

You're welcome. ^^ It works really well for me. Course, my target is hung in front of 2 bales and the bullseye just happens to be just on that center line between the two bales. My arrows go in deep or go al the way through there, not really a nice reward for making a good shot. >.< I suppose I could shift the target up or down a bit. *Is too lazy to do so*

Last night at like 8, I went out to shoot because it was still plenty light but not so hot, and in about 2 minutes of shoting, 4 coons show up, right in the middle of the lawn! That's totally not fair. (Right now I don't think I'm good enough to get a clean shot and kill them quick without the pain.) I hope Momma Kitty and her kittens are okay, those coons were only a few feet from her nest... (Well, she hasn't had her kitties yet but she will soon.)

[Lunaestrella]

Aww! I'd feel sorry to kill them, but maybe you can put your cat and her kittens somewhere where they can't get them? Poor kittens!
There must be more archers on CS We only have four members

[Rai-kun]

I'm sure there are. But, we are just starting out, so many people probably don't even know about this thread.

On another note:
Hey Pure! I'll be visiting SF next weekend! (Not tomorrow.) I know you won't be there ( D: ) but oh well. *cheers* I can finally practice again! Now I won't have to worry about my neighbor stealing my arrows or accidentally shooting him because of ricocheting problems!

[Pure Dragon]

She's not really our cat, just a stray that comes over to eat and cuddle with us. I'm not sure she'd appreciate us moving her nest. Oh well, hopefully she'll move the nest herself. And yeah... we have three affiliates now which should help a bit getting the word out, but maybe we need a banner or something.

If you want, my dad would probably let you practice out in our pasture. Then you have plenty of spaces to set up, so long as you make sure the dogs are penned up in the garage or something. (Or maybe sometime this summer Dad can fence off a nice big area. Then as long as you have backing along the side of the fence you're shooting at, the arrows aren't likely to get out (unless you shoot off to the side) and the dogs can't get in.