the 2008 national indoor results - National Field Archery Association

By Terry Wunderle
Five Ways to Enhance
Your Yardage Skills
Yardage estimation is the Achilles’ heel for most 3-D
archers. You can be an excellent shot, which many 3-D
archers are, but it does not do you any good if you do
not know the distance. There are several things that
you can practice to enhance your distance judging
skills.
First, learn to identify a known distance. If you compete
on a national level, learn to recognize where 35
yards is located. Practice this until you can recognize
35 yards on the mark. Check it with a range finder.
You need to be exact. Thirty-four yards or 36 yards is
not acceptable. This skill requires several days of hard
practice to acquire and continuous practice to retain.
When you can identify the location of 35 yards, it will
be very close to the distance of the majority of the 3-D
targets. The average 3-D target on a national level
course is 37 yards. When you can identify the 35-yard
mark, it will be much easier to judge the distance from
that mark to the target. Look at it this way, if at every
3-D target there was a yellow flag designating where
35 yards was located, how much more accurate would
you be in determining the distance of the target? If
you only compete on a local level or perhaps you shoot
in a division that does not have a 45 to 50 yard maximum,
you would probably want to make your known
distance less, such as 25 or 30 yards.
Second, most targets are misjudged because of
an error in figuring the last ten yards in front of the
target. You need to be able to determine this critical
point. Practice this by looking at trees, rocks, or any
distinguishable objects and try to identify a point that
is precisely ten yards in front of them. Then check the
results with a range finder. Because very few people
practice estimating distances near the target, they have
difficulties arriving at the correct yardage. If you master
learning the 35-yard mark and the distance of 10
yards in front of the target, you should be able to use
them to get a third measurement that will give you the
total distance. For example, if the 10 yards from the
target is still two yards from reaching the 35-yard mark,
the target is 47 yards (35+10+2=47). With the combination
of these two basic distances there should only
be a small piece of ground that you need to identify.
Third, when practicing yardage estimations and figuring
distances to a target, always do your calculations
off the ground and vegetation. If you do the estimations
according to how the target appears, you can run
into complications. More or less light on the target
makes it seem farther or closer. Using the ground as
your focal point will give you a more constant factor
with which to work.
Next, when walking down a path to the upcoming
target, always take a side view of the distance between
the target and the stake, if this view is available. This
additional piece of information often reveals the secret
to the distance that is blocked by variations in the contour
of the ground.
Finally, when archers arrive at a tournament, they go
to the practice range for a number of shots and then
start the tournament. Studies have shown that archers
have the most difficulty with judging distances during
the first six targets. Instead of spending so much time
on the practice range, use part of it practicing yardage
estimation. Practice identifying where the 35-yard
mark is located and get the feeling for the distance
of ten yards back from any object. This practice will
sharpen your skills before you face the first target.
Judging distance will always be one of the most
difficult skills to master in 3-D archery. Practicing this
skill the same amount of time as you do shooting will
sharpen your performance and enhance your score. ■
GREAT LAKES SECTION
Bob McCutcheon, Councilman
prairie1@royell.net
Sectional Tournament Info
2008 GREAT LAKES OUTDOOR SECTIONAL
June 14-15, 2008
Host: Eau Claire Archers
Location: 2145 Murphy Lane, Eau Claire, WI 54703
Directions: From I-94, Exit 65, go north 0.3 miles to Short St, then
left 1 mile to Ferry St, then left 0.2 miles to Crescent
Ave. Turn right on go 4.4 miles to Murphy Lane, then
left 0.4 miles to range. From I-94, Exit 59, go east on
Rt. 312 to Rt. EE, then right (south) for 4 miles to Crescent
Ave. Go right to Murphy Lane, then left to range.
Registration: Michael Strassman, 2402 W Cameron St, Eau
Claire, WI 54703. Tel: 715-834-9975. E-mail:
mstrassman9975@charter.net.
Late registration: At the range
Schedule: Saturday, 9:00 am, 28 Field and 14 Animal. Sunday,
8:00 am, 28 Hunter
Accommodations (all off Exit 65): Holiday Inn, campus area, 715-835-2211.
The Plaza, 1-800-482-7829. Hampton Inn, 715-839-
7100. Quality Inn, 715-834-6611.
MID-ATLANTIC SECTION
Mike Le Pera, Councilman
brtesite@optonline.net
Sectional Tournament Info
2008 MID-ATLANTIC OUTDOOR SECTIONAL
June 39-29, 2008
Host: New York Field Archers & Bowhunters (NYFAB)
Location: Sugar Hill Recreation Area, Watkins Glen, New York
Directions: From the North: New York State Thruway to Exit #42
(Geneva). Take Route 14 South for approximately
45 miles to the Village of Watkins Glen. From the
South: Take I-86 (old Route 17) to Exit #52 (Route 14
North). Route 14 North for approximately 17 miles
to the Village of Watkins Glen. Directions to Sugar Hill
Recreation Area from Downtown Watkins Glen - N.
Franklin Street (Rt. 14): Turn West onto W. 4th Street
Rt. 409 (100 yds). At “T” intersection bear right onto
Steuben St. (0.7 miles). Follow Steuben Street as it
becomes County Rt. 28 (1 mile). Follow road as it
bears left and turns into County Rt. 23 (5 miles). Turn
left onto County Rt. 21 (1 mile). Turn Right onto Tower
Hill Road (approx. 1/2 mile). Sugar Hill Recreation Area
entrance is on the left.
Registration: Kym Ferrell, 6 Copeland Ave, Geneva, NY 14456. Tel:
315-789-9577.
Late registration: Taken at Sugar Hill Recreation Area. Headquarters Building
on Friday, June 27th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.
Schedule: Saturday: Pick up scorecards 7:00 – 8:00 am. Assembly
SECTION & STATE
ASSOCIATION
NEWS
Edited by Paul Davison • stringwalker@att.net
at 8:00 am. Start shooting 28-target Field Round at
9:00 am. 14-target Animal Round immediately after
completion of the Field Round. Sunday: Pick up
scorecards 7:00 – 8:00 am. Assembly at 8:00 am. Start
shooting 28-target Hunter Round at 8:45 am.
Accommodations: Seneca Lodge, 607-535-2014; Budget Inn, 607-535-
4800; Glen Motor Inn, 607-535-2706; Glen Way Motel,
607-535-4258; Villager Motel, 607-535-7159.
Campgrounds: Paradise Park Campgrounds, 607-535-6600
Miscellaneous Info: A 14-target Field Round practice course will be available
Friday afternoon for a $5 fee.
Additional Contacts: NYFAB web page: http://members.localnet.com/
~archery1. Schulyer County Chamber of Commerce:
http://www.schuylerny.com. Schuyler County Lodging
& Tourism Association: http://www.watkinsglenlodging.com.
Mid-Atlantic Indoor Sectional News
by Mike LePera
The Mid- Atlantic Sectional provided an extra added treat to the Indoor
Nationals at Louisville two weeks after we had a three way tie in the PMFS
division. The three Pros graciously agreed to have the shoot off in front of
everyone there. The format was one end practice followed by sudden death
five arrow ends with Inside/Out scoring. After one end, Jesse Broadwater won
with three I/O X’s, followed by Jimmy Butts with two I/O X’s, and Kendall
Woody with one I/O X. Congratulations to all, because they are true champions.
Jimmy Butts, Jesse Broadwater and Kendall Woody break their Mid-Atlantic
Indoor tie two weeks after-the-fact
continued on page 48
46 Archery Magazine June / July 2008 Archery Magazine June / July 2008 47