NFAA International Round

[Desert Archer]

OK folks, I understand not everyone has access to large target butts (big enough to hold the 122cm face required for the 900) so here's another one for you to try. It's called the International Round and is very similar to the old PAA (Professional Archer's Association) round from back in the '60s and '70s.

Ranges are 20 to 65 yards, in 5 yard increments, i.e. 20, 25, 30, 35, etc. out to 65. Targets are supposed to be the black Hunter faces but for practice I just shoot on the field faces. The scoring is exactly the same, the size is the same and the range I use has the field faces up (the real excuse - LOL).

You shoot three arrows at each distance. An end is 30 arrows - once through all the targets. You repeat for a total of 60 arrows and 300 points.

My bad back just wasn't up to hiking through the field course today so I shot the International for some practice. Didn't set the barebow archery world on fire with a 212 out of 300, but at least I didn't miss any bales (which I did the first time I ever shot it - LOL some more).

You don't need an elaborate course, like you do for field, and you could shoot it with one butt if you have enough room to get back to 65 yards. First three distances take the 35cm target; the middle four distances take the 50cm target; and the last three use the big 65cm target. All scored 5, 4 & 3 as in field.

Our state orginization (Arizona Bowhunters & Field Arcery Association) put one of these on last October. It was the first one I'd ever shot in and I only scored 175. I was the only person there without a sight on my bow. Lonely day (LOL). They are planning another one for this fall but no date has been set yet. I'm going to try and shoot it occasionally and get my score up to the 225-250 range. Got to hold up the honor of us barebow shooters (smiley face goes here).

Dave

[Viper]

DA -

I really miss shooting that round, for a lot of reasons. It is a great way to get your "sights" set for field rounds, or any other "distance" round and gave you a really good idea of what, or where, your limit was, distance wise. Really think if more clubs ran that round (we used to call it the outdoor PAA), I'd bet you get more barebow folks out there.

A barebow 250 on that is remarkable!!! (but guess you know that).

Viper out.

[Desert Archer]

Really think if more clubs ran that round (we used to call it the outdoor PAA), I'd bet you get more barebow folks out there.
Viper, I couldn't agree more. That's why I put this new thread up...in the hope some more folks would try it, find out how much fun it is and possibly get encouraged to try the full field course. It is an up hill battle (smiley face goes here).

A barebow 250 on that is remarkable!!!
I wouldn't know (LOL) but it is my intention to find out! If you don't set the bar high, you'll never get off the ground!

Speaking of "250s" why don't you shoot a round and post your score here. We can have fun chasing each other to that "remarkable" 250.

Dave

[Eaglearcher]

Hey DA
We also shoot this round in the UK. Its a really useful round for us in the winter when its difficult to fit a full field round in before the light fails.
My best with the A.F.B. (IFAA Longbow) is a paultry 127 so don't feel so bad about your score. I'm not sure about shooting the whole round on one target though. We tend to treat the round the same as any other and walk around the field course as normal and miss out the four unused distances.

Keep spreading the word D.A. :highfive:
Long live Field Archery.

[Desert Archer]

Eagle, my reference to "one target" was actually about using one target butt. I figured folks who don't have a club with multiple butts could at least try this by stepping back and changing target faces for the appropriate distances. It wouldn't be official, but then most of the scores we post here aren't "official" anyway but just for fun.

Dave

[Eaglearcher]

Point taken DA
I imagine that it would make a good yardstick when practicing.

[Desert Archer]

Shot the International again today in breezy, gusty conditions. I'd like to blame my poorer performance on the weather but honestly, I was just having an off day. Shot some good targets and embarrassed myself on a couple.

today's score was 200 (66% of the possible). Going backward (from my previous 212) is not going to get me to 250! (LOL)

Dave

[Floxter]

We ran an outdoor PAA League at the club two years ago. I went back thru the club records and dug out my scores. My best ever was a 199, but my average was only 165 at the end of the season, shooting a longbow. Surprisingly, out of the 12-15 regulars in the league, only one shot a fully rigged compound. The rest were all stickbows or barebow compound.

[Desert Archer]

Try to talk your club into putting on an International Round. I'm going to try it with the club here. I figure we can do it at night when it isn't so hot if the County will let us use the lighted range. It's allready got the target bales set up at 5 yard increments. All we'd have to do is put the hunter faces up.

Dave

[Floxter]

You know, that's a great idea Dave. The league was discontinued because of lack of interest. But maybe if we advertised just a one day event on a weekend when nothing else was going on at the club, we might get a decent turnout. I'm going to talk to some other board members and see if I can't persuade them, at least to put it on the calendar for coming events. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Desert Archer]

It was 107 at 11 AM and forcast for a high of 114. I got to the range late and it was just too bloody hot to go the field course. (shame on me - LOL) As an alternative, since I still needed the practice, I shot the International Round from under a ramada, i.e. standing in the shade.

Probably should have shot the field course in the heat. Score on the two ends of the International: 201

Not going to get to 250 this year at the rate I'm going. (LOL again)

Dave

[Desert Archer]

Bringing this one back to the top. Our state assocaition's annual International Round is this Saturday at the Ben Avery range North of Phoenix. I sure wish this one would catch on as it is easier to set up, maintain and run that a full field course. I think it would get more people to follow the example of the TradTalk mast head and pursue excellence...further than 17.3 yards! (smiley face goes here)

Dave

PS: I'll post some results from Saturday, provided any recurves beside me show up. I know there won't be any longbows there.

[Desert Archer]

Well our NFAA International Round is now history for another year. Better turn out this time with 37 registered (only in the mid 20s last year). Four Olympic recurves and two Barebows. ZERO traditional (recurve or longbow).

I managed a respectible score of 223 but fell short my PB of 226.

I think this is a great round for learning distances as you shoot three arrows at every five yards between 20 and 65. Since we did better this year than last (in attendence) I'm hoping this is catching on a little bit.

Dave

[bcoulter]

I'm trying to understand this. If I have a large enough target butt can I put all three faces on one butt? I have 3 acres and could set this up easily.

thanks

[Desert Archer]

Bill, no reason why you can't have all the faces up at one time. Just don't get confused which one gets shot from where (smile).

Dave