[Daniel L]

Visit to Massey Archery Club, Auckland, New Zealand (pics)

I went back to Auckland, New Zealand for a week and managed to squeeze in an afternoon shoot at the Massey Archery Club http://www.masseyarchery.org.nz/ . I was a member about 15 years ago when I shot compound, so this was a return with an unsighted recurve. I paid my fee ($10 for a visitor) and shot a round!

If you are ever in Auckland, New Zealand - bring your bow!!

Perfect dry weather (i.e. not muddy) and an AWESOME setting, only 25 minutes from the CBD.

I was running out of time, so only shot 1 of the 4 courses on offer. And this time shooting with my Hoyt GM2 recurve with stock 35# limbs. It all reminded me how bad I am at instinctive LOL

First stop - the practice range, with covered shooting lanes. Lots of targets… looks to be about a 60 yard range max.



And then into the undulating bush setting with plenty of challenging targets (uphill, downhill, partially obstructed) and unmarked distances ranging from 5 yards to 50 yards at a guess. Based on your grade, you shoot from one of the coloured pegs in the ground. I was using the closest one ☺

A nice downhill shot for target #1:



Cont'd

 

[Daniel L]

A great "tree stand" set up:



Target view from the "tree stand" - about 20 and 35 yards away.


The actual peg for this obscured target in the open grade compound shooters is about 40 yards away on a platform… this is from the "novice" peg:

 

[Daniel L]

And lastly my happiest shot of the day where I nailed a rabbit at 6 yards



I wont show you all my misses….hahhahaha.
It was a great shoot - really enjoyed it, but pity only had time to do 1 of the 4 courses on offer!

 

[John in NZ]

Nice picture's mate.
I've shot Massey many times and it's a cool place.

John,

 

[TradArcher]

Great pics, thanks!

Tom

 

[aroadik]

Shot Massey in 1999, NZ nationals, had a blast, fabulous courses.

 

[stevelong]

Thanks for sharing Daniel - looks like a great place, glad you got to go

 

[Phil]

Great pictures Daniel ..... one day .. one day

 

[rusty craine]

And lastly my happiest shot of the day where I nailed a rabbit at 6 yards



I wont show you all my misses….hahhahaha.
It was a great shoot - really enjoyed it, but pity only had time to do 1 of the 4 courses on offer!

Thanks for the pic pretty place to shoot.

LoL that is a hare to be correct :crawfish:

 

[markliep]

Great course - just don't think my family would let me take a bow to NZ - do they offer any basic gear rentals for tourist shooters? thx - M

 

[jerbearyukon]

Cool.....don't they have 3d targets there? Just asking......not being a dick...jer

 

[John in NZ]

Great course - just don't think my family would let me take a bow to NZ - do they offer any basic gear rentals for tourist shooters? thx - M

It would be arranged.

John.

 

[SteveInNJ]

Great post John. Hey, is it true that all of the arrows spin the opposite way down there?

 

[aroadik]

Cool.....don't they have 3d targets there? Just asking......not being a dick...jer

Hey Jer, in 1999 when i shot there they had 2 complete courses of 3d inc buffalo. Great club. :cheers: mate.

 

[Daniel L]

When I used to shoot there 15 years ago, the targets were bales like this filled with defective disposable (unused!!) nappies from a local manufacturing plant i.e. cheap and good!

Not sure if they're they're still used, but the bales were packed tight and my arrows from a 35# bow even bounced out of a couple of targets! Easy pull outs.

I didn't see any 3D animals... I'm sure they do, but they wouldn't leave them out permanently or they'd probably go "missing" in short order as the club is in a populated area.

I used to live 5 mins away from the club!! And another 5 mins to the smallbore rifle, and only 25 mins to the city. I do miss New Zealand

 

[aroadik]

Daniel, it was there nationals, so maybe the 3d's came out on special shoots. :sbrug:

 

[John in NZ]

Massey like most clubs in NZ are NZFAA so what your seeing in Daniels pic's is the NZFAA animal round which is all mat targets either printed on cardboard or hand painted and then superimposed with the NZFAA scoring rings.
Due to the cost of purchase and importing,3D targets are normally only pulled out for 3D specific events.
The bales are the standard size NZ wool bale filled with Diaper off cut materiel from the manufacturing plant.
I bought one of those bales and it lasted me around 3 years before I shot it out ,then I pulled it apart and used the filling for the bag targets on my home course.

An yes, the water in our dunnys "toilets" does spin in the correct direction.
Just like how we drive on the correct side of the road ;^)

John.