What Is Field Archery?
Overview
Field archery arrived here during WW2 with American GIs who were uninspired by our traditional target archery. It simulates bowhunting, once vital for survival, but now illegal in the UK. Muttley Crew Archers enjoy the fun and challenge of the sport—competing in good spirit with others in their style and class.
Unlike Olympic-style target archery, which is shot on flat ground at fixed distances, field archery takes place in woodland settings with uneven terrain, natural obstacles and unmarked distances. Every shot is a fresh and unique challenge, there are no sighting arrows or practice rounds.
Competitive Shoots
NFAS Open Shoots are held most Sundays across the UK. Archers shoot the courses in groups of up to five using a mix of bows and shooting styles. All individual scores are gathered at the finish, and top performers receive medals or trophies for each style shot in the event.
Open Shoots take around a full day to complete with a break for lunch – most clubs provide catering or refreshments. Typical entry costs are £8 to £10.
Muttley Crew Archers also compete in the Lancashire League which takes place over the full year.
National Field Archery Society (NFAS)
In the UK, NFAS is the largest field archery governing body with over 160 clubs and thousands of members. The society operates independently and is not affiliated with any other archery governing bodies or organisations. As a volunteer run organisation costs are kept to a minimum – individual membership fees, which include liability insurance, are currently only £20 a year.
At shoots, all participants must carry a valid NFAS membership card to take part. A cheaper non-shooting membership is available for family and spectators which also provides insurance cover. For more information see: NFAS Website
Shoot Format & Scoring
Most NFAS shoots feature 36 or 40 targets, or 2×20 format courses. Rounds are typically “walk-up” style: archers begin at the furthest peg and move closer if they miss. Cubs (under 12) shoot all arrows from the yellow peg, while juniors aged 12–16 use specific peg sequences based on their age.
| Peg | Zone | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Red (1st Arrow) | Kill | 20 (or 24 with inner kill) |
| Wound | 16 | |
| White (2nd Arrow) | Kill | 14 |
| Wound | 10 | |
| Blue (3rd Arrow) | Kill | 8 |
| Wound | 4 | |
| Missed All | – | 0 |
National Championships
Three major championship events are held annually and are open to eligible members:
- The Scottish Championships take place over Easter weekend
- The 3D Championships are held during the late May bank holiday
- The National Championships are scheduled for the second weekend in September.
To qualify for a championship, members must have completed three open shoots in the bow style they wish to use, or have competed in a previous championship.
NFAS membership must also be renewed by March 31st to maintain eligibility.
Lancashire League Shoots
Lancashire League Shoots are a monthly series of shoots around the courses of a dozen local NFAS clubs. Shoots are typically of shorter duration, usually just a Sunday morning, with a mix of 2D big game faces and 3D targets. They are open to all NFAS members with a £5 entry fee.
The usual NFAS scoring and peg system is used, but classifications are simplified into Wood (wood arrows), Metal (carbon/metal arrows) and Sighted (bows which use any form of sight). Scores are collated over the entire season with awards presented to the best performing archers at the final shoot of the year.