Archery Etiquette

A good archer does not:

• Talk in a loud voice whilst others are shooting.
• Talk to another archer who prefers to be silent.
• Offer advice unless asked.
• Exclaim on the shooting line, for themselves or others, in joy or disappointment.
• Approach or leave the shooting line while a neighbour is at full draw.
• Touch another archer’s equipment without their permission.
• Walk up and down the line comparing scores.
• Shoot distances beyond their capability, continually missing and holding up shooting.
• Disturb people with loud conversation, mobile phone ringtones or speaking on the phone on or around the shooting line.
• Smoke or vape near the shooting or waiting line.
• Leave litter on the archery ground.

A good archer always:

• Takes into account other archers shooting on the same target when positioning his/her foot markers, and allows sufficient space for them.
• Knows how many arrows they have shot and how many are in their quiver
• Helps to put out the equipment and put it away.
• Pays to replace another’s arrow damaged through their carelessness.
• Calls ‘fast’ whenever they see potential danger.
• Always asks to join a boss that is already set up, doesn’t just presume they can join.
• Keeps the last archer company on the shooting line.

A good archer, when scoring:

• Does not go behind the target to retrieve arrows before the scores have been taken.
• When calling scores, does so in groups of three, and in descending order, for example, ‘X-10-9’ (pause) ‘9-8-7’.
• While calling scores, points to each arrow as it is called, without touching the arrow or target face.
• Does not touch any arrow or the target face until all arrow values on the entire boss have been recorded and checked.
• When required to do so, takes their turn at scoring.
• Only withdraws the arrows of others if this has been agreed by them.
• At the end of the round thanks the Target Captain for the work done by them.
• Will always call for a judge if in doubt as to an arrow’s scoring value.