If you’re interested in field archery, or new to archery altogether, there’s a few things that are unique to field archery and make it different from all of the other forms of archery. A lot of beginners wonder where to even start when they’re first getting into the sport.

Fear not, we’ve got you covered. This guide is for not only brand new archers, but seasoned archers who may be coming to field archery from one of the other forms of archery.

We’ll cover the rules, equipment used, scoring, tournaments, competitions and more. So, are you ready to get started? Cool, let’s go:

There are four main types of archery in practice today, not counting hunting. They are target archery, field archery, traditional archery and 3D archery.

What is Field Archery

Field archery blends some of the rules and practices of target archery with some from 3D archery. In a way, field archery is sort of a cross between target and 3D archery.

Similar to target archery, field archery can be shot both indoors and out. In field archery you will use the typical target archery style targets, and a few others as well. However, in field archery you won’t just be shooting at targets directly across from you in a straight line.

Targets may be up hill from you, or down in a field. They might be clearly visible, or obscured by brush or branches. In this way field archery is a bit more like 3D archery. Unlike the full size 3D archery targets in 3D archery, you’ll only be shooting at flat targets – but there are a few different types of them.

Just like the ASA and IBO in 3D archery, there are two main regulating bodies in field archery, the national field archery association or NFAA and World Archery or WA, respectively.

What Bows are Used in Field Archery?

The most commonly used type of bows in field archery are compound bows, though both recurve bows and longbows are also allowed.

Field Archery Rules

In field archery you’ll usually be shooting in either individual competitions or team based competitions. There are smaller competitions and larger field archery tournaments to compete in all over the country.

I’m not going to go too far into field archery tournaments here, as I’ve already written this guide to field archery tournaments here. Check it out if you’re at all interested in competing in tournaments, it’s got a lot of info that you’ll need.

How to Score Field Archery

Scoring field archery is pretty straightforward, once you learn the basics. First we’ll have to cover the different types of field archery shoots. Although field archery is considered a single sport, there are three different types of “games” (or types of shoots) in field archery.

As mentioned above, there are a few different types of targets commonly used in field archery. Each one is used in their own respective “round”. A round is similar to an “end” in target archery, it’s like a small section in a competition. Each competition will have a certain set amount of rounds.

The three different types of rounds are hunter rounds, field rounds and animal rounds. We’ll quickly cover each one, their differences and how they’re scored.

How to Shoot Field Archery

Field archery competitions are shot as a known distance shoot, and while the distances to the targets are marked – the distances will vary on for each target. Some will be close by and some a far distance away, that’s part of the fun in field archery.

You’ll be shooting a total of one hundred and twelve arrows per competition, which are divided into two sets, with fourteen targets per set. There is a maximum of 560 points that can be scored in a competition, and that’s if you shot a perfect game.

There is a yardage marker on the ground for each target, this tells you where you’ll be shooting from for each target.

Each competitor will shoot a total of four arrows at each target, and then move on to the next target. Depending on the individual competition that you’re shooting in, you may move from target to target individually or in a group (which is most common).

Every target will be slightly different, each offering different tests of your abilities as an archer. There will be tests in the forms of partially obscured targets, shade, uphill or downhill terrain among other things.

Rounds will be different in each competition, depending upon which types of rounds you’ll be shooting. Whether shooting hunter, field or animal rounds, each has it’s own unique feel and set of rules.

Hunter Rounds

For those beginners out there, hunter rounds are shot at much shorter ranges than field rounds, where the maximum distance is ten yards less than in field archery.

Hunter round targets feature white and black circles, with the innermost circles featuring an X at the center of the target. Different size targets will be used, depending upon the distance away from the archer.

When shooting hunter rounds it’s important to note that the targets can be placed at any given yardage that those setting up the competition choose. This is unlike field rounds, in which the target can only be placed in certain increments of yards from the archer.

Hunter Round Scoring

In hunter rounds there is a maximum of twenty points that can be scored on each target, the centermost white scoring ring areas are worth five points each. There are four separate small versions of these targets printed on each target sheet, each archer being able to shoot only one arrow at each of these individual targets.

Moving outward from the white scoring ring, the black ring is worth four points, with the rest of the scored area being worth only three points. As in other forms of archery, if you hit the line at the very edge of the next higher scoring zone – you get awarded the higher score. So for instance if your arrow lands in the 3 three point zone, but it’s touching the line of the four point zone, you get four points.

The center X’s are used as tie breakers in the event that two or more archers are tied with the same score. Any shot that is outside of the three scoring rings does not get any points.

Field Rounds

For those of you who are a bit more experienced and advanced archers, you may want to check out field rounds. Field rounds are a bit more challenging and trickier than hunter rounds, as the targets are set at farther distances than hunter rounds.

Unlike hunter rounds where a target can be placed at any distance desired, in field rounds the rules say that the targets must be set at distances that are in five yard increments. So for example a target could be set at thirty yards or twenty five yards – but not at twelve yards.

Field Round Scoring

The targets consist of two black rings, surrounded by two white rings, which are surrounded by two more black rings.

Just like in hunter rounds, you’ll be shooting four arrows at each target, giving you a maximum score of twenty points per target. The innermost two black rings make up the five point area, with the next two white rings being the four point zone and finally the last two black rings being the three point zone.

Again in field rounds you’re awarded the higher score for hitting the line of a higher scoring zone.

Animal Rounds

Sort of like 3D archery, in animal rounds you’ll be shooting at paper targets with pictures of different animals printed on them. These can be made up of many different types of animals. Unlike 3D archery though, you’re only shooting a two dimensional pictures, instead of life sized 3D targets.

In animal rounds you’ll be shooting at a total of twenty eight animal targets, this time though you’ll only be shooting three arrows at each target. Also, your arrows have to be numbered as per the rules in animal rounds. For adults, the target distances can range anywhere from as close as eleven yards to as far away as seventy yards.

Animal Round Scoring

The targets in animal rounds are a bit different than in hunter or field rounds. There are four parts to animal round targets that decrease in score from the center outward (similar to field rounds above).

The sections are a bonus ring, a high score area, a low score area and a miss area. The small bonus ring is simply that – a bonus for a bullseye shot. The high score area represents and kill shot, while the low score area represents a wound. The outermost area is considered a miss, even if there is a little bit of the animal’s picture in it.

They are scored as follows: The bonus ring is worth twenty one points, the high score zone is worth twenty points, the low score zone is worth eighteen points, with anywhere else on the target being considered a miss and is worth zero points.

The interesting thing about animal rounds is that the scoring values change with each consecutive arrow you shoot. So while the numbers above are for the first arrow, on the second arrow the values change to seventeen points, sixteen points, fourteen points and zero points.

These value change yet again when you’re shooting the third arrow. They drop again to thirteen points, twelve points, ten points and zero points. To simplify all of this just use the handy chart below:

Once you’ve shot all three of your arrows, the highest scoring arrow is the only score that’s used. So instead of totaling the value of all three of your shots, only your single highest scoring arrow is counted as your score.

This can be tricky because as it naturally gets easier to hit a target when you get more shots on it, the value of those shots decreases with each successive arrow you shoot.

Indoor Field Archery

If you’re looking to shoot field archery during the colder winter months, the NFAA has two official types of rounds that are shot in their indoor competitions and tournaments. They are the 3 spot target rounds and 5 spot target rounds, respectively.

Basically, the 3 spot targets are just three small sized versions of the standard yellow, red and blue archery targets that are used in target archery. While the 5 spot targets are five small sized white and blue targets similar to those used in field archery as mentioned above.

Outdoor Field Archery

Outdoor field archery is shot on a course where you shoot at a target, then walk the course to the next one. Normally these courses run through wooded areas, and the targets aren’t in a straight line directly in front of you.

They can be anywhere from ten yards away from you, to as far as eighty yards away. You could be shooting hunter rounds, field rounds or animal rounds in outdoor field archery. This will all depend on the specific competition or tournament that you’re shooting in.

Oh, and while we’re on the subject, we get asked all the time:

Is field archery an Olympic sport?

No. Currently, target archery is the only type of archery practiced in the Olympic games – and only recurve bows can be used in Olympic target archery.

What are field points?

In archery, field points are just a different types of arrow points that are used because they’re thought to do less damage to 3D targets – Not that I’ve seen any real, concrete proof of this yet.

For more information on field archery and tournaments, check out this guide to archery tournaments. It covers field archery tournaments a bit more in depth.

I hope this guide has cleared up all of your questions about field archery. Remember that field archery can be a lot of fun, so don’t feel intimidated when it comes to trying your first tournament. Get out there and sign up for one with a friend. Or you could just attend a few to watch them first, before you decide to enter one.

Now get out there and get shooting!