Field and Hunter
Field or Hunter archery courses consist of 28 targets. Four arrows are shot at each target. The maximum score for each arrow is 5 points. 5 points x 4 = 20 points per target. 20 points per target x 28 targets = 560 points. The targets are laid out so they form a one-way path from one target to the next for obvious safety reasons. The targets vary in distance between 10 and 80 yards.
There are 4 different target sizes. The smallest targets are shot at the shortest distance and the largest are used on the longest shots. Each target has three scoring rings. The inner dot has a value of 5 points, the middle ring is scored as 4, and the outer ring is worth 3. In addition to the different size targets, there are two different types of faces: the field face has a black dot on a white background and the hunter face has a white dot on a black background. Each target has assigned shooting positions that are marked by stakes in the ground. White stakes mark the shooting position for field distances and red stakes mark the hunter distances.
In most cases, all four arrows are shot from a single stake. However, there are also walk-up targets and fans. Walk-ups have two or four shooting positions at different distances. The first arrow is shot at the longest distance. Fan targets have four shooting positions, all equidistant to the target. One arrow is shot from each stake; for the 4-position fans, two arrows each are shot at the left and right faces. Ten-yard targets are also called bunnies. The bunny has 16 faces arranged 4 across and 4 vertically. The bunny is shot either from bottom to top or from top to bottom in order; the first two archers shoot the outer column on their respective sides and the next two the inner columns on their respective sides.
At a regular NFAA shoot, three to four people form (or are assigned to) a group. When you get to your assigned first target, archers #1 and #2 are left and right respectively for the entire first half. If it is a four-face target, the first two archers should shoot the bottom target. At all NFAA shoots archers who are shooting at the bottom target should shoot first and will switch from bottom to top and from left to right for the second half of the shoot. If the shoot begins with a shotgun start, positions are switched at targets 1 and 15. The idea is that each person gets to shoot at every position.
When four people shoot together, each will have a job. For example archers #1 and #2 will keep duplicate scorecards, archer #3 will determine and call the score of each arrow, and archer #4 will watch to verify the scores. The group may decide if one or two people will pull all the arrows or if each archer will pull their own arrows after they are scored.
In all types of NFAA rounds, the arrow must only touch the line to be scored as the higher value score.
Animal
There is another type of archery round that you will encounter in conjunction with Field and Hunter rounds, which is the Animal round. Again, 4 different target sizes are used depending on the length of the shot. The animals are shot from the yellow stake. The longest animal shot is 60 yards while the shortest is 10 yards. Some of the targets are shot from the same position and some are walkups.
The way these are shot and scored is entirely different from the Field and Hunter rounds. To begin with, the animal has a realistic kill (or vital) zone made up of the heart, lungs, and liver. The kill zone is not the only area of value for the animal. The balance of the animal enclosed by a hide and hairline (non-vital or wound) also scores, but at a lower value. The dot in the kill zone is an additional scoring area equal to 1 point; it is not also scored as an X.
Individual arrows must be numbered and shot consecutively (i.e. 1, 2, 3). A maximum of three arrows may be shot. One should take a second or even a third shot in case there is any doubt if the previous one(s) hit the scoring area. Only the first arrow to hit the scoring area is scored but once the group advances to the target no re-shot can be taken.
| Scoring | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1st arrow | Dot | 21 |
| Vital | 20 | |
| Non-vital | 18 | |
| 2nd arrow | Dot | 17 |
| Vital | 16 | |
| Non-vital | 14 | |
| 3rd arrow | Dot | 13 |
| Vital | 12 | |
| Non-vital | 10 |
For example, if your first arrow hits the non-vital area of the animal, your score is 18 and you don’t shoot another arrow. If your first arrow misses the animal, you shoot your second arrow. A vital on your second arrow scores 16. The maximum score for each target is 21. 21 points per target x 14 targets = 294 points.
