Archery Growth

[GrahameA]

Morning All

Just stumbled across this whilst reading some other stuff;

Despite my apparent lack of natural talent, I realized that I was already catching the archery bug that is sweeping the nation. From 1995 to 2005, the number of Americans who participated in archery grew to 6.8 million from 4.9 million, according to a survey by the National Sporting Goods Association, an industry trade and research group. That 38.8 percent increase put archery at No. 4 on the list of the nation’s fastest-growing sports, behind skateboarding, kayaking/rafting and snowboarding.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/17/busin ... ref=slogin

[Mick Smith]

Grahame

I don't find that all that surprising. I wonder if the Australian figures would be similar? I wouldn't be surprised if they were, as we've seen a marked increase in the number of people getting into traditional archery in Victoria in recent years. I assume it's the same in most states.

I realise that traditional archery is nowhere near as popular as compound bow shooting, both here and in the US, but I believe there has been a substancial growth in both followings.

Mick

[longbowinfected]

probably the best kept secret in sport in OZ, IMO.
Any time the conversation gets around to archery with non players they are all interested and all seem to want to have a go, once and probably to revisit earlier life experience.

Kevin

[GrahameA]

Hi Mick and Kevin

Have no idea what the Australian numbers are.

However, my personal "Gut" feel is that the growth may be better in the trad' area. It is small to start off with but there seems to be a lot of interest. As a club my local has gone from one Longbow Archer to where we can field 5 archers with trad gear in 3 years. And the original Longbow archer has returned to Melbourne.

However - Trad still represents a minority but growing stronger every day.

[longbowinfected]

This only relates to AA locally BUT
We also now have 5 longbow shooters whereas 2 years ago we had none.
Bathhurst would have at least the same number in an even shorter period of time.
At the AA nat indoors the numbers of bare bow archers and in particular those of longbowers have been basically doubling each year for the last 3-4 years and are certainly higher by proportion than the national population profile.
now we almost have a quarter of all archers at this year's AA target/clout/field nationals and according to Peter Bennet numbers are down.
Some of the robust discussion this year basically went along the lines that trad does not significantly contribute to the cost of running events leading to a reduction in divisions offered to masters, veterans and children to just longbow yet longbow is the greater contributor to growth as witnessed by the available data.

Maybe a quick review and turnaround from those running the Nat Indoor is in order? Review on the basis of need was promised. I wouldn't be waiting for a year, I'd recommend action now. having said that I really hope every trad shooter in Oz and NZ sign up for the indoor.
A few from the Mother country and the Americas would be tasty.

Kevin

[longbow steve]

Hi Graeme, I think you are correct in the thought that Trad has had a larger growth in recent years, Compound is strong but Olympic recurve is falling away, probably due to its difficulty in becoming competitive.
Trad is strong in my opinion.
Kevin, you probably need to boost Veteran and Master numbers before a back flip is considered but we are definately putting on a good showing in the barebow disciplines. Steve

[longbowinfected]

Steve,
quite right about the masters and vets aspect and I acknowledge that. Makes me sad.
Now you will have to put up with two old farts like Simon and myself not only snoring you to sleep but shooting next to you and competing with you for a whole week plus a couple of days travel.

My main thrust is that all of a sudden bare bow people are shouldering a quarter of the load in a bad year, which is good.
How well would the tournament go if there were no bare bow folk?
Answer: ouch $5,000 down.
This is not stated to put down freestyle compound archers and recurvers.
It is just that the "you guys do not contribute" argument was politely c**p.
Devil's advocate:
Perhaps we would get even more people at a national title if it was a shoot like the national indoor. who cares if there are different conditions?
Lots of people would scream but I bet a lot more people would vote with their feet.

Kevin

[hue]

hi guys

we've experienced massive growth in longbows at our club (Yarra Bowmen) making us overtake both recurve and robot bows
this time, last year, 2
now, 18
in anyones language, growth
how do we do it
easy
beginners classes, we put all three styles into their hands, and they mostly choose longbow, no hard work needed
are you AV/AA archers aware, there is a barebow QRE being held at AIM archery club, i believe on the 28 Feb (wed. night)
if you google AIM, that should have all the details
it's going on the net, we'll be taking on the world, fair dinkum
should be grouse

Hue

[longbowinfected]

Hue,

this QRE it is essentially for barebow recurve and compound or is it also for longbow?

Kevin

[hue]

hi longbowinfected

i'm assuming it's for all of us, i'm going with my horsebow!
don't know too many barebow compounds, nor modern recurve, for that matter

Hue

[GrahameA]

Kevin

If it is being run at night it is probably an Indoor QRE.

To the best of my knowledge there is no ranking list for Longbows thus no QRE. Refer back to my post regarding Ranking and there is a link there to the AA ranking list information. I think the comment is that FITA does not see Longbow as a competitive division - rather recreational.

You could however shoot your longbow in the Barebow division, if you are after a ranking. Or the organises may be happy for you just to shoot and enjoy the event. Why not ask them?

nor modern recurve

Me, on many occasions.

------

Related

We run a Club Shoot in conjunction with our Target QRE's. So at the Northern end of the line are the serious QRE shooters and at the southern end everyone else shooting multiple distances. There are no issues and it is easier all round if everyone is shooting the same number of arrow rounds.

[longbowinfected]

more to the point the qre is designed as a primary criterion for selecting rep teams.
i could shoot but to what end?
I could also put on a sight and shoot open freestyle with expensive carbon arrows, chin plates on my tab, weights but i am not going to.
this is actually one of the reasons i was interested in a national ranking system for trad.
if AA aren't going to do this and i have asked/enquired in writing through the ASNSW 4 months or so ago, i set out to support steve farrell's proposal as started this thread.
the real issue is that AA could be asking FITA to recognize this growing trend.....look at these figures.
Then again we the bare bow /trad folk and especially those longbowers shooting full competition under the generosity and auspices of the progressive AA should politely do some of the graft but within the system if that is what they truly want.

Kevin

[mrkbsm]

Archery has been catching on quite a bit in recent years in the States. My question for you folks is whether Field Archery has been increasing in popularity over here. That growth has been much slower here, from what I've heard.
Much of the increased activity here has been bowhunting-only (whether trad or compound) - I'm going to go out on a limb and attribute that in part to the increased number of bowhunting shows on The Outdoor Channel and similar stations. (and mind you, I'm not knocking bowhunters.... I'm currently classified as bowhunter-only myself)
I would love to try Field Archery, I just wouldn't know where to begin. I think I would have to travel quite a ways to even find a club to join.

[Mick Smith]

I think the ever increasing number of traditional only tournaments (3D mainly) that are being held in Victoria and the ever increasing numbers of people who attend these shoots, indicate that this is certainly one area of traditional archery that's growing. We've gone from one or two traditional only tournament events in Victoria per year to about 10 per year, all this in only a few years.

It's hard to gauge the increase (if any) of the number of bowhunters in this state, as bowhunters, by nature, are generally 'loners' with few club ties. Bowhunters aren't required to register officially either, unless they intend to hunt deer, so as far as I know, there's little documentation to go by. There still seems to be plenty of bowhunters around though. Perhaps someone engaged in the tackle industry would have a better idea, as they would sell broadheads, etc to hunters and increasing sales in this area might indicate increased numbers.

Mick

[longbowinfected]

Hey mrksbn

all you need is someone with some land with a few features, stuffed cardboard boxes, picture type targets glued to cardboard, some timber pegs as markers. you can even shoot the same targets from different positions and distances.
start small, include a few mates...they do not even have to already be archers....with some tuition, training and sensible supervision it will take off....great practice for hunting....next best thing if you cannot get away....my 11 year old daughter loves it...especially if we camp in our low tech swags with a few mates and do a few shoots over the weekend.

Mick,
the numbers inNSW are really increasing. AA and ABA plus other shooters really travel for trad events and really get off on 3D field shoots. The HVTA guys even run a strictly supervised broadhead single arrow 3D event which is really the closest you can come to without beasts and you get to see how the other guys do their thing.



Kevin

[Southern Fox]

In Victoria Trad. has been going from strength to strength. In the past 3 years we have as Mick says now 10 or more events. All except two non-AA/AV. Victorias first all Trad. club, the "Black Griffins", Quadriviuim the online trad. magazine and Wildwood which started in Geelong. All this is contributing to a rapid increase in numbers. Good, will, communication and organisation

People go to the events because they are fun and social as well as competitive. They are kept up to date with Quadrivium and there are some very dynamic individuals putting in an enormous amount of effort and passion. To mention a few, Mick, Peter, Gavin, Troy, Hue, Sven and Len and many others. Great people to work with.

[ichiban]

i also wouldnt be suprised if archery was on the up and up especialy trad archery, besides that i think there are more and more people giving bow building a go which means a beter supply of aussie built bows. it would be sooooo sweet if the australian archery following could be self sufficiant (probably not going to happen) it would be soo cool if everyone who shoots a long bow wherent described as "those medievil guys". as traditional archery awairness grows who knows we might be taken a little more seriously well thats my experiance anyway.

[GrahameA]

An opinion

Archery overall probably has more people involved.

It is hard to compare it to times past as there were divisions say in the 50's. What is now called Trad' was mainstream in the 1950's.

There is nothing evil in Medieval. The general public associates "Longbows" with pre 16C England.

Bows from small producers is nothing new and will have little if any effect on the local market. The large influx of lower price bows from Asia will have a much greater effect.

Next weekend there is a Medieval Festival just north of Brisbane. It will have over 10,000 visitors over 2 days. What they will see, touch and ask about will be bows that are from a different era. More importantly in the bigger discussion is some of them will walk away with a desire to try Archery and they will be directed to both FITA Target Style clubs in the greater Brisbane Area and more Traditional based clubs in the greater Brisbane area plus Ozbow will get many plugs. The concept of joining a club will be pushed because it is our best interest that they shoot responsibly.

[Len]

Thats a good point about longbows Grahame. We have people come to us because they have gone top an archery club and asked about longbows and been told to shoot modern bows so have then come to us to try out the elbs. Its what they see in movies and read about in history.

[longbowinfected]

Whatever the final prompt,

The really important things are:
- they have fun
- they learn to be safe
-they learn enough from a real trainer [qualified or not] enough skill and knowledge that they can progress and stay happy. Nice thing about longbow IMO is that no matter how good an archer you might be from the beginning of your trad experience that you have a lifetime of measurable improvement ahead of you.

There is no harm in being formally trained and skilled as a target archer or in any other discipline.
It is even better if they have some training / experience in everything.
Most trad people share longbow knowledge. That knowledge is not so easy to get at most target clubs because there usually aren't that many visible trad shooters.

Kevin