Are there any fellow Escapologists out there who take part in the strangely pyromaniacal sport of archery? I haven't really come across any other folk in the various gaming communities out there who have done more than just fling a few arrows around at holiday camps (as an activity, not homicidal rampaging).

i do archery. i'm not very good but i go every week and it's great fun

Nexus Zef:
Escapologists

I thought we were known as escapists... you know, because of the name of the website?

I've always wanted to try archery, but nowadays it just looks stupid. I watched the olympic archery finals and just laughed because of how mechanical it has become.

I used to do archery quite often, but to put it simply I just became too good.
I preferred a good composite bow, over those mechanical contraptions, I still own my 6'4" BEAR. I now use crossbows mainly, although I don't own any, sadly. I use my friend's crossbows, man, are those fun.

Nexus Zef:
...pyromaniacal sport of archery?

I didn't really think of archery as a sport to do with fire. It'd be cool though...

I used to when I was younger, but other activities prevented me from pursuing archery to a more in-depth level. However, if given the chance, I'd happily go shooting again. I am terrible, but it's still fun :)

My bro does archery and, well, is pretty damn good when he can be bothered

I hunt with a bow at the begining of deer season every year, so around that time every year I practice a few times a week, the rest of the year I only practice if I feel like it. What kind of bow do you use(compound, recurve, ect....)? I use a compound bow although I have tryed wooden ones.

When I get back to Uni it's something I intend to look into.

I've merely done the "fling a few arrows around at holiday camps" but it was pretty fun and I was quite good at it, as far as I remember. Last uni I was at it conflicted with fencing, so I didn't get a chance (for the record I dropped out but am re-applying to other institutions).

Pyromaniacal archery would be really fun - though I wouldn't want to have to go collect the arrows!

My sport of choice is fencing, but I've tried archery in the past. Wasn't very good at aiming.

Wait, pyromaniacal? What?

Anyway... I've always been interested in archery, I just can't afford it though.

I've note been here too long, Escapologists just sounds more butch =)

TMAN10112: I shoot target recurve, most people in the UK seem to shoot recurve (although there are still loads of compounders). Not so much hunting here since it is illegal but field archery is still fairly big, though I have yet to try it. We have a few members from America who kept saying how different it is here than it is over there, since there it is mostly compound for hunting purposes. I'd love to give it a go though, circles and balloons get boring after a while.

Superbeast: Which University (and country I suppose)? Loads of UK Universities have archery clubs, so you should be able to find one.

And it might just be my club but we have been known to set fire to things regularly. Not whilst shooting, just in general. Nothing like setting fire to things after a stressful day shooting =D

Iv always wanted to be a waywatcher from the Warhammer Table Top games, so i have tried archery many times (one offs, sadly cant do it on a weekly basis). I seem to be a very dark horse at it, sometimes im totally useless while other times im a headshoting machine.

@ Nexus Zef:

I'm UK based, I was at Nottingham. I just hope I can find one where Archery and Fencing don't collide, since I find them both pretty fun (and that I don't have to commute a fair way to get to them, darn multi-campus universities!).

As someone who knows very little about archery and is too tired to do a google, what is the main difference between compound and recurve? Why is recurve prefered for sport (as implied by the larger number of recurved shooters in the UK and larger number of compound shooters in USA)?

I used to shoot archery all of the time. Had a group of friends with whom I'd play archery golf and a few other fun sports like that.

Nexus Zef:
I've note been here too long, Escapologists just sounds more butch =)

TMAN10112: I shoot target recurve, most people in the UK seem to shoot recurve (although there are still loads of compounders). Not so much hunting here since it is illegal but field archery is still fairly big, though I have yet to try it. We have a few members from America who kept saying how different it is here than it is over there, since there it is mostly compound for hunting purposes. I'd love to give it a go though, circles and balloons get boring after a while.

Superbeast: Which University (and country I suppose)? Loads of UK Universities have archery clubs, so you should be able to find one.

And it might just be my club but we have been known to set fire to things regularly. Not whilst shooting, just in general. Nothing like setting fire to things after a stressful day shooting =D

If you'r ever over here, or find a place where hunting is leagal you should get a licence(you just take a 2 day coarse on hunting safety) and try it, however it does takes alot of experience and practice to get into hunting. I prefer hunting with bow because it just feels a bit more stealthy and natural. By the way, how many pounds is the pull is your bow?

p.s. I think that there are more compound bows over here because there is alot of hunters and their always looking for an edge in the sport, although I know people who do hunt with recurve bows. or maybe archery is just more traditional in europe then it is here.

If shooting a small 40lbs. draw crossbow at a mannequin torso counts as archery... then yes.

That's kind of strange considering I am at Nottingham right now =o I must know you if you did archery...

The main difference between compound and recurve is the bow. Bows have kind of 'evolved' over time to suit the needs of the archer and compounds are currently the most hightech bows you can get in general. They have cams (wheels) on the bow that the string is attached to in such a way that when you draw back the string all the way you are actually holding less force thanis stored in the bow. So it is easier to stay at full draw for longer. You also get a telescopic sight so you can see the target much more easily although with the penalty of having to shoot at a smaller bull's eye that everyone else. There are more widely used in America because you can have much higher poundage bows that are easier to carry around and so are ideal for hunting with.

There aren't any compound archers in the Olympics, which is kind of strange. Although I think there may be some in the paralympics.

Archery golf does sound fun, unfortunately there isn't anywhere for us to play (legally).

My bow is currently set to 32.7 lbs (yes I know it to a decimel point =p) but will probably be increasing when we start shooting outdoors.

I have from time to time. I have a Recurve my dad made, it was one of those kit jobs, where you got all the pieces but had to sand and join and finish it your self.

Gxas:

Nexus Zef:
Escapologists

I thought we were known as escapists

we need a vote on this

Only compounders won't accept their cheating ways =P

xitel:
My sport of choice is fencing, but I've tried archery in the past. Wasn't very good at aiming.

Nice! Me too, what weapon?
Anyways, I lave a 35 lb resistance wooden bow.
Haven't practiced in a while, though.

Wouldukindly:
I have a Hoyt 35 pounder(I'm lazy) Recurve in my closet, and I'm a Class 3 in the OAA. I hope you share the same belief as me that compounds are cheating :-P

I agree with you.

cool, mine is 64 pounds but it is a compound so when drawn it feels like its around 40. I have optical sights mounted on it, the kind that you look through a circle piece on the string and line your target up with one of the multiple pins which are illuminate with fiberoptics. I also have a trigger release that makes it easier to draw(so you don't have to hold the string with your fingers when you draw). I haven't seen anyone with a telescopic sight(not counting crossbows) though.

p.s. I know that some people say that compounds are cheating but because I hunt with it I need the extra accurecy and fps in case I have to shoot at 30-50 yards. To kill a deer to have to hit it's vitals which are only almost the size of a basketball and partly covered bye it's shoulderblade. I've seen deer take an arrowright right into it's shoulder, then sprint out of sight like the arrow compleatly missed, we know it hit because of the blood trail it left.

I don't bother with archery. Guns were made to replace bows, so why stick with obsolete technology? It's one thing if it's an antique bow, but I just don't see the point of modern compound bows if a rifle will be better no matter what.

Ah, archery is one of my favorite things to do, video games, writing and hiking aside. I find I'm a decent shot with a bow, better than most folks I know but not Robin Hood by far. Then again, I almost never practice, so I might be pretty good if I kept at it for a while.

My sport is fencing, like Xitel. Nothing a good Sabre won't fix.

But I do shoot archery. I'm pretty epic, actually. Except I have a weird shoulder problem-thingie that makes it so I can't shoot over a 50.(lbs)

Well, there was this one time...

Nexus Zef:
(as an activity, not homicidal rampaging).

Oh. >.> <.< *run away*

Well, not a telescopic sight like a rifle sight. More like a magnifying glass.

Cthulhu: That's a fair point =) But some people use modern bows for possibly the same reason that marathon runners don't use cars for. If we are talking in the context of hunting then it is probably that those using a bow feel that they are being more like their ancestral hunter-gatherer type person. I just shoot at targets and the occasional CD so I wouldn't be able to tell you =D

I love archery. The first time I picked up a bow, I got bulls-eye after bulls-eye. I've yet to actively pursue it, but I'm planning on it...soon...soon...
And, fencing sounds fun, I've also been meaning to try that.
EDIT: People enjoy archery because, I suppose, it...well, I hesitate to say it requires more skill, but -I- think it does, at any rate. Any dumbass can pull a trigger (see: "gangstas"), but if you gave them a rapier or a bow, they'd try to pick their nose with it. (And hopefully, die.)

Reading through this whole thread so far, I have to ask: Why bother?

Bows are a thing of yesteryear... And it's not like people pick real "hardcore" bows that are just "hard piece and string" anymore... These things have sights, fiber optics, lights, magnifying lenses... Just get a rifle... More effective, less hassle, just as much crap on it.

And if you go out hunting with it (or with a rifle mind you...or with anything really) then I hope a tree falls on you or you're caught in a forest fire. Every time a hunter dies in an accident I laugh. There's no good reason to go kill innocent animals when your local grocery store has fucktons of meat you can get from animals that are already dead.

Wouldukindly:

cthulhu257:
I don't bother with archery. Guns were made to replace bows, so why stick with obsolete technology? It's one thing if it's an antique bow, but I just don't see the point of modern compound bows if a rifle will be better no matter what.

In case of a 'Dies the Fire' scenario.

Also, up intil the 1880s the faster reloadable weapon was the English longbow. 'Old' technology has the habit of tricking you.

In the event that guns stopped working and compound bows became superior technology, I would have no problem with them. And again, I like longbows, but I just think that if you're going to use the most modern compound bow available, you might as well use a better modern weapon instead.

Okay, in response to this:

Caliostro:
Reading through this whole thread so far, I have to ask: Why bother?

Bows are a thing of yesteryear... And it's not like people pick real "hardcore" bows that are just "hard piece and string" anymore... These things have sights, fiber optics, lights, magnifying lenses... Just get a rifle... More effective, less hassle, just as much crap on it.

And if you go out hunting with it (or with a rifle mind you...or with anything really) then I hope a tree falls on you or you're caught in a forest fire. Every time a hunter dies in an accident I laugh. There's no good reason to go kill innocent animals when your local grocery store has fucktons of meat you can get from animals that are already dead.

I think all that shit can go fuck itself. Normally, I'm all about the technology, hence why I have an account on a gaming site, but I've never used anything that complex. Just a relatively shitty longbow, which I enjoyed a lot. If you're going to add sniper scopes and laser sites, go pick up a fucking sniper rifle. I agree.