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This simplified UK archery law guide will help you learn how to take care of your bows and arrows. So, there's no need to quiver!
We have all the ammunition and tips you need, including a range of Olympic archery rules and regulations meant for beginners.
In this easy summarized version, we cover the essential rules for playing competitive archery laws in the United Kingdom. It's a guide to help you conquer the basic archery rules for beginners.
Let's start with the basics:
Archers use a stringed bow to propel projectiles - called archery arrows. They shoot the arrows towards a 'non-moving' circular archery target face.
The skill and precision required to hit the mark originates from hunting for animals. In fact, archery hunting in deadly warfare dates back to the Stone Age - around 20,000 years BC.
So, the exigency for hunters and soldiers to master archery led to the birth of organized tournaments. The first recorded event materialized in Finsbury, England in 1583.
Archery began to lose its clout as modern gun-like weaponry occupied the battlefield. But, it remained a popular pastime, with competitions held regularly in many countries.
Olympic Archery became a recognized sport for men in 1900. It later dropped out of the international sporting limelight. But, it reappeared in 1972 and currently remains a bastion of the Games.
Note: The governing body for the rules and regulations of archery is the World Archery Federation (based in Switzerland).
The aim of competitive archery rules and regulations is to shoot archery arrows at a stationary circular target set at a specific distance away from the competitors.
Archers aim to shoot and then land their arrows as close to the center of the target as possible to score points.
As a rule, only one archer will hold a bow at any one time during the game according to the NFAS Official Archery Rulebook.
Even so, you can also play archery individually or as a group with several other competitors as part of a team.
Note: The section on offensive weapons has further information about whether you need a license for a bow and arrow in the United Kingdom (e.g. crossbows).
Note: The archer's equipment section contains further details and information on compound and recurve bow laws in the United Kingdom.
Note: Archery and the law UK may vary in format, the number of arrows shot, and the distance to the target for some tournaments.
Note: Competitors can address an appeal to the judge if any of their specialist archery equipment gets damaged. Such equipment may get replaced or fixed with time allowances given - but only at the judge's discretion.
How do you win an archery competition? The winner is usually the player with the highest cumulative total score. It can also be the one who beats the opponents in a knockout event.
The archer with the highest number of 10s (or inner 10s) gets declared the victor in a tied situation. An archery shoot-off may also take place to separate competitors who have tied.
Under the rules and regulations of Olympic Archery, competitors must aim at a target from a distance of seventy (70) meters.
Rounds include a ranking round whereby the overall scores determine the ranking for each athlete. This system typically occurs before a head to head elimination format.
Note: The YouTube video explains more about Olympic archery rules with further detailed descriptions about the equipment used by the competitors.
Bow and Arrow Laws and Regulations in the United Kingdom