1

Author with his 55# @ 28” Linen-backed primitive oak flat bow

This book is a manual complete in that, any person wishing to set up a Relative-Speed
Instinctive archery club on the method used by Howard Hill the greatest instinctive
archer in history. It has everything from method, range layout, to indoor archery games
that will take all the instinctive skill the promising archer can muster. Even the novice
can learn the knowledge contained in this book, then go on from there. These games
are also suitable for archers who are disabled below the waist and some disabled above
it.
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NEW REVISED EDITION

© Copyright John Eric Hoare March 2010
The Author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
ISBN 13: 5-800119-472454. Perfect-bound Club Volume: Lulu ID. 19833919.
ISBN 13: 5-800120-635640. Coil-bound Field Captain’s volume. Lulu ID. 20470778.
ISBN 13: 978-1-326-93156-8. EBook Volume. Lulu ID. 20516247.
Orders from www.lulu.com www.amazon.com
Cover Photographs: Front Cover: Author in Western Australia with his Howard Hill American Flat-
bow. Back Cover: Craig Ekin and his father with Howard Hill.
The indoor 'Relative-Speed' archery games in this book have been designed so that dedicated
naturally talented archers can have a fair chance at competition. One, which eliminates those archers
who use other means called instinctive to win. To use primitive and traditional equipment, as it should
be used in a timed and umpired environment in front of spectators indoors, is what all naturally talented
instinctive archers should strive for. Like Howard Hill, I cannot emphasize this point enough. This book
has the ingredients to attract the attention of the sports promoters when the games have reached such a
high standard of timed Ends of Set that the sports cheat, or those too slow, will be unable to compete
with the best professional or top amateur instinctive archers... UNLESS THEY COME UP TO THEIR
STANDARD. All it would take are archers, who are near to the natural skill of a Howard Hill to see the
indoor potential of some of these games. It will need a single focused mind to apply that skill...and that
means intense competition where one arrow could mean the difference between winning or losing an
End. These games have the potential to include those instinctive archers who are disabled from the waist
down, but fully functional above it. This book is only for those archers who would follow the true way
of the bow, and not for those who follow the easier options... ARE YOU ONE OF THEM?
BOW CLASSES ONE, TWO, & THREE, ARROW FORM, AND RELEASES, MUST ALWAYS
CONFORM TO THE BOW CLASS SHEET IN BOWS, ARROWS, AND EQUIPMENT IN THESE
GAMES.
THE UMPIRE’S DECISION IS FINAL.
SUGGESTED VENUES: Leisure Parks, Sports Halls, Instinctive Field Archery Clubs, Woods,
Schools, Old Quarries, Open Fields, and other suitable venues. The short-range speed games are best
suited to the Howard Hill method of instinctive shooting, which is fully described within and lends itself
to the instinctive skill of 'Relative-Speed shooting. The method is simple to learn, but needs single mind
discipline and dedicated practice to apply. Once mastered satisfaction is assured. These games are
intended only for those archers who shoot with pure instinct at 'Relative-Speed', those who want to
compete fairly in competition with others of the same skill, both indoors and out. They are designed with
the professional sports person, spectator, sponsor, sports promoter, and target printer in mind.
Most of my indoor games are based on games already popular with the public; games we all grew up
with: Ten-pin Bowling, Snooker, Darts, Noughts, and Crosses (Tic-Tac-Toe), Indoor Bowling, and Nine-
Ball Pool. They have everything the professional instinctive archer, the hunter/archer, the tournament
organizer, and the sponsor would want... But, it seems at this moment, not enough naturally talented
archers; with the single mind and skill to shoot at 'Relative-Speed'. The archers dressed in the national
costumes that reflect the culture of the weapons they are using; would be an added colourful HDTV
spectacle to see. The Games, Ends, and Sets, can be amended to suit any format. It is about time
'Relative-Speed Genuine Instinctive Archery entered the public domain, the Olympic Games, and the
Paralympics, as a naturally talented, highly skilled indoor sport in its own right. Shooting bows with
sights, or any enhancement, has no place in the Olympics, which should be the exclusive preserve of
naturally skilled competitors using the primitive and traditional weapons of our ancestors. The public
needs to be educated to this fact... Drugs are not allowed, why so mechanical enhancements and other
means, to promote false skills in a sport that has become both expensive and mediocre?
…
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CONTENTS
PAGE.
1. 'ALL NEW! ARCHERY GAMES FOR THE INSTINCTIVE SHOOTER.'
2. Copyright page.
3. Contents page
4. to 5. Foreword. (Author's comments)
6. Howard Hill the world's greatest Archer.
7. to 8. Howard Hill's shooting method.
9. Howard Hill at full draw.
10. to 11. Dual points of awareness.
12. to 21. Target making and marking out.
22 to 23. Bow class sheet.
24. The beauty of a sport that must be worked for to excel.
25. Arrow Ground Quiver.
26. to 29. Report on the 1999 and 2000 Speed shoot at Sherwood Forest.
30. to 33. My Arrows, My Relative-speed arrows, my Bow strings, and my Spine
chart.
34. to 37. My hickory pickaxe handle primitive bow and Tillering chart.
38. to 41. THE GAMES. Summary of some speed shooting tips.
42. to 44. Indoor range setups and Round 1 to Final chart layout.
45. to 48. Archery Indoor Bowls.
49. to 51. Archery Strike.
52. to 54. Archery Nine Ball Pool.
55. to 57. Archery Noughts & Crosses. (Tic-tac-toe)
58. to 60. Archery Cancellation.
61. to 63. Archery the Gold the Red & the Black.
64. to 66. Archery Power-ball & End scoring sheets.
67. to 69. Archery Arrows (A game based on Darts).
70. to 72. Archery Bow Wheel.
73. to 75. Archery Rock around the Clock.
76. to 78. Archery Indoor Golf Game.
79. to 81. Archery World Record Speed Shoot Game.
82. to 84. Archery Speed Teach.
85. to 87. Archery Ten-Ring.
88. to 90. Archery Bowzambique.
91. to 93. Archery Battle Clout. (Arrow Storm Game).
94. to 96. Archery Golf (Played with Golfer Outdoor Game).
97. to 100. Archery Camelot Castles. (A Game for the Kids and a DIY Father).
101. to 105. Ironman Turkey Shoot. (Outdoors).
106 Some magazine articles I have written.
116. Cartoon of first Speed-shoot in Wales 1996.
117 to 120. Some useful Websites & Why this book was written with Epilogue.
…
 5

AUTHOR’S COMMENT: THE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR INSTINCTIVE ARCHERY GAMES IN

THIS BOOK ARE ONLY FOR THOSE GENUINE INSTINCTIVE ARCHERS WHO SHOOT AT
RELATIVE-SPEED. THEY ARE NOT FOR THOSE ARCHERS WHO USE STRING WALKING, GAP,
POINT OF AIM, AND THREE FINGER UNDER METHODS, AS THESE METHODS ARE NOT
INSTINCTIVE, THE LATTER COULD RESULT IN EYE DAMAGE AT RELATIVE-SPEED. THE
ARCHERS WHO PRACTICE THEM WOULD BE TOO SLOW TO COMPETE IN THE SAME CLASS AS
GOOD GENUINE INSTINCTIVE ARCHERS WHO MAKE USE OF HOWARD HILL’S SPLIT VISION
SHOOTING METHOD TO KEEP WITHIN THE TIMES ALLOWED. THE FORMER WOULD LOOK
LIKE RANK AMATUERS WHEN UP AGAINST A GOOD INSTINCTIVE SPLIT-VISION SHOOTER
CLOSE TO THE ABILITY OF HOWARD HILL, WHO WAS THE GREATEST NATURALLY
TALENTED ARCHER IN RECENT HISTORY.
THE ARCHERY GAMES IN THIS BOOK GIVE A CHANCE TO CHANGE INSTINCTIVE ARCHERY
INTO A SPORT, WHICH IS FASTER AND MORE EXCITING TO WATCH, AND WHICH, WHEN SHOT
INDOORS, OVER THE SHORTER DISTANCES OF 15 TO 2O METRES; WOULD MAKE IT A SPORT
FOR THE NATURALLY TALENTED PROFESSIONAL ARCHER TO PARTISIPATE IN. ONE TO DRAW
THE INTEREST OF THE COMFORTABLY SEATED SPECTATOR AND THE SPORTS PROMOTER
WHERE WEATHER WOULD NOT PRESENT A PROBLEM.
ARCHERY NOW IS BORINGLY SLOW TO WATCH FOR THE SPECTATOR AND SHOWS LITTLE
NATURAL SKILL WHEN SIGHTS AND OTHER SECRET METHODS ARE USED TO ENHANCE SCORES
THAT ARE LESS THAN HONEST, EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THOSE WHO PARTISIPATE ARE
COMPLETELY IGNORANT OF THE FACT, AS MOST HAVE BEEN TAUGHT TO SHOOT THAT WAY
AND KNOW NO DIFFERENT. YOU CAN’T MANUFACTURE SCORES AT DARTS, SNOOKER, INDOOR
BOWLS, OR ANY OF THE OTHER NATURALLY TALENTED INDOOR POPULAR SPORTS, WHICH
ARE INSTINCTIVE AND HAVE AN UMPIRE IN ATTENDANCE. WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET;
ARCHERS WHO HAVE TRAINED HARD TO REACH A LEVEL OF EXPERTISE THAT SEEMS
INCREDIBLE. I KNOW I CAN’T CHANGE THE SPORT OVER NIGHT, THAT IS WHY I HAVE WRITTEN
THIS SHORT BOOKLET FOR POSTERITY, HOPING ANOTHER HOWARD HILL OR KEEN
INSTINCTIVE ARCHER WOULD EMERGE IN THE FUTURE TO TAKE GENUINE INSTINCTIVE
ARCHERY TO THE LEVEL IT DESERVES, AS A HIGHLY SKILLED SPORT INDOORS LIKE DARTS,
SNOOKER, AND INDOOR BOWLS. THERE MUST BE GENUINE INSTINCTIVE ARCHERS OUT THERE
WHO AGREE WITH ME. INSTINCTIVE ARCHERY NEEDS TO GO IN ANOTHER DIRECTION, IF IT IS
TO BECOME PUBLIC AND SPORTS SPONSOR POPULAR.
THE FOLLOWING GAMES IN THIS BOOK HAVE BEEN TRIED AND TESTED BY ME, INDOORS
AND OUT, TO A RELATIVE-SPEED OF ABOUT FOUR SECONDS FOR EACH ARROW RELEASED
FROM A BACK QUIVER; THE LATTER SPEED NEEDED TO COMPETE ALONGSIDE THOSE
ARCHERS WHO USE THE SPLIT-VISION INSTINCTIVE METHOD OF HOWARD HILL DESCRIBED
BELOW, AND WHICH IS THE EASIEST METHOD OF SHOOTING AT RELATIVE-SPEED.
INSTINCTIVE ARCHERY AS A MODERN SPORT HAS BEEN SPOILED BY MODERN ARCHERS WHO
ARE UNABLE TO SHOOT INDOORS COMPETITIVELY AT RELATIVE-SPEED. THE LATTER SKILL
IS NEEDED IF THE SPORTS PROMOTER AND THE SPECTATOR ARE TO BE ATTRACTED TO THE
SPORT. SLOW BORING SPORTS ARE NOT WANTED IN THE MODERN WORLD OF NATURALLY
SKILLED SPORT, NOR DO THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ENTERTAIN THE PUBLIC IN INDOOR
VENUES. THE INDOOR GAMES IN THIS BOOK CAN CHANGE THE FACE OF INSTINCTIVE
ARCHERY IF GIVEN THE CHANCE. THE ONLY DRAWBACK IS FINDING THE FEW ARCHERS WHO
ARE WILLING TO PUT IN THE HARD PRACTICE NEEDED TO SUCCEED. MODERN ARCHERS ARE
ATTRACTED TO THE MODERN METHODS OF SO-CALLED INSTINCTIVE SHOOTING, WHICH ARE
THE EASIER OPTIONS. IT TAKES PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, AND DETERMINATION TO
SUCCEED AT SPLIT-VISION RELATIVE- SPEED INSTINCTIVE SHOOTING. THE DISABLED HAVE
THE MIND, BUT NOT THE VENUE FOR IT, DO YOU?
THE FOLLOWING INSTINCTIVE ARCHERY GAMES ARE BASED ON OTHER INDOOR GAMES
WE ALL KNOW, LOVE, AND GREW UP WITH, SO WHY NOT TRY THEM FOR YOURSELVES AT
INDOOR ARCHERY COMPETITIONS. I WARN YOU, THEY WILL CHALLENGE THE BEST OF YOU
AND OPEN A NEW PROSPECTIVE ON WHAT INSTINCTIVE ARCHERY SHOULD BE. ALL GAMES
THAT ARE POPULAR WITH THE PUBLIC MUST BE INSTINCTIVE AND HARD TO CONQUEOR.
THEY NEED A NATURAL SKILL WHICH MUST BE DEVELOPED BY HARD PRACTICE AND A
STRENGTH OF MIND TO OVERCOME. THE DISABLED, WHO STILL HAVE THEIR BODY
STRENGTH ABOVE THE WAIST, WOULD SUIT THIS HIGHLY SKILLED INDOOR SPORT, AS THEY
 6

HAVE PROVED IN LIFE, THEY HAVE THE STRENGTH OF MIND TO PERSEVERE AND TO
OVERCOME. THIS SPORT WILL KEEP THEM FIT AS AN EXERCISE THAT BENEFITS THE WHOLE
BODY AND MIND.
THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN THE AMERICAN LONGBOW AND THE RECURVES, WHICH
ARE ALLOWED IN THESE GAMES, IS THE CENTER SHOT WINDOW, WHICH ALLOWS THE
INSTINCTIVE ARCHER TO MAKE USE OF ACCURATELY SPINED FEATHER FLETCHED
CORBON FIBRE AND ALUMINIUM ARROWS, WHICH IN TURN ALLOWS FOR MORE
ACCURACY IN SPINING. THIS OPTION IS WORTH CONSCIDERING AS BYRON FERGUSON,
THE FAMOUS INSTINCTIVE ARCHER AND HUNTER MAKES USE OF SUCH A SETUP WHILE
KEEPING WITHIN THE RULES OF TRADITIONAL EQUIPMENT. ARCHERY NEEDS TO CHANGE
ITS PUBLIC FACE IF IT IS TO BECOME POPULAR ENOUGH TO INTEREST THE SPORTS
PROMOTER AND THE SPECTATOR., IT NEEDS UMPIRES AND ACCURATELY TIMED ENDS
SHOT AT RELATIVE-SPEED (ONE TO SEVERAL ARROWS RELEASED IN THE TIME OF FROM
FIVE TO FORTY-FIVE SECONDS), DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF ARROWS RELEASED IN
EACH END OF SET, AND THE GAME PLAYED, WHICH ANY GOOD AMATUER OR
PROFESSIONAL SPLIT-VISION INSTINCTIVE ARCHER IS EASILY CAPABLE OF. THESE
GAMES ARE DESIGNED TO ATTRACT ONLY THOSE INSTINCTIVE ARCHERS WHO ARE AT
THE TOP OF THEIR GAME. AS ALL THE TOP, PROFESSIONAL SPORTS PEOPLE MENTIONED
BELOW ARE.
THIS BOOK GIVES THE CHANCE TO REVOLUTIONIZE INSTINCTIVE ARCHERY AS A
POPULAR INDOOR SPORT WHERE WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET. IN TIME, THE TIMING
WILL BECOME FASTER IN THE END OF SETS AS THE PROFESSIONAL ARCHERS BECOME
MORE PROFICIENT IN THEIR NATURAL SKILL AND RELEASE... ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IF
THERE IS A CHAMPION TO BEAT WHO HAS THE ABILITY OF A HOWARD HILL, OR A BYRON
FERGUSON, ARCHERY. A PHIL TAYLOR, OR A MICHAEL VAN GERWIN, DARTS. OR A STEVE
DAVIS OR RONNIE O’SULLIVAN, SNOOKER. WHO CHANGED THEIR SPORTS FOR THE
BETTER? YOU HAD TO BEAT THEM TO STAND A CHANCE OF WINNING. OTHERS ALSO WHO
STAND OUT IN THEIR OWN INDOOR SPORTS, AS MASTERS OF THEIR GAME, PLAYERS WHO
HAVE THE NATURAL SKILL AND DETERMINATION TO ATTRACT OTHERS TO TRY TO BEAT
THEM IN FAIR COMPETITION. THESE CHAMPIONS OF THEIR CHOSEN SPORTS HAVE
BECOME THE ONES TO BEAT OR TO EMULATE, AND THAT IS AS A GREAT SPORT SHOULD
BE... WHERE PROPS AND ENHANCEMENT IS NOT NEEDED, ONLY GREAT NATURAL SKILL.
I HAVE FOUND THAT MOST OF THE FRENCH ARCHERY CLUBS AND TOWNS, WITHIN THEIR
SCHOOLS, HAVE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SPORTING FACILITIES THAT CATER TO ALL TYPES
OF SPORTS FOR THEIR TOWN RESIDENTS, INCLUDING SHORT DISTANCE INDOOR ARCHERY. I
BELIEVE THE GERMAN CLUBS HAVE THESE FACILITIES TOO. BRITAIN, SEEMINGLY AT THE
FOREFRONT OF THE ARCHERY WORLD, HAS NONE TO SPEAK OF EXCEPT WITH THE USE OF
SIGHTS. THE POLITICIANS KEEP TALKING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT SPORT SHOULD BE IN
THE LIVES OF THE HARD-WORKING TAX PAYING PUBLIC, BUT NEVER SEEM TO DO ANYTHING
ABOUT IT. CHARITIES HAVE BEEN FORMED TO PROMOTE SPORT WITH LOTTERY FUNDING,
BUT THE MONEY NEVER SEEMS TO MATERIALIZE AT WHERE IT IS MOST NEEDED, EXCEPT AS
PALACIAL OFFICES AND HUGE EXPENSE ACCOUNTS FOR THE TOP EXCUTIVES WHO RUN
THESE CHARITIES, WHICH SMACKS OF CORRUPTION AND IS NOT NEEDED. I WONDER IF
THINGS WILL EVER CHANGE. HOPE IS THE MAIN REASON I HAVE WRITTEN THIS BOOK...
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE, WHICH IS MY LASTING LEGASY TO THOSE WHO WOULD TAKE IT UP
AND STOP THOSE WHO WOULD CORRUPT EVERY SPORT THEY TOUCH.
…
 7

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Many thanks to Craig and Evie Ekin for the use of
Howard Hill’s photographs. If it were not for Howard Hill’s archery, and the life
he lived, this book could never have been written. He inspired me, as he has
inspired thousands of other naturally skilled archers, to try for perfection.
…
 8

HOWARD HILL'S SHOOTING METHOD

When you point your forefinger at a spot, your primary vision is focused on that
spot, your forefinger is also in sight, but only visible in your indirect vision, try it and
see. Now relate this to your arrow at full draw. Both your eyes are focused on the point
looked at, but your arrow shaft and pile, which is resting on the knuckle of your
forefinger or on the arrow-shelf just above it, has taken the place of your forefinger.
Instinctively you are pointing at what you are looking at and if all else is right,
your arrow will hit that point. This is the Howard Hill method of split vision shooting
and it’s the method best suited to play these games, as it can be shot at relative-speed.
Stand facing the target with your bow hand holding your bow below the waist in
front of you in a relaxed grip much like holding a suitcase. Your bow elbow is slightly
bent, and your primary vision is concentrated on the spot you want your arrow to hit.
The arrow is resting on top of your bow hand or on the arrow shelf just above it. Your
intention is to substitute the arrow shaft and pile for your forefinger; you are about to
point at the spot you want to hit with your arrow. When you are ready, bring your
slightly bent bow arm up to full draw in one fluid movement with your middle finger
firmly touching the corner of your mouth, which is your anchor point. Your bow is
slightly canted and your arrow is now lined up from pile to fletch with the spot, its shaft
visible in your indirect vision; with your primary vision fixed on the spot. Drop
your head forward to bring your eyes over your arrow shaft. When your middle finger
is in firm touch with your anchor point, you release the arrow. Your bow and release
hand stay exactly where they are, your primary vision still fixed on the spot until
your arrow has entered the target butt. The entire movement should take no more
than three to four seconds from start to finish. The release best suited to this method of
shooting is the Mediterranean release, two fingers under and one finger over the arrow
nock with the middle finger fixed firmly on the corner of your mouth and not under
your chin. Over longer distances, you must consider arrow trajectory. This comes with
practice. You will feel that everything is right as your instinct dictates the height of
your bow arm, you will surprise yourself. If you shorten your draw by slightly bending
your bow arm, it will enable you to use a shorter arrow with a smaller diameter shaft.
This will give you less weight with the same spine, spine being the stiffness of the
arrow in relation to bow draw weight. If spine is correct, the arrow will fly to the
vertical center line of the target. If spine is incorrect, the arrow will fly off to either the
left or right of the center line indicating a too stiff or too supple an arrow. When released
the arrow tends to bend itself around the bow in a zigzag pattern, this effect is known
as the archer’s paradox and its degree of bend must be calculated correctly or the above
error will result. It is best to test spine at short distances with a vertical line drawn
through the center of the target. When your group covers the line evenly, your spine is
correct. With good form, you will hit the spot instead of going to either side of it.
*There is a spine chart on page 33).
Play around with the weight of point, the length of shaft and feather, and the diameter
of the shaft, until you have a stable and accurate wooden arrow. The shorter the arrow,
within reason, the more stable it is. For speed shooting over short distances, I
recommend a bow of between 60” to 70” between nocks, long helical fletching, three
 9

or four feathers, and an arrow of around twenty- eight inches long. Helical fletching is
to the arrow as rifling is to the gun; it spins the arrow in flight and stabilizes it. If you
had a broad head on the end of the shaft, helical feathers would spin the arrow and stop
it from planing. If a slightly bent arrow, then helical feathers would help to steady it.
Howard Hill always recommended a shorter arrow because he found it more stable in
flight. His own arrows were no more than twenty-seven and three quarter inches in
length and fletched with long helical feathers. Each bow is slightly different as to arrow
spine. To group wood shaft arrows, you must have well-matched equipment and a
good release.
In speed shooting and at the relatively short distances used in my games, you will find,
arrows with longer helical fletching will straighten up quicker when leaving the bow.
It’s an important are consideration when you shoot around the handle. For longer
distances like clout and roving, use a small helical fletch, to gain less drag through the
air and more distance. If one arrow consistently flies off center from the rest, even if
skilfully made, you must destroy it; the spine is wrong for the bow or the arrow is bent
and that can only affect your performance.
The Howard Hill method of split-vision shooting described above is the best method
to achieve the practice of Relative-Speed instinctive shooting used in the following
games. The method takes a lot of practice to master, but once mastered, the instinctive
archer will have the skill to compete with the best of the best instinctive archers.
Remember: Left wing feathers for the right-hand archer, and right wing
feathers for the left-hand archer... This helps to eliminate feather burn.

The release is the most important ingredient to proper form. Instinctive archer
Jeff Kavanagh has several excellent videos on YouTube on his double point
Mediterranean release, which he uses. Without a good release in genuine
instinctive shooting, good form is unattainable. To shoot accurately at Relative-
Speed (10 to 15 arrows in one minute, or less, in from ten seconds to forty seconds,
depending on the game played.) You must have good form, and that takes
practice, practice, and more practice, both physically and mentally. Start with a
light bow, get the anchor at the corner of your mouth, and the release right first,
then work upwards to your preferred bow poundage.
…
 10

HOWARD HILL AT FULL DRAW USING HIS METHOD OF INSTINCTIVE SHOOTING

These Instinctive Archery Games were designed for the Howard Hill method of shooting. There is no other
method I would recommend you use as it has everything the determined Relative-Speed shooter needs. For
any archer to win at these games would indeed be an accomplishment, the trophies would be worth winning
too. I hope they will attract the archer who is more interested in natural talent than in what instinctive archery
has become today. These games are for the hunter to hone his skills on, or for the professional to take instinctive
archery into the twenty-first century along with the sponsor and the spectator.
In his day, Howard Hill was the best no one can dispute that. These games will find others like him
should they exist? Mainstream archery today has become a travesty of what it once was. It needs archers
like Howard Hill to show the public what true archery is. Instinctive archers who want to shoot fairly
in competition against others who have the fortitude and single-mindedness to find the true winner of
the tournament. Instinctive archers, the sponsors, and the public want to see in fierce competition
against each other. It will take a great natural talent to enter these games; all they need now are the
instinctive archers who have that skill to compete in them in public using that talent. One of those
archers could, be you?
…
 11

THE DUAL POINTS OF AWARENESS

The dual points of awareness are: The distance where the primary and secondary visions come
together in instinctive shooting. Let me explain: When you have the spot, you want to hit in your
primary vision, which you must have always, you will also have your arrow shaft and point of the
arrow lined up and pointing at the spot you want to hit in your secondary vision. If all is right at this
distance, the arrow will fly to the spot your primary vision is concentrating on, and where your
secondary instinctive awareness is pointing at. Both eyes must be open and the arrow shaft lined up
in your secondary vision for the arrow to strike dead center. Instinctive shooting is not easy, the
mind and both aspects of your vision must be trained to it first, and that at Relative Speed, which
takes dedication and hard practice to accomplish. Something all worthwhile naturally skilled
sports should have... The best way to play these archery games is to tune your equipment to bring
these two points of awareness closer together at the average distance at which they are played, or as
close to that distance as possible. This is not gap or point of aim shooting, as the conscious and
instinctive minds are still separate, it is an awareness of space with the primary vision always on the
spot and the secondary vision lining up the arrow shaft to point instinctively at what you want to hit.
All that has happened is that you have an awareness of both points, which are merging to become
one. To reach this stage, you have tuned your bow and arrow to bring these two points of awareness
closer together. Every bow has a (point-blank) distance where both points merge completely. For most
competition bows this is somewhere between thirty-five and forty-five meters, depending on draw
poundage. The closer this awareness of both senses is, the better for alignment and accuracy. For
heavier bows the point of awareness will vary upwards. For my shorter indoor games, I recommend
poundage of between forty-five and sixty pounds with none or slight string follow to gain less bow
sensitivity, with a facsimile of Six to Six and a half inches. Remember, both senses must be kept
apart or your shooting will become conscious instead of instinctive; hence the need to shoot at
Relative Speed. The skill of the accurate shot lies in the primary mind concentration on the spot,
the secondary mind awareness of the arrow point, shaft, and nock alignment with the vertical
center line of the spot, the anchor point, and the full draw of the bow, the correct tuning of the
arrow to the bow, and this in shooting at Relative Speed for shot after shot. If the dual points of
awareness are closer too, then success is guaranteed. But again, all must be right. Instinctive shooting
needs full mind concentration.
An individual primitive bow’s best distance, when shot with instinct, is from where the two
points of awareness merge, to downwards. Anything more, will affect arrow alignment with the
spot to be hit, and deadly accuracy because the bow hand is in the way. Those of you who think
that a bent stick is easy to shoot have no knowledge of what instinctive archery is all about. It
takes serious thought to succeed, and nothing less will do. To shoot slowly becomes conscious
shooting, to shoot at relative-speed in the manner described above, is instinctive. Instinctive
archery skill lies in the tuning of the bow and the arrow to each other so that these points of awareness
and the spine of the arrow are so compatible, that if everything is right in theory, the arrow will strike
the exact center of the spot you are aiming at. Primitive bows not being center-shot, especially those
shot off the hand, must take the archer’s paradox into account, and that means the accurate arrow
spine of wooden shafts. Center shot bows and already spined aluminium or carbon fibre shafts are
allowed in class three, but for the purposes of primitive archery wooden shafts are the only interest,
and they do need some skill to spine, especially if shot off the hand and not off a rest. The old hunters
and Howard Hill had this knowledge. The optimum distance to be sure of a good chance of a
successful kill in a hunt was somewhere between ten to thirty meters. The skilled hunter knew if he
could have his dual points of awareness come together at somewhere near these marks, all else being
right, he would make his kill with a fast shot.
It took great skill to tiller a bow to a certain weight, then tune the arrow spine to it by adjusting
point weight, shaft and fletch length, so that the arrow would strike the center and vertical line of the
target. It took greater skill and thought to bring the dual points of awareness together at somewhere
near the optimum hunting distances. The number of strands in the string, and bow weight also had to
be considered, so too the distance between the bow nocks and the amount of string follow for
 12

smoothness of release. The skill of the hunter lay not only in his accuracy but also in his tuning of his
equipment, his speed of release, and not taking his game at too great a distance. A good hunter was a
great asset to his tribe, and an accurate speedy archer to his captain. Modern archery equipment has
taken most of the natural skill out of archery, and that is a great pity.
A long or flat bow, American, English, or otherwise, to be accurate, stable, and not too sensitive
at short distance Relative-Speed shooting, should be straight or follow the string slightly, be at least
sixty-four inches between nocks, shot off the hand with the correct nocking point height and facsimile
About 6 inches to 6.1/2 inches...roughly a full closed fist with the thumb fully extended, more with a
recurve bow. To avert feather burn, archers who draw the string back with their right hand
should use left-hand helical feathers, and right-hand helical feathers if the string is drawn back
with the left hand. The bow tillered to take an arrow of between twenty-seven and twenty-eight
inches without going into stack, the point where the bow suddenly becomes harder to draw, and where
it might break if pulled further. Its weight should be high enough to reach full draw at every shot and
not tire the archer. Shorter arrows need a slight bend in the bow arm elbow. The shorter distances
favor longer, preferable helical fletches, three or four, which are needed to straighten the arrow up
quicker. A reflexed bow stores more power, which is fine at long distances where roving, golf, and
battle-clout games are relevant, but with short distance Relative- Speed shooting, an over sensitive
bow is not needed. You will lose a little arrow speed, but overall accuracy will improve. As you can
see there is more to the correct tuning and shooting of primitive and traditional archery equipment
than those who would have us believe otherwise. To shoot the 'bent stick' accurately with instinct
takes a great amount of thought, skill, knowledge, and experience, and is a challenge that cannot be
denied, or criticized. Miss-matched equipment and ignorance, even among coaches, is the most
common cause of new archers leaving the sport and older ones becoming frustrated.
My Relative-Speed arrows are shown on page 32, are 5/16 diameter Scot’s pine, feather-
fletched with four, four-inch helical fletching set Two-inches below the nock, spined at 45/50 at
27/7/8” out of a 50# Howard Hill (Bamboo laminated Tembo). They are accurate and group
tightly. I use a JO-Jan multi fletching jig from Three-Rivers so that every arrow feather of the
six is the same. The jig provides for a four-fletch six-arrow arrangement and is helical Left or
Right hand to order. The right knowledge is everything, and that can only come from
experience.

…
 13

TARGET MAKING

First, you will need to draw a full-size template of circle centers, zones, and lines of
the selected game onto a stiff cardboard rectangle, or on the back of the 60cm target
itself. This template will become the master for all future faces for that game. Draw
further templates to suit each game. Remember to mark all spot and zone sizes and spot
colors onto the relevant templates.

*The outdoor Turkey Shoot faces are made up of circles where the head spot can be
positioned anywhere, and are easy to draw and paint, as are the other game faces.
When making, a new target lay the paper under the template and mark the circle
centers and size of target through the template onto the paper face beneath with a pencil
or compass point. With this information, complete the target face. This way all target
faces for each game will be the same. (See following target drawings for further
information).
The best paints to use are Graduate grade acrylics, the tubes are cheaper and the
colors are brighter. You can purchase them easily from artists’ supply houses anywhere.
A little paint will go a long way, especially if the size ten round (10 or 11) paintbrush
is dipped into water first before painting. The paint dries quickly, and is waterproof
when dry. You can purchase the different colored bullet-headed permanent ink pens, a
pair of large blackboard compasses, although the latter are easy to make, for drawing
the larger spots and zones, smaller compasses that take a finer ink pen for smaller spots
and thinner zone lines, a one-meter long straight edge at any artists’ supply shop too.
Always have a plywood or stiff board the same size as your target face to draw on.
Using the compasses draw your circles first. The circle outlines, and zones are nearly
always black, sometimes red. Read the instructions for the target you are working on
first before starting to add colors. Carefully paint in the different color spots with the
diluted acrylics. When dry add the outlines to the spots and zone lines with your
permanent pens... I recommend using the ink pens to draw the spot circles before
painting.
I leave my faces over night to dry then paste them onto cellular cardboard backing
squares the same size as the target face. The glue I use is 100% waterproof PVA wood
glue diluted to two or three parts of water to one part of glue ratio. It’s the same glue I
use to back my bows, but with a different ratio. Water resistant glue is not suitable; it
must be 100% waterproof. The beauty of this glue is that it is water-soluble when wet,
dries clear, and waterproof when dry.
Use a four-inch paste brush, soft dustpan brush, or wall paper brush to wet the
surface of the cellular cardboard with the glue mixture first, then lay your dry target
face down onto it and thoroughly wet the back with the glue solution. Carefully peeling
the brushed wet face off the cardboard backing, place it face up, then go over it again
with the brush making sure that all air bubbles are out. The paper will stiffen and
smooth out as it dries, this is an advantage so do not stint on the glue as it will not affect
the dry waterproof acrylics or the permanent pen marks. For the face paper, I
recommend either the back of a new reinforced target of suitable size (80cm) or
(60cm) or a size cut from a roll of the same material, the thicker the cardboard
backing the better but nothing over half an inch. (See Speed Shoot rules).
 14

Suggestion: Most of my archery game target faces can be drawn onto the back of an
eighty (80) cm or a (60) cm FITA ten-ring face, making use of the relevant zone lines
for spot diameters using a drawing compass, before pasting onto cellular cardboard
backing. 4cm spacing for the 80cm and 3cm spacing for the 60cm faces...this will
ensure the right scale of spot. (See target drawings for further information).
REMEMBER ALL 12CM SPOTS ON THE 80CM FACE NEED TO BE 4x3 ZONE-
LINE, 60cm 3x4 zone lines. TO KEEP SCALE WITH 60CM FACE.
60CM FACE 3X4 LINES = 12CMS. 80CM 4X3 LINES. 12cm in diameter is a
common spot and must be right. The only drawing to scale is the power-Snooker
80cm Face.
Suggestion: All main spot colors are kept to the ten-ring archery target colors
where possible, I. E. Gold, Red, Blue, Black & White. Green and Brown has been
added to some faces for further clarity.
You will find the Bowls 60cm target on page 47 and one or two others drawn to scale
with the ten-ring zone-lines showing through. All Targets to be laid out the same as to
spots on the 40, 60, and 80 faces.

REMARKS: I find these targets easy to make. The PVA water and glue mix does not
affect the acrylic paint or the permanent ink pen lines in any way when it is dry. With
practice, the targets will look professionally made. The acrylics keep their bright colors
too, even after gluing. The score sheets and rules only need to be copied from the
originals in the PDF Field-Captain’s coil-bound edition. I have a copyright on these
game plans, but that’s only to protect my interests should my games go commercial
and the target printers see them as viable. In the meantime, instinctive archery clubs
are welcome to make use of my target faces if they must paint them...I know the kids
love to paint them. I hope these games will go a long way to reviving the interest in
instinctive primitive and traditional archery. The archers who use them will acquire the
skills needed to shoot the bow instinctively and at Relative-Speed...thereby giving a
highly skilled version of the indoor sport to the public and to the sports promoter. For
advice, I can be reached at hoarejohneric@gmail.com

The knowledge of Howard Hill, Legolas, and Robin Hood are contained within
these pages. All it needs to enter their world is to use it. The truly instinctive
archer is King. The ones who tap the natural skill of their ancestors will be the
ones who will, in the end, find their true satisfaction.

…
 15

LINE DRAWING OF TEN-RING 60cm FITA FACE

The primary marking out on the back of

The paints need to be watered down. I use a size 10 or 12 round paint brush.
a 60cm target face for the speed games.
( See target making and painting on page 12)

A brush full of water and a pea sized blob of paint is enough to paint
Ten-ring zone line values as seen through the 60cm target face.

Paints, permantent ink pens, and PVA glue, need to be waterproof.

The glue must be watered down in about a 4 water to 1 glue ratio.
Black circle is the diameter of the printed 80cm target face.
white zone

42cm Diameter circle

48cm Diameter circle

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

a spot 160mm diameter.

36cm Diameter circle

There is no need to draw the full pencil circle when only an arc will do
DRAWING NOT TO SCALE

The main lines to conscider for marking out are the grey circles, diagonals, and the cross lines.
Dotted Red circles are where the outer spots can be in relation to zone line sizes.
All the zone lines on the 60cm printed targets are at 3cm spacings.
The scoring spots for the games are either 9cm 10cm 12cm 16cm 20cm 21cm or 24cm diameters.
All zones are marked to the zone lines as seen thru' the back of the 80cm target.
This will make all targets uniform for the different shoots and easier to draw and to paint.
If the10 9 8 7,6,5,4,3,2,1 black zone lines are used as the spot centers, depending on the
spot and zone sizes, you will have a well balanced target. Once the target template
is made it will be there for all time for the game concerned.
So too the center spots and zones, marked from the center of the 10 zone, where the center
spots may differ from game to game. Please refer to the book on spot and zone sizes.
Once a full set of templates is made to the size of the 60cm target face, all that is needed is
to lay the template onto the back of the new target and mark the centers of the spots or zones.
Acrylic paints: The best paints to use are graduate class acrylic paints because they are cheaper.
Ink pens to mark zone lines need to be permanent black and red bullet points, and not too thick.
A pair of blackboard compasses, which are easy to make or buy.
A meter straight edge rule marked in centimeters and inches.
A container 1/2 gallon of 100% waterproof Builder's PVA wood glue.
 16

80cm Relative-Speed Instinctive target face Ten zone rings 4cm apart
determine the size and scale of of spots.
60cm Relative-Speed Ten-ring zone lines 3cm apart determine the size of spots.
40cm Sight Shooters target-face Ten-ring zone lines 2cm apart determine
the size of spots. All in scale of one to the other targets depending on the game
played. Examples shown: The Gold the Red and the Black. 60, 40cm faces.
80cm Spot sizes = 16cms 4x4. 60cm Spot sizes = 12cms 3x4.
80cm FITA Target Face shown with 16cm zone rings 4x4.
80cm target face shown.
56cm Zone line shown.
Spot size center = 16cms
4cm x 4 zone lines = 16cms
taken from center.

Spot sizes outers = 16cms

10 4cm x 4cm zone lines
9 centered on the 56cm dia
8
6 7 zone line.
5
4
3
2
1
MARKING OUT ON
REVERSE OF 80CM
F.I.T.A. TARGET FACE

Once a target has been drawn

a pattern of centers can be
made by pricking spot centers
thru' on a same size white
cardboard with relevant
instructions as to spot sizes for
that size game target. This can
then be laid over the target drawn
The corners of the target enable the corner spots to be moved outwards I.E. 80cm 60cm or 40cm face
thus saving time in marking out.

All Target faces must be drawn to the scale of zone line spacings 4-3-2 cms
Target faces must be glued to a 61cm x 61cm celullar coarboard backing for stiffness.
See page 12 & 13 for water-proof PVA glue instructions.

60cm target Zone line spaces = 3cms

12cm Outers = 4x3cm zone spaces
9cm Center = 3x3cm zone spaces
15cm Center zone = 5x3cm zone spaces. 40cm zone line spaces = 2cms
8cm Outers = 4x2cm zone spaces
6cm center = 3x2cm zone spaces
10cm Center zone line = 5x2cm
zone spaces
 17

My Carpet layered target butt

Section thru butt

building ply compression bolt cover on target butt front

Penny washer under nut.

Top plate.

Compression threaded
rod with washers and nuts.

Screws.

FRONT
Butt feet must be long enough
to support butt.

Side plate.

End grain to hold screws.

Compressed carpet or underlay layers.

Target butt feet.

80cm FITA Face

Ground line
End Grain Blue short lines & Crosses are screws
My target butt is made from compressed layered carpet underlay or the carpet itself.
The layers are compressed just enough by the two threaded rods until they are just
tight enough to hold the brass bullet piles I use in Relative-speed shooting, to hold.
Try the butt out first until you are satisfied the butt is holding the arrows firmly enough.
The brass bullet piles push the layers apart rather than tear thru' them, which makes
the butt last longer. Especially so when my Game targets are designed to have their
scoring spots spread evenly over the butt's whole surface.
Make the butt at least One Meter square so as to take the Eighty(80)cm FITA targets
I base my game faces on.
My butt is 130x130cm square. If in competition indoors the butt can be made to fit
right across the hall at one end, or mounted in front of an arrow stop curtain.
When the butt is compressed to the right tightness, screw the wooden top plates to the
wooden side plates making sure the screws are about 25mm in from the edge to stop
any stray arrows hitting them. After screwing you can remove the treaded compression rods
from the butt and screw the two wide feet on from the bottom, making sure the screws
are long enough to go into the wood and not into the carpet layers.
My butt is about 20 cm deep from front to back, but you can make it as deep as you like
and when the front is worn turn it around. New or old carpet or underlay will do, but try not
to make the individual layers too thick...5mm to 10mm is enough for the brass bullet piles
to push in between the layers and be held firmly.
Always try to cut the carpet to accurate widths to give a flat even face.
 18

TURKEY TARGET SET-OUT CHART

How to set out a Turkey target on the back of a 40cm 60cm or a 80cm FITA target
from the Ten-ring scoring rings on the front. Ten-ring zone line spaces
Head spot can be placed anywhere with reason
on the body circumferance of the Turkey Zone. 40cm=2cm 60cm=3cm 80cm=4cm
See Turkey target drawings for further infomation.
OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS TURKEY SHOOT TO 4cms BETWEEN RINGS SCALE

Turkey marked out on back of 80cm FITA Ten-ring target face

Head spot any diameter within reason anywhere on circumerance

Head-Spot choices 10
9
8
7
6
5
80cm diameter
72cm diameter
64cm diameter
56cm diameter

16cm diameter
48cm diameter

24cm diameter
32cm diameter
40cm diameter

4
8cm diameter

3
Variable body size to
2 grey ten-zone rings on
1 different FITA faces

Kill spot can be placed

anywhere with reason
within the wound Zone.

Grey pencil circle arcs match 4cm Ten-ring zone lines on 80cm FITA Face

All 80, 60, 40cm Fita ten-ring targets backed by Cellular cardboard
The size of the kill spots and Zones must match the size of the Turkeys
at the distances they are set at on all ten-ring FITA sizes, 40,60, 80, faces.
Any reasonable zone line can become the size of the Turkey as long as
the kill Spots and the wound zones match.
The kill and outer head spots can be moved to suit. I.E. Frontals, Feeders
Walkers, Flyers, or Perchers.
The backs of larger FITA targets can be used at the longer distances if desired
The shorter distances are more suited to hunters for instinctive shooting.
Turkey bodies can be Grey, White or Brown.
(C) Copyright John Eric Hoare Nov 2012
 19

SETUP FOR 80, 60 & 40cm FITA TEN-RING TARGET FACES

TARGET FACE ZONE

RING SPACINGS.
40 cm = 2 cms
60 cm = 3 cms
80 cm = 4 cms
This keeps the spot
diameters in scale
and relevant to the
face in use.

Cardboard backing for face

This target setup for the indoor arena could be the future for genuine indoor instinctive archery
where the shorter distances will suit the genuine instinctive archer.
When the targets are drawn to scale using the ten zone rings to determine the different spot
diameters on the different sized faces the sport will have an indoor fascility that could make
the sport more viable to the sports promoter, the spectator, and the target printer.
Relative-speed instinctive archery is not practical over the longer distances as no sighting aids
are in use, only the subconscious natural skill of the instinctive archer is evident.
Most modern archers who use sights, and other means to hit the target, are not suited to the intense
disipline needed for the practice of genuine instinctive archery.
Most haven't the single mind to concentrate or to perservere, the sport has not been popular for that
reason.
It takes a dedicated instinctive archer to succeed at Relative-Speed instinctive shooting, because of
the intense practice needed. Most modern archers do not want to work for that and demand instant
results.
When archers, who use enhanchments become bored they tend to leave the sport after a short time,
not knowing that there is a better more skilled archery option available to them, but then, those who
give up too easily are not suited to Relative-Speed shooting anyway, as those disabled below the
waist would be.
Too many sports people want the easier option, and that cannot be good for sport in general.
The beauty of my games are that they spread the scoring spots all over the target face thereby
saving the center of the target from being shot out, especially so if brass bullet piles are used.

See pages 12 to 21 for further information.

 20

TOP VIEW Stramit Panels on edge and compressed 4.0' X 1.0'

8' x 4' Plywood backing for wall mount

Top of Frame T&G 1" X 6" Turnbuckle for compression of Stramit
wall
Retaining moulding 1/1/2" X 3"
Bottom, Sides & Top.

4.0' x 1.0' Stramit Panels end on to shooter

END VIEW OF SIDE

Target faces
DRAWING NOT TO SCALE

Frame timber size 1.1/2" X 1.0' screwed to wall by plywood backing

PLAN of HALL
5m 10m 15m 20m 25m

Side of frame continued to floor as added support.

END OF SCHOOL-HALL MOUNTED TARGET FRAME

Groundline
 21

MARKING OUT THE 40,60, & 80cm F.I.T.A. FACES TO SPOT SCALE
EXAMPLE BELOW: 80cm face with 4cm zone spaces taken to the back of the face.

Spot sizes are geared to the distance between

See Game drawings for further clarification.

8 cm
12 cm

I.E. 80cm = 4cm between zone lines

60cm = 3cm between zone lines
40cm = 2cm between zone lines
32cm Zone line

the zone lines

20 cm

Drawing not to scale

Using the ten ring zone lines as a guide the target faces can be marked out the same as the 80cm
target face.
It would be unfair not to include those archers who shoot with sights from their own version of the
games.
So to bring them into line with the instinctive shooters they must have their own size target face to
play.
This means either a 60 cm or a 40 cm face where the scoring spots will be smaller, but in proportion
to the instinctive archer target faces.
Genuine Instinctive shooting is harder to master as the instinctive archer has no attachments on their
bows, and instinctive shooting takes total concentration on every shot.
Sights are shot in before hand, so all it needs is to place the pin on the spot, hold still, then release.
Also it is impossible to shoot at Relative-Speed with a sight, gap, or point of aim shooting.
In other words, it takes more developed natural talent to shoot instinctively, and at Relative-Speed.
Any one can learn to shoot instinctively, but not everyone has the mind to persevere.
It is a fact that there are not many archers today who have the concentration of mind
to master genuine instinctive shooting.
The reason is accuracy. It takes total dedication to set up the traditional bow and
arrow as to spine and tiller. Modern traditionalists are going to aluminum and
carbon fibre arrows shot from center shot bows now, which is okay as long as feather
fletching is used when shooting instinctively off shelf rests.
 22

THE INTER-CHANGEABLE DANAGE TARGET BUTT

(These foam butts have inter-changeable modules
which are suitable for my games)
132cm

80cm Game Target face

132cm 14.5cm 132cm 14.5cm

Danage foam target butts mounted on the end wall of shooting alley
Timber board face

Closed Cell Foam modular sections

The modules can be kept in place by light tension on the threaded rods or
turn buckles
1.2m

Front of butt
Sections
Ground Line
The indoor games need target butts that can stand up to the wear and tear of arrows
being shot at Relative-Speed.
The Danage butt seems to have solved the solution by having inter-changeable modules
which are hard wearing, which makes it easier to withdraw the arrows out.
The recommendation is still that brass bullet piles are used, as they are not as rough as
the steel piles and tend to polish themselves after a short time, which reduces wear on
the butts.
The games lend themselves to the butts because the scoring spots are themselves
spread over the surface of the target faces, making less wear on the center module.
Most faces being based on 80cm F.I.T.A. Ten-ring targets the color spots stand out
against the dark surface of the modules and fit the 132cm butts perfectly.
The Danage butts can also be set up on individual stands alongside each other.
Any number of Danage squares may be added to the frame as long as the squares
are kept full size and fit evenly across the shooting alley and at least three squares
high to fit target faces.
DRAWING NOT TO SCALE
 23

BOW CLASS SHEET

Only three classes of equipment are allowed in these games and no other, or we are back to
those people who like to fiddle with the rules to suit themselves. Any other interpretation of the
equipment rules below is a corruption of what is intended.
Class One. To contain bows of traditional, and primitive design, which include: English
Longbow; American Longbow; Indian included, Primitive flat bow; Mongolian, or any other
static or working recurve bow that is shot off the hand and has a wooden riser; no shelf or
arrow rest is allowed. These bows can be backed with sinew or any other natural material.
Fiberglass, carbon fibre, or any synthetic material of reinforcement cannot be used in their
construction whether within or without, as that belongs in the Second Class. Modern glues,
varnishes, and the use of synthetic strings are allowed in Class One to help offset the wear and
tear of speed shooting, but there are no other concessions. Bow nocks must be made of natural
materials I.E. Self-nocked, horn, hardwood, sinew, or rawhide. 65# draw weight at 28 inches’
limit.
Class Two. To contain the entire bow types of class one, but with arrow shelf rests. Fiberglass,
carbon fibre and synthetic reinforcement may be included in their manufacture, such as: The
fiberglass backed and fronted American Longbow (AFB in other countries), Mongolian or any
other static or working recurve shot off a shelf or off the hand, which contains fibre glass or
carbon fibre. All bows must have wooden risers. No arrow rests unless off the shelf, (Hunter
type recurve) as the stick-on rests are not strong enough to withstand the continuous stress of
modern speed shooting, and are dangerous. Aluminium and Carbon fibre arrows belong to
Class Three below, and must only be used from centre-shot bows.
Class Three. Bows that are centre-shot can use carbon-fibre or aluminium arrows, but must
have natural feather fletches and bullet piles. This rule includes all the above types of bow if
they are centre-shot.
All classes may contain bows of reverse handle, deflexed-reflexed limbs, or both in
construction, if they conform to their class rules. 65# draw weight at 28 inches’ limit.
Arrows. Wood shafted, or as rule three above. All arrows must be fletched with natural
feathers, straight, angled, or helical, the shafts nocked with either plastic or self-nocks and piled
with brass bullet head points unless used outdoors for clout, golf, roving, or hunter game rounds
where steel field piles may be used. The brass bullet heads reduce the wear and tear on the
Foam Layered Super Butts. All arrows must show the archer’s personal cresting and each speed
set must contain at least Twenty (20) shafts before competing. NO set can be made up from
another archer’s set to shoot an official tournament.
Release: The release is the Mediterranean release, two fingers under one over the arrow nock;
a thumb release or ring if preferred, and the 'Dagger', thumb, and fore-finger, release as used
by the Russian speedster Seregedel Mohovikov. No modern release aids, peep sights, stabilizers,
string walking, or gun barrelling allowed.
Method: The Howard Hill method of split-vision instinctive shooting has proved itself in a
speed situation for these games, and is recommended by the author: Other methods, which in
the eyes of the umpire constitute as, 'Not being in the spirit of the sport'; will be disqualified. The
Thumb ring and 'Dagger' releases are allowed in as genuine instinctive releases.
The above is the only three classes of equipment allowed in these games. No Compound bows
of any description, Crossbows, or bows without wooden risers are allowed.
UMPIRE’S DECISION IS FINAL IN ALL MATTERS

REMARKS: These rules have been formulated for a reason. Instinctive archery has degenerated into
something that is other than what it should be. Certain people, to suit themselves, have at Annual
General Meetings voted to change the rules of shooting equipment. Thereby creating a situation where
the different classes of bows and arrows used have become ridiculous and many in the extreme. After
all we are only shooting bows and arrows so why not keep it simple, our ancestors did. The third class
of competition has been introduced for those archers who use center-shot bows and aluminium or
 24

carbon-fibre arrows with bullet points and feather fletching, but the game would still have to be shot
at Relative-Speed with genuine instinct, off a strong shelf with timing for each arrow released, to
deter the slow conscious Gap, Point of Aim, String walkers, and other archers, who are less than
honest, from winning the prizes.

I make use of my instinct and nothing else; that’s the way the old hunters used to shoot.
Instinctive archery should be the exclusive preserve of the fair-minded competitor who knows
that the archer shooting next to him is trying to beat him fairly. I have designed these games of
Relative- Speed for such people. Only the very best of genuine instinctive archers will have a
chance of winning. It’s up to you to be one. Howard Hill proved he was the best in his lifetime,
and Dave Powers proved it twice at Sherwood Forest in 1999 and 2000 in front of a huge public
gallery. I’m half expecting someone to come up with a bow that will shoot two arrows at once
accurately, like Legolas in Lord of the Rings or Kevin Costner in Robin Hood, but then, that
would never be allowed in these games. I’ll bet someone has tried it though. Sergey Mohovikov
of Murmansk Russia makes use of the backhanded 'Dagger Release' with phenomenal results
in speed (At least 25 arrows out in one minute from a back quiver). His and his students’ speed
videos can be seen on 'YouTube'. Some of the games in this book only need from two to nine
arrows out in from 10 seconds to 45 seconds, but it will still take all the genuine instinctive
archer's natural skill to succeed. Relative-Speed with accuracy, to which the Howard Hill
method is best suited, is the only way to eliminate the sports cheats in archery. There can be no
other way.
…
 25

THE BEAUTY OF A SPORT THAT MUST BE WORKED FOR TO EXCELL

I suggest strongly, if you want the butt to last, make use of brass bullet piles when shooting indoors,
these only push the layers of foam or compressed straw apart rather than tear through them. I found
with brass bullet piled arrows fletched with long, at least fourXfour inch helical feathers I have a more
aerodynamically sound arrow, (page 32) which makes for better accuracy at the shorter distances indoors or
out, as hen feathers are always against the bow. Instinctive archery is not meant for the longer distances,
because in the hunt the hunters of old knew that deadly accuracy would suffer and vital food could be missed.
My indoor games will give greater accuracy to the hunter in the off season, but it will need a determination of
spirit and dedication of hard constant practice to succeed, something most archers, except the disabled, don’t
have now days. That is why I have included the disabled in the mix because most of them do have the strength
of mind to succeed, even with the latest prosthetic legs and arms indoors. The exercise gained is beneficial too.
In the case of outdoor archery, Battle Clout, Roving, Archery Golf, or Ironman Woodland shoots, steel piles
and smaller helical fletches are the better option over the greater distances. Great accuracy was not needed in
war as long a speed of release and a general accuracy in the direction of a charging enemy was forth-coming.
My games are a modern concept of the ancient art of the bow as it should be used in the hands of a budding
modern Howard Hill. My games were written for the future instinctive archer. When I am gone, my knowledge
and that of Howard Hill, will live on in the hope another truly instinctive archer, able or disabled, will take it
further into the realm of the dedicated professional instinctive archer. Professional Relative-speed archers will
be the archers to beat over the shorter distances indoors. Just as the true professionals in Darts, Snooker, and
Indoor-bowls is today in the short-range world of indoor sport. If it weren’t for men like Phil Taylor, Michael
Van Gerwin, Ronnie O’ Sullivan, Steve Davis, and others with exceptional instinctive skill, including the
indoor bowling greats, the men and women to beat, none of those sports would be popular today, because most
of the practitioners then were mediocre...they had to raise their game to compete. Anyone can hit a bulls-eye
with sighting aids. It needed excellence, a strong mind, and honour, to succeed with instinct, not sights and a
half-hearted approach to sport. If archers think Relative-speed instinctive archery is easy over the shorter
distances, then try it and see. Most modern-day archers will fail at Relative-Speed, where those who persevere
will be the ones to beat in hard fought contests where only the best will win. I can guarantee it. The sport of
archery has become too slow and boring in the extreme, and has no wide public interest now. In the future, it
may have because of this book and the very real existence of Howard Hill and Byron Ferguson. There are not
enough humans today who have the mind to overcome, like they did. Most are looking for easier options to
win.
The arrow stop curtain, if needed indoors? Is hung loose and raised and lowered by a pulley snatch block
which is fixed at one end to the wall and a permanent fixed anchor eye fixed at the other end with a cleat about
two meters under the block side to turn the rope onto. Under the curtain, I spread an old carpet for the arrows
to fall onto should they miss. The curtain can also be hung loosely from a curtain rail with rings.
End-on 'Stramet' board is the most suitable if compressed into a butt, not too much
compression though, just enough to hold the arrows firmly. An old carpet, setup as an arrow-stop
curtain over a rope or rail, can also be used as a practice aid making use of rubber blunts on old
arrows instead of brass bullet points; and colored balloons pinned to the carpet as targets. Straw
bales can also be used with brass bullet piles to practise on.
It doesn’t matter what type of traditional or primitive bows are used if they belong in one of
the classes designated on (page 22. My only regret is I will not be there to see my games become
popular. That’s the main reason I have given my knowledge and easy to remember rules, based
on the games we all grew up with. With the bonus of adapting target faces already on the market
with full instructions as to how to make them on (page 12 to 21). Even those with no experience
of instinctive archery can set up a shooting club with my book. It is my legacy to a sport, which
has lost its way. At least my book’s physical presence may inspire others as it has inspired me to
write it. A skilled sport in its true form should never be lost or cast out from the memory of man,
only improved upon. John Eric Hoare.
…
 26

ONE METHOD OF SPEED SHOOTING

I have tried different methods of loosing arrows to gain the highest number released in one minute,
(I. E. Back, side, or ground quiver), but have found that none beats the method used by Dave Powers
or the 'Dagger Release used by Seregedel Mokhovikov. Dave makes use of a sand box with twenty-
four arrows in it just in front of the shooting line with his front foot touching the shooting line or spot
mat, which is legal in these games, I suspect a similar method was used in battle; and Seregedel makes
use of a well fitted back quiver. (For these games, I use a back quiver.)
With my bow in my left hand, (for right handed archers) I pass my right hand through the
bow to pick up my first arrow by the nock between my fore and middle fingers. I pull it up to
clip below the nocking point on the string and in one fluid movement (Howard Hill’s words) I
bring it up to under my eyes, which are both open, to full draw. With my middle finger firmly
anchored at the corner of my mouth, my bow at the cant, my gaze on the spot I want to hit, I
release my arrow. As it hits the target, I am going down for my second arrow. I repeat this for
as long as the period lasts (usually one minute). Each arrow should take no more than three to
four seconds from draw to release. As with anything worth doing, with practice you will
improve. Instinctive speed shooting takes discipline, more so than shooting with sights or what
passes for sights. It IS harder to shoot a bent stick than a modern bow accurately and it takes
real skill and dedication to master it. The mind and body are one (the Japanese practice this
discipline in their archery). The best will compete, but like any other truly instinctive sport;
only the very best of the best will win. Howard Hill was the very best of the best in his discipline
and Dave Powers of Sherwood Forest Archers proved (in front of credible witnesses in 1999
and 2000) that he is the very best in his; so far? Below is a ground quiver made of close-grained
wood topped with leather, which will support itself. The holes (24) are no more than 1.½” deep,
sloping towards the archer, and must not hold the arrow too tightly, just firm enough to keep
the arrow upright... Or you can use a sand-box.

Ground quiver made from close grained wood like beech

70% OR ANGLE TO SUIT Quiver supports made from heavier wood like oak
Quiver topping made from thick shoulder leather 6 mm thick.

PLAN

1.1/2"

Quiver to have twenty-four arrow holes maximum

SECTION THROUGH QUIVER

END ELEVATION Rope Shooting Line Ground Line FRONT ELEVATION

If holes are bored in the vertical plane then the quiver base can be angled to achieve 70% arrow angle
The holes must not grip the arrow too tight 3/8" to 11/32" holes in wood
and 11/32" to 5/16" holes in leather topping depending on arrow diameter
SUGGESTED GROUND QUIVER FOR SPEED SHOOTING
 27

WORLD RECORD SPEED SHOOT REPORTS 1999 & 2000

Yet, another speed shoot has come and gone, and again Dave Powers proved he is the best speedster
around. By the small number of archers that turned up at my speed shoots I’m beginning to think
there are very few archers skilled enough at speed shooting or capable enough of taking Dave Powers
on. One pessimistic archer put it. “What’s the use of competing against him if I haven’t a chance of
winning?” If that’s the attitude of some of the archers who stay away, then it doesn’t say much for
archery sportsmanship. I would rather have the quality of sportsmanship I am having now with fewer
archers than the negative attitude of the person above. He has most likely left archery altogether now
unable to compete at any level, and that is much better for the sport; he won’t be missed.
Now of writing, I know of only a few archers who are or soon will can give Dave a challenge. One
of the best is the archer who placed second on both occasions, Mel Bond. Brian Robinson can loose
twenty-one arrows in one minute, but can’t score with all of them yet; he is working on it though and
will not give up easily. Two or three others are close on their heels… Mel managed to score with
nineteen arrows out of twenty loosed.
Next year will be something to see if Dave and Mel go head-to-head again… Maybe with one or
two other speedsters who are still hidden in the woodwork? The photograph of Dave attempting to
better his own world record, which I sent to The Glade archery magazine, and now shown on the
SPTA website, showed the readers just how popular this event is with the public. Is archery missing
something here? If only more archers could be persuaded to cast their doubts of failure aside and just
give speed shooting a go. To be accurate with speed over short distances brought home the meat.
When used over long distances in warfare it devastated the ranks of the enemy. Instinctive archery is
a skill that cannot be denied and it is what natural skill is all about… Isn’t it?
Speed shooting is not an easy discipline. Every end must be concentrated on, and every arrow
needs to count. It takes dedication and skill, something I feel is lacking in a lot of the archers today.
Most are content to rely on a little luck or methods less than honest to win trophies that are mostly
not won fairly. In speed shooting, one little mistake makes it all that harder to catch up. Therein lies
the excitement and the discipline of this natural facet of archery. It’s not for the fainthearted or the
lackadaisical, the thought, feeling, and excitement, which this event generates is hard to describe,
especially so when the archer competing knows the public is recognizing his or her natural skill,
which can’t be gained with props only with perseverance and hard practice… Using sights is the
easier option.
I had one contestant Tony Mallet, who had only been in archery for about six months. He started
scoring with eight arrows at first, but refusing to give up, ended up finishing third with sixteen arrows
loosed and fifteen scoring. Here is an archer with the right attitude and commitment. I look forward
to seeing him again next year. There are others just like him who may not know they have what it
takes… Why not try it?
The Speed shoot was held at Sherwood Forest because it had the right atmosphere and is in a
location where I thought traditional and primitive archers were thick on the ground. Archers who
would not have far to come, I was obviously mistaken and more than a little disappointed in the
attendance… Has true archery degenerated so much that natural skill comes second to marks on the
bow or ground, and artificial aids? I hope not.
It was then I decided to formulate another bow class and allow fiberglass off-the-shelf and other
types of bow to compete, like the American flat bow, which I use sometimes, the Mongol static
recurve bow, which has a fiberglass core, and the working recurve shot off the shelf. There are
thousands of instinctive archers worldwide who use the latter weapons and who would, I was sure,
give speed shooting a go if another class was formed. I never had a chance to prove my theory. Speed
Shoot 2000 was the last organized speed shoot held at Sherwood Forest as I could not afford to run
another speed shoot without sponsors. In 2001, I decided to write this book to inform those who were
interested in natural skill that there is another way.
 28

The event was losing ground, not from the lack of commitment, but from the lack of competitors
who had the fortitude to compete fairly with others of like mind. Believe me when I say, “Speed
shooting would not only eradicate the instinctive cheat, it would show them up for what they really
are if they dared to compete.”
Speed shooting cannot exist without the truly instinctive archer. It’s not sour grapes when I say,
“Not all today’s instinctive archery is shot with instinct, a few have found a way to win unfairly even
though some are ignorant of that fact...it’s how they have been taught. Bare-bow is bare-bow, even
if sometimes the sighting marks are off the bow. Conscious gap and point-of-aim is the same as using
secret marks on the bow, whether in riser design or intentional it’s sight shooting and definitely not
instinctive.” If archers want to fool themselves who am I to stand in their way…personally I want
none of it. I have written this book with truth and fair play in mind. I cannot abide a sport that is not
genuinely worked for, and where most of the trophy’s go to cheats.
Instinctive Archery can be made exciting with genuine hard fought contests incorporating the
elements of speed and tactics between archers of equal instinctive skill. Those archers coming up,
who are competitive enough to try and beat them and beat them fairly, are welcome? This book, will
interest anyone who is looking to start a project that could grow into a new facet of traditional or
primitive archery. it has the knowledge and the experience and was born in an honest heart.
The whole festival at Edwinstowe Visitor’s Center is based on the Robin Hood legend and is a
magnificent medieval pageant. The Speed Shoot itself was only a part of the festivities, which goes
on for the last three days of the festival. The competition was such that the archer who shot his or her
first set on the first day need not take their other optional sets up until the second or even the third
day. They could, if they choose to, finish their shooting all on the same day... Or see how the
competition was faring. This makes for a versatile event, which is very competitive. Maybe that’s
what’s wrong. Traditional and primitive archers today are just playing at it, dabbling in the sport,
there’s no competition; maybe they don’t need to compete with the best or just haven’t the skill. The
trophies in speed shooting must be earned in hard and fair competition. Speed shooting needs
consistent practice and form. The public knows this, and from what I’ve seen, the public wants this.
They proved it in 1999 and 2000 when they watched Dave Powers, Mel Bond, and Brian Robinson
compete. It was a tragedy for primitive and traditional archery when this event died through lack of
archer support. Then, there was only one class… Maybe with three classes, and one of my games, it
will live again?
The recent outbreak of foot and mouth has not helped field archery either. Primitive and traditional
archery must change with the current climate; one-way is to move indoors? This booklet will help it
do so. The games are specifically designed for the indoor venue, one or two for the outdoors. This
booklet was not written to make money. It was written to try and stop the degeneration of a natural
sport into something it is not, and as a memorandum to the world’s greatest instinctive archer Howard
Hill, and a still living Byron Ferguson. The acquisition of suitable outdoor venues is becoming harder
to obtain. Now, modern archery is a sport that does not hold the interest of the spectator or sponsor
for long. What we must all work for is to give traditional and primitive archery an audience, a
public/sponsor audience. If it can be put into the public/sponsor eye, where it should be, the true skill
of the natural archer will again be in view. We owe that to our ancestors, and to Howard Hill, who
tried so hard to make it so.
I introduced the ‘most spots in a set prize’ into the competition because even the most average of
speed shooters has a chance of winning a prize. With three or four spots scored in an end an archer
was in with a chance to win two dozen matched bare arrow shafts from Boyton Archery, enough to
make a full set of speed arrows.
All the entry fees collected went back into the speed shoot as either, prizes or were used in the
maintenance of the equipment. The speed shoot at Sherwood Forest was a labour of love to try to
bring instinctive speed archery back into the public eye and back to those archers who care
passionately for their sport. No other method will do but instinct to attract the public. Other instinctive
sports have proved that fact repeatedly.
 29

SIGHTS
These games can be played with the use of sights, but I doubt if the sponsors or spectators would hold
their interest for long without the instinctive element shot at Relative-Speed. Darts are popular
because they are purely instinctive, so too Snooker, Indoor Bowls, Basketball, Golf, and Tennis.
There will always be something new to try and new heights to reach, whether it’s indoors or out,
sights or instinctive? But for excitement, natural ability cannot be surpassed, and it’s harder to
acquire. You must work at it with a single mind like the Japanese archery discipline of Kyudo. Too
many minds and you will not succeed. It takes strong discipline to shoot instinctively and
consistently. Now of writing, most archers like to take the easier way out.
Handicapping is the worst thing that can happen to a sport, it nullifies the drive and fools people into
thinking they are good archers. Top professional golfers, and others are there because of their tried
and tested natural talent. They know they must be at the top of their game or fail. As in all genuine
instinctive sports, it takes iron discipline to succeed. Most people do give up too easily and that spoils
the sport, because it opens the door for methods less than honest. Instinctive archery at its best can
succeed in a sponsor/spectator environment. Howard Hill did it, Byron Ferguson is doing it, so can
you? This book will help you to succeed. Handicaps are for the masses and a degradation of a sport;
natural skill is for the skilled professional.
SPEED SHOOTING IN BATTLE
The archers of Agincourt, Crecy, and Poitiers knew the value of instinctive Relative-Speed. That
extra arrow in the air could be the arrow that saved them from losing the battle or even their lives.
They were paid for their skills. Speed of loose meant everything to them. Today, the archers who
speed shoot know the value of that extra arrow. It could mean the difference between winning losing,
or scoring an End. Competing with an archer of equal skill in a head to head situation is everything,
especially when the archers know they are competing in fairness against archers who shoot naturally,
archers who are determined to beat them…that, makes for a tense situation. Compete with the best
and you may find you may be the best. Show the public just what the traditional and primitive bow
can do when used with genuine skill in the right hands.

SHERWOOD FOREST SILVER ARROW SPEED SHOOT 1999 &

2000 RESULTS
Captain of Archers John E Hoare

*** YEAR 1999 SPEED SHOOT ***

FIRST PLACE: Dave Powers. English Longbow. 21 arrows loosed 21 arrows
scored. Prize: A 2.1/2” solid silver arrowhead in a tooled leather case.
*This attempt created a new world record of twenty-one arrows scoring within a fifteen-inch
circle at fifteen yards loosed in one minute.
Winner of men’s spot prize: 24 matched Boyton arrow shafts for most spots in
one Set. SECOND PLACE: Mel Bond. English Longbow. 19 arrows loosed 16
arrows scored.
THIRD PLACE: Heath Pye. English Longbow. 15 arrows loosed 15 arrows scored.
FOURTH PLACE: (End count back on number of spots) John Cooltart. English Longbow. 16
arrows loosed 15 arrows scored.
FIFTH PLACE: (End count back on number of spots) Brian Robinson. Pickaxe handle
Flat bow. 21 arrows loosed 15 arrows scored.
SIXTH PLACE: Ronald Van Maarseveen. English Longbow. 14 arrows loosed 14 arrows
scored. Winner of women’s (Most spots prize in one Set): Josiene Haas. 24 matched Boyton
arrow shafts.
 30

*** YEAR 2000 SPEED SHOOT ***

FIRST PLACE: David Powers. (Current World Champion) 23 arrows loosed. 20 arrows
scored. Prize: Silver Arrow in an Oak case and his name on the Perpetual Trophy.
Winner of men’s spot prize: 24 matched Boyton arrow shafts for most spots in
one set. SECOND PLACE: Mel Bond. 20 arrows loosed. 19 arrows scored.
Prize: solid silver swallowtail arrowhead, in a leather case.
THIRD PLACE: Anthony Mallet. 16 arrows loosed. 15 arrows scored.
Winner of women’s (Most spot prize in one Set: Joanne Sennett. 24 matched Boyton arrow shafts
Acknowledgment: Our thanks to Chris Boyton of Boyton Archery for his kind sponsorship.

REMARKS: Dave Powers did make an official attempt on his own World Record, but without
success. He loosed 23 arrows in the minute but only scored with 20…an excellent effort.
…
 31

MY STRINGS: My strings, although made in the conventional way, (in my case spliced), have double loops,
which once bee’s- waxed twisted and stretched will not loosen. I prefer Dacron B50 although other modern
materials will do. The secret is to use plenty of bee’s-wax in their construction. Hilary Greenland’s booklet is
obtainable from The Primitive Archer and Quicks so I will not digress here. The important part is in the
right makeup for the poundage used.
My strings have three or four sets of strands well waxed and twisted in opposite directions depending on
whether the archer is left or right handed and what the bow poundage is. Strands well waxed and twisted left
or right into sets are then in turn laid left or right to complete the body of the string. The final brace height
twists laid left or right, after the loops have been spliced in left or right, are made to determine the brace height.
I use a seaman’s term to differentiate the sets of string; I. E. Cable lay (three sets). Shroud lay (four sets). The
sets are twisted one way then laid in the opposite way, I. E. Clockwise or anti-clockwise and so on depending
on the hand of the archer, (right or left handed). The final brace height twists (fifteen 15 or so to achieve proper
brace height, which is a full fist with thumb full extended between strung bow and its belly at the grip, should
be about six and a half (6.1/2 inches) being made in the direction that tends to tighten the string when the bow
is drawn back. This method makes a safe string for speed shooting if it is not over twisted, remember 15 to 20
twists, no more or your string is too long and needs to be shortened.
Set makeup for fifteen and seventeen strand strings, Cable lay, (three sets of five or one set of five with
two sets of six strands respectively). For sixteen and eighteen strand strings, Shroud laid, four sets of four or
two sets of four and two of five strands respectively, all well waxed before splicing the loops. You may have
to unravel the twist slightly to twist in the loop splices. When the brace height has been established I use black
monofilament to whip the string above and below the nocking point, about two inches above and seven inches
below before fitting the nocking point, which I whip on with dental floss and soak with super-glue. The above
string sets will suit bows of from fifty 50# pound to seventy 70# pound draw weight. Smooth well-waxed bow
nocks are just as important as a well-waxed string.
To fit the Bjorn plastic nocks, I dip the tips in hot water to soften them then push them gently onto the
whipping beneath the nocking point; a slight firmness on the string is perfect. A self-nock should be reinforced
with a glued hardwood insert and whipped for finger grip. (See My arrows). Tip: If you find you are
experiencing feather burn take your arrow nocking point up a little higher, and your bow facsimile a little lower.
I also favor the two-set string (In my case eight strands to each set making 16 strands in all), which is
spliced in the same way, but with two or three more splice tucks. My finished string length for all my strings
comes to 3.1/2” to 4.1/2” below top bow nock before bracing, which gives me a 6.0” to 6.1/2” brace height
when strung with 15 to twenty twists in the string before whipping and nocking point are added; the top loop
slightly larger than the bottom.
Remarks: The Golden Rule of genuine instinctive shooting is not to keep changing your equipment I.E.
Use one bow and its (Spined) matched sheaf of (24 Arrows) and keep to it. All bows are different; to
make use of too many will destroy your concentration in both your conscious and your subconscious
minds. Your conscious mind is always fully concentrated on the smallest spot in the center of the target
in your primary vision; the smaller the spot the better). Your secondary vision and your subconscious
mind will take care of the rest. (See Howard Hill’s shooting method on page 7.) If one bow is used with
its matched set of arrows, your subconscious mind will not keep trying to compensate for the different
equipment used, which breeds inaccuracy. If your favoured bow should wear out then train to another,
which should be as close a match to the first bow as possible. There IS no substitute for practice.
Constant practice WILL bring your instinctive shooting close to perfection. The Relative-Speed archery
games are designed to that end; both in the off-season of hunting, and for indoor competitions all thru’
the year. GENUINE INSTINCTIVE ARCHERY is satisfaction, needs dedication, and lots and lots of
practice. Sight shooting IS the easier option, as anyone can do that. The latter is why archery is not a
popular sponsor/spectator sport like Snooker, Indoor Bowls, and Darts. This book CAN change that.
The best description of Genuine Instinctive Shooting I’ve seen is in the Primitive Archer in an article
on page 80, Volume 19, Issue One, by Manuel Sebastian Cervantes. It is the way I shoot and I believe it
was the way Howard Hill shot. It is the way these games should be played. Thank you, Manuel, for your
clear and concise writing.
…
 32

MY ARROWS
You do not need expensive equipment to play these games. My bow cost me $30 to make. My arrow
shafts, feathers, points, and string materials I bought from archery shops for less than $100. The whole
lot came to less than $150. (See pickaxe handle bow for my bows.)
Over the years, I have developed a helical fletched arrow to gain the accuracy and stability I needed
in speed shooting when shooting around the bow handle off the fist. The shaft is a Boyton pine
premium shaft fletched with three or four helical five or four-inch shield or parabolic natural feathers,
set about two inches below the nock slot, and piled with a brass bullet points, to push through rather
than cut through the Foam Layered Super Butt I use for speed shooting. For Battle Clout, Roving, or
long distance, I prefer three, two to three-inch helical parabolic natural fletching with 125g steel bullet
piles. The piles I prefer are internally tapered bullets and weighted to 100g or 125g depending on
spine. (You can use the weight of pile to further adjust the spine)
The glue I find best for the fletching and nocks is Saunders Arrow Mate. For the piles, after I have
cleaned the oil from their tapers with acetone, I use Bison Timber fix or Araldite glue. Bison Timber
Fix is glue that expands as it dries and makes for a tight strong joint flowing into the wood and filling
every crevasse in the tapers.
For speed of draw, I prefer Bjorn (taper-fit) nocks as I can draw them easily from the ground sand
box I sometimes use in speed shooting, self nocks with thread binding are quite good too, but hit one
and you could split and lose the arrow shaft instead of just the nock; the choice is yours. I put a single
glued serving just below the Bjorn nock to help stop the arrow from splitting should this happen; the
binding helps my finger grip too. When you glue the Bjorn nock onto the shaft, make sure the flat
part of the nock is in line with the top feathering of the grain. The growth rings want to lie at right
angles to the arrow plate of the bow. This gives a stiffer arrow, which is easier to spine. In a speed
set, there are twenty-four arrows so spine is important if you want to group. (See drawing of my
pickaxe handle bow.)
The diameter of my arrow shaft is kept down to five sixteenth of an inch for lightness. I can do
this by shortening my arrow shaft to twenty-eight inches and playing with the weight of the pile to
achieve correct spine. Always buy shafts spined to the weight of your bow first. To accommodate my
short length of arrow I have a slight bend in my bow elbow when shooting. Howard Hill, himself a
big man, always said a shorter arrow is more stable in the air, he was right. I prefer to use a bow of
between sixty to sixty-five pounds. I find this weight not too heavy to use continuously. For Battle
clout, Roving, or Flight shooting I use a seventy-pound bow, longer arrow, and longer draw length
with small helical feathers, a 125g head, and a reflexed bow backed with fiberglass or sinew…again,
the choice is yours. Smaller feathers give me more distance with less drag on the arrow. I finish all
my arrows with acrylic paint and clear acrylic varnish, one coat first to seal the shaft, then the cresting
colors, and then two more coats of varnish on top. Before use, I polish the shafts below the feathers
lightly with beeswax. With acrylic varnish, you can have three coats on in one day and wash the
brushes out in water. If you have the patience, you can dip them in clear automotive varnish and peg
them to a line to dry, but that method is time consuming, expensive, and wasteful.
My years in archery have given me a lot of experience in the use of traditional and primitive bows
and arrows. I had never attempted to make my own bow or arrow before, but I felt I had the knowledge
and experience to have a stab at it. I surprised myself. I want to share my experience with others not
only in the making, but in the shooting, too. This booklet of games is for that end.
Remember: To use a heavier bow you must train to it.
…
 33

BEST ARROW DESIGN FOR RELATIVE-SPEED GAMES

Arrow stiffer when My helical 4" x Four fletched arrow
wood grain is 90%

Brass bullet pile 100 to 125 grains

to bow.

Hardwood self-nock insert

At least 2" from nock to fletch
Binding

The distance between bottom of arrow nock to top of fletching is 2"

Section thru'
Bow Handle
Glued twine binding for better release grip

Feather fletching 4" shield or parabolic

Numbered arrow cresting

Shafting either 5/16" to 11/32"

This type of arrow is suitable for any of my speed

games, as it has the advantage of Hen feathers
against the arrow plate for every shot.
These are the arrows I use for the Relative-Speed Games. Four feather fletched and helical to stabilize them in
flight I achieve tight groups when needed. Each arrow numbered and crested. The four-feather fletching gives
a Hen-Feather set against the arrow-plate with every shot. This to achieve the tight group accuracy needed in
my Games. All Games except the Battle Clout, Outdoor Golf, Ironman, and Camelot Castles are shot indoors
over 15 to 20 meters.
…
 34

CORRECT NOCKING POINT AND SPINE CHART

It is best to use arrow shafts without fletching at a 10 meter distance
to find correct arrow spine. For the right-hand archer the weaker arrow
will be to the left and the stiffer to the right of the chart.
The oposite for the left-hand archer. The stiffer to the left and the weaker
to the right. Heavier or lighter piles can be used for ajustment also.
Blue dot arrow hit. Spine chart below for left-hand archer.
Bow Handle
Stiffer
Correct spine Supple with
Stiff with high
with high high nocking
nocking point Wood Grain
nocking point point

Correct nocking

Arrow Plate
Correct nocking Correct nocking
point too stiff point and spine point too supple
spine spine

Suppler

Wood Grain
Stiff with low Correct with low Supple with low
nocking point nocking point nocking point

For greater accuracy the arrow spine must be right,

when shooting off the hand and around the bow handle where the
archer's paradox becomes apparent.
Center shot bows are easier to spine, but all arrows need to be
spined to the bow from which they are loosed if accuracy is to be
maintained. The chart below shows spine for the left-hand archer.
The opposite is true for the right hand archer.
To succeed at Genuine Instinctive Archery the archer needs to use one bow
and a sheaf of arrows (24) spined to that bow only.
To make use of too many bows and mismatched sets of arrows will breed inconsistancy
and inaccuracy.
Total concentration is needed on every shot on the spot to be hit and the archer
must not let down until the arrow is safely in the butt.
The archer needs to program his subconscious mind to the task so that it becomes
second nature and a part of his conscious brain.
The few who can apply their minds to the task will succeed, the others will always choose
the easier option, and that cannot be good for any naturally talented sport.
Genuine Instinctive Archery is not easy, it has to be worked for, by a lot of hard practice.
I have found that to shoot around the handle and off the fist you must have perfectly
spined arrows, preferably with 4" to 5.1/2" fletching to straighten up the arrow quickly over
the shorter distances shot in these games.
DRAWING NOT TO SCALE
 35

MY PICKAXE HANDLE BOW

With the pickaxe handle, flat-bow, you can only use the billet method of construction. You will need two
Hickory pickaxe handles with the grain running across the widest part right through the length of the handle
and with at least 9% to 12% moisture content. (See the Bowyer’s Bible for seasoning wood).
Joined at their widest ends with a suitable joint like a fishtail, or as I use, a box joint glued with two hard
wood dowels through the handle, my flat bows don’t bend through the handle (See Drawing below). This joint
makes the two matched handles into a stave, which I like to glue together with a slight reflex from belly to
back. If the reflex should come out after use, don’t worry. A bow that follows the string, I find less sensitive
and extremely accurate at short distances. (It is important though, to glue the reflex in at the start (See drawing).
For glue, I use 24-hour Araldite in a curing box, which makes use of two incandescent light bulbs as a
controlled heat source, and a thermometer. By using the right wattage, I can regulate the drying heat to about
100%F. You only should make a curing box to fit the handle section of the bow and not the whole stave. The
box joint I find is easier to make than the fishtail joint. In a well-made pickaxe handle flat bow the handle
section does not bend.
I have never made a successful English longbow out of a Hickory pickaxe handle although, with perfect
grain, perfectly matched handles, and a sinew backing it should be possible. When I do make one I will
certainly back it with sinew.
To start making the bow, if you have two suitable Hickory pickaxe handles with the right moisture content,
I tend to keep my handles in the corner of the attic or in the house for a short while before I start construction,
when I come to use them I find they are just about right. You can use a moisture meter if you have one, or have
them tested by a lumber company if in doubt. Too low in moisture content and you risk breaking the bow, too
high and it will be weak and springy.
Hickory pickaxe handles are very hard to match, but once matched they will make a superb flat bow (I
know I have four of them and I’ve used them in speed shooting for years); it is worth the effort. Two pickaxe
handles may not come from the same tree or even from the same State, but once you succeed with a bow that
has been properly tillered and backed with a suitable backing you will have created something that is both
beautiful and resilient. A bow you can be proud of. I made one for my brother and he consistently shoots
eighteen to nineteen arrows in a minute out of it. That to me says a lot for hickory as an excellent and durable
flat bow wood when it is treated in the right way and backed with the right material. This bow is backed with
three layers of natural silk ribbon and has the grain running off the edge on one limb, but most important, both
limbs match in perfect tiller; again, it’s worth the effort.
If you want to end up with a sixty-pound pull bow, then as you tiller at the differing draw facsimiles, I. E.
12” 15” 20” etc., make sure the bow is in tiller and pulling 60lb at all these heights before you approach your
final draw length and weight, which in speed shooting should be kept short, 28” draw or slightly less. If you
do this, then you will be very close to your optimum draw length and weight when the bow is finished. A
slightly bent bow arm elbow will shorten the draw.
The weight of my brother’s bow draws 60lb at twenty-eight inches. I have one I use, which is 65lb at
twenty- eight inches and 66” in length between nocks. Again, a good bow can be made from hickory pickaxe
handles if you treat them right. Remember to keep the limbs as wide as possible and if possible, at least 64”
between nocks and taper the limbs to the nocks from about twelve inches in from the nock ends. ALWAYS
BACK YOUR BOW TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE, and always try to keep it over sixty-four inches between
nocks unless you are backing it with sinew. Howard Hill believed that a longer bow is less sensitive and more
stable than a short one; he was right.
There are some good books on primitive bow making on the market should you need some help. Try the
web sites I have mentioned in the Foreword of my book for more information, they stock a wide selection.
The only design I have found successful so far, using hickory, is the primitive flat bow that does not bend
through the handle. The one I have had the most success with is one of my own designs where I use the full
width of the pickaxe just below the head end as the guide to my final limb width, (about one and three quarter
inches wide). I have made a flat bow and a longbow from a piece of 5”x2” oak using the same stave. The
longbow broke, the flat bow I still have and shoot. It’s over two decades old, 68” between the nocks, 2.1/2”
wide at the flare-out and goes down to 3/8” nocks. The limbs are slightly thicker than a hickory bow of the
same design and weight from belly to back, and the grain is close and perfectly straight from nock to nock. I
found the stave holding a door open at my local wood store, it had been doing so for years. I gave this stave a
new life and it’s one of the best flat bows I have ever made. I backed it with raw linen, as in England it is
hard to obtain sinew.
 36

D o not try to make a flat-bow too narrow in the limb unless you can back it with rawhide or sinew. The
ones I’ve made have always been backed with unbleached raw linen cloth or natural silk two to three layers
thick. I always use white acrylic waterproof PVA glue to apply the fabric backing and rub it well-in. For sinew
and rawhide, I use a natural hide or animal glue, but I am going to experiment with the PVA. In the following
exercise, we will use a fabric backing as it is much easier to obtain and much easier to apply, although not as
strong as sinew or rawhide it keeps the bow safe. The glue used must be 100% waterproof and is the same glue
I use for my target faces. It’s a PVA solution, which is water soluble when applied, but waterproof when dry.
When you choose your pickaxe, handles make sure the grain runs horizontally across both the head end and
the haft end and matched as closely as possible before making the joint. The head and the haft need to be made
square in section for easier marking and cutting of the joint, even if the corners are still rounded. I prefer the
box joint in my flat bow, as this design does not bend through the handle like the longbow. The joint runs at
right angles to the grain and the job of cutting it is made easier if you use a band saw although a good fine-cut
handsaw will do the job. The overall length of the joint is 4.1/4” long. When I cut the tongue end of the joint I
try to keep the thickness of the tongue to about 3/8”, which gives the shoulders of the groove part about the
same thickness. Overall, thickness of the finished handle is about 1.1/8” to 1.1/4”. To cut out the groove I bore
a hole through the bottom of the groove with a 5/16” drill and cut down to the hole with the band or handsaw;
afterward cleaning the bottom out with a 1/4” chisel. Try to keep the joint as tight as possible.
To glue the joint, I use the 24-hour drying Araldite. When the joint is clamped and glued I insert the two
hardwood 1/4” diameter dowels at right angles to the joint and a small-glued wedge made from the waste of
the tongue shoulders and tapered to a fine end into the small gap at the end of the tongue left there from forming
the reflex. The wedge goes in from the belly side filling the gap with strong wood and glue. After gluing and
while the joint is still wet clamp the handle section of the bow in the vice from belly to back making sure you
have a slight reflex in the bow toward the back. Then drill the two 1/4” dowel holes right through to the other
side ensuring a soft drive in fit for the hardwood dowels, which should be positioned about one inch in from
the joint ends. Do not take any wood from the handle section at this stage; only the waste wood from the joint
has been removed so far. With the joint glued, doweled, and still wet I cure the finished joint in the curing box
described above for a full 24-hours.
Before cutting out or tillering make sure you have marked a center line on the bow blank from nock to
nock, which passes right through the center of the bow handle on the belly and back side, I use a string line to
do this. Take the back of the bow down to a grain ring on both handles too. If the center of the handle and the
two nocks are in perfect alignment, even if you have a slightly snaky bow between the nocks, it will still shoot
with accuracy if perfectly tillered. To tiller I use a tillering board made from a 3/4” thick sheet of building
plywood mounted on my workshop wall and marked with horizontal and vertical lines for each tillering stage.
To draw the bow to each stage I, use a block and tackle attached to a spring weight gauge. (See drawing). I
prefer the board to a tillering stick in the early stages as you can stand back as you pull on the block and view
the bend of the limbs, working them lightly at each stage to train the limbs. I would not go any more than
twenty-eight inches for the final draw length unless you make the bow a little longer between nocks. Speed
shooting with long arrows is a disadvantage.
Before I apply the backing, I have almost tillered the bow to its final weight. When the backing is on and
dry, I finish the bow, to its final weight; give or take a pound or two. To set the bow up for the backing I first
make a clean flat surface on the workbench. This I cover with several sheets of old newspaper, to take the
length of the bow. I take two wooden blocks of 4”x 2” section about 6” long, which I place under the belly of
the bow at about eight to twelve inches from the nock ends. I then place between the blocks and the belly of
the bow several small sheets of newspaper, these a little larger than the top of the blocks; the newspaper is to
keep the blocks from sticking to the bow limbs and the bow to the workbench when I have glued on the
backing. I then take a G or F clamp and clamp the center of the handle to the bench until the belly side of the
handle is forced down to touch the work surface and newspaper. Always use several sheets of newspaper so
the glue does not soak right through to the bench surface. The clamp pressure puts the bow further into reflex
and under tension. You can move the blocks in or out to adjust the reflex to suit. Mainly my fabric backings
are for safety, although they do take a little tension. My first choice of backing for a primitive speed bow would
be sinew. It adds greatly to bow performance and safety. In my next bow, I am going to try stinging nettle fibres
laid at least 1/8” thickness.
I am now ready to apply the fabric backing. First, I damp the back of the bow to raise the grain. When it
has dried, I sand the back lightly to give me a smooth clean surface. On this, I spread a layer of PVA glue then
take my first two strips of fabric and lay them one on top of each limb to either side of the clamped handle.
This design of flat-bow does not bend through the handle so you don’t need to take the fabric under the clamp,
just finish close to it. When the fabric is in place, I rub the glue well into it so that the fabric becomes a matrix
for the glue. I then place the next layer on and do the same, rubbing more glue into the surface until I have a
 37

smooth finish. I then mould the backing to the bow while it is still wet right up to and covering the nocks; this
takes out any air bubbles. I then leave it to set for about six hours after which, I trim any overhanging pieces
of fabric off with a sharp Stanley knife or new razor blade. Do not be afraid to use a bit of pressure when
rubbing the glue into the fabric, the glue must be worked well into the fabric to be of any use. I would not put
any more than three layers of fabric on. When the bow has been roughly trimmed, and after it has dried for at
least twelve hours, I rub a hard piece of wood, smooth plastic, or large smooth pebble all over the fabric surface
to burnish it smooth, this helps to expel any air bubbles, which may still be trapped there. After I have finished
this, I leave the bow for a whole week in a warm temperature to mature before I touch it again. I tend to be
very impatient now, but I know I must wait for the glue to harden. When the clamp finally comes off, I finish
the bow to its final tiller and apply the finish. I finish it in the normal way and I will not use it for at least three
weeks after the glue has set, again I become very impatient. Always use twenty-four hour PVA glue for the
backing, not the quick drying stuff. Remember, never make a pickaxe handle flat-bow any less than 64” unless
you plan to back it with sinew first. I personally believe a bow can be made shorter than 64” if sinew is used
but it can also be unstable. I have a brown hickory blank of 68” already made up just waiting for a sinew
backing, I am very impatient to finish it. I personally find a weight somewhere between 50 pound to 65 pound
the ideal weight for speed shooting, using a twenty-eight inch 5/16” arrow with three 5” helical fletches and
brass bullet piles of 100 to 125 grain depending on spine. I prefer black Bjorn nocks over white parabolic
feathers; hit a plastic nock and you still have a chance of saving the arrow, hit a self nock and the arrow shaft
would split, resulting in a lost arrow.
Both my bow limbs are the same length from middle line to bow nocks. The handle section is 6.1/2” with
3.1/4” below and 3.1/4” above middle line with the bottom of the arrow plate positioned between 1.1/4” to
1.1/2” above middle line. This gives me a hand grip of between 4.1/2” to 4.3/4”, my arrow being shot off the
hand. The bow tillered to sixty pounds draw weight at twenty-eight inches with a nocking point of 3/8” to 1/2”
above center gives me a sweet shooting flat-bow with no feather burn, which is perfect for speed shooting.
(See drawings and photos below).
I apologize if I have repeated myself; I have only done that for emphasis. My speed bows don’t bend
through the handle, and in that, the box joint is OK. If you want a bow to bend through the handle, then I
suggest you use a stave instead of two billets; even if they were split from the same tree and lay alongside one
another in the growing. My design of bow has the riser of a longbow, the limbs of a flat bow, a twenty-eight
inch draw at between fifty-five and sixty-five pounds with five-inch helical fletching on the arrows for short
distances. I always back the bow for safety. With modern glues, synthetic strings, and finishes I find this
combination best suited to speed shooting; I would use shorter fletching for Battle Clout, Archery Golf, and
Roving.
Well there it is, have a go and see what you can come up with. You might spoil the few first bows, but with
knowledge and perseverance, you will succeed. My brother’s bow is the second one I made and still going
strong. You will never know until you try. Good luck. I can tell you it’s well worth the effort if in the end, you
have created a beautiful perfectly tillered bow that shoots well.
AUTHOR’S COMMENT: My pickaxe handle flat bow has been specifically designed for my indoor
short- range ‘Relative-Speed’ games. It follows the string slightly to take the hardness and jarring out
of the release. If I could have backed it with sinew I would have layered enough to give it a straight tiller
and not a reflex, which would have the same result. To have a bow set in reflex for short distance shooting
would be a disadvantage, as then the bow would be too sensitive and tend to kick in the hand. For the
longer distances, like clout and flight shooting, the reflex comes into its own.
My main reason for writing my book is to give the genuine instinctive archers, and off-season hunters,
games of skill, which they can play professionally indoors or outdoors, in the atmosphere of an
instinctive archery club, and thereby discover a super champion who comes close to the phenomenal
skill of Howard Hill. The sport of modern archery needs a primitive and traditional facet to justify itself
in the eyes of the sponsor and the spectator. Especially so if the archers competing is truly instinctive,
shoot at relative speed, and make use of the primitive and traditional weapons from their respective
cultures, and all of that in full color on HDTV. I may not be around to see it, but at least my book, with
the means to accomplish this, will be out there.
…
 38

MY PICKAXE HANDLE BOW

Elevation of bow profile clamped to workbench in reflex before backing is glued on.
Newspaper strips
G or F clamp.

Section of box joint through hardwood dowel (A)

Section through nock and limb Section through nock and limb
1 2 1
1 2

Horizontal grain run through pickaxe handles must be matched as close as possible
Horizontal elevation of bow handle box joint and flareout
(A)
6.1/2" Arrow section
3.1/4" 1.1/4" to 1.1/2"
Centre line from bow nock to bow nock
through handle

Leather binding on handle

Bottom of arrow plate 1.1/4" to 1.1/2" above middle line
DRAWING NOT TO SCALE Middle line Arrow shaft wood grain
Spine the arrow shaft to the bow weight first, then if further is needed
a slightly stiffer arrow can be had if the arrow grain is as marked and stiff
the arrow nock slot is glued (Bjorn) or made (self nock) at right angles
to it. Further ajustments can be made by altering the weight of the pile supple
to either 100g or 125g, or keeping the shaft grain parallel with the nock Arrow plate
slot.
FRONT ELEVATION MY WALL MOUNTED TILLERING BOARD SECTION

Spring poundage gauge can be either dial or cylinder type.

60#
5"
60#
10"
60#
15"
20" Bow string

25"
28"
30"

Red: Pully line. Pully rope 1/2" plaited nylon heat

Green: Spring loaded weight gauge.
Brown: Bow being tillered.
Black: Pully wheel fixed to floor.
Blue: Tillering board fixed to wall.
Blue: Tiller inches to selected weight.
(C) Copyright John Eric Hoare December 2007
sealed at ends.
Keep weight poundage same at all
stages. Example Sixty 60# pounds
Tiller board made from sheet of
3/4" builder's ply, and marked with
a bullet point permanent marker pen.

* Tillering string is longer than normal for bow.

Patience & Perseverance and you will be rewarded. DRAWING NOT TO SCALE
 39

THE GAMES
Genuine Instinctive Archery needs a champion. If Howard Hill were alive today, he would
agree. It needs exceptional men like him to change the course of a sport. In Howard Hill's day,
popular sport had not developed into what it is today. Satellite HDTV, sponsors, and
exceptional men have now seen to that. The media and skilled men and women have brought
sport into every home, and in full High Definition color too. In his day, Howard Hill was the man to
beat, if you could. It took exceptional men like Steve Davis and Ronnie O’Sullivan (Snooker), Tiger Woods
(Golf), Phil Taylor and Michael Van Gerin (Darts), David Beckham (Football), and Donald Bradman (Cricket)
to lift their sports to their true spectator/sponsor potential. These men alone transformed their chosen sport into
one where they became the ones to watch, beat, or to emulate. So much so, they inspired men to try and become
like them. The result was to lift their sports into the realm of the super champion. Not only did their sports
improve they began to attract the sponsors and the public in their millions because they had but one ingredient;
raw natural talent without props.
The public needs to see raw skill. Skill that is natural and born of instinct. Skill that is exciting to
watch. Skill that makes certain men and women want to take the sport up. This is what attracts the
public and the sponsor. No frills just raw natural talent and a fierce will to beat the man at the top of
the leader board fairly.
I know that within these games is a game that can do just that. The sponsor, the media, and the yet
unknown super champion, will take care of the rest?
I have given my life’s experience to this book, but know I have not the great skill or cash needed
to push my chosen sport forward to its true potential. It would take a man or woman of Howard Hill’s
calibre to do that and a sponsor who can see genuine instinctive archery’s potential. I know too,
somewhere out there are men and women with Howard Hill’s skill just waiting to be discovered;
even if they do not know it yet.
Archery is not what it could or should be. It needs to go in another direction if it wants to become
a popular sponsor/spectator sport. What better than to go back to its roots where a bent stick used with
natural skill was the weapon of the day? The simple bow and arrow fed the tribe and kept the enemy
at bay. With modern strings, glues, and finishes, to help take the strain of continuous speed shooting,
true archery can live again. Howard Hill’s archery can live again in a spectator/sponsored indoor
venue. I know it can if given the chance. David Powers proved that in Sherwood Forest in 1999
with a primitive English Longbow.
Whenever I designed one of these games, I always kept Howard Hill in mind. As the very best of
the best I wanted to sense his approval in my trying to give Traditional and Primitive archery a
medium where raw natural talent, honed with a lot of hard practice and practical knowledge, would
come to the fore. Where there would be no room for the sports cheat; where the latter would have no
chance of ever competing past the preliminaries; a sport where the latter would be shown up for who
they are. I wanted Instinctive Archery to become a sport where the adoring public would watch the
best of the best competing fairly to find the very best of the best. A Super Champion no less.
One or two of these games have that potential, when after being tweaked some by those who do
have the talent to play them fairly, come up with times and arrows that will reveal only the very best
of the best; men and women who think like Howard Hill. Men and women who want to be the best,
but knowing in their hearts they could still be beaten fairly by the very best, if they are not up to
scratch. The World Record Speed Shoot is the only game of skill that has proved itself fully, and that
in Sherwood Forest the spiritual home of archery. Others, I feel, do have the same potential, but need
the skilful instinctive archers to compete against each other first to find their true level. I can only
supply the tools; the rest is up to those archers and sponsors out there who want a medium where men
and women can compete to find the true Champions. To compete in a sport where only natural talent
rules, where props and crutches are not wanted, must be the Olympic ideal, or else why bother. There
will always be those who cheat or who will take the easier way out. It is up to those who can’t, to find
a way to eliminate these people from fair competition. I sometimes wonder. Will we ever see the like
of Howard Hill again? I truly hope so.
 40

TOP Primitive Pickaxe handle bows.

Below. In Western Australia with my Howard Hill Tembo and Big-Five.

…
 41

SOME SPEED-SHOOTING TIPS

1. In short distance speed shooting, such as in these indoor games, there is no need to worry about
having the cock feather on top before you release the arrow; just get the nock on the string and some
wood in the air; if you train to have six arrows out in thirty-seconds, that is a good start. With practice
your speed and accuracy will improve. Position the arrow nocks at right angles to the ground quiver
for easier placement onto the string. (See another method of speed shooting, and my comments on
Tony Mallet in the Speed Shoot 1999 & 2000). With 4 feather-fletched arrows there is no need to
worry about a cock feather.
2. I found the back quiver to be the quiver most suited to these Relative-Speed games. Most Speed
shooters, after practice, can achieve the number of arrows required in these games.
3. REMEMBER: Know where the spots are you want to hit in the game you are playing before
you start. With practice, your mind and your speed will adjust to pick them out.
4. Some archers like their nocking point below the arrow nock and some above. Use what works
best for you. If you experience feather burn when you shoot off the hand, try placing the nocking
point a little higher on the string, or change to left-hand or right-hand feathers, depending on what
hand you draw the string back with. A lower facsimile sometimes helps too; left-hand feathers for
right-hand archers, and right-hand feathers for left-hand archers.
5. I find that a bow of around sixty (60) pounds pull at twenty-eight (28”) with a slight follow of
the string and a twenty-eight-inch arrow with three five-inch feathers, or four, four inch feathers, set
about two inches below the nock, to be best for short distance speed shooting. The reflexed, or a
reflexed-deflexed bow, which takes a slightly longer draw length and arrow with smaller feathers, for
the longer distances; all feathers to be angled, or better still, helical.
6. If you place a thin (1/16”) twine binding about 1/4 inch below the arrow nock it will help you
to draw the arrow easier from the ground quiver. It could also save the arrow from splitting if it should
be ‘Robin Hooded’.
7. Always, make sure ALL your arrows are spined correctly to the bow you are using if you want
to group.
8. Even though of Traditional or Primitive design, and with the help of modern strings, glues, and
finishes all your equipment will need to be in first-class working order when competing… If you
want to win.

*9. The shooting range and spectator seating can be setup like Indoor Bowls to be shot from
alternate ends with a butt at each end, to save time. The timing lights must be 360 degrees visible
from both firing lines, and the range alleys further apart if this system is used. There can even be a
zoom-in HD screen above for the spectators. (See the following pages for a full description of the
indoor shooting ranges).
10. Shooting with sights is all about trying to achieve the perfect score, which is possible, but once
achieved where do you go from there? Sights can never replace natural instinctive talent, especially
over the shorter distances indoor, and shooting at Relative-Speed. Instinctive shooting, on the other
hand, is in trying to develop the mind to achieve the impossible using only natural skill, as none of
us are perfect. But to try, and to nearly succeed, will determine who will win and who will lose. To
try to achieve the incredible ability of Howard Hill should be the goal. And in the trying, is what will
attract the sponsors and amaze the spectators. I believe shooting instinctive competition games
indoors to be more challenging, especially when traditional and primitive weapons are used with
wooden feather-fletched arrows over the shorter distances. More so, when the archer's national dress
is matched to his or her bow culture being used, when in major tournaments, (See bow class sheet on
page 21 for full description). Indoor instinctive archer can develop into a new sport with an ancient
twist if the natural talent is there, and enough good instinctive archers can cope with the discipline,
as most Asian cultures can.
If an Umpire is in attendance, and an electronic timing device is used, all the better for fast and
exciting competition, if the competing archers' instinctive skill is good enough to draw the sponsors
and thrill the spectators.
 42

When one of my arrows hits the spot, I knew it was on its way there beforehand. When it missed,
I knew why too. Genuine instinctive shooting becomes self-taught, and self-critical, after the
fundamental lessons are learnt. There is not another feeling in this world that can compare to a good
instinctive shot in sport, unless another follows it, and then another. And that takes a natural talent,
which can only be developed by single-minded discipline. Nothing achieved with ease is ever
satisfying, a little hardship, suffering, and diligent practice are always needed along the way to make
a sport worthwhile.
Shooting with sights is better for shooting over the longer distances, as the sights are always shot
in beforehand to the distances needed, and carefully marked on the sight slide. Shooting with instinct
has no such help and is best shot over the distances where the Dual Points of Awareness become
relevant from point-blank downwards, and that lends the discipline to being shot in the indoor venue
using only naturally developed skill. Instinctive shooting is never easy, as every arrow loosed must
be fully concentrated on, and the equipment used in perfect working order.
My indoor games have the scoring spots spread over the whole face of the target to reduce
center butt wear. Most can be drawn or printed onto the backs of existing 40, 60, or 80cms
FITA Ten-Ring target faces using the ten zone rings to determine the spot and zone diameters,
then pasted onto a cellular cardboard backing. (See target making on pages 12 to 21).
…
 43

Arrow stop curtain with carpet under for missed arrows to fall onto
ARCHERY GAMES RANGE SETUP
Butt Wall-to-wall Butt size 130cm x 130cm
for single-way parallel alleys
DRAWING NOT TO SCALE Compressed edge-on 'Stramit'
mounted on end of shooting wall. Super butt from Quicks
The spot mat can only be used if the archers are shooting
alongside each other on the same End of Set for equality Right butt is Foam Layered Super Butt from
of spot-mat placement. Safety rules must be followed at all quicks@quicks.com or 'stramit' placed end
times and the umpire's decision is always final. on and compressed from each end on left.
Further information on equipment from
All new games are started from the fifteen metre (15) line. French archery clubs or www.quicks.co.uk
The winner of the first set decides spot mat placement.
for the second set and so on.
The fifteen yard (15) line is only used when playing the
World Record speed Shoot game.
Quarter, Semi-Final, and Final Ranges.
All speed shoot games are timed with Red and Green Preliminaries can be shot at a previous
lights synchronised with an audible buzzer and set where time on both ranges.
both a left and right handed archer can see them.
(See drawing).
Green light for GO Red light for STOP. Any arrow loosed
after time, in the opinion of the umpire, that archer will have
their highest scoring arrow deducted.

The object of this booklet is to give an inexperienced archer

or teacher the knowledge to set up and run an instinctive
archery club. All, including the books reccommended, can
be found within its pages.
Common sense and enthusiasm will do the rest.

Modified Screwdriver
for pulling garden wire Timing lights setup with audio buzzer.
through butt Green for GO, Red for STOP.

Centre line of range is Five (5) Meters from next range centre line
Elevation of Foam Layered
Super Butt and target face
setup

1 meter sq target face 15 Yard Line World Speed Shoot

Butt section

Games start line Four meter wide range

15 Mtrs Spot mat placed anywhere
within zone by winner of Set
Spot mat zone

16 Mtrs

130cm X 130cm
17 Mtrs Spot mat diameter 150mm
Target face is fixed to butt by four
doubled lengths of garden wire and Front foot must be on Spotmat
eight short arrow dowels. The wire 18 Mtrs
is pulled through from back to front,
the arrow dowels inserted in the
loops and the doubled wire twisted 19 Mtrs
tight with a hooked wire twisting tool. 1 2
20 Mtrs
 44

Arrow-stop curtain
Reversable Double indoor shooting range setup
for Relative Speed tournaments.

The two competing archers shoot at the same time

Foam Layered Super Butts 130x130cms or End on
20m Compressed Strammit panels 120 X 30cm squares
across end wall of hall. See pages 12 to 21.
19m
These eighteen instinctive games are designed for the sponsor
18m and the spectator.
They will take a lot of skill and single mind dedication to play,
and are more suited to the genuine instinctive archer who can
17m shoot at relative-speed.
The shooting is fast and with a quick turn-around between
16m Ends. These indoor games could be the ones to change the
sport of instinctive archery as we know it now.
15m Indoor Short-Range instinctive archery has the natural talent
needed to take archery into the twenty-first century, maybe
15 yd
even into the Olympics?
It takes more skill shooting instinctively with relative speed
than fiddling with sights, gaps, or points of aim, which has
always been the easier option for those archers who haven't
the mind to perservere.
Instinctive shooting is much, much faster, which means more
excitement for the sponsor, the spectator, and the archer.
Red and Green start and
stop lights with audio
visible from both end
shooting lines

15 yd 15 yd line is for Guinness World Record

15m
Speed Shoot attempts

16m
Spot-mats 15cm diameter see
17m Game rules for further information.
18m
Stop-mat area when playing the games

19m
These indoor games are also designed for instinctive archers
disabled below the waist or with one arm missing as they have
20m the determined mind to persevere, and the exercise is beneficial
both in body and mind.

DRAWING NOT TO SCALE

UMPIRE'S DECISION IS FINAL
Arrow-stop curtain
 45

First & Second Rounds

Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
1 GROUP SCORING EXAMPLE
Group 1

2 1 ARCHERS WHO HAVE BEATEN THEIR OPPONENTS

1

FINALS
3 3 BY A SUBSTANCIAL MARGIN ARE OBVIOUSLY
4 THE ONES WHO MUST BE EVENLY DISTRIBUTED
1 THROUGHOUT THE EIGHT GROUP QUARTER-FINALISTS
1 IF THE COMPETITION IS TO HAVE ANY CREDIBILITY.
Group 2

2 1 IT IS THESE ARCHERS WHO MUST BE GIVEN THE CHANCE

1 TO MEET EACH OTHER IN THE LATER QUARTER-FINALS,
3 3
AND SEMI-FINALS.
4
1 3 THESE COMPETITIONS NEED TO SEE THE BEST INSTINCTIVE
ARCHERS IN COMPETITION WITH EACH OTHER ON TV TO
Group 3

2 1 DRAW THE SPONSOR AND THE SPECTATOR.

3
3 3
4
1
3 THE UMPIRE'S DECISION IS FINAL
Group 4

2 1
1
3 3
4
1 1 CHAMPION
Group 5

2 1
1 PRELIMINARIES and 1st & 2nd rounds
3 3 The Preliminaries must be held away from
4 the main venue unless they is in the same vicinity.
1
1 All results to be sent into a central body to
Group 6

2 1 determine those with the highest scores in fully

1 completed sets. These best instinctive archers
3 3
to make up the eight groups of four who will
4
1 1 compete at the public venue in the Quarter-Finals,
after the First and Second rounds have been completed.
Group 7

2 1 Semi-Finals, and FINALS.

1 The highest scoring archers must be evenly
3 3
4 distributed throughout the eight groups of four
1 so that the last sixteen Quarter-Finalists are as
1
Group 8

evenly matched as possible to contest the four

2 1 and two group Quarter-Finalists, one group Semi-
3
3 3 Finalists, and the FINALISTS.
4 The Preliminaries are contested the same as the
Quarter-Finals rules:
Only those archers who have completed the Preliminary
sets by the rules can go forward to the eight groups of
four if they are among the top scorers.
ALL Preliminary ends must be shot at fifteen meters.
 46

ARCHERY BOWLS
Rules
Bow classes: Longbow (American & English) Recurve (Asian and Western)

1. Arrows. Wood only for English Longbows, Carbon fibre and Aluminium for
bows, which are center-shot. All Arrows to be feather fletched, three or four feathers,
plastic or self-nocks, and brass or smooth bullet head field piles. No broad-heads,
bodkins, whistlers, blunts or sharp-edged field points made of steel allowed, or the
Stramit or specially constructed Foam Layered Super Butts will be damaged.
2. Timing: Singles, Four (4) arrows to each archer. Four arrows to be shot by each
player within the time of Twenty (20) seconds from draw of first arrow to release of
last arrow. Pair teams: All Four archers will shoot together with two arrows to each
archer released within the time of Ten (10) seconds from draw of first arrow to release
of second arrow.
3. Singles: Over Twenty seconds taken for one End of Four Arrows for singles,
and over Ten seconds for one End of Pairs, Scorer will deduct the score of highest
scoring arrow from defaulting team, which could mean the loss of the End to your
opponent(s). Singles Archers will shoot from the shooting line together: The Second
Pair opponents will shoot together on the shooting line.
4. Singles and Pairs: Two (2) Sets of Nine Ends Singles. Two Sets of Eleven Ends
Pairs. Short Game of Five Ends may be used if desired by both Singles and Pairs. (See
Score sheet).
5. Games. First End of any Set will always start on the Center Green from the
Fifteen-meter (15) line. Winner of End, will pick next roundel to be played on.
Winner of Set, can choose the distance the next Set will be played from. No Green
can be used consecutively unless one Game has ended on the Center Green and
another new Game is about to start on it.
6. Tournaments: Preliminaries, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and Finals are all
played with two (2) sets to one Game. If a Game is drawn, then there is a Five End
(5) shoot off. Three Ends out of Five wins. All Finals in tournaments, Singles, and
Pairs, will be played over Eleven (11) Ends of two Sets. Dead-end rule. If a team
feels they want to deaden the End just shot by their opponents, they can invoke the
Dead-End rule. They must raise their hand for a time-out to stop play, and tell the
Umpire their next arrow will be for the RED dead-end spot lower center of the target
face. The player (one player in pairs) must then try to place ONE (1) arrow within the
RED dead-end spot to deaden the End being played. That End is then not scored and
the Game moves onto the next End. The arrow must have cut right through the RED
spot border line to count. (See drawing). The RED spot is only there to deaden an
End; it plays no other part in the Game. The Umpire must always be notified before
an attempt is made to nullify an End, or the attempt is void. There can only be one
arrow for the Dead-end spot in any one End of Set from each team... The RED spot
only counts to deaden an End in a Game (See Red highlight below.)
7. Scoring. Only those arrows placed within the outer zone line of the green roundel
being played are scored; the Ditch zone is scored only if that archer or pair has scored
 47

at least one arrow in the Yellow Jack-spot that End, or no ditch score is counted.
Three-point Jack = One-point ditch score. Only one ditch point to an End if hit.
8. Scores: Jack-spot 3 points, Green 2 points, Red ditch zone 1-point, but latter
only if Jack- spot has been hit in that End. (See Center Green drawing for example).
It pays to hit as many Jack-spots as possible in the time allowed as inaccurate shooting
is always penalized with less 'Shot' scores. There can be only One (1) ditch point
scored in any One (1) End, if one or more Jack-spots are hit first. Border Lines
must be cut right through before higher scores are taken. Colors. All teams must have
their own cresting colors on their arrows.
9. Range and Spot mat area. Between Fifteen meters (15) and Twenty meters (20).
Spot mat is 15cm in diameter, and made of colored plastic or rubber. Lead foot of
archers must be touching the spot mat(s) before shots are taken. Winner of each Set
places spot mat(s) for next Set distance I.E. 15, 18, or 20 meters. Winner of End
chooses Roundel to be played on for the next End. Umpire’s decision is final always
as to equipment and rules. Center roundel always starts new Game from the fifteen-
meter (15) line. Tie-breaker: Best of five Ends. To deaden an End, the umpire must be
told beforehand. Dead-end Spot diameter = 8cms.
10. Target size: Outer border is 60cms x 60cms for experienced archers and 80cms
for beginners if needed. Full Target face drawn on back of 80cm or a 60cm FITA Ten-
ring face, then glued onto a square cellular cardboard backing to stiffen it. Roundels
Forest Green, Jack-spots Yellow, Dead-end spot RED, Ditch zone border line is Red,
(See drawing for colors, spot sizes, roundel zone sizes, scoring and scale of spots).
Spot diameter scale must match 80 or 60cm zone distances. (See Target making
pages 12 to 21.)
11. In other games, which make use of the Indoor Bowling score sheet, if the
game is a Three (3) to Five (5) End Game the Nine (9) and Eleven End Games can
be used as Tie-Breakers if the Set being played is tied at the Five or Nine End
level. Remember: The winner of End chooses next Green. The winner of Set
chooses distance in second Set. Release times for each arrow can be revised for
beginners until they reach the professional standard. In any of my professional
games there is only FIVE SECONDS allowed for the draw and release of each
arrow at the actual time of shooting. THE UMPIRE’S DECISION IS FINAL.
REMARKS: This game, as all my games, is designed to bring out the best in
instinctive archery, and to create spectator interest. The sponsors may show an interest
too as the rules are near to the real game of Indoor Bowls. The archer can see that
tactics, fast thinking, and the use of instinct will play a part here. The different sizes of
greens and jack-spots give a sense of distance. The movement of the spot mat also
helps to create this illusion. This game can be played either indoors or out, but is
primarily designed for the indoor venue. It is designed for Relative-Speed instinctive
archers, (as all my Games are) who use the Mediterranean or the Asian thumb release...
My games are not suitable for string walkers, three-finger under releases, gap, or point-
of-aim shooters. They will find it hard to compete against the Howard Hill split-vision
method, and will soon give up, or change to shoot to the rules.
…
 48

ARCHERY BOWLS 60cm Target Face

Ditch-zone ring scores cannot be taken unless the Jack-spot of the green being played
has been hit and then only one ditch point is scored in an End. (See center Green scoring).
60cm FITA Ten-ring face glued to 61cmx61cm celullar cardboard backing
Green diameters.
Center Green 1 = 18cm
2 Grey lines and zones for Setup only 3 Centre Jack-spot = 6cm
Ditch zone 24cm

Greens 2 & 4
Green = 15cm
1 Jack-spots = 6cm
Ditch zone = 18cm

Three shots to Brown Greens 3 & 5

as Gray has one shot Green 12cm
nearer in Green. Jack-spots = 6cm
Brown 2 in the Jack-Spot Ditch zone = 18cm
and one counting in the
ditch 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 SCORES
Jack-spot = 3pts
Green = 2pts
Ditch with Jack = 1pt
Ditch without Jack 0pt

Diameter
Dead-End Spot = 9cm

Drawing to scale
Umpire's decision is final
5 4
There are Four arrows to each End, 4 each Singles, 2 each Pairs.
This game is played with Pairs or Single players. There are Eleven Ends to one Set and Two Sets to
One Game in Pairs, and Nine Ends to one Set with. Two Sets to One Game in Singles.
There is also a short game of Five Ends, if desired, for practice. (See Score sheet).
The Red Spot is only there to deaden an End or Tie-breaker End, but only after the Umpire the Scorer,
and the opponent(s) are notified first. All Finals are played over Eleven (11) Ends.
The first Set of any Game is always started on the Center Green.
The winner of an End can choose another Green to play on
in the next End, if desired, by informing the Umpire, Scorer, and
Opponent(s) of their choice of green. Remember: winner of End
chooses roundel for next End. Winner of Set chooses distance at
which next Set is played at.
In Singles and Pairs there are only Twenty-Five seconds allowed from draw to release
for Four arrows loosed. Archers turns are taken alternately in both the Singles and the Pairs.
This game can be played on a 60cm or an 80cm face, but all spot diameters must be kept in
scale. I. E.60cm ten-zone lines = 3cm. 80cm lines = 4cms.

* Two teams to play on one target face.

Only one ditch point is counted by the winner even if two or more Jacks are hit
(C) Copyright John Eric Hoare. 2013.
 3 5 9 11
Sets

Ends TEAMS 1 2 4 6 7 8 10 Total Winner

1
3 to 5 Ends for the Short Game 9 to 11 Ends for the long games.

2
1
2
1
49

2
1
2
ARCHERY games common score-sheet
SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for most games. 3, 5, 9, & 11 Ends of TWO
Sets to each Player. Accumulative scoring. UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 50

ARCHERY STRIKE (A GAME BASED ON TEN-PIN BOWLING)

RULES
Bow classes: Longbow (American & English) Recurve (Asian and Western)
Arrows. Wood only for Longbows, Carbon fibre and Aluminium can be used for any bows,
which are center-shot. Bow risers to be made of wood. Fibre-glass may be used in limb
construction. All Arrows to be feather fletched, three or four feathers, plastic or self-nocks, and
brass or smooth bullet head field piles. No broad-heads, bodkins, whistlers, blunts or sharp
edged field points made of steel allowed, or the Stramit or specially constructed Foam Layered
Super Butts will be damaged. (See page 21 for full rule description).
1. Instinctive method. Using Mediterranean release, one finger over two under arrow nock; or
Asian Thumb release. No other release is allowed; the umpire must be consulted first. No release
aids, sights, sighting aids, marks on the bow, or stabilizers allowed.
2. Game. There are Ten (10) Frames of two arrows to each player to One (1) Game. All Games
will be shot from the 18-meter line (as in Ten-pin bowling). The Umpire will toss a coin for the first
off. Players will follow each other in each two-arrow frame. The Two (2) arrows will have a time
limit of Ten (10) seconds from foot placement of the first arrow to second arrow release. The
professional game could have less time should the game become established. The arrow may be
nocked on the string before foot placement in either case. The object of the game is to gain as
many strikes as possible in the Ten two-arrow frames (Unless a strike is recorded with the first
arrow on the Yellow One (1) Spot). A spare on the number Ten (10) spot can only be recorded
with the second arrow if a complete miss on the Yellow Number One (1) spot or any other spot
has been made with the First arrow.
3. If a Strike or a Spare should be scored in the (Fifth (5) frame short game) or in the Tenth (10)
frame long game) then one (1) arrow only is allowed as a bonus in the Eleventh Frame. All arrows
must carry the player's cresting and numbered 1 & 2.
4. STRIKES can only be scored on FIRST arrows hits on the Yellow Number one (1) spot, which
then completes that frame. If only a numbered, Red, Blue, or Green spot (Pin) is hit with the first
arrow then that numbered spot must be added to another same-colored spot by the second arrow to
make the score up to Ten (10), which is then counted as a SPARE. Any less than ten is counted as a
pin score from nine downward. The Ten Black spot with the second (2nd) arrow is counted as a
SPARE too if a complete miss is recorded with the first arrow. All arrows must be scored even if
fewer than ten points, as all points will count to decide a Game. The release of two arrows in the
10 second time allowed completes one frame.
5. The Yellow spot only counts one (1) point with the SECOND (2nd) arrow Hit. Hit the
Yellow nine with the first arrow and you will need the Yellow spot (1) to complete a SPARE with
your SECOND (2nd) arrow. Hit any other numbers, other than the Yellow spot with the first arrow
you must complete that number to ten for a SPARE with the second arrow. I. E. Hit a Black spot five
with the first (1st) arrow, and you will need another Black spot five to achieve a SPARE and so on.
If you go over Ten (10) with two arrows then there is a no score, or hit a Ten spot with the first arrow,
(A Gutter-ball) is scored for that Frame. Ten or under, all scores must be recorded. When final
scores are taken, STRIKES will always take precedence over SPARES. (See drawing for scoring
values). Border Lines must be cut right through to score Spot. This game is NOT scored like
the conventional Ten-Pin bowling game. A first arrow Strike is worth 30 points. A second arrow
Spare is worth 15 points. A two-arrow score of anything below ten takes the value of the
numbers hit (See Rule 4 above). Any more than Ten with two arrows in one frame (End) or if
the Ten spot is hit with the first arrow then that End is counted as a Gutter ball...no score that
frame (End) of two arrows.
…
 51

Archery Strike ( A Game based on Ten-Pin Bowling)

It is best to mark the spot centers out on a cardboard pattern
after the first marking out so as to have a pattern for future
Target faces. Red & Grey Pencil lines for setup only
Face glued onto a 61 x 61cm cellular cardboard backing.
9cm 7cm 7cm 7cm 7cm 7cm 7cm 9cm

7 8 9 10
12cm

4 5 6
12cm
12cm
12cm

2 3

60cm FITA Face

1
12cm

Spots 12cm diameters

Strike spot 10cm diameter
TARGET PAINTED ON BACK OF 60cm FITA Ten-ring face

SCORING UMPIRE'S DECISION FINAL

1st ARROW Yellow spot = STRIKE = 30pts DRAWING NOT TO SCALE
2nd ARROW Black 10 spot = SPARE = 15pts
1st & 2nd ARROWs 5+5, 6+4, 7+3, 8+2, &
9+1 same colored spots are scored SPARES. 15pts
There is no need for a second arrow if a Strike SCORING
has been scored with the first hit on the One (1) spot. First arrow Gold spot = STRIKE
There has to be Two (2) arrows in the five Black spot Second arrow Ten spot = SPARE
to score a Spare. 1st & 2nd Gold spots = SPARE
The Gold one spot with the second arrow scores 1st & 2nd Red spots = SPARE
only one (1) pt and will count towards a 1st & 2nd Blue spots = SPARE
spare only. I.E. 1+9 = Spare and so on. 1st & 2nd Green spots = SPARE
Any two arrow scores below Ten(10) are taken 1st & 2nd 5 Black spot = SPARE
as pin scores. I.E. 2+3=5, 6+3=9, and so on. 2 Arrows under ten = points value
With scores over ten from two arrows the frame 2 Arrows over ten = Gutter Ball End
is scored as two gutter balls. I.E. No Score.
There are Ten (10) frames of Two (2) arrows to each archer SPOT NUMBERS
to try and score as many strikes as possible in the ten frames, 7 8 9 10
which is Ten(10) 1st Arrow Strikes 4 5 6
If a Strike or a Spare should be scored in the tenth (10) frame 2 3
1
then an extra (One) arrow only is allowed in the Eleventh (11)
frame as a bonus frame. (See rules for Five (5) frame short game).
Spot sizes can be amended to suit archer expertise, if faces are painted.
Score sheet on next page. Copyright John Eric Hoare 2006
 FRAMES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 T
Arrows
Teams 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1
52

IF A STRIKE OR A SPARE IS SCORED IN END (5 Short Game) OR END (10 Long Game) THEN THE ARCHER HAS AN EXTRA ARROW
IN COLUMN ELEVEN TO SCORE A BONUS 30, 15, OR WHATEVER NINE OR BELOW NUMBER TO ADD. TEN-SPOT NO ADDED SCORE.
First arrow Strike
Second arrow Spare
30 pts 15 pts ARCHERY STRIKE Scorer _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Please use running totals
SCORESHEET when scoring.
 53

ARCHERY NINE-BALL POOL

(This practice game is based on Nine-ball pocket billiards)
Rules
1. Arrows. Wood only for Longbows, Carbon fibre and Aluminium for bows, which are center-shot.
All Arrows to be feather fletched, three or four feathers, plastic or self-nocks, and brass or smooth
bullet head field piles. No broad-heads, bodkins, whistlers, blunts or sharp edged field points made
of steel allowed, or the Stramit or specially constructed Foam Layered Super Butts will be damaged.
2.The Game. The archers will start with Nine (9) arrows each. The object of the game is to place one
arrow in each spot scoring Twenty-seven (27) points, which attracts a bonus of Three (3) points
equalling (30points), or hit as many spots as possible with Nine arrows, only One arrow scores (1) in
each spot. The winner of the Ends and Set is the archer who has the most points.
I.E. The added value of the number of Yellow, Red, and Blue spots hit. There are Five Ends to a Set,
two Sets to a Game. Highest score in a Set wins. Gold Spot hits score Five (5) points for a single
arrow hit. Red Spot hits score Three (3) points for a single arrow hit. Blue Spot hits score One
(1) point for a single arrow hit.
3.Only one arrow can be scored in any one spot. (See drawing for scoring rule).
4.Scoring. Toss coin to decide who will start the 9 arrows out in one-minute End. The starter archer
will then start the first End of Set from the Fifteen-meter (15) line on any colored spot, then proceed
onto the next and so on until the Nine (9) arrows are completed in the time of One (1) minute. (See
Rule 2 & 3 above & drawing on next page for example). Border lines must be cut right through before
scoring spot. A completed target score of nine colored spots, three of each color, will attract a bonus
score of Three (3) points, making a full score for the End of 30 points.
5.Spot mat placement. The winner of a complete End can place the spot mat for the next End
anywhere within the spot mat area, 15 to 20meters; but not to disadvantage their opponent. Target
Face. The face is drawn and painted on the back of a FITA 60cm Ten-ring
6.Target face is always pasted onto a cellular cardboard backing. The roundels are: Gold = 9cm.
Red = 12cm. Blue = 15 cm painted or printed on the back of a 60cm face. (See drawing next
page, and target face painting instructions on Page 11). ONLY NINE SPOTS OR LESS WITH
ONE ARROW IN EACH SPOT CAN BE SCORED IN ANY END. UMPIRE’S DECISION IS
FINAL.

REMARKS: This game is loosely based on Nine-Ball pocket billiards. The arrow becomes the white
ball and the bow the cue. This game has no complicated rules; all it needs is Relative- Speed,
instinctive skill, accuracy, and one minute to loose Nine arrows at the nine colored Spots. Now, the
public venues like public houses and such are suffering a decline. They need something exciting to
attract the customers. I believe indoor games like Instinctive archery, Karaoke competitions, and other
skilful indoor games like French Boules in all its forms, Darts, Cards and Dominoes, Horseshoes etc.
Everything can attract the player, the customer, the spectator, and the sponsor; and all on different
nights of the week
…
 54

ARCHERY NINE BALL POOL (With markout zone lines)

White, Black, & Red lines are spot centre setup. Face zone lines 3 cms apart, circle
diameters are only for setup on back of 60cm ten-ring target face. To set up on an 80cm face
to the same scale 4 cm zone lines are needed, which will give the scale needed for those spots.
For the 40cm face 2cm zone lines are needed. All faces to be FITA Ten-ring. Zone lines are only
used for marking out spot centres and diameters on all revelant targets. 40, 60, & 80 cms.

The archer can start on any spot where only one arrow is scored.
2
1 3

The highest score from each Set of Five Ends wins the Set.
The 5, 9, 11, Ends to one set Bowls score sheet is used
This game is loosely based on nine-ball pocket billards.
5

but only to the Five End Section of score sheet.

Tie-Breaker, Best score from three (3) Ends.

4 6

Highest score from Two Sets wins Game.

There are two full Sets to each Game.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8
7 9

All Target face must be glued to a square of cellular cardboard for stiffness.
Archery Nine Ball Pool is played with nine colored spots numbered One (1) to Nine (9)
The spots are drawn with 9, 12, & 15 cm diameters.
The first Set is always played from the 15 meter line, the winner of Set places Spotmat.
for the second Set anywhere from 15 to 20 meters.
There is a possible score of Thirty points for a full 9 spot target. (See rules sheet for bonus).
The End can start on any coloured spot. Only one arrow will score in a spot
To score this game use the first Five Ends of the Indoor Bowls Score sheet.
All spots hit less than Nine are scored as long as there is only one arrow scored to a spot.

This game is timed with Nine arrows out in one minute. Highest scoring archer wins End.
There can be only three spots of each colour, Nine spots in all to one End for maximum points.
Only one arrow is scored in any one spot. Only three spots of each colour, Gold, Red, & Blue.
Gold = 5 points. Red = 3 points. Blue = 1 point. Plus 3 bonus points for a full 9 spot target.
See 80cm game target setup for Nine, Twelve & Fifteen Spots on page 12.

Scoresheet for this game is on next page.

Drawing to scale of 60cm Fita Face.

UMPIRE'S DECISION IS FINAL
(C) Copyright J E Hoare June 2014.
 3 5 9 11
Sets

Ends TEAMS 1 2 4 6 7 8 10 Total Winner

1
3 to 5 Ends for the Short Game 9 to 11 Ends for the long games.

2
1
2
1
55

2
1
2
ARCHERY games common score-sheet
SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for most games. 3, 5, 9, & 11 Ends of TWO
Sets to each Player. Accumulative scoring. UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 56

ARCHERY NOUGHTS & CROSSES (TICK-TAC-TOE)

(Where the arrow becomes the pen)
Rules
Bow classes: Longbow (American & English) Recurve (Asian and Western)

1. Arrows. Wood only for Longbows, Carbon fibre and Aluminium for bows, which are
center-shot. All Arrows to be feather fletched, three or four feathers, plastic or self-nocks, and
brass or smooth bullet head field piles. No broad-heads, bodkins, whistlers, blunts or sharp
edged field points made of steel allowed, or the Stramit or specially constructed Foam Layered
Super Butts will be damaged. Umpire’s decision is final.
2. Timing and Teams. This game is for two players only shooting separately on the same face.
There are Six (6) arrows to each archer. Each player has Thirty (30) seconds from draw to last release
or no score to the archer who defaults on time. The game starts on the Fifteen (15) meter line. Winner
of Set chooses distance for next Set of (3) Ends and so on. The object is to try for Three (3) arrows
in a row, vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. (See Drawing next page).
3. Scoring. A full target (one arrow in each spot of a row can score a maximum One (1) point for
every row of three in-line spots completed, vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. (See drawing for details).
The maximum score from Six (6) arrows is Three (3) points for three lines completed. Each End must
be taken on its merits, as misses can be costly. Only complete rows of three spots, vertical, horizontal,
or diagonal, can be scored. Always start with the center spot and work out from there. Only one arrow
to score in a spot. Both archers are allowed one arrow in the center spot at start. There can be
more than one arrow in a spot, but only a single complete row of three spots are scored. (See Remarks
below)
4. Range. Fifteen (15) meters with an added Five (5) meter spot mat zone, twenty (20) meters in
all (See range drawing and rules above).
5. When painting, target faces small black or white spots at the center of the roundels will
help concentration and make for better speed, accuracy, and tighter groups. UMPIRE’S
DECISION IS FINAL. Border lines must be cut right through before scoring spot. Timing can be
amended for beginners.

REMARKS: This game is based of the game of Noughts & Crosses. It is designed to improve
line accuracy in any of three directions. The choice is the archer’s, a simple game, which needs a lot
of skill.
…
 57

Noughts & Crosses or Tic-Tac-Toe

This game needs Six (6) arrows to each player to each timed End
of Thirty (30) seconds fom first draw to last release. Players to take
alternate turns to shoot all six arrows to try and complete at least
one (1) full row of three spots either horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.
Both players must have one arrow in the center Gold to score any
three spot lines. Over Thirty (30) seconds
for Six (6) arrows or the End will be lost.
UMPIRE'S DECISION IS FINAL. 60 cms FITA Ten-ring Face.
Grey lines setup only Max 3 point pattern
Target face glued to cellular cardboard backing
in any direction.
12cm

12 cms

to gain the Ends needed to win the Set. Only hits

shoot at relative-speed. It calls for quick thinking

on Spots count. Squares do not count ,but must

18cm

This game is only for those archers who can

be included when painting the target face.

15 cms
18cm
12cm

12cm 18cm 18cm 12cm

ARCHERY NOUGHTS & CROSSES (Tick-Tack-Toe)

(A game of Eight (8) possible lines of three spots in either horizontal, vertical or diagonal
lines. Most rows of Three (3) spots wins the End. Both players must have one arrow in the
Gold in each End of Set to score that End. (See small drawing on right-top)
Each completed row of spots in an End scores One (1) point only.
Maximum points, which can be scored in any End is Three (3). Three full lines. Across.
Diagonal. Or Vertical, to gain maximum points that End.
SCORING THE END GAME. Preliminaries: Highest score to (3) Ends of Two Sets
each wins Game.
Quarter Finals: Highest score to Two (2) Sets of Five (5) Ends each wins Game.
Semi-Finals: Highest score to Two (2) Sets of Nine (9) Ends each wins Game.
FINALS: Highest score to Two (2) Sets of Eleven (11) Ends each wins Game.
(See Rules sheet for further information).
END GAME Common Score sheet on next page.
This game makes use of the Indoor Bowls common score
sheet. There are 3, 5, 9, and 11 Ends to One (1) Set,
depending on Game played.
There are Two (2) full Sets to One (1) Game. DRAWING NOT TO SCALE
 3 5 9 11
Sets

Ends TEAMS 1 2 4 6 7 8 10 Total Winner

1
3 to 5 Ends for the Short Game 9 to 11 Ends for the long games.

2
1
2
1
58

2
1
2
ARCHERY games common score-sheet
SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for most games. 3, 5, 9, & 11 Ends of TWO
Sets to each Player. Accumulative scoring. UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 59

ARCHERY CANCELLATION
Rules

1. Arrows. Wood only for Longbows, Carbon fibre and Aluminium for bows,
which are center-shot. All Arrows to be feather fletched, three or four feathers,
plastic or self-nocks, and brass or smooth bullet head field piles. No broad-heads,
bodkins, whistlers, blunts or sharp edged field points made of steel allowed, or the
Stramit or specially constructed Foam Layered Super Butts will be damaged.
2. Game: The Archers have Six (6) arrows each. Toss coin for start. First archer will
try to score as many points as possible in Forty (40) seconds. Two arrows released at
each roundel starting at roundel One (1) and finishing at roundel Three (3). If
there are more than Two (2) arrows in any one roundel from the first archer, then
the highest score in that roundel is not taken. When the first archer has shot, the
second archer will try to cancel out the first archer's score by shooting Two (2) arrows
at each roundel Zone and Spot in turn I.E. 1,2,3. If the second archer can match the
score of the first archer, spot for spot and zone for zone then the spots and zones hit are
cancelled out for that End. If there are more than Two (2) arrows in any roundel
from either archer, then the highest scoring arrow(s) or cancellations are not
counted. (See drawing for clarification). Border lines must be cut right through before
scoring spot.
3. Game End: The Archer(s) in Pairs) who have the highest score. I. E. Complete
cancellation by the Second archer of the First archer's score, or any score left over
to the First archer after the End, wins the End, which may go for 5,9, or 11 Ends.
4. The archers will change from First to Second, and Second to First, for the
Second (2nd) Set. Highest score after Two (2) Sets are played wins the Game.

Tie-breaker: Three arrows at the Gold spot, nearest arrow to center Black cross wins.
Umpire's decision is final.

…
 60

ARCHERY CANCELLATION
This is a game where the second team tries to cancel out the score of the first team
by matching arrow for arrow in either the spot or the zone.
60cm target face glued to 61cm x 61cm cardboard backing
Target face is laid out to lines as shown and not to the zone-line
spacing of a 60cm Fita Face.
1
140mm

Score sheet on next page.

Two (2) sets to One (1) Game.
280mm

choice of 3, 5, 9, or 11, Ends to a set.

180mm

2 3
160mm 140mm 140mm 160mm

There are Six (6) arrows to each archer, which must be released in the time
of Forty (40) seconds from first draw to last release of archer shooting.
The object of the game is to cancel out your opponent's score by matching
your arrows to his in spots and zones; thereby cancelling out his score.
This Game can be played by teams of Two archers shooting Three (3)
arrows each. The team shooting together has Twenty (20) seconds to
release all Six (6) arrows.
Scores are: All zones = 5 points. The diameters of the spots are:
Gold spot = 20 points. Gold = 8cm. Red = 12cm. Blue = 16cm
Red spot = 15 points Three (3) Spot zones = 20cm diameter
Blue spot = 10 points
There is a change of team position after Each Set
I. E. First team goes second. Second team goes first.
Sighest score after Two (2) Sets wins Game. (c) Copyright John Eric Hoare. 2012.
 3 5 9 11
Sets

Ends TEAMS 1 2 4 6 7 8 10 Total Winner

1
3 to 5 Ends for the Short Game 9 to 11 Ends for the long games.

2
1
2
1
61

2
1
2
ARCHERY games common score-sheet
SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for most games. 3, 5, 9, & 11 Ends of TWO
Sets to each Player. Accumulative scoring. UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 62

ARCHERY GOLD RED AND BLACK

Rules
Arrows. Wood only for Longbows, Carbon fibre and Aluminium for bows, which
are center-shot. All Arrows to be feather fletched, three or four feathers, plastic
or self-nocks, and brass or smooth bullet head field piles. No broad-heads,
bodkins, whistlers, blunts or sharp edged field points made of steel allowed, or the
Stramit or specially constructed Foam Layered Super Butts will be damaged.

1. Arrows; Five (5) to be released each End in the time of Forty (40) seconds, which
must contain the cresting of the archer.
2. Scoring: The Gold spot must be included in each End shot or the End is dead.
There can be only be One (1) arrow in each four team spots (Black or Red) that will
score. So, the aim is to have one arrow in each of the Four (4) team spots and one in
the center Gold, which will give a maximum score of Eight (8) points. Four (4) points
for the Four (4) spots hit, and Four (4) points for the Gold, which must be included in
the score. Three (3) spot hits with the Gold included will score Six (6) points; Three
(3) points for the three spots hit, and Three (3) points for the Gold. Two spot hits with
the Gold included will score Four (4) points. Two (2) points for the Two (2) spot hit and
Two (2) points for the Gold. One (1) spot hit with the Gold included will score only Two
(2) points. One (1) point for the One (1) spot hit and One (1) point for the Gold. Without
the Gold in the End NO End can be scored. All lines must be cut into to score. (See
drawing).
3. Game: This game can be played with Singles or Pairs. (A) Singles: Five (5)
arrows each team. (B) Pairs: Three (3) arrows to the 'Skip' (Best archer) and Two
(2) arrows to the 'Second' of the pair. Pairs will shoot together and decide on the
spots to be hit before shooting; one spot of which, must include the Gold. There
can be more than two arrows in any one spot, but only One (1) arrow will Score.
ALL ENDS SHOT MUST INCLUDE THE GOLD SPOT. Border lines must be cut
right through before scoring spot. (See Drawing for spot diameters and further
comments). Timing can be amended to suit professional game.

REMARKS: This game is a test of skill and accuracy in direction change. It is best to
go for the Gold spot first, as that must be included before the End can be scored. The
scoring is as in the Indoor Bowling game, using the same score sheet. There are Two
(2) Sets of Nine (9) Ends for the Singles Game, and Two (2) Sets of Eleven (11) Ends
for the Pairs Game. There is also a short game scoring End Set of Five (5) Ends, (which
is marked by a thicker line) for beginners and Demos. (Score sheet is on second page
down).

…
 63

GOLD RED AND BLACK PROFESSIONAL.

Target face is 60 Ten-ring. Zone lines 3cms.
Cellular cardboard backing
48cm
Spot Diameters & Scores
Outer spots = 12cm and 1 point.
Gold spot = 12cm 1 point, but
points will reflect the number of
outer spots scored by that team.
(See Rules Sheet).

DRAWING NOT TO SCALE

42cm zone line

Only one arrow will count in the
Gold spot, and only one arrow
will count in the Red or Black
Spot. NO Gold Spot in an End
that End is not scored.

UMPIRE'S DECISION
IS FINAL.

Grey & Red lines for marking out only

60cm target face painted onto the back of a FITA ten-ring face
This is a game for Two (2) or Four (4) players. Singles or Pairs.
Five (5) arrows out in Forty (40) seconds ONE arrow in each outer spot
for each archer. Scores: One (1) pt. 12cm Gold spot, One point for each
team spot hit. Four outer spots to each archer team, Black or Red plus the Gold.
1pt for each 12cm outer spot hit. Gold spot points reflect the number of
outer spots hit. I.E. Two outers = Gold scores two points, Three outers Gold scores
Three points, Four outers Gold scores Four points.
There can be more than one arrow in an outer spot but only one arrow scores.
Only One gold is needed in a team to score the maximum points of Eight (8)
I. E. Four Coloured spots = 4 points with one Gold = Eight points.
Three coloured spots = Three points with one Gold = Six points, and so on down.
A GOLD SPOT MUST BE INCLUDED IN EVERY END OR THAT END HAS NO SCORE.

The same score sheet as the Indoor Bowls Game can be used.
(See next Page)

(C) Copyright John Eric Hoare 2012

 3 5 9 11
Sets

Ends TEAMS 1 2 4 6 7 8 10 Total Winner

1
3 to 5 Ends for the Short Game 9 to 11 Ends for the long games.

2
1
2
1
64

2
1
2
ARCHERY games common score-sheet
SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for most games. 3, 5, 9, & 11 Ends of TWO
Sets to each Player. Accumulative scoring. UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 65

ARCHERY POWERBALL SNOOKER

Rules
1. Arrows. Wood only for Longbows, Carbon fibre and Aluminium for bows, which are center-
shot. All Arrows to be feather fletched, three or four feathers, plastic or self-nocks, and brass or
smooth bullet head field piles. No broad-heads, bodkins, whistlers, blunts or sharp edged field
points made of steel allowed, or the Stramit or specially constructed Foam Layered Super Butts
will be damaged.
2. Arrows; Six (6) to be released each End in the time of Forty (40) seconds, all of which must contain
the cresting of the archer. There must always be more Red spots than Colors at the finish of an End, or
the number of Colors must match the number of Red Spots hit, or less. There can be only one Black,
Pink, Blue, Brown, Green, or Yellow color scored in an End with: I. E. Three (3) Red spots with a
Black, Pink, and Blue; with Six (6) arrows out, you will have the top score of Twenty-One (21) points...
If you should score Three (3) Red spots with a Yellow, Green, and Brown color spot, with Six (6)
arrows out, this is the second lowest score of Twelve (12) points scored. The lowest complete score
with Six (6) arrows out is to hit Six (6) Red spots, which scores Six (6) points. The aim is to score with
all Six (6) arrows in one End. If less than Six (6) arrows are scoring there must always be less or equal
matched colors to the Red spots hit by either 5, 4, 3, 2, or I arrow(s). All scores must be recorded, even
if less than Six (6) arrows are released. If an archer should take more than the Forty (40) seconds
to release Six (6) arrows, that End is NOT scored. Border lines must be cut right through before
scoring spot.
I. E. There must be One color to every (1) Red spot. Any colors over the number of Red spots scored,
the highest color score is not scored. THE GAME MUST START WITH EITHER A CENTRE SPOT
OR ZONE TO DETERMINE SCORES EITHER SINGLE, DOUBLE, NO SCORE, OR MINUS.
I. E. With three or more odd number SCORES, the red spots must be more than the colors. If a Red
spot is scored with a Black spot and a Green spot, three (3) arrows, the Black spot is not scored. And
the score with the Red and the Green is only Four (4) points. The centre spot counts as a red ball
double, I.E. 2. The centre spot or zone must be hit in the End to score with any of the Six arrows, but
only one in the spot.
3. Every End is scored even if, with less than Six (6) arrows loosed, if there are Colors equal to Reds,
or all Reds. If White spots are hit it could be a Minus Four (4) or (8) point score, which must be
recorded as a Minus on the score sheet and carried through to the second End or Set, if centre spot or
zone is hit.
4. The score sheets used can be either the Three (3) Ends to one Set played over Two (2) Sets of three
Ends, or the 5,9, or 11 Ends and Two Sets Indoor Bowling score sheet shown on page 66. Timing can
be amended for the professional game. Highest score at Game end wins.
Remarks: This Game is based on the Power-ball Snooker Game. It will test the best instinctive archers
in the indoor venue, and could prove to be a very popular game for sports promoters and spectators. It
only takes one naturally skilled game to change the face of instinctive archery competition indoors.
This game, as most of my indoor games are, are also suitable for those disabled who still have the use
of their arms and muscles above the waist, especially those wounded in war or accidents, who are
looking for a challenging sport, and who are on prosthetic legs. This sport can be carried on into old
age where the aging body needs to be kept fit both above and below the waist, where other sports
cannot. It might even be included in the Olympic Games, as genuine instinctive archery relies on
natural talent and nothing else.

…
 66

SPOT DIAMETERS ARCHERY

Red 24cms. Yellow = 20cm
Green, White, Brown & Blue = 16cm POWER SNOOKER
Pink & Black = 12cm Score sheet on next page
Power Ball Center Spot = 8cm All zone lines must be cut right thru' to score
Power Ball Center Zone = 24cm
Spot centers on the 68 cm line for the Brown & Blue.
Scale Drawing 76cm ring for the Yellow. 72 line Red, Green, & white.
to 80cm Target Black & Pink 2cms after the 68 line. This face is drawn and
ten-ring FITA. painted on the back of a FITA 80cm target face.
Grey and red lines for marking out only.

76cms

68cms

THIS DRAWING IS TO SCALE

72cms
24cm

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

80cm target face with cardboard cellular backing

This game is played with six arrows out in 40 seconds to one end.
The center Red spot and zone are known as the Powerball Spot & Powerball zone.
There must be One(1) arrow in the powerball red spot or zone before scores are taken.
If the start arrow is in the center Red powerball spot then all scores for that END are double.
If the start arrow is in the Powerball zone then all scores for that END are single.
If the white spot is hit, it is a minus score to whatever center spot & zone value has been hit.
I. E. -4 or -8. Any more than one(1) arrow in the center spot; that End of Set is not scored.
All ENDS must start on either a center powerball Red spot or zone hit.
There must always be equal or less Colors than the Red outer ball or the highest color(s)
over are deducted from that score.
The balls are scored the same as the single score value of the balls in Snooker.
It is the single hit on the center powerball which determines the score on the white ball
either as a single minus, zone hit, or a double minus Red powerball hit. (See Rules Sheet)
Rotate the Target face 90 degrees every few games to save wear and tear
on the butt, which caused by excessive shots at particular Spots.
 3 5 9 11
Sets

Ends TEAMS 1 2 4 6 7 8 10 Total Winner

1
3 to 5 Ends for the Short Game 9 to 11 Ends for the long games.

2
1
2
1
67

2
1
2
ARCHERY games common score-sheet
SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for most games. 3, 5, 9, & 11 Ends of TWO
Sets to each Player. Accumulative scoring. UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 68

NEW ARCHERY DARTS

RULES
1. Arrows: Wood only for Longbows, Carbon fibre and Aluminium for bows,
which are center-shot. All Arrows to be feather fletched, three or four feathers,
plastic or self-nocks, and brass or smooth bullet head field piles. No broad-heads,
bodkins, whistlers, blunts or sharp edged field points made of steel allowed, or the
Stramit or specially constructed Foam Layered Super Butts will be damaged.
2. Arrows: There are three (3) arrows to One (1) Turn. The End/Leg does not finish
until the 500 points has been reached. The Leg/End must finish exactly on the 500
points, to go over is to bust, and that will need another turn to finish, no matter how long
it will take.
3. Timing: There is a time limit of Twenty (20) seconds for the release of three
arrows. Any longer and those arrows remaining, or released after the time of
Twenty seconds are not scored. Twenty seconds is well over what a Professional or
an accomplished Amateur need for release in a Relative-Speed environment.
4. Umpire: The Umpire's decision is final. All arrows to be numbered and crested.
5. Range: This Game is played only from the Fifteen (15) meter line.
An 80cm Ten-Ring target face can be used, but the spots must be drawn to a scale to suit
the 4cm Zone line spacing. The 60cm game and the 80cm game are scored the same
even though the spot and zone diameters are different. The 80cm game is mainly for
beginners and practice, the 60cm game is for accomplished amateurs and professionals.
Border lines must be cut right through before scoring the spots or 10pt zone. Timing can
be amended to suit the professional game. (See drawing for further scoring options).

Remarks: This is a Game for fast thinking, and mental arithmetic is necessary. Know
what Spots you are going for before you start. I. E. Three (3) one hundred spots in the
first End and Two one hundred spots in the second End will give you an exact 500-point
score with Five arrows over two Ends. Miss, and the quick thinking and multiple
Leg/Ends will start. The score sheet suitable for both the 60cm & 80cm games follow
the drawing on next page.
Remember 12cm spots can be 16cms on the 80cm face. And other spots also scaled to
4cm zone rings if needed.
…
 69

ARCHERY DARTS 60cm Face

Fita Ten-Ring zones 3cm spacings
This game is played as a Darts game Leg/End with Three (3) arrows to a turn.
The Leg/End is completed only when the archer has reached the exact number of 500.
The score sheet used can be the first to 3, 5, 9, OR 11 Ends from 2 Sets score sheet or the
conventional score sheet where the scores are taken away from 500 points in a column
as in the Darts game: Each end is played first to 500 points wins End. Over 500 goes again.
Spots drawn to scale of 60 cms Face 3cm zone lines
UMPIRE'S DECISION FINAL
Target face pasted onto 64cmx64cm cardboard backing to take score values
60
30 50
Both targets are marked then painted onto the backs of the
The 80cm game is scaled to the 4cm zone line spacings
The 60cm game is scaled to the 3cm zone line spacings

24 cm dia

10
54 cm dia
FITA Ten-Zone target faces, and scales must
be taken from the zone lines in each case.

100 90
80
1
2
3
4
5
6
7 48 cm dia
8
9
10

40 70 20

Spot sizes are as follows:

100pt Gold Spot = 9cm in Diameter.
90pt Blue spot = 9cm in diameter.
80pt Blue spot = 9cm in Diameter.
70pt Red Spot = 12cm in Diameter.
60pt Red Spot = 12cm in Diameter
50pt Black Spot = 15cm in Diameter.
40pt Black Spot = 15cm in Diameter.
30pt Black Spot = 15cm in Diameter
20pt Black Spot = 15cm in Diameter.
10pt Black Line Zone = 24cm in Diameter.
THIS DRAWING IS TO SCALE
This drawing shows the zone lines on the front
of the target and the scale of spots on the back.
All that's needed is to transfer the spot centres to the
back or onto a white cardboard sheet with all the
instructions for future drawings.
2mm 40cm face. 3cm 60cm face. and 4cm 80cm
spacings between lines.
between zone lines.
 70

Points Board ARCHERY ARROWS 500

The 60cm zone lines are spaced
60 at 3cms and must be taken
30 50 into account when marking Spot
diameters on back of 60cm target.
10 (See Color drawing for clarity).

80 100 90 The score sheet is used in conjunction

with the game drawing at left as a reference
so that the points are known to the scorer
when scoring the hits.
20 All Leg/Ends must always finish exactly
40
on 500 points...to go over is to bust.
70 This game can be scored using the End
Game score sheets, first to 5 from 9 Ends
* Tick Box for Leg/End winner. or any combination thereof if prefered.

TEAMS

1 2 1 2 SETS
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 L/Ends
TICK

SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

TEAMS

1 2 1 2 SETS
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 L/Ends
TICK
UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 71

ARCHERY BOW WHEEL

Rules
See ‘Bow Class’ page for equipment rules and classes allowed in these games, which have been
designed by an instinctive archer for instinctive archers… I hope they are played in the spirit
for which they were designed.

Arrows. Wood only, (except in class with centre-shot bows) feather fletching, three or four feathers,
plastic or self nocks, brass bullet field piles. No broad-heads, bodkins, whistlers, blunts or sharp
edges allowed.

1.Game. This game has Four (4) archers competing against each other loosing Three arrows each in
twenty seconds.
2.Scoring. Over 5, 9, or 11 Ends to one Set. There are Two (2) Sets to one Game. Best of Two Sets
of Ends wins the Game. Archery Bowls Score sheet is used 5, 9, or 11 Ends to a Set.
3. Arrows. There are Three (3) arrows to each archer to each End. All three arrows must be
released in the time of Twenty (20) seconds for each archer or that End is lost.
4. Timing. There is a time limit of Twenty-seconds from draw to release for all Three arrows. If the
Umpire, after one warning, deems that the archer is taking over the time allowed then he could
disqualify that archer from the End, not scoring it. If the archer persists in the other Ends, then that
archer will lose the Set. To hold for more than five seconds is not Relative-Speed instinctive shooting,
so other methods of shooting are obviously being used and must be disallowed as not being in the
spirit of the game? The Umpire’s decision is always final.
5. Spot mat. A new game Set will always start on the Fifteen-meter line, after that the winner of the
first Set can determine the placement of the spot mat for the second Set. I. E. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20
metres. (See Range Drawings page 30).
6. Target Face. Painted onto the back of a FITA 60Cm face. See target marking out instructions
on drawing next page. Center spot diameter is 8cm. Center spot zone diameter is 20cm. Outer spot
diameters are 15cm or 12cm respectively depending on which game is played. (See drawing next
page). All measurements are taken from the ten zone lines, which are 3cms apart on a 60cm FITA
target. Colors: Center spot Black; Zone line black; Outer spots are Two Yellow, Two Red, Two
Blue, and Two Green. All spots black outline. See target-drawing sheet next page for further
instructions. Lines must be cut right thru' to score the spot or zone.
7. Range. Fifteen meters from butt to shooting line with a further five metres for the spot mat
zone to twenty metres.
8. Scoring: Two TEAM spots with centre spot = 5 points. Two Team spots with centre Zone = 4
points. One TEAM spot with centre spot = 3 points. Two TEAM spots = 2 points. Centre Spot
= 1 point. Hit your opponents' spot and they will score 1 point from your arrow. Only one arrow
in any TEAM spot, centre spot, or Zone is scored.
9. Tiebreaker. Best score of Five (5) Ends wins. UMPIRE’S DECISION IS FINAL.
10. Archers will shoot one at a time. Scores taken after all four archers have
shot. Timing can be amended for professional game.
REMARKS: This game is designed for four individual players competing against each other to
determine the best archer. The game is suited to both, the indoor and outdoor venues, and as in all my
games, will help the archer to better his or her instinctive shooting by concentration on their team spots.
All that is needed to cater for more archers is to set up more targets, but safety rules must be paramount
when scoring an End. Misses are penalized, Hits are rewarded.
…
 72

ARCHERY BOW WHEEL 15 (A game for Four (4) players)

TEAM colour spots are drawn
2 3 1 from a bag, by the UMPIRE,
which holds four coloured counters.
I.E. Gold, Red, Blue. & Green.
Grey lines for setup only
SCORING
Setup circle 42cm Diameter Three Spots = 5 points
circle for outer spot centers Two spots and a Zone = 4 points
One colour spot & black = 3 points
Two spots = 2 points
4 2
Centre Spot on its own = 1 point.
Hit an opponents' spot, spot score to opponent.
Setup circle 54cm Diameter
circle for outer corner spot centers
5pts
4 pts
3 pts
2 pts
60cm FITA Ten-ring target Back
1 pt
3 1 4
64cm sq cellular cardboard
BEST 5, 9, or 11 ENDS OF TWO SETS WINS GAME. There are Four (4) players to this game.
Each player has two spots of the same colour plus the center spot and zone to score on.
The game makes use of a similar score sheet setup to the Archery Bowls game.
Each player has three arrows to release in the time of Twenty (20) seconds. The object of the
game is to complete the two colour spots and the centre spot or zone with the three arrows.
Three spot hits takes precedence over two spots and a zone hit in scoring.
Whoever completes a best End wins that End. The highest score of Ends in a Set wins the Set.
SCORING: 2 TEAM spots with the centre SPOT = 5 points.
2 TEAM spots with the centre ZONE = 4 points.
2 TEAM spots = 3 points.
1 TEAM spot with centre SPOT = 2 points.
1 centre Black SPOT = 1 point.
Hit opponents' spot 1 point to oppoent. .

This is not a speed shoot, but the archer can be disqualified if

he or she take longer than twenty seconds (20) to loose three (3) arrows.
SPOT DIAMETERS
Black center Spot = 8 cm. Black center Zone = 20 cm.
Yellow Spots = 15 cm. Red Spots = 15 cm.
Blue Spots = 15 cm. Green Spots = 15 cm.
The professional game will call for 12cm outer spots with a
8cm centre black spot & a 20cm Zone.
UMPIRE'S DECISION FINAL
DRAWING NOT TO SCALE
(C) Copyright John Eric Hoare March 2010.
 3 5 9 11
Sets

Ends TEAMS 1 2 4 6 7 8 10 Total Winner

1
3 to 5 Ends for the Short Game 9 to 11 Ends for the long games.

2
1
2
1
73

2
1
2
ARCHERY games common score-sheet
SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for most games. 3, 5, 9, & 11 Ends of TWO
Sets to each Player. Accumulative scoring. UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 74

ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK

Rules

See ‘Bow Class’ page for equipment rules and classes allowed in these games, which
have been designed by an instinctive archer for instinctive archers… I hope they are
played in the spirit for which they were designed.

RANGE: For the indoor venue, only and shot at Fifteen Meters as a practice
game, or a game. (See range setup on page 25). Spot sizes can be changed to suit if
the targets are 80cm painted. I. E. 12cm or 16cm diameters. (See Drawing)

1. ARROWS: Three (3) arrows to be released in Twenty (20) seconds before any
scores can be taken. The Three (3) arrows must include either the center spot or center
zone. Any of the releases in the rules on page 11 are allowed.
2. SCORES: The Archer will ask his opponent to give him or her the time. I. E.
One arrow in the center spot or Zone and two arrows in the time asked for. One
arrow in the Twelve and one arrow in the Four spots will give a time of Four-O-
Clock...and so on. There is only one-time slot to each archer to each End. Only
one arrow to each clock spot to be scored, and then only if a center spot or a zone
has been hit first.
3. GAME: A new Game End will start on either the center spot or zone. If a center
spot or zone has not been hit during a three arrow End, then that End has no score.
There must be either, one only center spot, or one only center zone hit to each End
of Set, as only one of either can score.
4. Tie Breaker: Best of three (3) arrows at the center spot. The Umpire's decision is
final.
5. There are Five Ends to a short game. Nine or Eleven Ends to a long game. (See
score sheet on next page). Most complete time Ends wins the Set. There are two (2)
Sets to one Game. Three spot hits take precedence over two spots and a Zone hit...
Timing can be amended for the professional game.

REMARKS: This game will promote speed and accuracy. It will take an exceptional
instinctive archer to play this game as a change in direction with every arrow is
warranted to compete successfully. This game is only for the truly dedicated instinctive
archer professional who is committed to becoming proficient in the sport. One who
needs to see his or her name on the leader board of a fiercely fought competition
between archers of equal ability? Only the best of the best will win.

…
 75

ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK

Lines must be cut right thru' to score

12
11 1
SPOT & ZONE SIZES
All spots 12cm diameter
Center Zone 24cm diameter

10 2
This game is best played
at fifteen meters range on
an 80cm face as a practice
game to develop speed with
accuracy.
9 3
Clock face spots are on
the 56 or 64cm dia circle
Zone line in drawing.
80cm ten-ring target face Grey pencil lines are for
8 4 setup only.

7 5
6
100cm sq cellullar cardboard backing

1. There are Three (3) arrows out in Twenty seconds.

2. The game must start on the center spot or zone.
3. There can only be one arrow scored in any one
spot.
4. Umpire's decision is final on all counts.
THIS IS A PRACTICE GAME Drawing not to scale
This is a good game for practice or play as one
opponent can ask the other to give him or her the
time by first hitting the center spot or zone then the
the time spot asked for. I.E. Say 4-o-Clock. UMPIRE'S DECISION IS FINAL
After which the opponent has to shoot one arrow
into the center spot or zone then one into the Four
and one into the Twelve, using only three arrows.
THREE SPOTS TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER A CENTER
ZONE AND TWO SPOTS TO WIN AN END.
(See Rules sheet for more information). Score sheet on next page.
 3 5 9 11
Sets

Ends TEAMS 1 2 4 6 7 8 10 Total Winner

1
3 to 5 Ends for the Short Game 9 to 11 Ends for the long games.

2
1
2
1
76

2
1
2
ARCHERY games common score-sheet
SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for most games. 3, 5, 9, & 11 Ends of TWO
Sets to each Player. Accumulative scoring. UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 77

INDOOR ARCHERY GOLF GAME

Rules

See ‘Bow Class’ page for equipment rules and classes allowed in these games, which have been
designed by an instinctive archer for instinctive archers… I hope they are played in the spirit
for which they were designed.

Bow classes: Longbow (American & English) Recurve (Asian and Western)

1. Arrows. Wood only for Longbows, Carbon fibre and Aluminium for bows, which are center-
shot. All Arrows to be feather fletched, three or four feathers, plastic or self-nocks, and brass
or smooth bullet head field piles. No broad-heads, bodkins, whistlers, blunts or sharp edged
field points made of steel allowed, or the Stramit or specially constructed Foam Layered Super
Butts will be damaged.
2. Timing. Six arrows in 40 seconds to one End. All Six arrows must be loosed in the time allowed
to score an End. There are three Ends of Six arrows each End of a Full Game.
3. MATCH PLAY. The archer starts the first End of a Game with Six (6) arrows. To count one hit on
a Green Spot equals the equivalent of Three Greens scored. To hit a Red Spot, the score is only one.
I.E. Six Green Spot Hits Equals Eighteen (18) Greens scored. The object of the game is to accumulate
the equivalent of Eighteen Greens in a full three End Game before any Red spots are scored,
even though all Red Spot hits before the Eighteen Greens hits are scored count. ALL Red Spots
hit are considered from the beginning of a Three End Game. There must be Eighteen Greens
scored in one full Game of three Ends before the Red Spots hit in the Game can be considered.
The Sets are won or lost on the Red Hole-out spots hit through-out the full game, but only after
the Eighteen Greens have been scored by the end of a three End Game.
4. This game is based on 18-hole Golf and adapted for the indoor arena. It will test the skill, speed,
and fitness of anyone who competes. Fifteen-meters, in-between, or Twenty-meters, the extra five-
meters does make a difference. If you complete your Eighteen (Green) holes in the first and second
Ends you will have all arrows in the third End to score with as many Red hole-out spots as possible
of which there is a possible 6 left in the last End. All hits on the Red spots count toward the final
Game score, even the ones hit before the Eighteen Greens are completed; if you should score the
Eighteen greens with the first Six arrows. Best won’t be good enough, you must be the Very Best of
the Best to win this game of Three Ends. Eighteen (18) Greens and Twelve (12) Red Spots, which are
possible in one Full Game of Three Ends (Six arrows to an End). Miss the Green Spot that will give
you Eighteen (18) to score the game and you will be penalized. Are you good enough? (See Drawings
for more details). UMPIRE'S DECISION IS FINAL.

…
 78

INDOOR ARCHERY GOLF 60CM TARGET FACE

(A game to keep you on your toes)
UMPIRE'S DECISION IS FINAL
Drawing not to scale.
SPOT DIAMETERS
Greens = 15cm
Reds = 12cm

54cm diameter zone line circle

42cm diameter zone line circle

Target painted on back of a 60cm FITA Ten-ring face

Complete Eighteen Greens first
and all Red hole-out Spots scored
before and after count to win the Game.
So ALL Red hits must be recorded on
the score sheet from the beginning, as
ALL Reds hits count, even before the
Eighteen Greens are completed.
Without Eighteen Greens in a Game
of 12 arrows the Game is lost.
Full score possible to a Game/Set
18 Greens with 12 Reds.
One Green spot hit counts the
equivalent of three Greens scored.
One Red Spot counts the equivalent
of One Red scored.
There are Six arrows to one End
Each arrow in a Green spot equals 3
Greens. Six Green Spot hits scores
18 Greens, which is possible in the
first End, thus leaving the last two Ends
with 12 arrows to score a possible 12
Red holes in the last two Ends of Game.
The winner is the archer with 18 Greens
and the most Red spots at the finish of
3 Ends, which is one complete Game.
18 greens must be scored in one complete
Game to win; any less then that Game is not
scored. There are a possible 12 Red Hole-out
Spots left if the first End has Six Green spot hits.
(C) Copyright John Eric Hoare March 2010
 79

TOTALS
TEAM 1
G & R

G
END 1
R
G
GAME

END 2
R
G
END 3
R
GREEN TOTAL MUST BE 18 BEFORE SCORES ARE TAKEN.

TOTALS
TEAM 2
G & R

G
END 1
R
G
GAME

END 2
R
G
END 3
R
GREEN TOTAL MUST BE 18 BEFORE SCORES ARE TAKEN.

INDOOR ARCHERY GOLF ONE SCORE SHEET

Each Green Spot hit counts 3 GREENS Each Red Spot hit counts 1 RED.
 80

WORLD SPEEDSHOOT RECORD GAME

Rules
See ‘Bow Class’ page for equipment rules and classes allowed in these games, which have been designed
by an instinctive archer for instinctive archers… I hope they are played in the spirit for which they were
designed.
Arrows. Of wood construction, feather fletched, three or four fletches, self or plastic nocks, brass bullet piles
to be used to save the integrity of the Foam Layered Super Butts used in speed shooting. No broad heads;
blunts, whistlers, or bodkins are allowed. No crossbows or compounds.
Release. Mediterranean. Two fingers under, one finger over arrow nock, hand must touch face or go past it.
After two warnings archer, will be disqualified that end. At start bow to be below waist height with arrow
nocked on string with bow un-drawn. Arrows may be stuck in ground or sandbox in front of shooting line for
quick load, or a side or back quiver may be used.
1.Timing. Each End is of One (1) minute duration, three Ends to one set. The aim of the archer is to shoot as
many arrows as possible within this sixty-second-period; all Ends to be electronically timed by a reliable
umpire with tested equipment.
2.Sets. The archer is allowed Four (4) Sets of three Ends. One full Set must be played. Three Sets are optional
but must be paid for if taken up. These optional Sets can be taken up any time within the speed shoots period
(See Remarks below).
The entry fee for the first Set is $1. 50 or the equivalent thereof; each optional Set is $1.00 or the equivalent
thereof. Each Set taken must consist of Three (3) Ends shot.
3.Scoring. The only arrows that score are the arrows within the 15-inch circle, which includes the 4-inch
aiming spot… The archer must have at least six (6) arrows in the butt before scores are taken. All arrows
count one (1) point only.
4.Range: From foot of butt to shooting line FIFTEEN-YARDS (See red line on range setup page).
Winner. The best END of the SET or GAME (If all Sets are taken up) is the winner, the End decided on
count back in Set. Example: 14: 10: 9, and 14: 9: 9, the former is the winner. If there should still be two tied
Sets, then the spots in the winning End are scored I. E. 14.9.9 with 14.9.9: Most spots decide winner. If there
should still be a tied Set then a tiebreaker End is shot in a sixty-second-period, (see example below). If the
score is still the same, then the winner is the archer who has the most spots in the tiebreaker end. The winner
of the Speed Shoot Tournament is the archer with the highest scoring END in a completed four SETS.
*This is a unisex event, men, women, and juniors one class. UMPIRE’S DECISION IS FINAL.
REMARKS: These rules are formulated in such a way that this event can be held over any time span. The
time spans being decided beforehand to best suit the event. Example: The speed shoot can be held over… The
best End in 4 hours, the best End in 8 hours, the best End over two days, etc. etc. Only one entry of Four Sets
per speed shoot to each competitor; one compulsory set plus the option of three more Sets to be paid for if
taken up. These optional Sets can be shot at any time during the speed shoots period. This type of speed shoot
has been specifically designed to be included in a program of other events I.E. Two-day shoots. Week-length
medieval festivals or any other archery related event or pageant. The main event can be known as 'The World
Speed Shoot Championships' and held in any centrally located venue worldwide. Held once annually the
championships can be advertised at least three months before the event. Entry is on the shooting line at any
time during the planned shoots period. Run with professional rules and sponsored in a professional manner,
with Umpire, medals, and a perpetual trophy… The most times winner to keep the trophy after five years.
Every End in the Championships will be timed using Green and Red stop and go lights synchronized with an
audio signal, all worked with an electronic timer for accuracy. IT IS THE BEST END THAT COUNTS OUT
OF THE FOUR SETS THAT WINS THE TROPHY.
If a Guinness World Record attempt is to be made, the Umpire must be informed and the attempt
witnessed by the scorer and another credible witness. The bow must be in the Primitive class and pass
the Guinness inspection.
…
 81

WORLD RECORD SPEED SHOOT

(As many arrows as possible in one timed minute).
The current World Record
See range setup 2 for target fastening to butt for this speed shoot stands
Four-inch diameter centre spot with at 21 arrows out and scoring
fifteen-inch diameter circle zone in the time of One minute.
This record is held by David
Grey lines for setup only Powers of Sherwood Forest
Archers England.

Drawing not to scale

CIRCUMFERANCE
15 inches at 15 yards
16 inches at 16 yards
17 inches at 17 yards
18 inches at 18 yards
19 inches at 19 yards
20 inches at 20 yards
See Rules Sheet for further information 4 inch spot in centre
Target 60cm FITA Ten-ring on cellular cardboard backing
The archer must have at least six (6) arrows within the 15 inch zone in any one End
before that score is taken.
The highest recorded End of the entire Speed Shoot is the winner. The whole
Game can be won on one End of a Set, but only after that Set is completed.
Tied Ends are decided on End count back.
Each archer is allowed only Four (4) Sets of three (3) Ends in any one Speed Shoot
time frame. One (1) Set to be taken up and three optional. Each Set must be paid
for if taken up. (See Rules Sheet).
The use of synthetic strings, modern glues and finishes are allowed in the first class
owing to the hard wear and tear of continous speed shooting.
Fiberglass, carbon fiber, and an arrow shelf are allowed
in class two, but all class bows must have wooden risers.
Any world record attempt must stay within its class, Tradition or Primitive.
(See bow classes page 22)
The target face is white with a fifteen (15) inch circle zone with a Black or Red four-inch
diameter spot at its center. (15yd speed shoot)
The timing is over one (1) minute and its the best END of all SETS that counts.
The entry fee is determined by the tournament organizer and each set is charged for if
taken up. There are three ENDS to each SET Four (4) SETS to each archer.
Each arrow strike (whether zone or spot) is counted as one (1) point.
Scoresheet for this Game is on next page.
THE UMPIRE'S DECISION IS FINAL
 Name Name Name
Ends 1 2 3 Ends 1 2 3 Ends 1 2 3
4 SETS

4 SETS

4 SETS
Name Name
Ends 1 2 3 Ends 1 2 3 Ends 1 2 3
82

4 SETS
4 SETS

4 SETS
WORLD SPEED SHOOT RECORD SCORESHEET
CONTESTANTS ARE ALLOWED TO COMPLETE ONE SET OF FOUR AT ANY TIME DURING THE EVENT TIME
SEE RULES SHEET AND DRAWING FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 83

ARCHERY SPEED TEACH (Agame to practice Relative-speed)

Rules
See ‘Bow Class’ page for equipment rules and classes allowed in these games, which have been designed
by an instinctive archer for instinctive archers… I hope they are played in the spirit for which they were
designed.
Author’s comment: This game is for the beginner to appreciate the difference between shooting with instinct
and the use of conscious thought, or for the accomplished professional to practice on. A barrier must be
breached before an archer can make the breakthrough into his or her unconscious mind. It is hard to become
one with the arrow and few can do it like Howard Hill did, but then he was always practicing even when
without a bow in his hand.
The slower games are designed to perfect form, the Relative-speed games to achieve it. There will always be
those who will be better, it’s up to those who want to be better to try and beat them.
It is easier to fool yourself into thinking that, “No one else will notice if I make use of the gap or point of aim
method or incorporate a mark into the design of my bow riser to use as a sight.” No spectator will, but the
archer who only makes use of his instinct and Relative-speed will. He or she knows you can’t shoot
instinctively if you shoot too slowly, must think about it, or anchor under your chin. It’s not easy to shoot
instinctively; it takes practice and then more practice to develop the mind to shoot a bent stick, with instinct
and relative speed, than with any other method. Most modern-day archers haven’t the discipline, the
dedication, or the patience…they want instant results. Anything worthwhile must be worked hard for first.
When I have made a good shot all I could see in front of me was a massive spot and nothing else. I could
not miss and I knew it, and it did not take me more than three seconds from draw to release. Some
people have the instinct but don’t realize they must have perfectly matched equipment too to be
accurate. The arrows to group must be spined to the bow just as the bow must be spined to the archer.
Therein lie the challenge and the secret… ALL must be one, including the mind. To shoot too many
bows is to court inaccuracy. Stay with one and master it.
All archers who shoot instinctively have experienced that perfect shot where everything seemed to come
together and even before the arrow hit the center of the target, they knew it would be a good shot. I have, and
that’s a feeling not to be denied. This game will help to achieve that. It will help the archer to know him or
herself. It will give them a glimpse into what they only thought of as impossible before.
I have included this preamble into this game sheet to help the beginner to understand the challenge he or she
faces. I know there exists inside all of us a powerful mind. No one will ever be perfect, but then what’s the use
of fair competition if we all were. We all have distractions but we must all try to be the best at what we do.
Only the best will win; it’s up to you not to be distracted and try to become the very best on the day.
This game is played over fifteen (15) to twenty (20) meters with a spot-mat to give the impression of
unmarked distances. It makes use of the 60 cm F.I.T.A. Ten-ring face.
1.Classes. The classes are the same as for the other games but the scoring is only on the Gold center spot and
the Red zone. Outside of this, the blue, black, and white zones are a minus one (-1) point score.
2.Scoring. From the center spot out, Plus points: Ten (10) nine (9) eight (8) and seven (7). Minus points: (-
1) for the blue, black, and white for each arrow hit. There are Five (5) Ends to a SET and Two SETS to
a Game using the Indoor Bowls score sheet.
3.The object of this game is to develop your instinct to a point where you can put all your allowed Five (5)
arrows in 30 seconds into the gold. All five arrows must be loosed in 30 seconds to score an End. To help
you do this you can paint the nine (9) zone red to match the eight and seven zones, and have a small black spot
stuck or painted onto the center of the ten spot to concentrate your mind further. The smaller the center spot the
better the group, it’s all you will need to concentrate your primary vision on; when proficient there will be no
minuses (See drawing).
4. Game. This game can be played as a team game or with several individuals who want to take each other on.
The main thing is to hit that center spot… Not once but five times...and that means practice, practice,
practice. One miss could mean a minor place, and even five in the gold could mean a shoot-off for
the center. How
good do you want to be?
…
 84

ARCHERY TEACH (A speed shoot for beginners.)

This game will introduce Relative- Speed-shooting to those who want to learn. Points
10

-1

-1

-1

-1

-1

-1
80 cm face
100cm sq cellullar cardboard backing

The outer nine (9) zone can be coloured red to make a smaller centre gold
This game can be played on a 60cm ten-zone F.I.T.A target face
The scoresheet for this game is on next page.
This game is plus scored on the Yellow and Red zones only.
I.E. +10.+9.+8.+7.
From the Blue zone outwards all scores are minus one (-1)
The bows conform to the bow-class rules and the release is
Mediterranean or the thumb release.
This game requires Five (5) arrows to be loosed in 30 seconds,
all five must be loosed before scores are taken for that archer.
This game is meant to show the instinctive skill and speed needed
to compete, and to help those archers who want to master archery
in its purest form... the challenge is to try it and see.
This is not bent stick archery. the bows have to be tillered perfectly
and the arrows have to be spined perfectly to the bow.
To shoot with pure instinct is harder to master than with sights, and
not everyone has the discipline to succeed... most give up too easily
and reach for the props. Shooting with sights can achieve perfect
scores, but the satisfaction gained from shooting accurately with pure
instinct can never be matched by any other method.
Howard Hill knew this, and there are others out there who know it too.
UMPIRE'S DECISION FINAL Drawing not to scale
 3 5 9 11
Sets

Ends TEAMS 1 2 4 6 7 8 10 Total Winner

1
3 to 5 Ends for the Short Game 9 to 11 Ends for the long games.

2
1
2
1
85

2
1
2
ARCHERY games common score-sheet
SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for most games. 3, 5, 9, & 11 Ends of TWO
Sets to each Player. Accumulative scoring. UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 86

ARCHERY TEN-RING (A game of skill, speed, and accuracy.)

Rules

See ‘Bow Class’ page for equipment rules and classes allowed in these games,
which have been designed by an instinctive archer for instinctive archers… I hope
they are played in the spirit for which they were designed.

1. Arrows. Wood only, unless centre-shot bows are used with carbon fibre or aluminium
feather fletched arrows. Arrows, feather fletched, three or four feathers, plastic or self
nocks, brass bullet field piles to keep the integrity of the Foam Layered Super Butts used
in speed shooting. No broad heads, bodkins, whistlers, blunts or sharp edged piles
allowed. Umpire’s decision is final. Target faces. The Sports round will use a five
color ten zone 60 cm face. The Hunter’s round a 60 cm or a 40 cm five color Ten-ring
face. (See drawing.)
2. Scoring. The two archers will shoot together and only the archer nearest to the center
cross or spot at the center of the target face will score the end. His or her opponent has
no score for that end. The archer must have all Four (4) arrows in the target butt in the
Twenty (20) seconds time limit allowed before he or she can score the End or his or her
opponent will take the score if he or she has Four arrows in the butt. Winner of Set is
the archer who has the highest score after five 5, Ends, which makes one Set. This is a
practice game.
3. Range. Fifteen (15) to Twenty (20) meters with a divided five (5) meter spot mat
zone. (See Range setup drawing page 29). Winner of Set will place spot mat for next
Set.
4. Tie breaker. A One-End shoot out of Four (4) arrows in Twenty (20) seconds will
decide any tied set; nearest to center cross or spot wins. Should two archers have an
arrow the same distance from the center cross or spot in a leg then the second nearest
arrow of the archers’ Four (4) arrows will decide the scoring.
Umpire’s decision is final.

REMARKS: This simple game is designed with the Relative-Speed enthusiast and
instinctive hunter in mind. It will improve the instinctive ability and accuracy of those
archers who shoot traditional and primitive bows, as they should be shot, with natural
skill and not with sighting aids. The most popular sports are instinctive. Sights, like a
drug, enhance performance but not in a natural way. Howard Hill, the world’s most
famous archer, knew this. His instinctive method is geared towards Relative-Speed and
it's the method that best suits these games. The proof is in the shooting. It works for
me it will work for you.
…
 87

Highest scoring archer after five (5) Ends wins Set.

Only the archer closest to the centre cross will score the End ARCHERY TEN-RING
and then only if he or she has all Six arrows loosed in thirty seconds.
DRAWING NOT TO SCALE UMPIRE'S DECISION IS FINAL
Points Target face used for both rounds 60cm & 40cm respectivly Sports round and Hunter's round
* This game is good for practice and accuracy.

10

60 & 40cm target face on cellular cardboard backing

2
Six arrows loosed in thirty (30) seconds
1 Indoor Bowls Scoresheet is used for this Game on next page.
If the Ten ring is black blacked out it will make for tighter groups.

SPORTS ROUND
60cm target face
Only arrow nearest to center cross scores with any other arrows
from that archer.
All Six (6) arrows must be loosed before scores are taken
or the next nearest archer with Six (6) arrows in scores.
Zone lines must be cut right through to take higher score.

HUNTER'S ROUND
60cm or 40cm Target face
The Hunter's round will promote tighter groups with practice.
No score unless all Six (6) arrows have been loosed.
Highest score after Five (5) ends wins the set in both games.
Two Sets to one (1) game. Range 15 to 20 meters.
 3 5 9 11
Sets

Ends TEAMS 1 2 4 6 7 8 10 Total Winner

1
3 to 5 Ends for the Short Game 9 to 11 Ends for the long games.

2
1
2
1
88

2
1
2
ARCHERY games common score-sheet
SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for most games. 3, 5, 9, & 11 Ends of TWO
Sets to each Player. Accumulative scoring. UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 89

BOWZAMBIQUE
(The method of the assassin)

See ‘Bow Class’ page for equipment rules and classes allowed in these games,
which have been designed by an instinctive archer for instinctive archers… I hope
they are played in the spirit for which they were designed.
Arrows. Wood only, unless centre-shot bows are used with carbon fibre or
aluminium feather fletched arrows. Arrows, feather fletched, three or four
feathers, plastic or self nocks, brass bullet field piles to keep the integrity of the
Foam Layered Super Butts used in speed shooting. No broad heads, bodkins,
whistlers, blunts or sharp edged piles allowed. Umpire’s decision is final.
1.Game: This Game needs three arrows out in the time of Fifteen (15) seconds. If there
are not two arrows in the body spot or zone and one arrow in the head spot, then no
score that End.
2.Scores: 20 points for the Head spot. 10 points for the body spot, and 5 points for
the body zone. There can be 5, 9, or 11 Ends to one Set, depending on what game
is played. There are always Two Sets to a Game, where the highest score of the Set
wins the Set. Winner of Set determines the distance for the next Set. Tie-breaker:
Best of Five (5) Ends.

REMARKS: This is a simple game which needs a great amount of skill to play. The
Professional game has three arrows out in the time of Ten seconds. This game is mainly
to develop the speed needed to keep up with the professionals. The score sheet is
common to most games and is on the next page.

…
 90

BOWZAMBIQUE
(Based on the method of the assassin)

Grey lines for target face setup only

Target drawn and painted on the back of a 60cm ten-ring face
15cm
25cm
20cm

POINT SCORES ROUNDEL SIZES

Body Gold spot = 10 points Head Spot = 12 cm
Body Zone = 5 points Body Spot = 12cm
Head Red Spot = 20 points Body Zone = 21cm

80cm sq cellullar cardboard backing

Drawing not to scale UMPIRE'S DECISION FINAL
This game will develop the relative-speed needed to play other games
All players have to loose is three arrows in each End in 15 seconds
or no score that player. This game can run from 5, 9, or 11, Ends.
ARROWS
Three (3) arrows to be loosed in Fifteen (15) seconds, Two (2) at
the body and one at the head.
If there are not two arrows in the body roundel and one in the head
roundel then no scores are taken.
This Game is based on the method of the assassin... Two shots in
the body and one in the head.
The Professional game will need Three (3) arrows out in Ten (10)
seconds.
(C) Copyright John Eric Hoare March 2010
Score sheet on next page
 3 5 9 11
Sets

Ends TEAMS 1 2 4 6 7 8 10 Total Winner

1
3 to 5 Ends for the Short Game 9 to 11 Ends for the long games.

2
1
2
1
91

2
1
2
ARCHERY games common score-sheet
SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for most games. 3, 5, 9, & 11 Ends of TWO
Sets to each Player. Accumulative scoring. UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 92

BATTLE CLOUT
(Speed Shoot or not?)
Rules
See ‘Bow Class’ page for equipment rules and classes allowed in these games, which have been
designed by an instinctive archer for instinctive archers… I hope they are played in the spirit
for which they were designed.

1. Arrows. Wood only, feather fletched, three or four feathers, plastic or self-nocks, steel or brass
bullet field piles allowed in Battle Clout. No broad heads, blunts, bodkins, or sharp-edged piles
allowed. (The exception being whistlers at public clout displays.) Umpire’s decision is final. All
arrows must be crested for differentiation.
2. Range. Between 80 yards and 180 yards taken along a line that is at right angles and in the center
of the shooting line, (See Drawing). The clout is an 18-inch circumference white target with a 6-inch
black spot on a pin can be placed anywhere along the 100 yards’ line between the eighty and hundred
and eighty yard marks by the target captain or umpire. But only after each End has been shot and
scored, and the archers are on the way back to the shooting line.
3. Scoring. Clout 10 points. Within Clout 3-foot circle (shaded part on drawing) 5 points. 6-foot circle
4 points. 9-foot circle 3 points. 12-foot circle 2 points. 18-foot circle 1 point. Arrow point must be
within circle when scoring wire is circulated to score that value even if the arrow fletch is lying on
the ground outside the circle. Scores are taken by drawing a compass wire with the relevant marks,
as in conventional clout, from the central clout pin around, I.E. 18, 12, 9, 6, and 3 feet. (See drawing).
4. Speed Shoot. This game is timed over one (1) minute on each end by using Green & Red lights
synchronized with an audible buzzer. (See Range setup). When the Green light comes on with the
buzzer the archer can loose as many arrows as possible at the clout in the period allowed. The archer
must stop on the Red light and buzzer or (if in the opinion of the umpire) should he or she go over
the time allowed, their highest arrow score will be deducted for that End.
5. Scoring Circle: The diameter of the circle can be increased or decreased to taste so long as
the scoring zones and the clout are kept in proportion to the Eighteen-foot circle. The distances
rules remain the same, 80yds to 180yds. (See Drawing). Another scoring wire would have to be
made to cope. Umpire’s decision is final.
Game. There are Three (3) Ends to one Set; Three (3) Sets to one Game. The archer with the
highest GAME score and not the number of Sets won wins the Game. Tiebreakers are shot over
one timed END.
REMARKS: This game in based on the free style clout but is closer to what must have happened
in an actual battle where each archer is trying to loose as many arrows as possible at the enemy. Battle
Clout was the medieval equivalent of the modern-day machine gun and proved just as deadly in its
application. The terror of facing an arrow storm, which could penetrate Armor and horses, coming
from three thousand archers or more must have been awesome. Especially so when each archer can
loose at least ten heavy arrows from heavy poundage war bows carrying a multitude of deadly heads
in one minute.
…
 93

ARCHERY BATTLE CLOUT (A game for the outdoors)

Clout is set along a line anywhere between 80yds to 180yds after each end is scored.
A scoring wire, with marks made to suit, is fixed by a ring to the clout central stake so
as to form a scoring compass.
Only the umpire can move the clout, which must always be on the line.
All arrows are loosed over a timed one (1) minute period.
CIRCLE DIAMETERS SCORES
Circle 1 Eighteen feet Clout hit 10 points 180 yds
Circle 2 Twelve feet Clout circle hit 5 points
Circle 3 Nine feet Six foot circle 4 points Scoring wire
Circle 4 Six feet Nine foot circle 3 points
Circle 5 (Clout circle) Three feet Twelve foot circle 2 points
Clout diameter Eighteen inches. Eighteen foot circle 1 point
Highest score of SETS wins Game.
There are TWO Ends to a Set and TWO Sets
to a Game. Marked 100 yds Clout line
There are no flag markers to this clout. You
have only the white center clout to aim at.
The scoring wire and the Umpire will do the rest.
UMPIRE can place clout
pin anywhere between 80
& 180 yards after each END
SCORING CIRCLE is shot and scored.
Five Zone 18 feet circle shown.
Five Zone 24 feet circle?
Five Zone 36 feet circle?
Five Zone 48 feet circle?
18 inch Clout size remains the same thru' out.
UMPIRE'S DECISION IS FINAL

Scoring Wire
80 yd line

DRAWING NOT TO SCALE

Clout scoring zone is an eighteen foot circle with five equal zones
marked with a scoring wire.
The archer can loose as many arrows as possible in a one minute
time frame. The faster you are the more points you score.
The Umpire will change the Clout position to anywhere on the line
between the 180 yard mark and the 80 yard mark after every end.
If an arrow is loosed after the allowed time the highest arrow value
for that end is not scored.

Clout is an Eighteen inch diameter target face.

Shooting line
Battle Clout Scoresheet is on next page.
 3 5 9 11
Sets

Ends TEAMS 1 2 4 6 7 8 10 Total Winner

1
3 to 5 Ends for the Short Game 9 to 11 Ends for the long games.

2
1
2
1
94

2
1
2
ARCHERY games common score-sheet
SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for most games. 3, 5, 9, & 11 Ends of TWO
Sets to each Player. Accumulative scoring. UMPIRE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 95

ARCHERY GOLF TWO (Outdoors Game with Golf Player)

Rules
See ‘Bow Class’ page for equipment rules and classes allowed in these games,
which have been designed by an instinctive archer for instinctive archers… I hope
they are played in the spirit for which they were designed.

1. Arrows. Only wooden shafts allowed fletched with natural feathers: Straight,
angled, or helical. There are twelve (12) arrows, four (4) of each type to a full set,
with same cresting and color fletching on all.
Four (4) driver arrows with two (2) three (3) or four (4) inch fletching. Four (4)
wedge or putting arrows with four (4) or five (5) inch fletching.
Four (4) Flu-flu wedge arrows with spiral or full feather fletching (See drawing).
Steel OR bullet piles on drivers, wedges, and putters, plastic or self-nocks.
2. Game. As for conventional golf but with the arrow as the ball and the bow as the
driving force, instinct will tell the archer what arrow to use. When near the green the
archer will use the Flu-flu’s, but finish with a putting arrow from the Flu-flu’s final
position. The archer will try to place the putting arrow into the spot or zone of a black
20 cm FITA Field face mounted on a 60cm cube of Etha-foam that has one 20cm FITA
Field target face mounted on each of its vertical sides. The cube must be placed at the
edge of the green facing down the fairway away from the hole but visible from the tee.
(See drawing for hole-out target face).
3.The archer can try for a hole-in-one from the tee-off position if he or she so
chooses. The archer will continue the game from where the driver arrow lands
with another choice of arrow if not successful with the hole-in-one attempt.

REMARKS: This game can be played against a conventional golfer, where scoring is
the same as golf, on a Clout field, or as a roving exercise, where the winner is decided
by the number of arrows released before the cube target is hit. It can also be used in
team play where two (2) archers can tee-off against another pair of archers or golfers.
…
 96

ARCHERY GOLF (Outdoors)

Driver arrow, fletching two, three, or four inches long, three or four feathers,
is used for the longer distances and for teeing off.

Used for the longer distances.

The Wedge or Putting arrow, fletching four or five inches long,
three or four feathers is used on the shorter distances and for putting the hole.

Cresting

The Flu-flu cannot be used for the hole target, only to shoot for the green.

A hit anywhere within the black 20 cm zone is counted as a hole.

To hit the Black spot from the tee-off position is a hole-in-one.
There are twelve arrows to a golf set:
Four drivers, Four wedges or putters, and Four flu-flus.
The hole is a 60 cm Etha-foam cube with a 20 cm Fita
Field Face fixed to the four vertical sides and top, and positioned
on the edge of the Green to face towards the tee-off
platform to make a Hole-in-one possible.

Flu-flu arrows for the shorter distances, may be spiral fletched or with
three, four, or more full feathers six inches or more in length.
UMPIRE'S DECISION IS FINAL Drawing not to scale
The scoresheet for this game is on next page.
In this game it is possible for the archer to play a golfer.
 HOLES
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Total
TEAMS
97

ARCHERY GOLF SCORESHEET (Outdoors) SCORER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 98

CAMELOT CASTLES
Rules of Play

1. Instinctive method only. Release Mediterranean release one finger over arrow nock and two
fingers under. No sights, sighting aids, or stabilizers allowed.
2. Bows. 40lb or under, traditional or primitive designs only, NO COMPOUNDS or crossbows.
3. Arrows. Wood only with feather fletching and tipped with rubber blunts excepting the dice
arrow, which has a brass bullet head, the latter only to be used on the dice target. If used on the
castles the archer is disqualified that End. Umpires decision is final
4. Castles. There are two castles A and B one of which has a White King and the other a Black King,
both with their respective colored Knights. I. E. Yellow, Red, Blue, and Green, which make a total of
two Kings and eight Knights in all. There are also two drawbridges; one to each castle and only one
counts for that castle only. These do not score, but if hit and knocked down double any single score
for that castle the rest of that End. (The Drawbridge must fall to score double).
5. Dice Target. The dice target is made up of one center black spot 30cm in diameter and two zones
one of which is 60cm in diameter and the other 90cm in diameter. This is drawn on a white
background. This target tells you at the start of the end what you will play and the number of arrows
to play with: Spot, both 'A' & 'B' castles; inner zone, higher scoring 'A' White King castle. Outer
zone, lower scoring 'B' Black King castle…
6. Start. Each archer has at the start of the game one pointed arrow, which they will loose at the dice
target in turn. Hit the spot and play the 'A' & 'B' castles where the archer will receive Ten (10) rubber
tipped arrows to play with. Hit the inner zone and play the 'A' or White King castle where the archer
will receive Seven (7) rubber tipped arrows to play with. Hit the outer zone and play the 'B' or Black
King castle where the archer will receive Five (5) rubber tipped arrows to play with. Accuracy will
count for everything.
7. Score values. Each castle has its own score values. White King castle: White King = 10pts. Yellow
Knight = 8pts. Red Knight = 6pts. Blue Knight = 4pts. Green Knight = 2pts. The drawbridges can
double the points from the moment they are knocked down.
Black King castle: Black King = 9pts. Yellow Knight = 7pts. Red Knight = 5pts. Blue Knight = 3pts.
Green Knight = 1pt. The drawbridges can double the points from the moment they are knocked down.
8. The archer with the dice arrow nearest to the center will go first. There are two Ends to one Set,
two Sets to a Game. Highest score from two Sets wins Game.
9. After each SET, the dice target is used again to determine the next Set’s castle play, and so on.
The archer who is closest at the start of the game and who wins a SET will decide spot mat
placement.
Range. The range is 15 meters with a 5 meters’ spot mat zone (20 meters in all) Rubber Spot mat is
as used in all the games (See range drawing).

REMARKS: This game is ideal for the children, family, and schools, as only low poundage bows
are used and it is both recreational and instructional in instinctive shooting. There is a little work
involved in making the castles, but it is both enjoyable and not out of the reach of a school woodwork
class or do-it-yourself dad. The castles are fun to make and fun to paint. With the inclusion of the
drawbridges, an archer who starts a Set badly on the dice target has a chance to redeem him or herself
by generating double scores or having better luck with the start in the next Set with a 'A B' spot hit.
The drawbridge must fall to score double.
…
 99

ARCHERY CAMELOT CASTLES

Section through A
A
Spring clip

DOWELS

HINGES

B B

Section through B

HINGES
Holding stakes passing through screw eyes and driven into the ground.
As you can see from above drawing Camerlot Castles can be made in differing sizes and designs, then joined by hinges.
You can even have them in differing colours with a Black King and a White King at war with each other.
In this kids game the archers must always make use of rubber blunts, unless their are going for the dice target to start.
This game can be for kids and adults alike as it is mainly designed for use in Country Fairs and Medieval pageants, it can
also be setup in an indoor range.
The castles are made out of 10mm Sterling board, and the Knight's heads out of 10mm plywood then painted.
If you place tall and short castles together they will give a keep effect.
One face will have a drawbridge, the other will have either a Black or White King with different coloured Knights and walls.
 100

ARCHERY CAMELOT CASTLES

B UMPIRE's DECISION IS FINAL

A
DRAWING NOT TO SCALE
A&B

Grey lines for setup only.

Dice Target 80cm X 80cm Square. Painted on back of 80cm face.

DICE TARGET RULES of PLAY CAMELOT CASTLES

1. The archer has one pointed arrow with which to determine their game.
I. E. Two castles, One castle, or with a miss, loss of end.
2. Hit the spot and you have A & B castles in play.
Hit the A and you have A castle in play. Hit the B and
you have B castle in play. A miss means the loss of that end.
3. To play A & B castles you have Ten (10) rubber tipped arrows with
which to score.
4. To play A castle only you have Seven (7) rubber tipped arrows with
which to score.
5. To play the B castle only you have Five (5) rubber tipped arrows with
which to score.
( See rules sheet for further information).

POINTS VALUES
White King 10 points. Black King 9 points
Yellow Knight 8 points. Yellow Knight 7 points
Red Knight 6 points. Red Knight 5 points
Blue Knight 4 points. Blue Knight 3 points
Green Knight 2 points. Green Knight 1 point

Hit the Drawbridge and from then on points are doubled.

The Drawbridge can only be hit once in an end and it must fall down.

TARGET DIAMETERS.
SPOT Black or Red 30cm.
'A' ZONE White 60cm.
'B' ZONE Black 80cm.
(See drawing at top). Scoresheet for Camelot Castles on next page.
RANGE.
15 meters with 5 meter spot-mat zone.
(C) Copyright John Eric Hoare March 2010
 101

TEAMS
Castles A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B
Totals

Castles A B A B A B
Totals
SET ONE SET ONE

A B A B A B A B A B A B A B
A B A B

CAMELOT CASTLES SCORESHEET A Game for the Kids

Score both columns if A & B Castles
have been brought into play. If not
then only score the relevant column. Scorer _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 102

THE IRON MAN ROUND (Woodland Speed Shoot for fully-fit Archers)
The only rules of equipment allowed in ALL these games are those formulated in the Bow classes’
sheet on Page 22. These games have been designed by an instinctive archer for instinctive archers
everywhere; I hope they are played in the spirit for which they were designed.
1. Iron Man round scoring. There are two versions of Iron Man and both are outdoor instinctive
speed shoots. One is a Hunter’s Game round of twenty to forty targets for men and women using
target faces made up of mixed animal and bird profiles. The other is made up of five (5) different on
the market, or drawn turkey faces made up to twenty to forty target faces with a second red spot the
same size as the kill spot superimposed as the turkey’s head, (see stylized drawings). The head spots
for the on the market faces to be drawn with a compass or made with a permanent stick on spot
colored red to give the archers competing a clear outline to score…just go for twenty points (20) or
risk a head shot for thirty points (30).
(a) The Hunter Round is scored in the conventional way, with the kill zone worth 20 points, 18
points for a fatal wound zone, and 16 points for a wound. Any arrows outside the 16-point wound
zone NO score. The Turkey Shoot is scored as the Hunter’s Round, but with the added incentive of
a thirty-point score on the superimposed red head spot.
(b) Both shoots are timed speed shoots with one or three archers to a team and an independent
scorer along for the ride with a stopwatch and scorebook. The archers from each team have to
complete the round in a certain time, the time determined beforehand and recorded by an independent
accomplished club archer...until a national time has been set up for each number of targets I.E.
20,30,40. The first teams competing will start on targets one (1), five (5), ten (10), and fifteen (15),
the scorer of the number one (1) target team blowing a whistle when his or her team has finished
target number six (6) thereby generating the start for the next team following and so on. (See below
for points added or points deducted before and after time penalties).
(c) The second round of four (4) teams cannot start until the scorer’s whistle is heard. The round
can be either a one arrow to each team member round, or three arrows to each team member round.
There can be no stopping to look for lost arrows until after the shoot is over and the final team
has finished shooting. All targets must be sited in front of a backstop, whether natural or made,
and all safety rules must be adhered to. The Shoot Captain’s word is final.
2. Tiebreaker. A Tiebreaker is decided on the fastest time recorded between the teams concerned,
or if still tied, a spot count back. Head spots taking precedence over body spots.
3. Overtaken rule. If a team is in danger of being overtaken, then that team must retire with a
twenty or thirty-point penalty (depending on shoot) as being too slow to compete in that round.
4. All distances to be unmarked and unmeasured, but kept approximate by pacing, to target face
diameter, (See stylized drawings page 101 & 102).
SUGGESTED TIME FORMULATION Iron Man rounds
As this is a new game… If the different rounds (I.E. 20,30,40 targets) are shot first by four teams
of three accomplished archers to each team (One and three arrow) and the average time is recorded
at each completed number of targets (I. E. 20,30,40 targets) the resulting times should form a starting
benchmark for all future shoots, to start with. Over the first year, after consultation with other clubs,
a firm and fair time should be arrived at for each group of targets…although it may differ slightly
from club to club owing to course length and terrain. In the end, the result of such a survey between
clubs would result in a national official benchmark time for each course group (I.E. 20,30,40 targets:
This time to be recorded in each club’s journal as a consultant figure. When a club’s turn comes
around to host a shoot it will have a benchmark time for each course group to work from when points
are added or deducted.
A training round of Ten (10) targets is suggested for those too young or not fit enough to compete,
together with its own National Shoot time.
At official shoots, any time over or under these official times will incur or attract a point’s penalty
or bonus… A team is only as good as its slowest archer? (See below for points deducted or added).
This rule will result in teams being formed that could set records to beat (at each different number of
 103

targets for the one arrow and three arrow rounds I. E. 20, 30, 40 targets) by other Iron Man archers
coming up.
Suggested Points to be deducted or added
1. Hunter’s Round: Twenty points (one kill spot) added for under national average time, and
twenty points (one kill spot) deducted for over national average time…one kill score only added or
deducted from a team.
2. Turkey Shoot: Thirty points (one head spot) added for under national average time, and thirty
points (one head spot) deducted for over national average time…one kill score only added or
deducted from a team on any one round.
REMARKS: With strict safety rules, fair scoring, and overseen by an iron-willed Shoot Captain,
this type of shoot could result in an annual national or even international competition…once around,
twice around, or even three times around? The competition set in a central location, for those archers
who cannot resist the challenge of human endurance tested to the extreme, where instinct is
everything and being the best of the best would mean something… Howard Hill was such a man and
it wouldn’t go amiss if this national shoot were named for him? In world, instinctive archery circles,
his name deserves to be remembered along with the men or women who win this event.
This game is formulated to keep the archers who compete fit and on their toes. It can be used in
various venues like: Old quarries, Clout fields, Private wooded valleys, Archery parks, and other open
venues. Its primary function is to train instinctive archers to be more proficient in the use of traditional
and primitive weapons. This type of speed shoot can become an intense annual competition between
field archery clubs all over the country or it can be used as an annual Thanksgiving Turkey
Championship Shoot event for local clubs. Different field clubs could host the National
Championships every year. The object is to find the best of the best in a sport that will only expect
the best; where records can be set over ten, twenty, or even forty or more targets…the latter to attract
those archers who are into extreme sports… Make your own equipment then prove it in the woods
against all others of like mind?
In a field setup, if the target shooting pegs (one arrow and three arrow) are sited safely at the
perimeter of the public viewing area going in towards the targets, spectators and sponsors can see the
archers moving through, (See field setup).
If the courses are designed with safety in mind, there can be no limit to the testing obstacles placed
within. A course designed with flare and imagination would attract the best and fittest competitors.
This is not a game for the timid instinctive archer…its purpose is to appeal to the dedicated archery
mind, whether amateur or professional.
If the terrain allows at least two of the targets in the Game round could be at 100 yards or
more.
Bruce Lee, the famous martial artist, once said: “The best practice for a sport is the sport itself.”
The Iron Man round can deliver this maxim to the extreme and beyond… It just depends on
how hard you want it to be.
IRONMAN CHRISTMAS TURKEY SHOOT
All head and body spots must be taken from the size of FITA target face I.E. 9 & 10 spot zones
equal to target size: 40cm. 60cm. 80cm. Body circumference from matching FITA target faces drawn
to the ten-zone lines. See Pages 103 to 105 for further instructions.
…
 104

Stylised Iron Man Turkey Target Faces

As you can see there are endless combinations of Turkey targets that can be created
in stylized form, which makes it easy to draw them. A target captain with imagination
and flare can move spots and zones wherever, which makes it harder for those who
are prone to methods less than honest. The positions of the Turkeys can vary also:
Walkers, Roosters, Full frontal, Feeders, etc. The colors and sizes of zones and spots
can be varied too.

This is a Relative-speed Shoot

40cm roundel

either 20, 40, 60, or

Each target face is
Zone and spots to suit
any size and position

80cms square
80cm roundel
Zones and spots to suit
any size and position

Drawing not to scale

Anywhere between 30 and 45 meters Anywhere between 50 and 70 meters
30cm roundels 20cm roundels
Zone and spots to suit Zone and spots to suit
any size and position any size and position
under 35 meters under 25 meters

The Target face combinations are endless

Anywhere between 20 and 35 meters Anywhere between 10 and 25 meters

Woodland Iron Man turkey Shoot

One and three arrow rounds
The Iron Man Round has the same
score values as the Game Round
60cm roundel It can be spread over : 10, 20 or 40,
Zone and spot to suit targets; the latter could interest those who
35 to 55 meters are into extreme sports. This shoot was
designed with the traditional archer in mind
who shoots in the instinctive way. It could
even become an Olympic Championship
event as instinctive archery fits the true
Olympic ideal; moreso than what's in use
now... Just a thought: Some Olympic
atheletes face lifetime bans for taking
performance enhancing drugs, so why
are other competitors allowed to use sights,
Somewhere between 35 and 55 meters which also enhance proformance?
 105

IRONMAN AND WOODLAND TURKEY SHOOT TARGET FACES

Left Walker Left Feeder Full Frontal Right Walker Full Frontal
The combinations are endless as to size and placement of spots and zones
Right Feeder Left Walker Right Walker Full Frontal Left Walker

The attraction of this Turkey Shoot is in the versertility of its styilized target faces,
which can be drawn in any combination of spots and zones. Full frontals, walkers,
feeders, and even roosters. All with a pair of compasses.
This turkey shoot has the same rules as the hunter game round except for the head spot,
which counts 30 points. The scores for the kill, fatal wound, and wound are: 20pts, 18pts,
and 16 pts respectively. See rules sheet for further infomation.

Red flags on perimeter with notice

9 Quadrant 1 Q2 13
8
11 Shoot can be set in open woodland or field

7 A following team cannot start until the team in front has reached number 6 target14
12
Number of targets in a quadrant 5. 20 Targets in all
10 Targets can be placed anywhere within shooting
butt area but must be in clear line with their
shooting pegs. 15
6
Shooting elipse at least 100 meters X 50 meters.
Public Gallery with shooting elipse
Shooting Pegs 1, or 3 N
5 16
MAIN E
W TENT

4
Q3 S Q4 17
Start
3
Safety fence 18

2 1
20 19
 IRON MAN HUNTER AND TURKEY ROUND SCORESHEET

3 0 He a d S p o t s
TEAMS

20 BodySpots

20 BodySpots
20 BodySpots
20 BodySpots
30 HeadSpots

30 HeadSpots
30 HeadSpots
1

6
106

10
Totals

Minus 20 or 30 time penalty Minus Minus Minus

Plus 20 or 30 time bonus Plus Plus Plus

Grand Totals G Total G Total G Total
Each completed panel is a full round of 40 targets.
The plus and minus signs are time scores under or over. Overall Winner - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Grand Total is a completed round with final score. Scorer - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 107

SOME MAGAZINE ARTICLES I HAVE WRITTEN

Question: Does primitive and traditional Genuine Instinctive Archery have Olympic potential
in the indoor arena, shot at Relative-Speed?
Answer: Yes! Because it has the natural talent and can be shot over a short range of between
15 to 20 meter distances indoors-using Relative-Speed.
Howard Hill proved he could draw the crowds with his archery. He lived and started his archery at a
time when there were no modern compound and fibre-glassed bows or aluminium arrows to speak
of. No High Definition TV screens or suitable indoor public venues to perform in either. Now, we
have these things, and yet, we have no public face for Genuine Instinctive Archery. Other instinctive
indoor sports like Power and Conventional Snooker, Indoor Bowls, Darts, and Basketball do, and
these sports have not only become professional, they have become sponsor and spectator popular
worldwide too. Why not our sport? Because it is easy to cheat at, when it is shot slowly, and hard for
most archers to apply their minds to when the games are shot at Relative-Speed. For Genuine
Instinctive Archery to be Sponsor/Spectator popular it needs to be shot at Relative-Speed, and
it needs a concentration of mind, which is missing in modern day sight-aided or other aided
archery. It is easy for indoor short- range genuine instinctive archery to be shot at relative-speed, and
when it is, those who would make use of methods less than honest to win, methods that are ruining
the sport of instinctive archery in general, will not get past the preliminaries.
For Genuine Instinctive Archery, I say genuine, because today most instinctive archers are taught
to shoot slowly by methods that do not make use of their natural instinctive ability, an ability, if
developed to a high degree, can over the shorter distances become incredibly accurate and
competitive...like Darts, Snooker, Indoor Bowls, and Golf have with top players and promoters all
over the world. When shot at relative-speed by professional archers who know what they are doing,
genuine instinctive archery can become highly entertaining to watch by seated spectators, but only if
professional accomplished archers are competing against each other in front of them...and only if the
range size indoors can be kept between fifteen and twenty meters. If archers think instinctive shooting
is easy over these shorter distances, all I can say is try it and see. I can knock the center out of a bull’s
eye at these short distances with a sight, which does not take much doing, as the sight is set in well
beforehand and all that is needed is to hold without instinctive thought. It's no wonder I became bored
and looked around for a sport, which had a challenge. I found it in genuine instinctive archery and
the Howard Hill method, where every arrow must be concentrated on with just the mind alone,
without the aid of enhancement... Where what you see is what you get; and where the use of
Traditional and Primitive bows, wooden arrows, and natural feathers are the only equipment in
use...unless center-shot bows with wooden risers are used with carbon-fibre or aluminium arrows,
with feather fletches, which belongs in the third class of equipment in these games.
Genuine hunters would not try to hunt their quarry over the longer distances. Instinctive shoots
indoors have a timed limit to each End of Set, depending on the game played. The scoring spots are
spread over the target face to save butt wear and tear. It is easy for the genuine instinctive archer to
shoot at Relative- Speed using the Howard Hill method, but not so easy for those who make use of
other methods that are not instinctive. Methods which need to be shot slowly, methods accepted as
instinctive shooting by most archery clubs in general, methods, which are stiff and unnatural. A
naturally talented sport must have honour if it is to be worthwhile. Mainstream 'Instinctive archery'
has deviated from this path and therefore holds no great interest for the sponsor, the spectator, or the
honourable competitor. It is good only for family fun, but not for serious professional sport. It will
remain so, until its real skill is shown in indoor public venues, in front of spectators’ and over the
shorter distances worldwide. Howard Hill proved this in his day with his shows, and instinctive
archers like Byron Ferguson and Peter Stecher continue to prove it today. The knowledge is there
thanks to men like them, so why not use it to promote your naturally talented sport into the
competitive arena indoors in competitions against the best? There can be nothing more
satisfying than to beat a super champion at his own game and know, if you are not up to scratch,
you too will be beaten. Super Champions are there to lift their sports onto a higher level...they
are also there to be beaten fairly.
 108

To shoot with genuine instinct, you must have your conscious and unconscious mind in complete
harmony with each other, and in such a way, that when perfected, your archery will not only amaze
the spectator, as Howard Hill did with his movies and public demonstrations, but also give the
budding genuine instinctive archer a sense of satisfaction and achievement; also, a sense of self
criticism when they do something wrong. To shoot like Howard Hill, the budding genuine instinctive
archer must be able to concentrate totally on the spot to be hit knowing their traditional and primitive
equipment will get them there if they have everything tuned and they are mentally right. Total
dedication and a single mind is what is needed, especially so if the bows are primitive or traditional
in design and the arrows are made of wood with feather fletching. To match (spine) a sheaf (24) of
wooden arrows to the bow being used, whether primitive or traditional, takes knowledge and
experience that cannot be gained overnight. It takes a special person to perform consistently and they
are as rare as the top Golf, Dart, Snooker, and Indoor Bowls champions, and those few great names
that have changed their sport for the better by taking it into the realm of the Super Champion. To join
or beat these super champions one must attain their level of expertise, and that is what a true sports
person should strive to be. Strive to beat the person at the top honestly and thereby improve the sport.
Indoor or outdoor short distance genuine instinctive archery can become a top sponsored sport,
making use of primitive and traditional weapons, if the will, the dedication, the hard practice, and the
archers are there... It won't be, if there is the spectre of easier options hanging over it.
Genuine short-range instinctive archery is not a poor relative of modern archery, it never
has been. It just does not have the dedicated archers who want to commit to it, or who have the
special mind discipline needed to succeed at it. Howard Hill had it, the Japanese have it, the
Red Indians had it, and I suspect a lot of disabled people have it too; so why not the rest of us.
It has become too easy to fix a sight or a mark onto a bow and bang away with expensive
perfectly matched arrows; anyone can do it without even thinking about it... There is no
challenge to it; I know; I have been through it all myself. Why not go back to basics where the
real skill lies, and show it off in a colourful indoor venue where the public will appreciate the
natural talent shown, talent that has been honed to near perfection by hard work and
dedication. Genuine instinctive archery shot at relative-speed indoors can no longer sit on the
side lines; it must show its public face or forever hide its true worth in the shadow of a sport
that is similar, but boring to watch for the spectator in general, and one which continually
changes its adherents, when they too, become too bored to continue with it; most leave holding
expensive equipment they cannot be rid of.
Short-range genuine instinctive archery, shot at relative-speed is not boring, I know I have shot it
for over forty years, mostly by myself, using bows and arrows I have made and tuned myself. I may
not be good enough at my age to compete now, but my lifetime's knowledge is in this book to help
others who have the potential to be another Howard Hill. I would certainly relish the fair competition
and the opportunity to teach others. The only trouble with genuine instinctive archery is, there are not
enough skilled, world seeded, or dedicated instinctive archers brought together in one place to
compete against each other. When there are, it will tend to improve the sport if those competing do
not give up, thinking that the current Super Champion cannot be beaten... Each great instinctive sport
has or has had a Super Champion at one time or another; a man or woman to beat or to emulate. The
latter is what makes instinctive sport worthwhile. Howard Hill stood alone in his ability to thrill the
crowds. That need not be so now days for Howard Hill inspired others to follow him thereby gaining
his rightful place in archery’s Hall of Fame. I would like to see an archer on a horse try to use sights,
which would be impossible, or any other method other than instinctive to hit the target, and that’s a
form of instinctive archery that is becoming increasing popular. If it is kept simple and not spoiled
by internal politics, inflated egos, and complicated rules, instinctive archery can become
sponsor/public popular.
Tiger Woods in Golf; Phil Taylor in Darts, Steve Davis, and Ronnie O'Sullivan in Snooker, do not
stand- alone. They have talented competitors coming up behind them whose only desire is to knock
them off their lofty perches, and being genuine sportsmen, they welcome the competition, for that is
what they owe their well-deserved fame and wealth to. These up and coming competitors all have
one thing in common; dedication. They want to be as good as, or better than the champions they are
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trying to topple. All sports have their super champions, but it is only the purely instinctive ones that
seem to attract the crowds.
Genuine Instinctive Archery has this chance. All it would take is for the genuine instinctive archers
to see that, and like the Japanese archers who practice the art of Kyudo, apply themselves wholly to
their sport instead of just playing at it. The Japanese archers, whether on horseback or on their feet,
are known for their iron discipline in the sport; why not so the Western cultures? To be good at an
instinctive sport is hard work; to excel is to apply a single mind to the task. The most famous naturally
talented archer of them all did these things in spades. I know there are genuine instinctive archers out
there who, if given the chance, can and will do the same.
Genuine instinctive archery, incredibly accurate over the shorter distances, fifteen to twenty-five
meters, cannot be shot over the longer distances with any great accuracy because of the limitations of
the primitive and traditional equipment used, and the Dual Points of Awareness (where the primary
and the secondary visions come together). At the longer distances the use of a sight takes care of
trajectory. All that is needed is to set the sight pin to the distance previously shot in. With instinctive
archery, the bow hand is in the way of sighting the spot to be hit. I have made some good shots at the
longer distances using just my sense of mind alone, and surprised myself in doing so, but that does
not happen as often as I would like... The shorter distances with split vision awareness is another
matter. Those who criticize split- vision shooting do not understand the principle, or think it is not
instinctive... They are wrong. Point your forefinger at a spot. Keep your primary vision on the spot
pointed at, then try to pick your forefinger up in your secondary vision... Now you will have it. It's
just like pointing a shotgun at a moving clay, only easier, and the latter sport is undeniably instinctive.
Medieval battles did not need great accuracy of the arrow to hit the massed charge of the enemy, but
short to middle distance hunting does. An accurate and skilled short-range hunter was a great asset to
his tribe both in peace and war.
The only provision for shooting at speed is a butt that can take the wear, and there are some good
ones on the market, and a target face where the high scoring spots are spread out over the butt face to
lessen wear on its center. This should not faze the genuine instinctive shooter as they can change
direction with each arrow loosed as their eye picks out the spots to be hit in the game they are playing.
A slow shooting archer cannot do this with any accuracy, and will not progress until they have
mastered the discipline of relative-speed shooting with instinct. To watch a timed, fast, and accurate
genuine instinctive archer in competition with others of like skill would be the ultimate in
entertainment; especially so if they were shooting in a colourful pageant of national costumes and
varied bow forms.
In the beginning the Olympic games were more important than the World Championships because
the Olympic ideal started out with naturally talented athletes competing using nothing but their
instinct for their chosen sports. Somewhere along the line the Olympic games has been hijacked by
sports that do not need a great natural instinctive talent. Sports that make use of props are okay in
World Championships, but tend to spoil the Olympic ideal when allowed to compete with naturally
talented competitors, especially so if the Games have been allowed to become a money spinner and
a political step up the ladder for some. You may-as-well have two World Championships and be done
with it. Has an Olympic gold medal become so important that its true ideals go by the board?
Or has the prestige, money, and sponsorship deals it brings to the countries that hold the
Olympics and Paralympic Games, with their sponsors, become more important than the Games
ideal itself? This is a question that needs to be answered.
The man who invented the Trampoline thought his sport had great potential. Now look at it. The
athletes brought such a high degree of natural skill to the sport it has become an Olympic sport where
only the best of the best can win the medals. Some of the somersaults, pikes, twists, and turns seem
difficult, but with dedication and practice anything can be achieved. The young too, have become
excited at the more extreme aerial and fast Winter sports like Snowboarding, Short ski racing, and
Skeleton sledding; all need great natural talent and strength of mind to compete with the best. These
sports, and especially those earlier mentioned, all need courage, dedication, and a high degree of
natural skill, both mental and physical to compete in. No sport is worth playing unless it has a great
natural ability, (without props or enhancement) and played with a natural single mind concentration.
That is what made Howard Hill the greatest natural archer of our time. Genuine Instinctive Archery
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cannot be shot slowly; it must have a degree of speed to be genuine. To shoot slowly is conscious
effort and this makes the sport open to abuse by those archers who would abuse it.
All my archery life I have searched for something that would make the sport what it should be and
not
what it has become. What you see is what you get; Darts, Power Snooker, Snooker, Indoor Bowls,
Tennis, and Golf have it, and so do other public popular instinctive sports; so why not Genuine
Instinctive Archery? Modern day archery can never be popular with the sport sponsor, or the
spectator because sight shooting does not have the excitement quotient it would take to interest the
public and the sponsor at large. In the beginning, I began to think in terms of what would be needed
in the indoor instinctive venue; a venue which could help the natural off-season hunter and the novice
archer to become more proficient in the sport, a venue that had the potential to attract the instinctive
sport sponsor and the seated interested spectator. I wanted a sport without sights, and a sport that
could not be abused by those who would abuse it. I came up with the idea of genuine instinctive
archery games shot at relative-speed indoors and over the shorter distances. Relative-Speed is a
method of shooting naturally at speed, but not at full speed, just fast enough to keep those who would
abuse the sport off the leader board and out of the running for the trophies. Making sure that only the
very best of the best genuine instinctive archers would win. I was looking for a method of shooting
that was natural in style speed and application, one that after years of dedicated practice, would give
me, or an archer who had the necessary discipline, the accuracy needed to compete fairly with the
best. I found it in the Howard Hill style; the style I have been using since my first year in archery
nearly forty-five years ago. It is a pity Howard Hill is not alive today. In his day, there were no high
definition TV’s with zoom lenses and paper-thin screens like we have today. No colourful indoor
venues, and no Internet. Is Genuine Instinctive Archery missing something here, or are there not
enough skilled genuine instinctive archers out there to make up the numbers to compete?
It took me another twenty years to come up with some indoor games and to write a book detailing
them. That book is now in print and in two formats. Perfect bound and Download. Paperback, and
Adobe-Reader PDF. I could not afford to publish with a high-street publisher so went to the online
publisher www.lulu.com I hope soon to advertise the book in the USA based Primitive Archer
Magazine and the German based Traditional Bogenschiessen, where skilled traditional and
primitive archers seem to be thick on the ground. The games will need to be played by the top genuine
instinctive archers to arrive at the final number of arrows that could be shot in one End in a game,
to separate the best from the mediocre. I have included the number of arrows I think should be shot
in differing timed Ends under the authority of an Umpire. All my games are susceptible to change
when the top genuine instinctive shooters have shot them at relative-speed and come back to me on
possible arrow numbers in the games that will count to the sponsor and the spectator. In the end the
winners can only come from those genuine instinctive archers who can handle the pace, steady their
nerves, and compete with a single mind. Most of my speed games have from two to nine arrows to a
timed End, but I believe the top natural shots can loose much more. My speed games will take all the
natural skill and dedication a genuine instinctive archer can muster. Speed and accuracy are the only
factors that will attract the instinctive sponsor and the spectator. I proved it at Sherwood Forest in
1999 and 2000 when David Powers took the Guinness World Speed Shoot Record by loosing twenty-
one arrows in one minute and scoring with all of them. The large gallery of spectators watching gave
him a standing ovation.
We must remember that genuine instinctive archery is not a long-distance sport. The bow wasn’t
meant to be deadly accurate over long distances. An arrow storm in the general area of the enemy’s
massed charge at long distances being enough, in battle, to cause devastation and panic within the
enemy ranks. Most game is taken at short distances, and this is where my games will help the hunter,
off-season, and the novice genuine instinctive archer to up their game into becoming deadly accurate;
plus, have a lot of fun doing it in a fair competitive environment with seated spectators watching,
either on HDTV or in the venue. Instinctive archery needs to change its present concept if it is to
become a sponsor/spectator sport acceptable to the public. It needs to go indoors, and to become a
popular indoor sport like Darts, Power Snooker, Snooker, and Indoor Bowls, which already are
sponsored worldwide sports. If it doesn’t it will be a sport left on the side-lines with an ever-changing
population of disappointed archers; an expensive sport lacking in real satisfaction and commitment,
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by the archer, the sport's sponsor, and the spectator. Relative- Speed instinctive archery also needs to
become professional to attract the top instinctive archers. It needs to be exciting to watch. It needs no
handicaps. It needs to be in its true charismatic form, shot by archers who know how to handle and
tune the weapons of their forefathers in whatever form, and in whatever national costume it will take
to make a colourful competitive pageant. I have written the book. All that is required are the naturally
talented genuine instinctive archers to learn from it. If Howard Hill could shoot at Relative-Speed
and hit the spot, he was looking at. If I can still do it at seventy-six years of age with a sixty-pound
homemade hickory Pickaxe handle bow, wrapped with jute nocks, and backed with raw linen,
shooting wooden feather fletched arrows, so too can you with a more traditionally made modern
bow... I also have and shoot a traditional Howard Hill 65# Razorback, which is over thirty-five years
old, and still, shooting well.
There are too many naturally talented genuine instinctive archers out there who will never reach
their true potential because they are not in an environment that suits their great skill. There is always
another way, and that way needs professional sponsorship and help. I know, I’ve just written a book
of instinctive archery games that has never been published before. Games that have the potential to
change the face of indoor instinctive archery, such as it is, long after I have gone from this life. A
written word is forever, and a lifetime’s experience taught by the memory of Howard Hill, an
undisputed master of his craft, must count for something. Maybe not in a hunting environment, but
in a highly competitive indoor one in front of seated spectators. I have made a start with my book. It
is now up to those archers who can see its potential to carry it through. Indoor short-range genuine
instinctive archery does have the competitive potential to become an ideal Olympic sport, where
what you see is what you get. No crutches, no props, just pure natural talent honed to an incredible
degree of accuracy by hard work and the application of a single mind. My book has been designed to
work in conjunction with the Bowyer’s Bible book-set and others for this very purpose. I will help in
any way I can by answering your message through www.lulu.com or through my email address:
hoarejohneric@gmail.com
The Sherwood Forest Speed Shoots:
In 1999 I asked myself. “How can I make instinctive archery into a sponsor/spectator sport
without taking the natural talent out, but eliminating the rest?” The answer was Relative Speed shot
over short distances where great natural skill would still be needed. “But how can I prove my theory?”
I decided to promote a genuine instinctive archery contest of my own. A Guinness World Record
Speed Shoot no less; and that held in Sherwood Forest, the spiritual home of archery, under eight
giant oak trees.
In 1999 and 2000 (after permission from the Visitor’s Center there) I decided to run the Speed
Shoot under the auspices of the Society for Primitive and Traditional Archery. There, to invite
competitors to try to beat the World Speed Shooting Record held by Andy Birch with an English
Longbow. Andy scored with eighteen (18) arrows out and all within a fifteen-inch circle over fifteen
yards in one minute. (Robert Hardy the actor and author of a book on the English Longbow witnessed
this attempt of Andy’s). I used an electronic light and audio device, for accuracy of timing, and two
credible witnesses, myself being the timekeeper and one of the witnesses, with Hilary Greenland the
Secretary of SPTA the other. The 1999 speed shoot record attempt by David Powers, held in costume,
fulfilled all my expectations. He gained a new Guinness World Speed Shoot Record of twenty-one
(21) arrows out and scoring in one minute with an English Longbow. In his second attempt in 2000
he loosed twenty-three arrows out in one minute, but only managed to score with twenty (20). What
surprised me in both attempts was the huge public gallery of unofficial witnesses’ present, who gave
Dave a standing ovation, on both occasions. Being a romantic, I like to think I sensed the presence of
Robin Hood himself standing amongst the witnesses. The report is my book, and on the SPTA
website.
After that success, I decided to write my book. I needed a book that would be different to any other
archery book ever published. In it, I would have at least fifteen timed and umpired instinctive archery
games, with variations of some, based on other popular sponsor/spectator indoor sports, which were
instinctive, thereby making sure the public would already have a working knowledge of the general
rules of each sport, which I had adapted to short range instinctive archery. The book would include
chapters on method, bow making, strings, target setup and manufacture, a description of my own
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speed shooting equipment, butts, bow tillering, range setup, and more. In short, everything a budding
genuine instinctive shooter or sports promoter would need to reach accomplishment, or to start their
own field archery club or tournament shoot, if needs be.
If I were a rich man indoor instinctive archery would be a fact. After a blizzard of rejection slips,
which seems to be the usual fate for new authors these days, I decided to go with a print-on-demand
Internet printer www.lulu.com doing all my own setup drawings, writing, and graphics. The new first
edition of the book is now in print and complete. It comes in two forms of Coil Bound Paperback,
FOR EASIER COPYING, and Adobe Reader PDF, in Download form. Soon, I hope in EBook form
too. Some of the games might need a little
tweaking over time, but that can only come from expert genuine instinctive archers shooting them in
hard fought competitions world-wide, and informing me as to their results and improvements; all
improvements to be published in a further edition if necessary, a new edition that could include a
game or two for the horse archers out there too.
Most of my games are shot over the shorter distances, which is what the hunting bow was designed
for. The more powerful War Bow has two longer distance games, Battle Clout, and Archery Golf, in
which to compete outdoors. Most of my short-range indoor games make use of my Relative-Speed
concept to find the more skilful and speedy instinctive archers. The ones, who are most likely to
populate the leader boards, should the sport become sponsor/spectator friendly in the indoor
environment. I decided on three classes of equipment: Primitive, Traditional, and Traditional centre-
shot, the latter allowing for carbon-fibre and aluminium arrows. All classes make use of modern
glues, strings, and finishes to offset the rigors of shooting constantly at Relative-Speed and to give
the weapons a built-in safety factor. (See Page 21 for further information.)
Relative Speed: Is a term I coined, where a certain number of arrows must be released in a certain
time in one End of Set, to qualify for scoring. It is a requirement that will eliminate the sports cheat,
who would find it difficult to progress past the preliminaries, and promote the genuine instinctive
archer to greater accuracy and fair competition under the scrutiny of an umpire. The number of arrows
loosed is possible because I have shot all the Ends myself, and I do not count myself among the best
of genuine instinctive speed shoot archers at my age.
My instinctive archery games are specifically designed to find the best of the best instinctive
archers, abled or disabled. Nothing less will do for the sports sponsor, the public, or the dedicated
professional archer whose skill alone has put them at the top of their game. The short-range speed
games are designed for the Primitive or Traditional professional who needs to compete on equal terms
with other professionals. Professionals who are keenly interested in tuning and sometimes making
their own equipment, or purchasing it from those who have the greater experience and expertise in
all things primitive and traditional. Some of the best websites are included on one of the last pages of
this book. One bow maker whose company was started by Howard Hill himself, and the current
owner’s father; Howard Hill Archery in Montana, I recommend highly.
My games are specifically created with a public indoor short range venue in mind; (See indoor
range like the indoor bowls venue is shown) a range that could bring Primitive and Traditional archery
into the twenty-first century as a viable sponsor/spectator skilled indoor sport. Archery played by
competent instinctive archers, instead of what is on offer outdoors away from the eyes of an Umpire
and out of the gaze of the general sporting public, and subject to adverse weather. The sport must not
be allowed to stagnate on the side-lines while another less skilful, more expensive, and easier in
application sport can take its place. Genuine Instinctive Archery has a better pedigree, which is based
on thousands of years of worldwide conflict and sport, a sport, which needs to be recognized as such.
There can be no room for half measures or hard criticism just because most modern-day archers
cannot grasp the fundamentals of genuine instinctive shooting, or are not taught the true way of the
bow at the beginning as young children.
If you want to see your name on the leader board among the best of the best genuine instinctive
archers in the world, you must work hard for it, just as other sponsor/spectator friendly sports do.
There are millions of Golfers, Dart players, Snooker players, and Indoor bowlers, but only a relative
few make it onto the professional leader boards. These are the best of the best and they are there
because they know the hard work it takes to get there and they don't want their sport to be second
best. Sport can be for family exercise, but real sport needs to be fiercely competitive and naturally
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talented, if the sponsor and the public are to take an interest. If it’s like that with other instinctive
sports, why not with instinctive indoor (short range) archery?
To be on the genuine instinctive archery circuit you would have to prove yourself first to gain a
seeded rank among the top one to three hundred professionals in the world. Fierce competition
honourably fought in front of spectators, on or off the TV screen, is everything; and that is as a great
sport should be. Howard Hill proved how good a great instinctive archer could be, so too could you.
The sport needs to be professional to attract the best, and those archers who are interested in becoming
the best. Are there enough instinctive archers like Howard Hill, Byron Ferguson, and Peter
Stecher out there, not to mention the archers of legend, Robin Hood, Legolas, others, whose
names rank alongside theirs? The fundamentals of instinctive archery are easy to learn; the
difference is in the mind application to the sport. The latter is what will make the difference
between being ordinary and developing the ability to become a Super Champion like Phil
Taylor (Darts), Tiger Woods (Golf), Magic Johnson (Basketball), or Steve Davis (Snooker) All
men who lifted their chosen sports into the realm of the Super Champion; men to beat or to
emulate.
Many people came into archery after having first experienced the fantastic archery of Legolas in
‘The Lord of the Rings’. There they had a fair image of what speed shooting is. Legolas’s double
arrow shots were a little Hollywood, but the speed sequence of his Relative-Speed shots is possible.
If Legolas had used sights in a battle, he would not have survived the first enemy charge. Without his
instinctive speed, he would have been doomed from the start. Can you imagine what professional
primitive and traditional archers of Howard Hill’s calibre could do in an indoor (short range) arena
in front of spectators when engaged in fierce competition, either seen in venue with zoom-in HDTV
screens for close-ups, or on HDTV screens at home? The public needs to see natural skill coupled
with speed and technique, skills like the above mentioned, and in their dreams, skills like legendary
heroes Legolas and Robin Hood’s.
Howard Hill had nothing to prove to his critical competitors, so gave up competition and turned
his mind towards hunting, public exhibitions, and movie stunts, where his adoring public and his co-
stars never questioned his natural talent with the bow. Did you know he could shoot an arrow
vertically into the air and have nine arrows in flight before the first one came to ground again. It took
years of hard discipline and practice to develop his amazing skill with the bows he designed and
which are still made to this day by Craig and Evie Ekin of Howard Hill Archery. Howard Hill’s own
words, “I only make use of my God given talent.” This you cannot do when you use sights or a
corruption of them. It needs a single mind fully concentrated to do what Howard Hill did. Hill’s mind
was deep and all inquiring when it came to his archery. I still have, and shoot three of his design
American Longbows, which I bought over forty years ago, from Howard Hill Archery USA, while
in Australia.
My book is intended as my legacy to the sport I have loved all my life, and to the memory of
Howard Hill the world’s greatest instinctive archer. I hope the sportsmen and women I wrote it for
will treat it with the same respect and honour its principles deserve. John Eric Hoare
…
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SPECIALIST MAGAZINES ARE USEFUL

The magazine I would most recommend for new genuine instinctive archers is The Primitive Archer
USA. Three covers of which, are shown below, and for the German speakers: Traditional
Bogenschiessen. They have all the information the primitive and traditional archer would need to
succeed in a sport that needs true dedication and a concentrated mind to function successfully.
Modern day competitive archery has become a travesty of what archery should be. You cannot come
into the modern age with ancient weapons then change the true nature of the sport to what you think
it should be. Especially, when the natural skill of that sport has been supplanted by a modern invention
called a sight, and bows which have wheels on them. Genuine instinctive archery calls for a high
degree of natural talent, which must be worked on with a dedicated mind and plenty of practice if the
archer is to succeed.
Whether a hunter or a professional sports person, the need to compete fairly with natural skill
honed by hard work must be paramount. The magazines above and this book, among many others on
the subject, have it all from the primitive to the traditional. We are all archers who have either acquired
the genuine instinctive skills and experience needed to succeed in this fascinating aspect of archery,
or on the threshold of it; what better than those who know to teach those who don't know from within
the pages of a book where knowledge has been gained thru' experience.
The modern facet of archery has not the speedy skill or the charisma needed to draw the serious
sponsor, the spectator, or the naturally talented archer. More is needed if archery as a serious sport is
to succeed. Genuine instinctive archers need to compete professionally in a sponsored public venue,
just as those who play Darts, Snooker, Indoor Bowls, and Golf do. Howard Hill knew this and he
dedicated his life to showing his natural skill in public venues worldwide. It was a pity his archery
was relegated to 'bent stick archery' by archers who did not have the natural talent, the patience, the
all-inquiring mind, or the strength of character, which he had shown, to succeed. We genuine
instinctive archers have a sport that can only enter the public domain if the skill, relative speed,
dedication, and perseverance are present first. It takes all of that and more to master the primitive and
traditional bow and arrow; something, which is sadly lacking in what we call modern archery today.
It is much more exciting to watch archers of Howard Hill's calibre shooting than it is to watch a
boring exhibition of skill, which is helped along by the tedious use of sights. The latter is not a sport
the sponsor or the spectator public want to see, and yet it has become an Olympic sport. Why? When
there is something better and more exciting to watch. I ask myself... Is it because most of us humans
always like to take the easier options? I will always criticize any sport that is not born of natural talent
and hard work. Sport should be enjoyable and inexpensive, it should also have a natural talent that is
devoid of performance aids; and therein lies the sport's attraction to the public, but only if the sports
person competing is good enough. No one likes to watch preliminaries in a tournament, but they are
necessary before the real skill is shown. Primitive and traditional archery has been with us for
thousands of years. It has not become as popular as it should be because the modern aspect of the
sport has made it easier to hit the target. The children of today are taught to move a pin up and down
a bow window rather than to develop their natural instincts. This seems to be their only concept of
what archery is today, which is wrong, when there are magazines and technical books on the market
that can help to give them all the natural skills required to succeed.
Genuine instinctive archery is not shot over long distances. It was developed for hunting and short
distance warfare (anything under thirty-five meters) where quick accurate shooting was required to
bring home the meat or kill the enemy just out of spear range. The longer distances did not need
accuracy, just the ability to drop thousands of heavy arrows onto an enemy charge. Genuine instinctive
archery, older than recorded history, is highly accurate at the shorter distances, especially when shot
with relative speed, which helps rather than hinders accuracy at the shorter distances. My Relative-
Speed games will take instinctive archery out of the hands of the sport's cheat and place it firmly into
the hands of the skilful genuine instinctive archer. Genuine instinctive archery is a sport made for the
professional indoor venue if the archers have reached a high standard of accuracy. Shooting with
relative speed shows the true skill of the discipline. When natural skill is in evidence the sport, any
sport, becomes of great interest to the public and the sponsor. If we took our facet of archery indoors
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into a venue where all can see the natural skill required hitting the spot(s), and all this on modern
HDTV screens with zoom lenses placed above the range to see the close-ups, we would have an
exciting and fast paced sport to be proud of. One where only the best of the best, those who have
proved themselves, would have a fair chance of winning. One where the genuine super champions
would reign supreme until toppled by better champions coming up; and one where the sport's cheat,
or the user of sights cannot exist.

It is right that genuine instinctive archers should have magazines devoted to them. Without the
Primitive Archer and the Traditional Bogenschiessen, most instinctive archers would not have a
knowledge base, or an online forum to air their views, or to show off their projects. The magazines,
and books like this one have opened a door into another world; a world where natural skill abounds.
All that is needed is dedication and single-minded practice to succeed... Do you have that, or is it the
easier options for you? Unfortunately, this skill does not come easy, it must be worked and practiced
hard for. The easier options do not stand well with the sponsor or the spectator of a genuinely skilled
sport; they like to see the real thing, and the real thing always takes hard work in both mind and body.
America is the obvious place to start, as that country has the greatest number of genuine instinctive
archers, the sponsors, and the infrastructure to begin a revitalization of an ancient sport that can be
exciting to watch if the element that fosters cheating is eliminated. Relative-Speed will do that without
sacrificing accuracy in the shorter indoor distances. We too, can have our Cobo Hall.
You would only need thirty-two Quarter-Finalists, (after preliminaries have been shot in their
localities) to compete in a centrally located national indoor venue to find the best of the best genuine
instinctive archers, no matter what culture their weapons come from, if they conformed to the
primitive and traditional bow and arrow class rules. If postal shoots were conducted all over the
country by the instinctive clubs to find the final thirty-two Quarter- Finalists, then a central national
venue could be found to conduct the final knock-out contests in front of spectators, and on modern
visual media. That way you would only have highly skilled competitors, ones who rarely missed what
they were aiming at, to thrill the public. The public would know what they watched was the best of
the best, not something slow, which needs crutches, handicaps, and all the time in the world to loose
one expensive arrow.
Genuine instinctive archery, shot at Relative-Speed, needs a National or even an International
competition like this. The Olympic and Paralympics Games needs a naturally talented competition
like this too. It would fire the competitor's imagination and their determination to be the best of the
best; competitors who would know in their hearts that they were admired for their great natural talent
and nothing else. Can you imagine what it would be like to see thirty-two archers with the natural
skill of a Howard Hill, a Byron Ferguson, or a Peter Stecher competing against each other in a highly
competitive game physically, or on HDTV, where one mistake could keep them off the leader board?
The pace would be fast and furious; there would be no time for the spectators to become bored, or to
fall asleep. I believe it would revitalize the sport of genuine instinctive archery; especially so, if the
archers were in their respective national costumes where a Mongol warrior was shooting off against
an English longbow man, or a Native American against a Samurai warrior...each to his own culture.
It is the main reason I wrote this book. Our sport in its primitive and traditional form has the charisma
and the history to succeed where the modern aspect has failed, but only if the will, the natural skill,
and the fortitude is there. All it would take is the outlet, and the organization the other naturally skilled
indoor sports have now of writing, to be successful.
I am glad for magazines such as The Primitive Archer, and Traditional Bogenschiessen, and
for those who advertise within their pages, whether they just write the articles or supply the
knowledge and the equipment. I am also glad for my book, my life's work, which will continue to be
in existence long after I am gone...even though it is not in wide circulation. I too, am glad that a man
like Howard Hill lived. With these writings and fond memories in existence, and not just in my mind,
there is always the chance that my dream will bear fruit in the future, even if I am not here to see it,
or to help it along the way. Who will be the first to promote the sport and link it to their company
name?
 116

Below center is a Native American hunting buffalo for his tribe with two colourful covers
of the Primitive Archer magazine. Most of the American Indian bows were short and backed
with sinew, the arrows about twenty-three inches long. The bows were not toys and created
with loving care.
They had to be, for until the rifle was introduced to them by the white man they had to
rely on the primitive weapons they made themselves, making use of most of the meat, offal,
and sinew from the beasts they killed. Whenever they had a successful hunt they thanked the
beast for its body and never hunted just for the sport. They respected their prey animals too
much to indiscriminately kill them off. It is the white man who is entirely to blame for wiping
most of the buffalo and wild horses out on the plains and not the Native Americans. The
Native American lived close to nature and held a high regard for everything in it, as do the
true hunters of today, all acknowledging themselves as a small part of the whole. The first
photograph shows the Howard Hill method in use by Left-hand Archer.

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Below is a cartoon of the first speed shoot in Wales.

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USEFUL WEBSITES (Add your own below)

www.horsefeathersranch.com www.howardhillarchery.com
www.theprimitivearcher.com www.rosecityarchery.com
www.3riversarchery.com www.quicksarchery.co.uk www.sptradarch.org
www.hoddywell.com.au
http://archerdelaur.free.fr/litterat.htm http://www.lulu.com/instinctive-
archery Special mention is the German magazine:
www.bogenschiessen.de I believe it to be one of the best in the world of
Traditional and Primitive archery for clarity of purpose, full of superb
photography, should you not know the language?

AUTHOR’S COMMENT: There may be one or two small typos’ in this book. I hope I will be
forgiven, as I had to do all the graphics and the writing of the editorials myself, and then upload them
to www.lulu.com
A small pension just does not hack professional help. I can always be reached through my Email
address hoarejohneric@gmail.com or through the www.lulu.com website.

NOTES
Sight shooters as well as instinctive archers can play these games, but the former will not be
able to achieve any accuracy at Relative-Speed. Why? Because shooting with sights, or gap and
point of aim shooting, must be done slowly, whereas instinctive shooting with split-vision
concentration, on the spots to be hit, is possible at Relative-Speed, which makes the games more
exciting to watch when timed. That is the main reason this book has been produced. This book
has the means to bring Genuine Instinctive Archery into the twenty-first century, using
traditional and primitive bows with wooden feather-fletched arrows, as a highly skilled indoor
professional spectator sport. Bow class three has also be added for centre-shot bows to make
use of feather-fletched aluminium and carbon-fibre arrows to give more accuracy as to correct
spine.
When instinctive archers have reached, the natural skill needed to progress further, they can
drop down to the 60cm F.I.T.A. Ten-ring target face making use of the zone rings, as in the 80cm
face, to determine the diameter and scale of the scoring spots and zones required. The 60cm
face will be a target face to test the best of the best professional instinctive archers...but then,
the sponsor and the spectator will have a relatively fast ancient sport to watch and enjoy indoors
when the professionals competing have reached the top of their game. Archery then, will truly
be a sport worthy of the twenty-first century, instead of an enhanced sport with little natural
skill it has become today.
If sight shooters want to use the games as a practice tool indoors, where the scoring spots are
spread all over the target face to save shooting out the center of the target butt, they must make
use of the 60 or even the 40-centimeter F.I.T.A faces. To do so they must make use of the ten-
ring zone lines to determine the diameter and correct scale of the different size spots and zones
on the back of the target. The target making pages will help them set out the smaller scaled
faces... Keep the scale of the spots and zones to the scoring zone circles on the relevant targets
and the spot diameter scale on the target faces will be right.
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WHY THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN

These archery games are primary designed for the genuine instinctive archer who makes use of their
naturally developed talent. The games are best suited to the method used by the world’s greatest
archer Howard Hill.
I designed these games with the dedicated professional instinctive archer in mind, one who likes
fair competition with other professionals of like ability, the spectator, and the sports promoter, in
mind.
Like professional Golf, Indoor Bowls, Snooker, Basketball, Football, Athletics, Tennis, Darts, and
other completely instinctive sports, these games can help to bring genuine instinctive archery into the
Twenty-first century. All the above sports are in the public eye because of the dedication, hard work,
and constant practice put in by their single-minded professional adherents. No sport can ever be
popular with the public or the sports promoter unless it is truly instinctive and professional.
Modern archery is a sport predominately made up of archers who make use of enhancement:
Sights, point of aim, Gap shooting, Finger walking the string, and secret marks on the bow riser. For
modern archery to be popular with the public it needs to go back to its roots and come indoors to be
shot over the shorter ranges. It needs to have a body of professional instinctive archers, with or near
to, the ability and relative speed of a Howard Hill or a Legolas. Relative-Speed because that alone
will eradicate the sports cheat who will not be able to compete or keep up with the instinctive archer
who shoots accurately using it.
These games have been forty years in the making, and most have been fashioned on indoor games
already popular with the public. These games can be played by sight shooters, but that would spoil it
for the spectator, as no sight shooter, no matter what method they use, can match the relative speed
and accuracy of the accomplished instinctive shooter over the shorter distances (Fifteen to Twenty
meters) indoors with from one to six arrows out in the space of four to five seconds to each arrow
loosed in END of SET... Without sights.
Genuine instinctive shooting takes a special kind of archer, one with a dedicated mind and
singleness of purpose...that is why I have included the disabled archer-seekers who still have the full
use of their bodies above the waist, they do not have to prove their strength of mind and purpose.
These games would suit soldiers, wounded below the waist, who are looking for a challenging
sport to exercise their once fit bodies. Most fully fit modern day archers do not have the dedication
or purpose it takes, like the professional golfers and other professionals in serious sport have, to keep
going in their sport. Nearly all modern-day archers move towards the easier options mentioned above.
Howard Hill was one of a kind, so too am I when it comes to instinctive shooting. There are others
out there who can come close to him in natural talent; these archers are the ones my games are seeking.
It took a Steve Davis and a Ronnie O'Sullivan in Snooker, a Phil Taylor in Darts, and other singular
individuals, to lift their sports into the realm of the super champion; they were and are the ones to
beat. Another Howard Hill could do the same for genuine instinctive archery shot at Relative-Speed.
I might not be here to see it, but my book can point the way to those genuine instinctive archers
interested in the future... Both able-bodied and disabled instinctive archers who want a challenge to
compete with others of like mind. Those who don’t need less than honourable methods. Those archers
who would like to compete in a naturally talented sport with an umpire in attendance. I hope one day
this facet of the sport will come to the attention of the Olympics. Good Luck. Sights of any kind, are
like performance enhancing drugs. They do not show the true potential of instinctive archers over the
shorter distances. John Eric Hoare.
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EPILOGUE

It takes a certain dedication of purpose and a single focused mind to practice, and to succeed, at the
sport of Genuine Instinctive Archery. It takes more than the easier option or the use of mechanical
aids, to show the sponsor and the spectator the true aspect of a sport that has been with us for
millennia. What the gullible public is now calling archery is not the true way of the bow. It is but a
poor facsimile of what is needed to bring Genuine Instinctive Archery back into the public gaze.
Why? Because there are not enough archers skilled, dedicated, or organized enough to gain the natural
skill needed to show the public where the true skill of the sport lies.
Like religion, archery is being taught to young children and adults who know no better, but come
to believe that what they are taught is the truth, by teachers who should know better, and who
themselves have been taught falsehoods when their minds were at a vulnerable stage of development.
All young children, and it seems most adults, haven't the mind to see the truth that lies in the earth
beneath our feet, or within the threads of ancient history, as far as primitive and traditional archery
goes. Being modern humans in a society, which believes that the easier option is always better, a
naturally skilled sport has suffered in silence and been pushed aside because there have not been
enough people to bring its true natural skill into the public gaze, just as naturally skilled sports like
Golf, Darts, Tennis, Indoor Bowls, Football (Soccer), Twenty-twenty Cricket, Snooker, and other
naturally skilled sports have been.
I wrote this book to try to address that in-balance. Genuine Instinctive Archery is a naturally skilled
sport that needs public exposure. To do that, it needs to be shot at relative speed to eliminate the sports
cheat, who is always looking for the easier option to win. Genuine Instinctive Archery can do this
because it can easily be shot at Relative-Speed, whereas the easier options cannot. You cannot shoot
instinctively with a sight, or if you shoot slowly because the conscious mind takes over. Modern
archery is more for the longer distances because the use of sights makes it easier to shoot so...the only
skill needed is to hold still. It is also boring to watch, as there is no natural skill shown, and that is
what makes it lose public interest after a short time. If archery in its true form is to enter the modern
world of sport it needs the element of 'Relative speed' to show the sponsor and the spectator public
just where the true skill lies. It is a pity that the human mind gives up so easily in most people, for
beyond the hard practice, and the guts to go further, lies a world that only a few real sports people
like Howard Hill, a few others, and myself, have come to know.
In this book lies a world of natural skill that can only be imagined by those who do not possess the
natural skill or dedication of mind required to become a true exponent of a sport such as those
mentioned in the paragraph above. I did not write this book to become rich; I wrote it for those
instinctive archers who do have the mind to better themselves in a sport, which has the potential to
enter the public arena as a naturally skilled sport, but only if those who want that, develop the strength
of mind to do so. There are too many easier options in sport now days. Options that have placed a
blemish on the Olympic Games, where in the old days all sport was required to be of great natural
skill without enhancements. It does not matter if the Olympic athletes make money out of their chosen
sports if that sport has the element of natural skill and nothing else. Professionalism can only draw
those who have the latent skill in mind and body to practice a sport naturally...and so it should be.
My book has the knowledge, and is there for those who would use it productively in the future.
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I KNOW THE RELATIVE-SPEED GAMES MIGHT SEEM HARD TO THOSE

ARCHERS WHO THINK THEY ARE SHOOTING INSTINCTIVELY, BUT
MODERN INSTINCTIVE ARCHERY NEEDS TO CHANGE ITS FACE
BEFORE THE SPONSOR OR THE PUBLIC SPECTATOR IN GENERAL
WILL BECOME INTERESTED. NO SPORT IS WORTHWHILE UNLESS IT
IS PLAYED WITH NATURAL TALENT, WHICH MEANS WITH
DEVELOPED INSTINCTIVE ABILITY WITH NO ADDED CRUTCHES OR
ENHANCEMENTS. TO DO THAT, IT WILL TAKE DETERMINATION,
HARD PRACTICE, AND GUTS TO EXCEL. GENUINE INSTINCTIVE
ARCHERY NEEDS ALL OF THAT TO SUCCEED IN THE PUBLIC EYE, THE
PUBLIC AND THE SPORTS PROMOTER WILL NOT EXPECT ANYTHING
LESS. IF HOWARD HILL, BYRON FERGUSON, PETER STECHER, I, AND
ARCHERS OF LEGEND LIKE LEGOLAS CAN DO IT, SO TOO CAN OTHER
NATURALLY TALENTED ARCHERS OUT THERE, FOR, AS THE SPORT IS
NOW, THERE IS NO GREAT PUBLIC OR SPONSOR INTEREST IN IT.
UNTIL THERE IS, SO CALLED MODERN DAY INSTINCTIVE ARCHERY
WILL REMAIN AT BEST A SPORT OF MEDIOCRITY WITH NO NATURAL
TALENT SHOWN...AND THAT IS A GREAT PITY FOR A SPORT THAT
SHOULD BE HIGHLY SKILLED AND IN THE PUBLIC EYE. THIS BOOK
MAY HELP TO CHANGE ALL THAT FOR THE FUTURE GENUINE
INSTINCTIVE ARCHERS TO COME. AT LEAST IT IS A BASE FROM
WHERE THEY CAN START TO DEVELOP THEIR NATURAL
INSTINCTIVE SKILLS, THEN PROCEED ON FROM THERE.

Reminder
Quote by the author: “Professionally sponsored short-range indoor or outdoor
instinctive archery cannot be a sport of slow application if it is to enter into the public
domain and become a popular spectator sport. It must be fast and competitive in each
End of Set to hold the interest of the spectator, and at the same time, have a high
genuine instinctive skill content among its adherents to draw the serious sponsor and
the dedicated professional instinctive archer. It must be fast enough and skilful
enough, using modern facsimiles of the ancient weapons of our ancestors, both
primitive and traditional, to make an impact and leave behind those who are too slow
to shoot. To shoot slowly, is not instinctive shooting, it is conscious shooting. To shoot
with Relative-Speed is instinctive, because developed instinct instead of conscious
thought is doing the shooting.”
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