Games Used in Teaching Archery

Archery Golf

• A large area is required to play this game safely. Fill a few fifty gallon trash bags with hay and seal the bags with duct tape. Place about nine bags around the field, laying them out to represent different holes on a large golf course. Shooting locations should be between 100 to 300 yards apart. There can even be hazards, such as walls or trees, which can represent sand traps or lakes. Try to hit each bag in the fewest number of shots.

Flight

• This is a relatively simple game in which students launch an arrow as far as they can. A 50- to 200-yard area should be used for this activity. Students should stand in one spot and try different techniques to launch arrows. Teach them how to get the most distance and power out of their shot. Have a group of students launch all of their arrows at the same time. As always, make sure there are no people, animals or structures anywhere near your shooting direction.

Clout

• Sink a wooden pole into an open field about 100 yards away from the shooting area. Tie a rope to the base of the pole and mark off 3 feet on the rope for each color of the target--white, black, red, yellow and blue. The idea is to shoot your arrow as close to the pole as possible. With flu-flu arrows, this game can be played in a 30- to 40-yard range because the arrows' large feathers mean they won't fly as far. This game helps students focus on both distance and direction.