Safety Rules  

NEVER EVER POINT A BOW AT A PERSON  OR IN A DIRECTION A PERSON MIGHT BE,  WITH OR WITHOUT AN ARROW !!

Safety is of prime importance in Archery, all of the safety rules commands & designated areas detailed below are preventative medicine, but basically they are common sense.

Waiting Area: is behind the waiting line and is where you wait until summoned to come forward.

Waiting Line: is the line, which separates the waiting area from the equipment area. Equipment Area: is the area between the waiting line and the shooting line, where the equipment (bows etc) is kept when not in use by the archer.

Shooting Line: is the line from which the archers shoot their arrows. Do not move from the waiting area to the shooting line until you are instructed to do so by your designated coach.

Shooting Range: is the hazardous area that is only entered with the permission of the person in control of the shooting and always with extreme caution.

Shooting Equipment Do not touch equipment until instructed to do so. It remains on the shooting line or in the equipment area until required for use.

Drawing the Bow Only draw the bow when you are on the shooting line and facing towards the target even without an arrow fitted to the string. NOWHERE else.

Respect Others: Never shout or talk loudly to anyone who is on the shooting line or on the waiting line. Respect Equipment: and each other, actions such as prodding or pointing arrows could cause  serious injury.

Only Go Forward: of the shooting line with the permission of the person in charge of the shooting.

FAST: means both ‘Hold Fast’ and ‘Stand Fast’. Stop whatever is being done IMMEDIATELY and hold onto the string tightly. Do Not Shoot but come down. Remove arrow from the string and replace it in your quiver or similar. Wait for the next instruction.

Come Down: means relax the bowstring tension without letting go of the string at any time until the bow is at rest again.

Whistle Commands: are often used and must be obeyed. They are:

1. Two blasts to go to the Shooting line. DO NOT put an arrow on the Bow
2. A single blast to put an arrow on the Bow and start shooting. Three blasts to collect arrows from the target.
3. A series of rapid blasts means ‘FAST’ STOP SHOOTING and “Come Down”

Verbal Commands: These are used as an alternative to whistles and usually are:To the Line. Commence Shooting (or SHOOT), Collect Arrows (or COLLECT) & Fast.

Never:

Dry Shoot a bow without an arrow attached to the string, this can cause serious damage to the bow. Only loose when you have an arrow on the string and you are aiming at the target. Shoot upwards vertically in the air. “What goes up must come down!! This could kill or seriously maim, as it is impossible to see its return flight.

Only:

Load an arrow into the bow when you are on the shooting line,Told to do so, intending to shoot, and only when the range is clear and it is safe to shoot.

Aim a bow at the target boss or the ground with or without an arrow in the bow. Not at anyone or anything else.