Field archers use a range of bow styles from primitive, horsebow and longbow to recurve and compound. High Cross Field Archers follow the National Field Archery Society (NFAS) rules of shooting. We typically shoot at 36  targets - either 'faces' (pictures) or realistic full size 3D foam animals - which are set out along a course marked out through variable terrain. Moving round the course in mixed groups of usually three or four, every archer shoots a maximum of 3 arrows at each target - the first from a red peg, then (if you miss from the red) from a white peg, then (if you miss from the white) from a blue peg. Juniors, compound and archers using sights use different pegs. Points are scored depending on the peg from which you hit the target and how accurate you were.  At open shoots, medals are awarded for the top three scorers from each bow style.

Unlike other more formal disciplines such as competition target shooting, the pegs are set at unknown distances. This is one of the main attractions of NFAS open shoots: you have to use your skill to estimate how far away each target is, which makes for a much more interesting experience. It may just look like we're having a lot of fun - we are - but NFAS rules of unmarked field archery is the most challenging there is.

We briefly explain the NFAS bow styles and shooting rules, connecting the rich historical and cultural practice of modern and traditional archery: