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3D archery

3D archery is shot at life-size foam animal targets set around a course, judging the distance and placing the shot on a scoring zone.

Foam animals on a course

3D archery replaces the paper face with three-dimensional foam models of game animals, from small foam rabbits to full-size deer and bears. The targets are set around a walked course at varied and usually unknown distances, often on rough or wooded ground like a field course.

The appeal is that it mimics a hunting or realistic shot: the archer reads the distance and the lie of the target, then places an arrow into a scoring zone marked on the animal's vital area.

Scoring the vitals

Each foam target carries scoring rings hidden in the body, with the highest score for a hit in the centre of the vital zone and lower scores out from there. Because the distances are usually unmarked, judging range is the central skill, exactly as in unmarked field archery.

Bodies such as the IBO and ASA in the United States and World Archery's own 3D rules set the classes, distances and equipment limits, which vary between traditional, barebow and sighted divisions.

Equipment on a 3D course

3D is shot with everything from traditional longbows to full compound setups, with divisions that limit sights, stabilisers and let-off to keep classes fair. Many 3D archers shoot barebow or with a single fixed pin.

Whatever the class, the sight and rest still have to mount to the bow correctly. A 3D setup lives a hard life on a walked course, so a securely mounted, correctly torqued rest matters as much as it does on the range.

Related

Sources: World Archery: disciplines · Wikipedia: 3D_archery · Wikipedia: Bowhunting