Archery is a great skill and pastime for anyone. However, it can come with a unique challenge…finding a place to shoot. Thankfully, figuring out where to practice archery can be fairly easy to do.

Determine Your Archery Style

The first step when looking to find a place to practice archery is to determine your archery style. Do you enjoy shooting indoors or outdoors? What kind of targets do you want to shoot? Asking yourself a few of these questions will help you narrow down where to begin. For example, if you don’t enjoy shooting 3D targets, you’ll likely enjoy paper targets indoors or outdoors.

Shooting Archery in Your Backyard

When first considering where to practice archery, your own property is easily one of the most popular choices for archers. This is because it’s relatively quick and easy to do without having to pay any kind of fee to do so. However, there are a few things to take into consideration.

Check Your Local Regulations

The first thing to consider, when shooting in your own backyard, is any local regulations your city or town may have. Many places have restrictions and rules about shooting a bow within city limits, so it’s important to know if it’s legal to shoot in your yard. In order to figure this out, you may have to research the rules online or ask your local government officials. If there are no local regulations, then you can begin planning your own backyard archery range.

Target Location

The next step to practicing in your backyard is to find an appropriate target location. You want to set up your target somewhere with plenty of space for you to shoot. This can be in the backyard, out of the garage, etc.

The most important thing to consider is placing the target somewhere safe, where a person would not accidentally walk in front of it. You should also be mindful of what is beyond your target. If you’re aiming towards your neighbor’s house, they’ll be more likely to complain.

Build a Backstop

Speaking of knowing what’s beyond your target, the next step is to build or buy an appropriate backstop. A backstop is a barrier behind the target that stops your arrow in case of a miss or pass-through. A backstop can be something as simple and basic as a large dirt mound or as elaborate as a specifically made unit consisting of several materials.

Many archers use carpet, heavy drapes, foam play mats, or plywood. Just make sure that your backstop is taller and wider than your target. This ensures it properly stops your arrow in case you miss, experience equipment failure, or pass-through the target.

Choose Your Target

Speaking of targets, there are many different options to choose from. One of the cheapest and most common options is to shoot compressed materials (hay, straw, cardboard, rubber etc.) with a fixed paper target on it.

Another popular type of target is foam blocks or bags. These targets are specially designed to stop arrows without damaging them. Additionally, there are foam 3D targets that resemble animals. These are popular for archers who plan to use their bow for hunting.

Shooting at an Archery Range

The next most popular place considering where to practice archery is at an established archery range. These are designed to allow multiple archers the ability to shoot at once with a number of available targets. Archery ranges are most often found at standalone locations, at an archery shop, or at an archery club.

Ranges generally charge a small fee in order to shoot, which helps support the facility. They usually have plenty of targets and distances to choose from, providing plenty of variety.

Archery Shops

Shooting at an archery shop is a great place for beginners learning the basics. Many shops even allow you to shoot for free if you’re a paying customer. The advantage of an archery shop is the access you have to a knowledgeable archer who can help you. They also have all the tools, equipment, and resources you may need as a beginner. Most archery shops feature an indoor range, which also has the advantage of indoor shooting during bad weather.

Archery Clubs

Unlike archery shops that sell equipment and gear, clubs are communities of archers who enjoy shooting with others. These clubs may have an indoor range or an outdoor range. Many clubs have small entrance fees to support the facility. They are a great place to meet other archers while enjoying practicing in a safe and professional environment.

Indoor Archery

Many archery clubs will have an indoor range. This gives you the ability to shoot year round in a controlled environment. While indoor archery ranges provide a great place to practice, it’s rare to find one past 40 yards. Many, and most I’ve personally seen, are limited to 20 yards. If you want to shoot further distances, you’ll likely have to find an outdoor range. However, indoor ranges are great for close practice, tuning your bow, and staying warm and dry.

Field Archery

Field archery is outdoor shooting. Shooting outside provides some advantages over indoor shooting, but you’ll be subject to the weather. If it’s too hot or cold outside, shooting may be a little more challenging. You may also be hampered by wind and rain, which can affect your accuracy. On the other hand, outdoor ranges provide longer distance. You’ll also have more of a variety of targets and distances to choose from. Some ranges even offer walk through courses, similar to golf, that allow an archer to walk and shoot a variety of targets/distances. This is my personal favorite because there’s a lot of variety and provides an escape to nature.

High Schools, Colleges, and Universities

Many schools such as high schools, colleges, and even universities have their own archery ranges. These education institutions often have clubs and leagues of their own. These private ranges are often free to use for those that sign up and sometimes can be used during off hours by paying a small fee. If you are enrolled in any of these institutions, you can usually join these clubs or leagues and use their range. If you’re not enrolled, you may still be able to use them by paying the necessary fee.

How to Learn Archery

Where to practice archery is only half the battle of learning archery. Once you have a place to shoot, you need to learn the basics. There are few ways that you can learn archery at these different ranges. The way you learn depends on your preferred learning style. Here are the most common methods:

Group Archery Lessons

One of the most popular ways to learn archery is through group archery lessons. These lessons are usually less expensive than 1-on-1 coaching and allow an archer to meet others who are just learning as well. These group lessons usually take place at bow shops, which also provide rental equipment for the lesson. This also gives you the opportunity to try out gear before making a purchase. This helps you decide which equipment is right for you before making a decision.

Archery Programs

Archery has many different programs and organizations that you can join to learn from. For example, youth archers can join a JOAD program. JOAD stands for Junior Olympic Archery Development program. These types of programs are designed to help beginners learn the skills necessary to become proficient archers. There are many different programs out there, such as the Adult Archery Program from USA Archery, National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP), and Olympic Archery in Schools (OAS).

If an archery program sounds interesting to you, see what’s available in your area and sign up for whichever sounds best. Whatever you sign up for, you’ll be sure to learn proper form and technique.

Archery Coaching

For those that want a more personal or specialized learning experience, there is also archery coaching. Coaching is typically done in an in person, 1-on-1 situation. While you will not be learning with others, this can be a great option for those who may grow anxious about learning in front of others. This also allows for more personal and specialized lessons, which can help you learn more quickly.

Online Archery Training

Last but not least, you can learn through online archery training. These are a great option for those who don’t want to/can’t take in person lessons. The biggest benefit is that they allow you to learn at your own pace. However, depending on the training, you may or may not have the ability to ask detailed questions while practicing. These online trainings range anywhere from the basics all the way up to highly specialized topics.

If online archery training is of interest to you, a friend, or family member, we’ve put together a comprehensive training titled, Archery Foundations. This training is focused on helping beginners shorten the learning curve so you can find the right equipment, learn proper form/technique, and get out on the range with confidence. If you’re interested, visit the Archery Foundations page and and see if online training can work for you!

Conclusion

Where to practice archery is a common question but easily solved. With a little bit of thought and research, you can find the perfect place to practice. Whether it’s in your backyard or at an archery range, the only thing that matters is that you get out there and start practicing!