I sometimes post scores and different target system info assuming that everyone knows what I’m talking about, of course that is not the case.
Below find the definitions to two words you should know (end and round) and an explanation of NFAA indoor round scoring as well as the NFAA version of the Vegas Round. These are both indoor rounds which is what I’m buried to the hilt in now.
Keep in mind that there are many, many, many different types of rounds with different scoring, this only touches upon some of the more popular indoor rounds.
End – A set number of arrows that are shot before going to the target to score and retrieve your arrows. (usually 3 or 5 for indoor competition).
e.g. We shot six ends before taking a break then shot six more, scoring after each end
e. g. Let’s get there a bit early and shoot 4 or 5 ends to warm up before the round begins.
Round – The shooting of a definite number of arrows at specified target faces from set
distances.
e.g. We shot a Vegas round this morning, next weekend we will shoot a NFAA indoor 300 round.
e.g. An indoor NFAA 300 round consists of twelve 5 arrow ends at 20 yards, for a total of 60 arrows.
NFAA Indoor target
Ok, here it is, I’ve numbered the target with red numbers to clarify it. Anything in the white circle is awarded a 5 to include the inner X ring. X’s are used as tiebreakers, so if you shoot a score of 250 with 10 x’s and the guy next to you shoots 250 with 11 x’s they win.
An NFAA 300 round consists of 12 ends shot at 20 yards distance. That means you’re up at bat 12 times. Each end consists of 5 arrows, so you will step up to the line shoot 5 arrows, score them, retrieve them and then do it again, 12 times.
Here is the math part, each arrow has the potential of 5 points, so in each end you have the potential of scoring 25 points. 5 arrows shot x 5 points = 25 points.
There are 12 ends so if you shoot a perfect 25 in each end you will score 300 points. 12 x 25 = 300
Archers have 4 minutes to shoot 5 arrows. Capiche?
NFAA Indoor 5 spot
The first thing to know about this target is who it is meant for and why.
This target is for very accurate shooters but is mostly shot by very good compound bow shooters. Archers using this target are confident of not shooting anything lower than a 4, the reason the target is partitioned into 5 small targets or spots is so an archer can have the option to shoot one arrow per target. The reason they want to do that is so they don’t Robin Hood (shooting an arrow into the back of another) arrows which gets expensive and annoying after a while, you also destroy the paper less since you’re shooting five different locations instead of a single paper location, making it easier to define scores.
For very good compound shooters this is really an X game. A perfect 300 score is a given so the person with the most X’s wins. There are compound shooters who score 300 points and 60 x’s which is perfection indeed.
The rest is scored the same as the single face target. 12 ends, 5 arrows per end. 5 possible points per arrow. 60 arrows. 300 points.
The indoor 5 spot can be shot in any order and the archer can shoot any number of arrows into any spot as the shooter wants not to exceed their 5 arrows of course.
As in the single face competitors have 4 minutes to shoot 5 arrows.
Now to Vegas… as in what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, as least 3 times per end that is.
Vegas target – numbers are just for illustration.
In a Vegas round there are 10 ends. You shoot 3 arrows per end for a possible 10 points per arrow, or 30 possible points per end. 10 ends x 30 possible points = 300 possible points. The smallest inner X circle is 10 points as well as the next greater yellow circle. Your X count will go towards deciding tiebreakers. Competitors have 2 1/2 minutes to shoot 3 arrows.
There are variations of the Vegas round like a 450 and 600 round instead of the above 300. A 450 round will have15 ends and a 600 round will have 20 ends, 3 arrows per end 10 possible points per arrow.
There are also variations with the X ring, which will be found with different archery organizations and locally, in this example I am addressing NFAA rules.
Lastly, there is the Vegas 3 spot.
Vegas 3 spot
The 3 spot like the NFAA blue face 5 spot is meant for more accurate shooters, who know they won’t shoot less than a 6. NFAA rules state that you can shoot the Vegas 3 spot target in any order but you must shoot just one arrow per spot.
One last important thing to know of all NFAA rounds and targets. If your arrow is touching the line of a higher scoring zone you are given the higher score. For example if you are shooting a blue face and your arrow is in the 4 ring but you are touching the 5 white ring, you are awarded the higher 5 point value.
This picture shows a typical shoot with a mixture of the NFAA indoor single face and the 5 spot depending on the competitor’s choice. This was taken at Central Maine Archery in Auburn, Maine.
The above covers the basics there are more rules and specifics about these rounds, If you’d like to know more click on the following link for the NFAA’s rulebook.
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