Some thoughts on home shooting during the lockdown

AN ARCHERY RANGE AT HOME

With lockdown looking likely to continue for some time to come, we have been asked to share our home range set up with you.

We wanted to be able to continue to shoot once the range was closed. Fortunately, we started to think about a home range before lockdown happened so managed to get advice and the equipment needed. However, most archery suppliers are providing online orders so you should be able to obtain everything you need still.

Our initial idea was to shoot in our garden as we have a high walled area by our patio.

Having discussed this with our daughter’s coach and a training centre we go to, it was felt the risk of something going wrong was too high. I know you see many people on Instagram shooting in gardens with far less protection than our wall would offer, but Archery GB have commented that they are receiving many complaints from neighbours about archery in gardens. Put yourself on the other side as a non-archer and you could understand why.

We then looked at our garage and decided this was the space that would be best for us. It is single width and double length, but it’s still a garage full of ‘stuff’, so we cleared what we could and rearranged it somewhat (imagine a giant game of tetris going on).

We attached some hooks to the joists above the garage door, around 1 yard forward from it and also into the wall itself at the sides to attach the net.

We then have a layered foam boss on a bench in front of the net

We informed our neighbours about what we were doing as we didn’t want them wondering what the noise in the garage was or being concerned for safety in any way.

We have also obtained insurance through Gunplan (gunplan.co.uk). This was recommended to me by another GAC member.

The insurance I took out covers Public Liability and Third Party Damage for £20.24 per annum (you can add all sorts of extras if you want). Safety is really your own responsibility though (or that of a parent/carer in the case of a junior member).This set-up has allowed my daughter, who is a junior archer, to have a regular weekly coaching lesson over Skype. It is working out very well for her, helping her to develop her technique and increase her poundage.

I hope this may help some of you who are stuck at home – with a garage or shed that may be looking more appealing as a range now – to be able to shoot as well.

Stay safe!

Krista