Archery is a sport that involves shooting arrows with a bow. Usually, you aim your arrows at a target and try to hit the bull's-eye. But many variations exist in this sport that add an element of fun and excitement. Games, such as archery blackjack, archery golf and connect the boxes are a great way to introduce new people to the sport, or to spice up your regular play.
Archery Blackjack
The common card game blackjack can be made into an archery version with minimal setup. In this game, described on the Quintessential Productions website, you mount an oversize deck of playing cards on boards, with each suit on a different board so that several archers can shoot at each suit. In a normal card game of blackjack, you take your chance at luck and compete against the dealer to get as close to 21 as possible without going over. In this special version, you depend on your archery skill. When your arrow hits a card, you must add it up and try to get 21. Aim for a face card, a 10 or an ace, and try to hit cards that add up to make a blackjack. If you can't hit 21 exactly, try to get as close as possible without going over.
Archery Golf
An article from "Camping Magazine" titled "Teaching Archery: Games, Tips, and Techniques" describes a version of archery based on the game of golf. To play archery golf, you first need to set up a golf course. "Camping" recommends doing this in a large, open field using bales of hay spray painted orange so they are easily visible from a distance. Use 18 bales of hay if you want to play a full round of golf, or nine for a half-round, and space them in various positions around the field. Challenge yourself and the other archers by setting up obstacles such as sand traps. Just as in golf, you and your companions start shooting at the bale of hay "hole" from one spot, and move closer until you have hit it. Whoever hits all the targets in the fewest number of shots wins.
Connect the Boxes
Another game described on the Quintessential Productions website is called connect the boxes. Unlike blackjack or golf, it is not a pre-existing game modified for archery but a unique game designed to help archers improve skills such as aiming and shooting. To set up this game, you draw horizontal and vertical lines on a piece of cardboard at right angles so they form a grid of boxes. Players shoot at this grid one at a time. Once you hit a box with your first arrow, you must aim your next arrow at a box adjacent to the first. If you hit one that connects, you can continue until you miss an adjacent box. The object of the game is to see how long you can connect your boxes to make a chain of boxes with arrows in them. Depending on the skill level of the archers, you can vary the size of the boxes and the distance you stand from them.
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