Virginia has clubs to suit any archery interest. Whether the discipline is target, field or hunting, clubs are found in all parts of Virginia to suit your needs. Ranges at clubs give you year-round opportunity to practice and compete at 3-D shoots, field ranges and hunt competitions. Archery associations such as the Virginia Field Archery Associations have rosters of member clubs. Clubs provide space for families to learn and shoot together as well as for everyone to participate in leagues of their own.
History
Archery has a long history in Virginia, beginning with the Native people and expanding when Europeans brought their own archery styles to the colonies. There are some very long-standing archery clubs in the state. They carry forward the sport's tradition of good sportsmanship and respect for nature. One of the very oldest Virginia archery clubs is the Triangle Archers Club established in 1940. The open membership club hosts 3-D tournaments and Field/Hunter tournaments.
Target Archers Only
Target-only clubs are still popular with people who like to shoot bales, paper targets or field targets. Fairfax Target Archers is one such club. Founded in 1990, it promotes indoor and outdoor archery. Some members like to compete and represent the club in Virginia tournaments. Other members just come to shoot. Fairfax holds club shoots and hosts competitions for members and nonmembers. An indoor league is run each winter.
Conservation League Clubs
The Walton Park Bowhunters is an example of the kind of club that is part of a conservation club. In this case, Walton Park is part of the Lynchburg chapter of the Isaac Walton League. The archery range is part of a larger sport and conservation club facility. The Walton Park Bowhunters enjoy a 28-station range field course and a six-station practice facility. It hosts Virginia Bowhunter events as well as in-club competitions. Membership in the club also includes membership in the Isaac Walton League.
Field Archers Only
A number of clubs are for target and field archers only and do not have hunting as a focus. The Augusta Archers Club was founded in 1950 and has 90 acres of woodland to devote to members' field archery pursuits. It also has a nine-target indoor range. There are two 28-target ranges and a broadhead range as well as a short range and a long range. Augusta hosts statewide shoots. The club holds membership in the National Field Archers Association and the Virginia Bowhunters Association.
Bowhunters Clubs
Bowhunting and bowfishing are extremely popular archery pursuits. Opportunity to practice that sport is good in Virginia with its ample hunting and fishing locales. A club that is focused on hunting is the Blackwater Bowhunters, formed in 1972. Once a backyard club it is now chartered in the Virginia Bowhunters Association. Some clubs are organized around hunting and not based at a club facility with a range. These hunters and fishers clubs are more locally based and may not be chartered or even named.
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