The rural pine flats of central Florida are prime with intriguing places to shoot a bow and arrow. A few archery sport clubs service the region. The cities of Orlando, Melbourne, Sarasota, Lakeland and Tampa are situated in the area. Over 1,500 lakes and ponds scatter the region, which is consumed mostly by flatland and a perfect location for archery.
Clubs
Archery clubs hold regular shoots and often team up with archers from other clubs to host tournaments. The Florida Archery Association (FAA) holds tournaments throughout Florida on a regular basis. The FAA hosts the State Senior Games' archery portion, the Sunshine Games and nine state championships. Central Florida Archers (CFA) collaborates with the FAA to facilitate many of the competitions.
Respecting the Environment
As much as possible, field archery clubs attempt to respect the environment in which they are operating. One club in central Florida that prides itself in this area is the Sarasota Country Archers (SCA). The club is nestled in 10 acres of woods that are designated as a wildlife preserve. SCA allows compound and traditional bows. The club is able to operate in the early morning and at night, with an indoor shooting range as well as a lighted outdoor range. Each range is 20 yards. Targets on their third outdoor range are 80 yards. Bulls-eye, 3-D and paper targets are featured on three wooded trails, which have 14 targets.
Bow Restrictions
Whatever club you join has its own bow restrictions. Many clubs do not allow crossbows because they can kill people more easily because of their higher striking force. Founded in 1981 in Melbourne, the Brevard Archers is a small-town club that provides shooting opportunities to beginners and experts. Various types of shooters, including traditional, compound and Olympic recurve shooters are accommodated at the club. Crossbows, however, are not. National Field Archers instructors are available at the club for lessons. A total of 14 shooting lanes and a wooded area designated for 3-D shoots are available. Shooters of all skill levels are welcome to try any type of shoot.
Family Friendly
Archery is a sport that requires exteme concentration, but many of the central Florida Clubs try to be as family-friendly as possible. The CFA accommodates children, facilitating archery lessons to help the kids grow to become expert archers. Good sportsmanship, competitiveness and self discipline are qualities the club promotes. CFA features a 28-target range that provides bullseyes for compound and traditional bows. The club operates from dusk to dawn every day of the year.
Types of Bows
All bows have a string attached to an elastic limb. The construction of limbs varies and can be broken into self bows, laminated bows and composite bows. A recurve bow features tips that curve away from archers. A longbow has narrow limbs that are shaped like a "D." Flatbows have flat and wide rectangular limbs. These are considered traditional bows.
The compound bow, invented in the 1960s, reduces the force that is required to draw the string. This is the most widely used bow for hunting because the reduction in force allows the archer more time to aim. It is also highly sought-after by archers.
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