Archery

[bednobs]

is it illegal to practice archery in your own garden at your own targets?

[Redhelen72]

I hope not as we have several sets and have done over the years.
Decathlon sell them.

[jno]

it used to be compulsory in the Middle Ages. Obviously, it's still regarded as bad form to kill your neighbours, so aim low.

[bobbinwales]

Are yours rubber tips or pointed steel though

[Buenchico]

This article covers just about everything you could want to know about archery within English law:
https://forestknights.co.uk/archery-and-english-law/
[NB: There's a rather inconspicuous link to a second page of the foot of that one. Make sure that you click on it to read the full article].

As explained there, practising archery on your own land is perfectly legal but you should also take into account the section on civil liability on page 2.

[bednobs]

thanks all. yes pointy bobbin!

[jourdain2]

There's a road called 'Butt Lane' in our village - i think it was compulsory to practise archery - probably some by-law still says you should. Find one near you!

[Peter Pedant]

yes Jourdain is quite correct
Long Bows were so successful 1350-1400 that they had practice fields ( butts, which I think was the target) and everyone had to practise

No footie - men preferred to play football from early times

I think you have to take prying neighbours into account esp after Baldwin and the shooting

carrying a pointy object ( arrow ) in public strikes me as risky - you are meant to shoot it into things so I am at a loss to say oh no I use it for .....

shooting across a road ( garding in two parts - in duobus partibus as Caesar might say ) is obviously a no no

shooting so it can go astray and go into someone else garden - nope

children I would say have to be supervised .....

[bednobs]

"children I would say have to be supervised"
talk about stating the obvious peter!
"carrying a pointy object ( arrow ) in public strikes me as risky - you are meant to shoot it into things so I am at a loss to say oh no I use it for ....."
last time i looked , my garden isn't public :)

[Peter Pedant]

um.... well we had a bow and arrow and werent supervised
and used to er shoot a shotgun wivvart supervision

just saying ( me oupa brought up in er Sarf Efrica)

[Peter Pedant]

and try not to make too many clever points
if the police look into your garding
and see an intrinsically offensive weapon ( nail studded chair leg rather than a chair leg )
I would have thought - "it is private" would NOT be a defence
but hey that is just me

[DTCwordfan]

Archery law has its advantages. In my time, the by-laws of St Andrews Uni allowed for 'the practice of sport at anytime of day or night but not on the Sabbath' (I paraphrase), this being regarded as practising archery for the defence of the town. Our Hall exploited it by playing rugby, a 30 man game, in the middle of the (wide) street which was on Uni property...... don't know if the law has been changed.......

Anyway, carrying and using a steel-tipped arrow with folk around you is like giving Alec Baldwin a loaded pistol - what the armourer was thinking, who knows?

[bednobs]

i'm talking about a proper recurve bow, rather than children's toys or long bows.
Although im sure a long bow could do just as much damage.
We have a 200ft garden, but after problems in the past with neighbours, im wary of doing anything that could cause them to call the police

[bhg481]

//We have a 200ft garden//

And the range of the bow is?

I would imagine it's quite easy for a stray shot to go over the fence.

[bednobs]

"and try not to make too many clever points"
right back atcha!