AGB Advice for returning to shooting 13/5/20

Mark2

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There is no reason why a clubs RA can’t state that they will supply a suitable face (depending on what the archer wants to shoot) and that once given out the archer must take home and bring it to each session, the same with pins.
The club will need a safe way to give out the equipment initially but once done it will meet their RA (E.g. pliers/tongs to set pins out in groups of 4, similarly to pick target faces out of a pile, equipment to be cleaned between use. Minimises human contact with pins and faces being given out).

The ArcheryGB RA is a template that clubs will need to adapt to their own circumstances. Risk Assessments should not be taken from elsewhere without being reviewed and changed according to local needs, that is a recipe for disaster.
That's exactly what I am saying. There is likely more than one way to achieve the necessary degree of safety. What works for one club may not work for another. Some flexibility is necessary, as long as people properly understand the risk and can mitigate for it. Just because AGB say "ask for X or Y product" does not mean others are inferior. I work on a UK national standards committee in an intrinsically dangerous industry. You cannot cater for all eventualities. You have to use your own judgement to decide if something is safe in the circumstances you find yourself in.
Common sense goes a long way to protecting people. If you presume every surface that you touch can be contaminated and act accordingly, you have gone a long way to protecting yourself.
On the bright side, the risk of catching a head cold should be way down this year:)
 

Mark2

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AGB want archers to shoot as many arrows as possible; six at a time not three, twice.
I know a few people that would like to shoot 12 arrows an end especially if there are no longer 6 archers on a target. When I shot on my own I would shoot 18 arrows an end and close out out a FITA in 90 minutes.
With so few archers being allowed on a field at one time, you really want to optimize that time for shooting.
 

LittleSkink

Active member
interesting thread, as someone returning to archery and hoping to join a club this year all is not lost

FWIW I use Calendly (in my work) it is a very decent time slot booking app - though please dont ask me to hlep you get it working, someone else does that bit for me :)
 

Corax67

Well-known member
Well we came, we setup, we arched, we took down the field and everyone had a good time under safe conditions.

Despite a wicked little gusting crosswind only half a dozen arrows missed the bosses set at a max 50yds and all were found by the archers who shot them very quickly atop the well cut grass.

The fact we didn’t shoot rounds was inconsequential because everyone was simply happy to be out in the sunshine with bow in hand once more.



Karl
 

Mark2

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Well we came, we setup, we arched, we took down the field and everyone had a good time under safe conditions.

Despite a wicked little gusting crosswind only half a dozen arrows missed the bosses set at a max 50yds and all were found by the archers who shot them very quickly atop the well cut grass.

The fact we didn’t shoot rounds was inconsequential because everyone was simply happy to be out in the sunshine with bow in hand once more.



Karl
Congratulations. ☀😎(y)
 

bimble

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Despite a wicked little gusting crosswind only half a dozen arrows missed the bosses set at a max 50yds and all were found by the archers who shot them very quickly atop the well cut grass.

The fact we didn’t shoot rounds was inconsequential because everyone was simply happy to be out in the sunshine with bow in hand once more.
Of course, it depends on what you mean by "rounds"... as part of my recurve training I've been shooting 50yd 720 rounds... ;) a round doesn't have to be something out of the rule book!
 

Kerf

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You won’t be able to shoot a round - the AGB guidelines say not to move the bosses once set out so it’s a case of putting your own target face of choice on the preset boss and shooting some arrows in a safe (overshoots, etc) and controlled environment.

We are going to give our members the choice of 122cm target or novelty faces, all of which we will supply free from our club stocks, which they will keep and reuse. No score books will be issued but we won’t stop archers using personal electronic devices if they wish.


As a nominated “setting up” person I have supplied a modified Safe System of Work operated within my company. We will use lined industrial gloves - fabric back & puncture resistant palms similar to those used by builders, etc, - and wear FFP3 respirator masks. On collecting the targets they will be sprayed with a disinfectant prior to being handled. Once the field has been taken down we can then clean ourselves. All used PPE & paper towels will be double bagged and disposed of via my company’s contaminated waste system.

My 3 fellow “setter uppers” (only 2 will operate per session) have received detailed instruction in correct use of all items which includes putting on & removal without transferring any contaminants onto skin. I’ve also face fit tested each individual with their masks as an ill fitting mask is worse than no mask at all since it leads to a false sense of security. As we are all spectacle wearers goggles were deemed to be unnecessary - simply to prevent a gloved hand wiping an eye.

This may seem like overkill especially as we four are not in any ‘at risk’ category - which is why we volunteered - but with these precautions in place the risk of exposure becomes negligible and AGB guidelines are exceeded.

A high level of interest has already been received back from members, all of whom will receive a full set of guidelines by email then reply in writing (email) that they have read and accepted all terms prior to being allowed to shoot.



Let’s just hope after all this the weather holds 😁


Karl
Congrats on running your first lockdown shoot.
Did you faithfully follow the guidelines you outlined in this post? Any other measures you took would be gratefully received - after all, the safer the better.
 

Timid Toad

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Our session went pretty smoothly. One senior member didn't initially understand that they couldn't swap bosses/distances at will but once that was sorted all went extremely smoothly and relaxed. I bet the field party will be knackered. A lot of work for them. Although I took gloves and my own pins and a target face I actually touched nothing that I didn't own. So from a protection pov it was very successful.
 

Timid Toad

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My club are now discussing moving targets within a lane during a session. Some of the committee suggest the AGB RA allowed for this. Can anyone point me to a definitive answer? Has anyone call head office for advice on this?
 

Big George

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My club are now discussing moving targets within a lane during a session. Some of the committee suggest the AGB RA allowed for this. Can anyone point me to a definitive answer? Has anyone call head office for advice on this?
it’s really down to your own RA and can you come up with a process that means it could happen safely regarding possible contamination/virus transmission.
ArcheryGB RA is a sample one albeit with some good issues and mitigation. If you/ your committee can come up with a process that will be followed and in doing so prevents the possible transmission of the virus then it becomes an issue of whether doing so can be done in the time slot allocated for shooting I.e. it won’t stop other archers making full use of their shooting time.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
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I feel the answer is to have two targets set up at different distances in the same lane if they want to shoot a round in one session. It is the same setup for a family group using one lane and two bosses at different distances.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
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That's my feeling. But the wording isn't terribly clear.
The picture/diagram of range layout shows how it can be set out. I agree it isn't too clear. Instead of one boss in the middle of the lane, two bosses are each side of what would be the middle line of the lane. So they take up 240 cm across the lane ( though not side by side) and are still safely away from the two bosses in the lanes either side. I don't think AGB would approve of two adjacent lanes being used for two bosses in each. Their diagram shows two family groups but with a single person lane between.
 

ben tarrow

Well-known member
"It is preferred that targets can be left out and not moved where possible. Clubs that are unable to leave targets out, must carefully manage the movement of targets in between sessions and minimise the number of times they are handled"
So, to me, this refers to the setting up and taking down of the range.
There is nothing in the guidance that says you CANNOT move your boss to a different distance, so, if its not specifically excluded then you can do it.
 

Corax67

Well-known member
Congrats on running your first lockdown shoot.
Did you faithfully follow the guidelines you outlined in this post? Any other measures you took would be gratefully received - after all, the safer the better.
One of the field team attended site Friday to spray a set of 12 bosses, stands and tie-downs with an IPA based disinfectant, these were used Saturday. Other than that we followed everything in my post and it went really smoothly.

Only having targets at 50yds & 30yds - as requested by members - did make the whole set up/take down process smooth and easy.



Karl
 

Corax67

Well-known member
My club are now discussing moving targets within a lane during a session. Some of the committee suggest the AGB RA allowed for this. Can anyone point me to a definitive answer? Has anyone call head office for advice on this?
You could always move the shooting line forward at distance change rather than moving all the bosses.




Karl
 

geoffretired

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Hi Karl, that is so beautifully simple and maintains social distancing that I am kicking myself for not thinking of it myself.
My only consolation, it must be flawed. heehee
 

KidCurry

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My only consolation, it must be flawed. heehee
It works if everyone is shooting either imperial or everyone is shooting metric but not both and everyone wants to change distance at the same time, but if not it's not so straight forward. It also doesn't help if people decide to shoot longer. It would be good if AGB came up with a set of single distance imperial rounds like the WA70 right down to the WA80-30 6 doz single distance rounds which already exist.

Ahh...
AGB FAQs...This can be done by reducing the number of times targets are moved, reducing the number of people allowed to move targets, using people from the same household, wearing PPE such as face masks and gloves, and sanitising hands immediately afterwards. Clubs need to tailor their own processes to accommodate their own environment and circumstances. We recommend all risks and mitigating actions are logged in your risk assessment so you can evidence that you have taken reasonable precautions to mitigate the risk.
No where does it actually state you cannot move targets.

AGB do state that archers
... should not congregate and chat behind the shooting line, in car parks or anywhere else while at the range, as that could be classed as a gathering.
I wonder how many times archers have chatted behind the shooting line with absolute disregard of this advice ;) 🤣
 
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geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
KidCurry, I think too much emphasis can be given to shooting rounds " like we normally do" and too little on the fact that these are not normal times. Surely a group of archers could make life easier for all those who have to set up by having things as simple as possible.
Shooting arrows does not have to mean shooting rounds.
 
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