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How to determine your archery
bow class in an NFAA Tournament
by Mike Brown
The Oregon Bowhunter's hold three state
championship tournaments each year. There are no qualifying rounds for the
tournaments. First time tournament shooters are welcome and encouraged to
attend and participate. In order to participate a shooter must determine
which shooting style he or she wants to shoot. It is not just the first
time shooter that gets confused in what bow class they should register.
Here is a guide to register for the appropriate shooting Division and bow
Style. There is a
chart at the end to help you determine your bow class.
(Note: some of the Divisions and Styles may be
different than what you have seen in the past. Earlier this year NFAA
voted to add some Divisions and expand some of the Styles to the different
Age Divisions. This change actually begins on June 1st but we need to
display these changes because the State Field is after June 1st. Also you
should read how these changes effect the State Triple Crown if you plan to
participate in this contest.)
There are three major factors in determining your
bow class:
- Gender
- Your Age
- Your shooting style
1. Gender is an easy and obvious choice, male or female? The code for this
is M or F.
2. Next is to select the age bracket you will
compete against:
 | C = Cub (Age up to 11 years old) |
| Y = Youth (Ages 12 through 14) |
| Y/A = Young Adult (Ages 15 through 17) |
| A = Adult (Ages 18 and older) |
| S = Senior (Ages 50 and older) |
| S/S = Silver Senior (60 and older) |
| M/S = Master Senior (70 and older)
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Cub through Young Adult can compete in a higher division. Adults are considered to be in the highest age
division.
Examples are; a Cub, Youth, and Young Adult could compete in the Adult
division, but not Senior, Silver Senior or Master Senior divisions. Seniors are allowed to
compete in the Adult division, Silver Senior are allowed to compete in the
Senior or Silver Senior and finally, Master Seniors are allow too compete in
Seniors, Silver Seniors or Adults Division. The reason for this is simple. There may not be enough
or any competitors in your age division or the tournament might not host a
particular class. Therefore, you can compete against the next higher
division. Would you rather shoot against competition or shoot in a
division by yourself?
3. Last, you need to determine your shooting
style. Here is where it gets a little tricky.
There are ten bow styles.
- FS
- FSL
- FSLR
- BB
- BH
- BHFS
- BHFSL
- TRAD
- LB
- CB
Each bow style has two parts. Part one is bow
components restriction and part two is the how the bow must be used
restriction. Examples are; Competitive Bow hunter can only have a 12"
or less stabilizer length. A Competitive Bowhunter must keep their finger
against the arrow for all shots.
At this point it would take to much to explain
every detail for each class. For more detailed information you can go to
the following link at the NFAA
website.
Here is a summary list of the equipment
restrictions for each style:
| Freestyle (coded FS) is
virtually an unlimited class. You can shoot any bow with a movable
sight, any length stabilizer, and use a release aid. The sight can
have certain magnifications. |
| Freestyle Limited (coded FSL) is
basically the same as FS with the exception that you cannot use a
release aid. "Limited" means you shoot without a release
aid. |
| Freestyle Limited Recurve (coded FSLR) are standard Olympic bows. You are allowed to
use a recurve with sights, stabilizers, and clickers. |
| Barebow (coded BB) can use any
bow including a compound. In addition you can use any length
stabilizer, any rest, a level and you can "walk the string."
("Walking the string" means your fingers can change position
on the bow string during the tournament.) You cannot use a sight. |
| Competitive Bowhunter also called Bowhunter
(coded BH) can use any bow including a compound. Your string
finger must stay against the arrow nock and it must stay in one
position below or above the arrow nock. You may not use a sight,
clicker or level. You may use a stabilizer up to 12" in length. |
| Bowhunter Freestyle (coded BHFS)
bows can have up to 5 fixed sight pins (you cannot adjust your sight
after you start shooting an official round), a stabilizer up to
12" in length, and you can use a release aid. These are usually
compound bows. |
| Bowhunter Freestyle Limited (coded BHFSL)
is basically the same as BHFS with the exception that you cannot use a
release aid. "Limited" means you shoot without a release
aid. |
| Traditional (coded TRAD) bows
are all bows without wheels or pulleys (no compounds). All longbows
and recurve fit into this division until the longbow class was formed.
Your string finger must stay against the arrow nock and it must stay
in one position below or above the arrow nock. You may not use a
sight, stabilizer or level on your bow. You can use a rest and button.
All of the arrows must be the same. |
| Longbows (coded LB) is determined
by string not touching the bow limb. A recurve bow string lays on the
limb in a limb grove. Not all longbows meet NFAA rules. Modern
longbows that have a reflex are considered traditional bows not a
longbow. In addition you must use wooden arrows that are all the same. |
| Crossbow (coded CB) is just
that, a crossbow. Crossbows are a new class for NFAA and at present
are only shot at indoor tournaments capable of handling the additional
needs of such equipment. Ranges need fortified bales and may not be
able to handle crossbows. Consult the web site for restrictions. |
Like in the age divisions, you may always move up
and shoot a bow in the next higher style class. For example; you can shoot
a BHFS in FS, allowing you to move your sight pins. In some case you may
forced to shoot in the next higher bow style. Not every bow class is
available in every age division. For example; there is not a Traditional
or Longbow class for Cub, Youth, or Young Adult. Therefore these archers
would most likely sign up for the Barebow division. Below is an age
division chart with available shooting styles.
Pro or Pro Senior
FS
FSL
FSLR
Adult, Senior, Silver Senior or Master
Senior
Can shoot any of the ten classes listed above
Young Adult, Youth or Cub
FS
FSL
BHFS
FSLR
BB
This is not a complete listing of the rules, just
a summary to get you headed in the right bow class. There are many
restrictions such as arrow sizes. For example, many classes require all of
the arrows to be identical including fletching color. See page 28 and 44
of the NFAA rule book for complete details.
Below are a few examples to help you select your
division and bow class:
Age 59, Male, shooting a compound with a long stabilizer,
no sight.
Age code = S
Gender code = M
Bow Style code = BB
Final Code would look like this: S-M-BB
Age 14, Female, shooting a recurve
Age code = Y
Gender code = F
Bow Style code = BB
Final Code would look like this: Y-F-BB
Age 17, Male, shooting a compound with pins and
release aid
AGE code = Y/A
Gender code = M
Bow Style code = BHFS
Final Code would look like this: Y/A-M-BHFS
Remember, it is your responsibility to know your
division and in particular your shooting style and the rules applicable to
your shooting style. This is in addition to the tournament rules and the
rules pertaining to the type of tournament you are shooting, such as
Indoor, Field Shoot or a 3-D. If you are not sure.... ASK!
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