Range Management
General Range Rules and guidelines:
These rules and guidelines are taken from U.C. Merced's archery team, and may be similar to other range rules elsewhere.
1. Safety officer should be present.
- Your safety officer will be anyone, preferably a trained instructor or team officer equipped with a whistle, who watches the range at all times for danger. They make sure no one is in front/behind of the targets while archers are shooting, and ensure that the archers/bystanders are practicing safe behaviors and actions. The safety officer should be ready to blow the "cease fire" whistle command (4+ rapid blows) if the situation becomes unsafe for the archers and bystanders.
2. Closed toe shoes on the range.
- This is important, especially on outdoor ranges. Although a shoe probably won't stop an arrow, it can help prevent the archer from stepping on sharp objects such as hidden arrows, broken arrow bits, and random objects that may be around the range.
3. No headphones, use of electronic devices while shooting line is active.
- Archers should not have headphones in while practice is going on, especially while on the shooting line. Headphones can restrict an archer's ability to hear safety commands, important information, and coaching advise. Additionally, archers should have their phones put away while on the shooting line for the same reasons. The archer may have their phone out while the shooting line is not active, as long as it does not cause too much of a distraction.
4. No running on the range.
- Archers should not run anywhere around the range. Archers can trip on unseen objects on the ground such as lost arrows, and the archer can damage gear and injure themselves if they are careless around the range. It is safer for everyone on the range to walk whenever they need to move around in order to reduce the risk of injury and damages.
5. Proper safety gear is to be worn while shooting.
- Anyone shooting a bow and arrow should always wear the proper safety gear while on the shooting line. This gear includes a well-fitting armguard on the archer's bow arm, and a well-fitting shooting glove or finger tab on the draw hand. The armguard helps to reduce string slap on the bow arm, which will happen to everyone, and the shooting glove/finger tab helps reduce nerve damage in the fingers, and the string will hurt the archer less.
6. All archers must be aware of safety rules and whistle commands.
- It is important to keep everyone on the same page so everyone knows how to properly act on the range, and react in emergency situations. Everyone follows the same safety commands.
-Whistle Commands:
- 2 whistles: Archers may approach the shooting line, but cannot touch arrows.
- 1 whistle: Archers on the shooting line may nock arrows begin shooting.
- 3 whistles: Shooting has ended and archers may retrieve their arrows.
- 4 whistles: Cease fire! All archers lower their bows without shooting any nocked arrows, put equipment down, and step back behind the shooting line.
7. Leave no trace.
- While on the range, archers should pick up any trash they see in order to keep the range clean for themselves and others. This includes broken arrow bits and food items. The range should be as clean (or cleaner) than you left it.
8. Target or field arrow points only.
- Archers should only use target or field points on their arrows while shooting at the range. Especially with target mats, other types of tips, such as broadheads, can destroy the target, leading to big holes and tears that arrows can pass through and get damaged in.
9. Maximum of four (4) archers per bale.
- During practices, there should not be any more than four archers per bale. Bales can contain four target faces if needed (like in an 18 meter indoor tournament setting), but to avoid over crowding, which can lead to safety issues, extra archers should be made to wait until one of the four spots is open in order to shoot (or until the next shooting line is called).
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