The Archery Range is located southwest of the Main Battlefield, beyond Oversized Parking. It is not visible from the main campground areas. The flag at the top of Mount Eislinn no longer exists, we now use a QR code to send you to a Facebook page to indicate when the range is open or if special conditions exist. Look for the signs with the QR code posted at the bus stops. We will be updating the information regularly.  

There is regular bus service to the range starting at 9 am. We try very hard to be handicapped-friendly, but the range is extremely hilly. Also, please wear protective gear on your feet, due to the possibility of poison ivy, rocks, and other natural field conditions present on the ranges.

Please come out and enjoy some challenging shoots,  regardless of which side you favor.  We will be keeping score, and you may shoot each set of targets for points up to five times apiece during war week at Pennsic. The practice range and the family range will be set up as well. 

We are looking forward to seeing everyone back on the archery range this year!

Need a refreshment on the archery field? Come swing by the archery populace tent! We’ll have shade, snacks, and Gatorade! Like everything at Pennsic, we run on Volunteers! If you would like to give back to the community and be an attendant at the tent, please sign up to help!

Inspections

  • All archers wishing to shoot during Pennsic must bring their equipment to the archery range and have it inspected before they are allowed to shoot.
  • Several people may use the same equipment, but each archer must be inspected with that equipment.
  • Each archer and their equipment need only be inspected once during War.
  • To ensure the highest amount of safety, there will be no in-camp inspections allowed at Pennsic; all equipment must be brought to the archery marshals’ tent on the archery range for inspections. Thank you for your cooperation.

Activities / Hours

Peace Week

Range set up: Monday, July 28 at 9:30 am, you do not need to be in garb for this, it’s dirty work,
and we have a lot of equipment to move. Bring water, sunscreen, and good shoes.

Because so many people want to be able to shoot during “Peace Week”, we will have a portion of the Archery Range officially open on July 30 – August 1 (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday), from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm each day for practice and Royal Rounds. These peace week hours will allow more archery fun for all.

To keep Peace Week archery going, we will need marshals to help staff the additional six 2-hour shifts. We would need a minimum of 4 marshals each shift. If you can, please consider volunteering some of your time or recruiting a marshal to help out.

All target archery marshals must attend any one of the marshals’ orientation meetings listed in the Pennsic Thing (under Archery Track). Anyone wishing to be a Marshal In Training (MIT) is welcome and encouraged to attend. Most meetings are located in the Archery Marshal’s tent on the archery range and are roughly an hour long.

War Week

During War Week, the Archery Range and Family Range will be open from 9 am – 5 pm (in general).

On Wednesday, August 6, the range will be closed for the Archery Champions’ War Point shoot.

On Friday, August 8, the range is open at 9 for the last war point shoot and closes for tear down at 1 pm. From 1 pm on, we pack everything up, and we need and greatly appreciate volunteer help to get it done. We’re all a bit tired by the end of the war, and appreciate your assistance so that this big job is done by as many as possible.

Practice for the Populace War Point Shoot

War Point practice ranges will be open starting Sunday, August 3, from 9 – 11 am.

Youth Archery

Our younger archers (age 14 and under) are welcome and encouraged to practice on the practice ranges and take part in novelty shoots. Youth may shoot by themselves following Pennsic youth rules, and at the marshals’ discretion. Parents or other responsible parties may assist youth needing help on the shooting line, again at the marshal’s discretion. Everyone follows the same rules and may shoot the Populace War Points. Check out Pennsic University Thing for shoots that might be of special interest to younger archers.

Classes, Tournaments, Novelty Shoots

Regular war week activities for War Points for archery are the three populace shoots: Castle Clout Shoot, Advancing Soldier Shoot, and the Castle Window Shoot; and the Pennsic Archery Champions war point. Archers will have the opportunity to shoot each of the populace War Points up to a maximum of 5 times (once for each War Point day). If an archer wanted, they could shoot all their War Points in one day by shooting the Castle Clout Shoot 5 times, the Castle Window Shoot 5 times and the Advancing Soldier Shoot 5 times.

Archery War Points
The Pennsic Populace Archery War Points will consist of three separate shoots. The winning alliance for each shoot will be determined by the total number of points tallied by archers throughout the War. Scores will be tallied each day and posted in the Marshals Tent.

Archery Equipment Standards

  1. Bows
    1. No compound bows are allowed.
    2. Adjustable or fixed sights may not be attached to hand bows. Marks on limbs are allowed.
    3. There are no draw weight limits for target archery bows.
    4. No modern spring/flipper rests or plunger buttons are allowed.
      1. Wire rests are not allowed.
      2. Simple, one-piece plastic attachable rests are allowed.
      3. Plastic or nylon bristle rests are allowed.
    5. Bow straps are allowed.
    6. No stabilizers, clickers, or modern string release devices are allowed.
    7. Bows with cut-out risers (i.e., those you can see through from the side) must have the openings covered so as to present a solid surface and an appearance more in keeping with medieval archery.
    8. Bows made of PVC are not allowed.
  2. Crossbows
    1. No center-shot or split prod styles are allowed.
    2. No compound prods or break-cocking styles are allowed.
    3. No ballistae of any kind are allowed on the archery range.
    4. Rear peep sights may be attached, but front sights are not allowed.
    5. Limb coverings are not required.
    6. Slings may be attached to the bow, but may not be used as an aid in shooting.
    7. Stocks made from any material other than wood must be covered and any cut outs (other than the hole that secures the prod to the stock, the binding bridle) that you can see through from the profile must be filled and/or covered to appear more in keeping with medieval archery.
  3. Strings
    1. All strings must be appropriate for the bow type and weight.
      1. Strings may not be constructed of material prone to failure, such as natural sinew or gut.
      2. Linen, silk, and artificial sinew strings are acceptable if they are constructed properly.
      3. Strings that have become knotted or those that have been repaired by knotting strands together are not allowed. This rule does not forbid those string designs that incorporate knots in their original design.
    2. A nocking point may be attached to the string.
      1. Both metal and tied-on nocking points are acceptable.
      2. A single nocking point is allowed. The nocking point may consist of one or two locators, which may be of any type.
      3. The locators may not extend above or below the arrow nock in such a way as to allow them to be used as sighting mechanisms.
    3. String silencers may be used.
    4. It is strongly recommended that the ends of the string be served, and that a serving cover the nocking area of the string. It should be noted that Japanese and Flemish style strings, which are rarely served at the ends, are acceptable.
    5. Metal crimps on strings are not allowed on bows over 15 pounds, and then only for youth. (See exceptions below.) Peep sights mounted on the strings are not allowed.
  4. Arrows and Bolts
    1. All shafts shall be of wood.
    2. No broadheads or tips that cause excessive damage to targets shall be used.
    3. Fletching:
      1. Arrows shall be fletched with natural feathers, or any period material, no plastic vanes
      2. Bolts may be fletched with any period material.
    4. Nocks for arrows may be of any material.
    5. End caps, rings, or wrapping are not required for crossbow bolts.
  5. Miscellaneous Equipment
    1. Any type of quiver may be used, with the exception of those that attach to the bow.
    2. It is strongly recommended that an arm guard or bracer be worn.
    3. A glove or finger tab may be used.
    4. All equipment should adhere to the spirit of medieval archery.
  6. Exceptions!
    1. Exceptions to these rules may be granted by the Archery General of Æthelmearc, Captain General of Archers East Kingdom, Deputy Earl Marshal for Target Archery Middle Kingdom, Pennsic Archery Coordinator, or their designated deputies.