Blackbird column (February 2026)
Hello and welcome back, archers, and it is good to be back in the woods, as I recently took to Redfox Archers for the first 3D shoot of the year, and it was brilliant to be back in the woods…
Tag 3D archery
Blackbird Column (April 2026)
Hello and welcome back, archers. Well, the European Indoor Archery Championships 2026 came, it saw, and it conquered the hearts and minds of us all, I think it is safe to say, and maybe our nerves also 🙂. For a…
Why Arrows Plane: The Hidden Aerodynamics Behind Left and Right Drift
Why does an arrow that leaves the bow with a clean report begin to plane left or right before it meets the mark? I set that question beside a scarred ash shaft on my kitchen table; the pile had cut…
Mud, Rain, Blood Sugar – The Physical Reality of Outdoor Shoots
What does a long outdoor shoot truly test once the arrow leaves the fingers: aim alone, or a whole body kept in pact with weather, food, ground, recovery, patience? A wet scorecard asks that question better than any lecture hall.…
The Archer After the Miss: Shame, Anger, and the Second Arrow
What should an archer do with the arrow that has already gone wrong, while the next one lies cold against the fingers? A cedar shaft sits high in the grass beyond the boss, its fletching tilted like a wounded bird.…
The Last Walk to the Peg: Fear Before Competitive Shooting
What happens to an archer in the last walk to the peg, when the shot has already entered the pulse before the bow rises? The peg looks small enough to vanish beneath a boot heel, yet it governs a whole…
A Lego Guide to 3D Archery
For those Unfamiliar with 3D Archery, or those who just like a bit of Lego:
ETO 2027: Ireland Takes Aim
Last Christmas, we had the great pleasure of announcing that ETO 2027 is coming to Ireland—news that fills all of us with real excitement. Ireland now joins the wider TAI family with anticipation and hope, and with pride too: pride…
Bowhunters in the North
Once a year, Ballyvally Archers hosts a singular type of competition that exemplifies the enjoyment found in the sport: the Mulligan Hunting Trail. Whilst hunting Frank Mulligan is not the aim of the competition – and just as well as,…
Colum Cille 3D 2025
I was excited to be back at Ballywalter for a couple of reasons, one of which was because of the new species of pheasant introduced to the estate. This species is known as Reeve’s Pheasant and comes from China. And…
No Comfort Zone For Next 24 Targets
As the fictious, famed Chaos Theorist and open shirt enthusiast, Dr Ian Malcom, once said, “Hang on, this is going to be bad.” 3D Archery is not like Field Archery, and very far removed from Target Archery. Each of the…
Blackbird Column
Hello, Crackers and Archery enthusiasts! I hope you are well. So, did any of you get to the Setu Arena for the recent IFAF National Indoor Championships..?I was there, and I must say that it was awesome and a great…...
Smack my controversy Column
