Bowhunters of Alabama Tournament Rules
A) Illegal Equipment in Classes
:
- Sighting reference on the sight window in Barebow, Recurve and Longbow Divisions.
B) Equipment:
- Any manufactured bow legal in the State of Alabama for hunting may be used in all divisions. (Except Recurve & Longbow Division, which must use recurve or longbows).
- Maximum speed in all classes to be a maximum of 280 fps (feet per second) with a 3% variance.
- Sights with fixed pins, beads or cross hairs may be used in all Bowhunter Divisions.
- Sights may not be moved or adjusted during the tournament, except for equipment failure.
- Sights may not have range finding devices.
- Contestants shooting with a moveable sight will shoot the Men's or Women's Open Division
- Juniors, Youth and Cub Divisions may shoot moveable sights.
- Stabilizers may be used on all bows (except recurves and longbows).
- Men's & Women's Bowhunter Divisions shall not be more than 12" in length from its tip to the bow including extensions, weights and coupling devices.
- All other Adult, Junior, Youth, and Cub Divisions may shoot any type or length.
- May be used in all Divisions (except Recurve, Longbow, & Limited Divisions).
- Must be those legal for hunting in Alabama.
- Leveling devices
- Lighted sights
- Camo patterns on sight window of the bow
- Overdraws
- Magnifying sights in all Divisions where sights are legal (except Bowhunter Divisions)
- Binoculars
C) All Equipment - particularly those not covered above must be brought to the BHA State Committee before beginning the tournament for judgment of legality.
D) Equipment Failure Procedure: The shooter will be allowed to replace or repair equipment, shoot a few arrows in the practice area, and then be allowed to resume shooting. The shooters group will wait for the shooter to return. A maximum of 30 minutes will be allowed for replacement or repair. Shooters may only use this rule once per tournament.
E) The State Tournament Committee Consist of:
- One member from each BHA Chapter (to be appointed by their respective Chapter).
- One (1) additional member from the host Chapter.
- The State BHA President will be Chairman. His Responsibilities include:
- To serve as Safety Officer as the State Tournament.
- To settle any disputes over the rules of other tournament procedures, to include protests.
- To help set-up the shooting range for the State Tournament.
- To assist the host Chapter with advertising the State Tournament.
- To assist the host Chapter with the State Tournament.
- To set stakes in group of four (4) for opposite ranges
F) Range and Targets:
- The distance from the shooting stake to the target shall be unknown (unmeasured).
- ONE RED SHOOTING STAKE: Maximum forty two (42) yards for: Open, Senior Open, Freestyle Unlimited & Limited
ONE GREEN SHOOTING STAKE: Maximum thirty five (35) yards for: Senior Bowhunter, Bowhunter, Barebow,and Barebow Limited.
ONE BLUE SHOOTING STAKE: Maximum twenty five (25) yards for: Recurve, Longbow, and Juniors.
ONE ORANGE SHOOTING STAKE: Maximum fiftenn (15) yards for: Youth.
ONE WHITE SHOOTING STAKE: Maximum five (5) yards for: Cubs.
- The range will be laid out to elimate the possibility of a "wild arrow" hitting anyone on a marked trail or behind any other target.
- A complete scoring round shall consist of twenty five (25) targets.
- All targets shall be 3D animal targets or manufactured six pound ethofoam animal targets.
- Targets shall be placed to resemble normal hunting conditions with as little disturbance as possible to the undergrowth and cover.
- Targets shall be placed at reasonable hunting distances.
- Shooters shall not walk directly from the shooting stake to the target, to avoid disturbing undergrowth and cover. A marked path will be provided.
- There shall be no moving targets.
- Shots shall be fair to all shooters (right or left handed, short or tall, etc)
- Targets shall be set so they do not move or come loose during the tournament. If they do, shooters may cease shooting and seek help from the Range Captain.
- Targets shall not be placed at extreme angles which put the kill zones in unrealistic positions.
- A practice range shall be provided with an official to signal Shoot or Pull.
- Two (2) ranges shall be provided of twenty five (25) 3D targets each. Men's Open, Men's Unlimited and Men's Bowhunter shall shoot one range, all other classes will shoot the other.
- Targets shall have unmarked "McKenzie like" kills.
G) Age Groups:
- Men and Women: Age 16 or older.
- Junior: Age 13-15. Male and Female to compete together. Juniors may volunteer for appropriate adult division.
- Youth: Age 9-12. Male and Female to compete together. Youth may volunteer for the Junior Division.
- Cubs: Age 8 and under. Male and Female to compete together.
- Seniors: Age 50 and older.
H) Divisions of Shooting:
- Men's & Women's Open -Red Stake. Shoot what you bring. 280 fps speed limit.
- Men's & Women's Senior Open - Red Stake. 50 years and over. 280 fps speed limit.
- Men's & Women's Unlimited - Red Stake. Release with fixed pins.
- Men's & Women's Limited - Red Stake. Fingers with any sight.
- Men's & Women's Bowhunter - Green Stake. Fixed pins. 100 grain field points (minimum). Stabilizer (12" or shorter).
- Men's & Women's Barebow - Green Stake. Use any legal BHA equipment (including release). No sights, sight related equipment or sight references.
- Men's & Women's Barebow Limited - Green Stake. Use any legal BHA equipment No release aid. No sights, sight related equipment or sight references.
- Men's & Women's Recurve - Blue Stake. Must use recurve or longbow (no compound). No sights, sight related equipment, sight reference or release aid. Shooter must hold string with fingers. Tab or glove O.K.
- Juniors - Blue Stake. Shoot what you bring.
- Youth - Orange Stake. Shoot what you bring.
- Cubs - White Stake. Shoot what you bring.
I) Classes:
- Men's Open, Men's Unlimited and Men's Bowhunter shall have two (2) Classes. Master and "AA", which shall be determined as follows:
- The Master Class shall be comprised of the top 50% of the shooters by score.
- The "AA" Class shall be comprised of the remaining 50% of the shooters by socre.
- If the class percentages result in a fraction, the fraction will be dropped from the upper class. (Example: If there are 15 shooters in a division where 50% of the shooters should be in Masters and 50% in "AA", there would be seven shooters in Masters and eight in "AA").
- In case of ties at the bottom of a class, all shooters with that score shall move into the higher class. Using the above example, if there are two shooters tied with seventh best score, both will move into the Masters class.
- All other divisions shall have at least one Masters class.
J) Scoring:
- One arrow shall be shoot at each target.
- Scoring of an arrow shall be as follows:
- If the arrow is touching or inside the 12 ring, it will score 12 points.
- If the arrow is touching or inside the 10 ring, it will score 10 points
- If the arrow touches the outer line or penetrates any vital area of the target, it will score 8 points.
- If the arrow penetrates any other area of the target, it will score 5 points.
- If the arrow misses completely, it will score zero (0).
- If the arrow is observed to pass through or bounce out of the target, it will count as observed of everyone in the group agrees, excluding the shooter. If everyone in the group does not agree, the arrow is dead and another must be shot.
- The arrow must be in the target to score (expect for a pass through or glance off). Glance off arrows score zero (0).
- On short yardage targets, after two shooters have shot, their arrow may be scored and pulled in order to prevent other arrows from possibly glancing off into a lower scoring area. Arrows must be scored before being pulled from the targets.
K) Grouping:
- No more than five (5) shooters to a group, with a Group A and B if necessary.
- Each person must shoot in thier group as assigned.
- Once a group arrives at the target and the target is clear, the first shooter has two (2) minutes at the stake to shoot. Each shooter is in the "On Deck Circle" (located 1-2 yards behind the shooter stake) has one (1) minute to shoot his/her arrow.
- Groups will consist of members of the same division, if possible.
- Juniors will shoot with adult supervision. Youth and Cubs must be with one of his/her parents or someone who will be responsible for the youth or cub.
- Each group will consist of shooters from various Chapters as much as possiblel i.e., No one group will consist of all members from one Chapter.
- The Host Chapter will appoint group captains whose responsibilities include:
- Scoring of arrows before they are pulled from the target and overall shooting.
- To observe all arrows as they are shot to determine if the hit, miss, shoot through, glance off, or bounce out of the target.
- To establish the shooting order of the group.
- To make sure the rules are followed by the group.
- To make sure safety rule are observed by the group.
- To settle minor disputes which may arise within the group.
- To make sure each target is left in the same position as found and to reset the target if necessary.
L) Shooting Rules:
- Some part of the shooters body must touch the shooting stake.
- The shooter may stand in any direction form the stake.
- The shooter shall not break or remove any vegetation from around the shooting stake.
- If the shooters release fires before coming to full draw, that arrow will be a dead arrow (not count as a scoring arrow) and another arrow shall be shot.
- No coaching or discussion of the distance before the target is shot.
M) Trophies:
- The trophies shall be paid for by the Hosting Chapter.
- Trophies are given in each class as follows:
- Four shooters - Three trophies
- Three shooters - Two trophies
- Two shooters or less - One trophy.
- Trophies for respective places in all classes shall be the same size and appearance.
N) Starting Time:
- The Host Chapter shall be responsible for setting the Starting Time for the BHA State Tournament, and shall make sure the tournament starts on time. BHA State Tournament must be held the second weekend in August.
O) Safety Rules:
- Arrows shall be shot ONLY at the targets (exception: equipment failure).
- There shall be no target directly behind the practice area, other targets or trails.
- Targets must be shot in numerical order without any break.
- A shooter may draw their bow only from the shooting stake toward the target as long as the target is clear.
- Shooters shall stay on or near marked trails.
- At least one member of a group must stand in front of a target while members of the group search for arrows.
- Target trails from one target to another shall never be used for two-way traffic.
P) Profits:
- 10% of profits are to go to Bowhunters of Alabama, Inc. After the Host Chapter receives $1500 in profits.
Q) Maximum Yardage of each Stake:
- White - 5 yards.
- Orange - 15 yards.
- Blue - 25 yards.
- Green - 35 yards.
- Red - 42 yards.