Are you an airgunner? Do you like small game hunting and wish you had more time to go out into the field? Then, you may love Airgun Field Target. If you don’t know about field target, then you need to check out AAFTA. It’s a great sport, and you don’t need to travel or spend a ton of cash on high-end airguns to enjoy it. Today, we’ll look at setting up a fun backyard FT course.
The Targets
Field target targets are facsimiles of small game like squirrels, rats, rabbits, crows, and other fun targets. Here are some links to our targets for your review:
FT matches are set up in lanes with multiple targets per lane that are spaced out at various distances and angles. Additionally, each lane may require specific shooting positions such as prone, kneeling, sitting, or standing. You can read the various rules for each class on the AAFTA website because they can vary.
A typical match may have 24 targets. That’s a lot of cash to spend for a backyard practice area, so let’s talk about how you can make the most with just a handful.
A Sample Backyard Layout
Let’s say you picked up 3 or 4 targets; how can you make the most of those targets and still make things challenging and fun? Rather than having multiple targets per lane, you can set multiple lanes per target, and if you are looking to use your backyard course for true FT practice, then specifying different shooting positions per target may be the best way to go.
Additionally, depending on the size of the kill zone, you can vary the distance. So, setting a small kill zone for your first target and varying the distances and shooting positions could make for some really challenging conditions.
Make it Social
One of the best aspects of Field Target is the social comradery around the sport. Sure, all the shooters are competing against each other to be the top dog, but it’s all in fun. Once you get your backyard FT range up and going, inviting friends and family to come and shoot with you is a great way to relax and have fun and introduce more people to this great part of the sport.
Shooting Gear
Once you start looking into FT, you’ll find that the gear can get really expensive. And to be truly competitive, it may take a significant investment not only in the gear but also in time and energy to practice and travel to sanctioned events. But you don’t need to start at the high end to have a good time. The wonderful reality is that even the entry-level PCP airguns shoot more than consistently enough to give the high-end guns a run for their money. Here are some great examples:
Just to name a few. It’s important that whatever you choose complies with the maximum power output for whatever FT discipline you want to shoot. Also, remember that the basic “hobby” targets mentioned above can’t take much of a pounding, so you’ll want to shoot under 20 foot-pounds to make sure that they will last for a while.
To learn more about all the “official” rules for energy, optics, scoring, shooting positions, rest options, etc., please be sure to visit the official AAFTA website. And once you know what version of field target interests you the most and you’re ready to get some gear, just give us a call, and we’ll help you pull together the perfect setup for your needs and your budget.
