Laying out a field may not appear to be the most interesting subject but it should be understood why it must be done correctly. So what's so important about a field layout? Well consider this: if you shoot from a position and the target appears to move left or right as it is moved forward to the next target line then what does it suggest? Likewise if the distance varies depending where you are on the shooting line then your score will suffer. Technically, if you set a spotting scope on the line and view your target at, say, 100 yards, then move the target forward to 80 yards, then 60 yards, you should still be able to look through the scope and observe little or no variation in the centring of the target, without adjusting the scope.

To achieve this, accepting that our field is not perfectly flat, the first step in setting up a range is probably the single most important step and that is getting the field square! See figure 1. You want the first but not the second or third option as both may give accurate distance but little else. Both will give the impression that the field is 'wrong'.

So where do we start at the club? Step 1 is get the shooting line corners set. Create a 3-4-5 triangle to get an accurate 90 degree corner. Be particular here as the whole field will rely on the first few steps in set-up. Place a marker peg on each angle point. Got that correct? Good because next we would extend the line (the shooting line) for 55 metres as this is the length of the shooting line for our FITA star. Once again be accurate. 55 metres is 55 metres not 55 plus or minus a little bit because it's windy and the tape blows around! Next repeat the 3-4-5 triangle at the second end of the shooting line. Try to use '10's' of feet, maybe 30, 40, 50 feet to get an accurate corner.

At our club we would now connect the shooting line ends with a strong chord and run the line marker along it. This should give us a decent line as a datum accepting, of course, that our field is not flat and you will begin to see the undulations of the ground.

Next extend the sides for 30 yards and check the distance again across the range. It should still be 55 metres and no more or less. Insert a marker peg. OK?. If 'yes' then we extend the sides up to 100 yards and check the width regularly adding marker pegs to verify that we move neither in or out. Never be tempted to 'jump' too far before checking, 20 metres should be a decent 'step' between checks. This is the fussy bit, but once again the critical bit. Once the measuring is complete, we run the chord, tighten it up and run the liner down the side of the range, then along the farthest target line and down the far side of the range. You should end up with a neat rectangle within which the whole range will be laid out. A tip here is line up the marker pegs visually. You'll soon see if the line is straight!

Now we start with target lines. For the club this is a long spell of lining as we lay all the metric and imperial (metres and yards) lines in one big work day, but we'll cover only as if we were laying for the FITA star so we need 30, 50, 60, 70 and 90 metre target lines. Start with an ACCURATE 30 metres measured from the shooting line. Peg, run the chord across the range and follow with the line marker. Using 30 as the marker now measure another 20 metres to get 50, repeat the peg-chord-liner routine then move next to 60 metres, then 70 metres and finally 90 metres. This job is ideal with three people. 2 with tapes to measure and run the chord and one to run the liner. By now you have the resemblance of a range. NOW the unusual bit. As it's a FITA star and people pay good hard cash to enter then they deserve the best of marking.

The next challenge is the making of 'lane lines'. Helpful in getting lost archers back to the shooting line as shown here, each lane will contain two target positions!

Lane lines are laid every 5 metres across the range which just coincides with 11 lanes for our field! With your intrepid helpers you now measure every 5 metres along both shooting line and most distant target line, run the chord down the length of the range at the first mark then gradually work your way across the width of the range. Measure-chord-pull tight-line, move etc, until the lanes are laid. Ten extra range lane lines in all. NOW the range looks pretty good and you should be able to see why the effort is put in. Your final phase now comes as we need target 'centres' a 'waiting' line a 'tent' line and a '3 metre' line.

Now two of these names need no explanation and it's great fun doing the waiting line as you can go along and disrupt those who are even an inch too close to the shooting line while you're working like blazes to prepare the field (as shown here!). The '3 metre' line is there to indicate the maximum distance an arrow may travel before it is considered as 'shot'. When I started it was an 'imaginary' line and was described roughly as 'if you can touch your arrow with your bow without moving from your position on the shooting line then the arrow is classed as not shot'. I've seen some pretty desperate attempts to touch an arrow with a bow held by the limb tip and an archer distorted to some unimaginable shape which would require chiropractic care for weeks afterwards. Extra work it may be to mark, but the 3 metre line is a little easier than those gymnastics!

Finally target centres. Note the 3 metre line (marked) lane line and target centre. The grey colour will be explained later. You can do a similar task to the lane lines. Have one person at the 90 metre target line and another at the shooting line. Measure 1.25 metres from the range edge at each end for the first position and then 2.5 metres between targets until you get to the end of the shooting line where you should find the last mark is 1.25 metres from the end of the line., Then run the chord, peg-pull and mark as the liner crosses each target line OR still using the chord, have a 'team' of helpers mark the target centres with line marking paint. Remember with 11 lanes and 22 target centres this will be 110 marks to be made! With this job complete you should have a field which looks pretty good and have the confidence that your club will have shown that you care about the accuracy of the range and not only the money which a FITA star brings into the club?

Now the explanation of the 'grey' lines. The club use a growth inhibitor with the first mix white liner. This stunts growth and lasts about 6 months taking us through the summer. All we need is to refresh the lines when required. Thanks must go to our male model 'Charlie' and lastly you will be able to boast a pair of shoes which become line-marking-magnets and you then have 'cred' with other line marking professionals.