I couldn't say how many times I've heard this story, and I don't think I've ever heard it told the same way twice.
I'd searched the internet for something...ANYTHING, to verify it as fact or fiction. Thanks to some help on where to find a copy, I recently purchased the 4th Edition of the Archer's Digest, which carried the story. It arrived today, and of course I went straight for the one article I bought it for to begin with.
First, there were two archers--not just one. The shot distance was 20 feet. Two bales were set up, where both archers alternated between them, shooting 36 arrows per round. After that, they turned around to shoot at the other target while the arrows were removed from the first. The nocks were left on the arrows, but heated and spread apart to make it less likely for an arrow to glance off.
Not as impressive as most of the versions I've heard, but impressive nontheless.
Now, why did I say "maybe" in the title? Well...you be the judge here. According to the article, one of the archers was using a 40# pull longbow...and (also according to the article) he was getting "about 195 feet per second (fps)" with arrows that weighed (get this) 520 grains! 195 fps with 13 gpp with what looks to be no more than a 28" draw, from a longbow, back in 1985 or 86. Really?
Amost forgot. The total number of arrows fired was 9,025. The total number of "robin hoods" was a combined 347 in a 24 hour period. The most split in one 36 arrow group was four.
Although some of the stats are questionable (195 fps with 13 gpp?????), I reckon this is the best version of the story available. It's certainly the best I've been able to find.
Chad
Impressive! i imagine they were sore for a couple of days! Who was the bowyer of this "magic" bow, and who were the archers?
Thanks for sharing Chad!
Ok Chad who was the person who did it? I've heard it was Arvid sp? The bowyer of Black Swan..?
im sure that chrons. in that timewhere quite as good as we have now. that might have something to do with it. but who knows
I have also read somewhere that it was Arvid D. of Black Swan who had done this deed.I think it was in TBM way back when the first generation of Black Swans were mede that I had read about this, in the bowyer interview section.
So, they were shooting 36 arrows (with modafied nocks) in a target at 20ft and trying to get robin hoods. UH OK! I just don't get the point?
Sounds very expensive to me!
Again, there were two shooters--not just one. One was Arvid, the other was a fellow by the name of Ray Girouard.
Ray had also set another record (by himself) by shooting 10,022 arrows at 9-inch thrown paper discs in 22 hours (he hit more than 8,000 of them according to the article). The range was 10 yds.
Doesn't seem to say which one split how many, just that 347 were split out of 9,025 shots. That's almost 7 arrows split for every 180 shots taken.
QuoteOriginally posted by JOKER:
So, they were shooting 36 arrows (with modafied nocks) in a target at 20ft and trying to get robin hoods. UH OK! I just don't get the point?
Yeah....I don't get it either.
Arrow killing spree? Couldn't get a date?
I reckon the goal was to set a record with a traditional bow. Like most records, I don't see any practical purpose in it.
I posted because of all the different versions I've heard about this event, and wanted to set the record straight...or at least as straight as I could.
Is there a point? I think it may have been just for fun. Haven't y'all ever done something just to see if you can?
Thanks for the info Chad I have wondered about that myself.
I doubt most archers could duplicate this feat given the same circumstances so I guess the point is to have done something that no one has done before and to hold the record.
The article can be read by clicking the links.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f311/vermonster13/split1.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f311/vermonster13/split2.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f311/vermonster13/split3.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f311/vermonster13/split4.jpg
Question:
Does this post refer to how many Robin Hoods a person gets in a single shoot out ? OR does it mean over a period of time etc.?????
The record was two shooters seeing how many they could get in a 24 hour period at a distance of 20 feet, shooting groups of 36 arrows.
"What did it all prove? Two men took their abilities & simple equipment & pushed them to limits never before attempted. They took a fascinating idea from an old Hollywood movie & performed an amazing feat of endurance. And they performed with style & skill. In doing so, they have advanced the sport of archery for us all." Thanks for the link David! Incredible feat!
I have several questions . . .
1. What was the arrow material?
2. Was this a promotional stunt for Black Swan bows? Someone mentioned that they were just at the start of the company, so that makes sense, picture it . . . "Arvid and Ray robin hoods 347 arrows with the brand new Black swan longbow"
3. Is it just me or does this seem like shooting fish in a barrel? 20 feet that is less than 7 yards? Any person can stack arrows at 7 yards, and it you have say 6 arrows within a 1" area, that increases your chances of robin hooding 600%???
Not to down anyones acheivments but I can easily break that record of 8000 9" disks, at ten yards. Now granted Mr Girouard had a 79% hit ratio, I think that could have been better. I would be willing to bet that most of his misses were at the end, but I feel that most archers could do it with at least a 85% hit ratio, but it is like a grand slam, most of us will just simply never try, or cant afford to try, lol
and finally with 347 out of 9025 shots that is less than .04%, which would kinda be expected? I know I am being sceptical, and I dont know if I can do or afford to do better.
I just ran some numbers on this. The stats alone for the # of arrows impressive.
total shots 9025
shots per shooter 4512.5
shots prhr pr shooter 188.02
time pr shot 18.6 sec
rounds shot 250.69
robin hoods per 36 shot round 1.38
amount of weight pulled by one shooter at 40# 90.25 tons (had to do this twice to make sure)
lineal feet of arrows 21,058.33'
Miles of arrow flight 34.18
I like to play with numbers. :)
Cobbow
Good numbers cobbow, makes me tired just to think about it.
The one that got me was the amount of weight that was pulled. OUCH!
Quote1. What was the arrow material?--
Aluminum "T-6 Eliminators"
Quote2. Was this a promotional stunt for Black Swan bows?
-- No. The article says Arvid shot a bow "of his own make", but it says nothing of BS. I doubt BS Archery was in existence at that time. The other fellow shot a Hoyt recurve.
Quote3. Is it just me or does this seem like shooting fish in a barrel? 20 feet that is less than 7 yards? Any person can stack arrows at 7 yards, and it you have say 6 arrows within a 1" area, that increases your chances of robin hooding 600%???
-- Guess it depends on your point of view. To me, shooting a bow for 24 hours with 10-minute breaks (don't know how often the breaks were) is the "feat", not the robin-hoods. I have no doubt there are archers today that could beat that number in less than 24 hours, by themselves. Don't know of any that could keep shooting for 24 hours though. Kinda' like the old dance marathons--the winners wouldn't win any prizes for style, they just managed to stay on their feet for a long time.
QuoteNot to down anyones acheivments but I can easily break that record of 8000 9" disks, at ten yards.
-- That was more impressive to me. I dont' think I could come close to making over 10,000 shots in 22 hours, much less hit anything after the first few hundred. Shooting that many arrows in that time frame would be tougher than you realize. He had to average a shot every 7.9 seconds for 22 hours straight (if I did my math right--22 hours = 1,320 minutes = 79,200 seconds divided by 10,022 shots = 7.9026).
My guess is the biggest obstacle to this record being broken is cost.
Chad
QuoteOriginally posted by LBR:
Not to down anyones acheivments but I can easily break that record of 8000 9" disks, at ten yards.-- That was more impressive to me. I dont' think I could come close to making over 10,000 shots in 22 hours, much less hit anything after the first few hundred. Shooting that many arrows in that time frame would be tougher than you realize. He had to average a shot every 7.9 seconds for 22 hours straight (if I did my math right--22 hours = 1,320 minutes = 79,200 seconds divided by 10,022 shots = 7.9026).
My guess is the biggest obstacle to this record being broken is cost.
Chad
One shot every 7.9 sec for 22 hours, OMG this in its self would kill me. After about 200 arrows or 26.3 min i would be dead or have a 10" draw :saywhat:
Went back and fixed my last post to make it easier to differentiate between what I said and what I quoted.
Chad
QuoteOriginally posted by LBR:
My guess is the biggest obstacle to this record being broken is cost.
Chad
I think that is it. Mainly because I think either he had someone go get his arrows(for the aerial bit) or he had one heck of a pile cause there is no way he went and got his own arrows. So in my opinion it shouldnt count. I know when my buddies and I shoot aerial we shoot past 20 yards, because we want to be realistic for ducks and geese. And we will take turns throwing and shooting, I think one time I had 9 flu flu arrows all together, I bet Ray had about 90???
I calculated my hit percentage this summer for aerial targets at 20 yards, and I was nailin 6/9, which aint bad. There is no question in my mind that it wouldnt be hard. But I think there are people out there that can do better!
Sorry guys...but this one has run way too long already...it has nothing to do with Trad bowhunting....