Shooting Styles

Muttley Crew Archers

What are Shooting Styles?

The range of shooting styles in NFAS can be a little intimidating at first, this page provides a quick overview of the options. Styles are defined by the bow type, arrow materials, method of aim and shot release. Each choice has its own advantages and challenges.

For a definitive list of the requirements of each style see:  NFAS Shooting Styles 

American Flatbow (AFB)
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American Flatbow (AFB)

American Flatbow (AFB) is a traditional wooden bow shot using wooden arrows. You shoot instinctively or by gap shooting and the bow must have a straight grip and flat limbs.

It looks a bit like a traditional English longbow but has wider, flatter limbs and a more defined shape, usually with a shelf to rest the arrow.

Key points:

  • Bow must be made of wood or laminated wood (no metal risers).
  • Only wooden arrows with feather fletchings are allowed.
  • You can’t use a sight, stabilizer, clicker, or elevated rest.
  • The bow is shot off the shelf (no arrow rests).
  • Split-finger, mediterranean release only

It’s all about traditional style and simplicity — a pure, instinctive form of archery that relies on skill, feel, and consistency.

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Barebow (BB)

Barebow is shooting a modern recurve bow without a sight and with limited stabilisers. You can shoot aluminium or carbon arrows, and the bow can have adjustable limb bolts and a metal riser. 

Unlike traditional styles, you can use a raised arrow rest and a plunger button to help tune your setup. String walking is not allowed, only three-under or split-finger releases can be used.

Key features:

  • Recurve bow (metal or wood riser allowed)
  • No sights or clicker, single stabiliser only
  • Plunger buttons and arrow rests allowed
  • Any arrow type (carbon, aluminium, or wood)
  • You aim by instinct or gap – no string walking
  • Index finger must touch the nocking point

Barebow allows for modern tuning and materials, while still keeping the challenge of aiming without sights.

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Bow Hunter (BH)

Bowhunter uses a compound bow with no sights or scopes. You shoot using just your fingers and rely on instinct or gap shooting to aim.

It’s a modern bow with traditional-style shooting.

Key features:

  • Compound bow only
  • No sights or scopes
  • No stabilizers
  • No release aids — split-finger release only
  • Arrow rest allowed
  • Carbon, aluminium, or wood arrows are all permitted

Bowhunter combines the power and efficiency of a compound bow with the challenge of bare, instinctive shooting.

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Compound Limited (CL)

In Compound Limited you use a compound bow with a sight, but you must shoot with fingers, not a mechanical release. 

You can use a simple pin sight without magnification and can also use stabilisers.

Key features:

  • Compound bow only
  • Sight allowed, but no magnification
  • Split-finger release only (no mechanical releases)
  • Stabilisers
  • Any arrow type (carbon, aluminium, or wood)
  • Clickers, peep sights, and basic aiming aids allowed within limits

Compound Limited offers precision aiming with a compound bow, while keeping some traditional elements by requiring finger shooting.

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Freestyle (FS)

Freestyle uses a recurve bow with a sight, stabilizers, and finger release. 

You can fine-tune your shot using advanced aiming methods like string walking or face walking, and you’re allowed to use carbon, aluminium, or wood arrows.

Key features:

  • Recurve bow only (no compound)
  • Sight allowed (fixed or adjustable)
  • Stabilizers allowed (no length restriction)
  • Finger release only (no mechanical releases)
  • String walking / face walking allowed
  • Any arrow type (carbon, aluminum, wood)

Freestyle is the most “Olympic-style” class in NFAS but without the use of a clicker.

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Hunting Tackle (HT)

Hunting Tackle is a wooden or laminated recurve bow, shot off the shelf with wooden arrows and no sights or stabilisers. 

You shoot using your fingers and aim by gap or instinct without modern tuning or aiming aids.

Key features:

  • Recurve bow made of wood or laminated wood
  • No sights, stabilisers, or clickers
  • Must shoot wooden arrows with feather fletchings
  • Shot off the shelf or with a limited rest only
  • Split-finger release only

Hunting Tackle blends the look and feel of a hunting bow with the simplicity of traditional archery.

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Longbow (LB)

This style requires shooting a single piece or laminated wooden bow that’s roughly the same height as the archer with with no shelf or arrow rest and no sight marks or aiming aids of any kind. 

It must be an English longbow with oval or D-shaped cross-section. Arrows must be wooden, with feather fletchings, and are shot off the back of the bow hand using a mediterranean draw.

Key features:

  • Traditional wooden longbow (one-piece or laminated)
  • No arrow shelf or rest of any kind
  • No sights, stabilisers, or modern aids
  • Wooden arrows only, with feathers
  • Spilt-finger release only

This is the most “old-school” archery style in NFAS, celebrating historical and traditional archery skills.

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Primitive (PV)

Primitive requires a self bow or authentic replica of an historical bow – although bows conforming to the LB style cannot be used.

Arrows must be wooden, self-nocked, with natural feather fletchings. The bow must have no shelf, no modern accessories, and is shot off the hand.

Key features:

  • Self bows or traditional replica bows only
  • No modern laminates, glass, or risers
  • No sights, rests, or stabilisers
  • Wooden arrows with feathers required
  • Arrows cannot use plastic nocks
  • Must be shot off the hand
  • All finger releases are allowed

Primitive is all about the roots of archery — raw, traditional, and skill-focused, using gear that could have existed centuries or even millennia ago.

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Traditional Bow Hunter (TBH)

Traditional Bowhunter (TBH) includes any style of bow, except compound and crossbow, shot with non-wooden arrows and no modern accessories.

TBH bows may have a shelf but no rest. Arrows are shot from a shelf or off the hand only and must have feather fletchings.

Key features:

  • Any bow except compounds and crossbows
  • Non-wooden arrows with feather fletchings
  • Shot off the shelf (no elevated rest or plunger)
  • No sights, stabilisers, or modern aiming aids
  • Finger releases only with the index touching the nocking point

Traditional Bowhunter emphasises authenticity and field-style shooting, keeping things simple and skill-based but using modern arrow shaft materials.

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Thumb Draw (TD)

Thumb Draw uses a traditional-style bow (like a horsebow or Asiatic bow) with no sights, shot using the thumb release instead of the fingers.

The arrow is typically placed on the right side of the bow (for right-handed archers), and archers may use a thumb ring or thumb tab for protection.

Key features:

  • Traditional-style bow (e.g. horsebow, Scythian, Mongolian)
  • Thumb release only — no finger release allowed
  • Arrow placed on the outside of the bow 
  • No sights, stabilizers, or modern accessories
  • Any arrow type allowed (wood, carbon, or aluminium)
  • May shoot off the hand or shelf, depending on bow design

Thumb Draw celebrates historical Eastern archery traditions, offering a unique and technical shooting style focused on fast, efficient release.

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Traditional Crossbow (TXB)

TXB uses a crossbow with no sights, scopes, or modern accessories. You must aim using instinct or basic visual alignment, and the crossbow must be cocked by hand — no cranks or cocking devices allowed.

The design should reflect traditional or primitive crossbows, keeping it simple and skill-based.

Key features:

  • Crossbow only (must be of a traditional style)
  • No sights or scopes
  • No magnification or aiming aids
  • Must be cocked by hand (no cocking aids, cranks, or levers)
  • Wooden bolts with feather fletchings
  • Shot instinctively or with gap shooting

Traditional Crossbow is about going back to basics — relying on feel, consistency, and historical-style shooting rather than modern technology.

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Unlimited (UL)

Unlimited allows you to use a compound bow with all the modern accessories — including sights with magnification, stabilizers of any length, and a mechanical release aid.

It’s the most high-tech style in NFAS, designed for those who want to shoot with the highest level of accuracy.

Key features:

  • Compound bow only
  • Magnified sights and scopes allowed
  • Mechanical release aids allowed
  • Stabilisers of any length allowed
  • Any arrow type (carbon, aluminium, wood)

Unlimited is for archers who want to use everything modern archery has to offer, pushing the limits of accuracy and technology within the NFAS framework.

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Crossbow (XB)

XB allows you to use a modern crossbow with telescopic or red dot sights, and you’re allowed to use cranks or cocking devices to draw the string.

It’s the most accessible and high-tech crossbow style in NFAS.

Key features:

  • Crossbow only
  • Any type of sight allowed, including scopes and red dots
  • Cocking aids allowed (e.g. rope cockers, cranks)
  • Any bolt material (carbon, aluminium, etc.)
  • Shot from a rest or bipod only if the bow is designed for it

XB is perfect for archers who prefer a modern, accurate setup and want to focus on consistency and precision at all distances.