General Rules

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The below rules shall apply to each shoot unless otherwise noted in the rules of a specific shoot.

  1. NFAA Rule on Sportsmanship and Conduct

    • No alcoholic beverages or controlled substance (drugs) may be carried or consumed on any range or practice area during shooting hours at any NFAA sanctioned or owned tournament. Anyone caught breaking this rule will be immediately disqualified and not allowed to complete the tournament.
    • Littering the grounds of any tournament will not be permitted. Host will provide trash receptacles. Please keep our ranges clean.
    • Un-sportsmanlike conduct on the ranges or tournament grounds will not be tolerated.
    • A competitor not following the established tournament rules, improper conduct, or creating a safety hazard, may be disqualified immediately. Disciplinary actions from warnings to disqualifications are at the Tournament Chairman's direction.
    • Verbal abuse or slander directed toward a Tournament Official or another shooter will result in immediate disqualification of the shooter from the tournament.
    • Any disqualification of a competitor should be documented in a written report that is signed by the Tournament Chairman, following the completion of the day's events. The report will be available for review by the Tournament Committee.
    • The use of personal stereo or radio equipment for music or self-coaching is not permitted while on the shooting line in competition or official practice.
  2. Age Group/Birthday:

    • The correct age group shall be determined on a per shoot basis.
    • The archer’s age as of the date of the tournament determines the age group for that shoot and any subsequent shoot.
    • Any archer who has a birthday during a multi-day tournament will be allowed to complete that tournament in the age group that archer started the tournament in.
    • Effective on Shooter of the Year:
      • An archer may win shooter of the year in an age group that he/she no longer competes in, provided all shooter of the year rules are met (i.e. win CMBHFS shooter of the year even though moved up to YMBHFS during the middle of the year)
  3. Late Fee:

    • The tournament fee listed on the website for each tournament is the early registration fee. To receive this early registration fee, the archer must pay the tournament fee prior to the day of the tournament by either paying online through PayPal or mailing a check per the instructions when registering.
    • Any archer who (i) registers the day of the tournament or (i) registers online but does not remit payment prior to the day of the tournament will be charged an extra $5.
  4. Late Arrival To Statewide Tournaments:

    • Any archer, whether pre-registered on not, must be in the event registration line a ½ hour prior to the start of the tournament.
    • Any archer who arrives after this time will not be able to participate in the tournament. A refund shall be issued after the tournament concludes.
  5. Scoring:

    • The target group will select a score caller, two scorekeepers, and a target captain. The target captain shall be the judge of disputed arrows on his/her target. When a captain’s arrows are in question, the majority of the group shall decide the status of the target captain’s arrows. When a line judge has been appointed by the tournament director and an appeal is made to the line judge, the line judge’s call will be final. All arrows must be called and scored before a judge can be called upon to make final call on any questionable arrow (s).
  6. Shooting Two Lines:

    • One blast of the whistle, archers come to shooting line; on second delayed blast of the whistle, archers will begin shooting.
    • Two blasts of the whistle all archers will score arrows.
    • Three blasts of the whistle, line will stop shooting. (This will be used in the event of a hanging arrow, emergency, etc.)
  7. Equipment Failure:

    • In the event of equipment failure, the archer will step back off the shooting line and raise his bow. The Range Captain will check the equipment failure.
    • The archer will have fifteen minutes repair time without holding up the tournament. When the archer returns to the shooting line, one practice end will be allowed.
    • The archer shall be allowed to shoot any arrows he or she did not shoot during the fifteen minutes repair time, after the final end.
  8. Stance:

    • An archer shall stand so that he has one foot on either side of the shooting line.
  9. Mis-shot Arrows:

    • This is an arrow that goes completely over the 10-foot line which is marked on the floor. (This line is 10 feet in front of the shooting line.) If an arrow does not go completely over the 10-foot line, another arrow may be shot in its place.
  10. Bounce Out and Pass-Through Arrows:

    • All witnessed bounce-out and/or pass-through arrows will be re-shot after the final end, as well any other make up arrows.
  11. Double Scoring:

    • There will be Double Scoring.
  12. Equipment:

  13. Quiver:

    • All archers will either have a quiver on his person or bow or a ground quiver. No arrows will be permitted in pockets or lying on the floor.
  14. Score Cards:

    • Every archer is responsible to check the tally on his scorecard and the information marked on the front of his scorecard before signing the card. Any discrepancy will cause archer to be disqualified.
  15. Challenges:

    • Any shooter who wishes to make a formal challenge may do so:
      • For mail-in tournaments by filling out the petition form located on the website within 48-hours of the scores being posted. A fee of $20 must be paid online when filling out this form. A ruling will be made by the five members of the OAA Rules Committee within 24-hours of receipt. Should the ruling be in favor of the protestor, the protestor will receive a $20 refund.
      • For statewide tournaments by filling out a formal petition form located at the registration table within fifteen minutes from the conclusion of the shooters applicable shooting line. A fee of $20 must be paid at the time the form is turned in. A ruling will be made by the five members of the OAA Rules Committee or if not present, 5 members of the OAA Board within a timely manner once all members of the Rules Committee are able to meet. Should the ruling be in favor of the protestor, the protestor will receive a $20 refund. A sample of the protest form.
    • Should a member of the Rules Committee be a party to the protest, that member shall be replaced with an impartial OAA Board Member for that challenge.
    • All rulings are final once ruled on by the OAA Rules Committee.

Revised (12-23-2015)

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