Archery End: Definition, Rules & Scoring

An archery end is a group of arrows, usually three or six, shot in one sequence before archers approach the target to score and retrieve them. Defined officially by the World Archery Federation, it is the fundamental unit that structures every competition round—from a casual practice session to the Olympic stage.

How Many Arrows Are Shot Per End?

The number of arrows in each end depends on the competition format and stage. In most formats, an archery end consists of three to six arrows shot in succession. Some events require as many as twelve arrows per end. In the Olympic ranking round, each athlete shoots 72 arrows across 12 ends of six arrows, with a four-minute time limit per end. In match play, archers shoot three-arrow ends, with each athlete given 20 seconds per arrow.

Shooting outside the allotted time carries a strict penalty: the arrow still counts toward the end, but the archer loses their highest-scoring arrow for that end, which is recorded as a miss. If an archer shoots more arrows than permitted in an end, the same rule applies—only the lowest-scoring arrows are kept.

How Ends Work in Target Archery

In target archery competitions, archers shoot a set number of ends at a fixed distance—commonly 18 or 70 meters. The end scoring archery procedure is tightly regulated: no archer may touch the target, arrows, or bale until all arrows in that end are called and scored. An arrow whose shaft touches the line between two scoring rings is awarded the higher value. Breaking this protocol intentionally results in the arrow being scored in the lower ring; repeated violations lead to disqualification.

Two scorecards are kept per group to ensure accuracy. If the two cards disagree, the lower score is taken. Corrections must be made with a diagonal slash—never an erasure—initialed by the whole group.

How Ends Work in Field Archery

In field archery, archers move through a course and may shoot three arrows at one target before advancing to the next. The archery end structure keeps all competitors shooting the same number of arrows at each station, which is essential for fair scoring across varied terrain. Choosing the right arrow vanes can make a meaningful difference when shooting ends at unknown distances in the field.

Why the End Matters

Breaking a round into discrete ends allows archers to pace themselves, reset their focus between groups, and track cumulative progress shot by shot. Understanding archery end definition and rules is a prerequisite for competing at any organized level.