Target shooting for the vision impaired uses standard shooting equipment with a special electronic audio aiming device fitted to the gun. The aiming device detects the point of aim of the gun relative to the target and provides the shooter through headphones different tones indicating the point of aim. Within a competition, a visually impaired shooter is permitted an assistant to provide information such as the position of shots which have been taken. Through these adaptations a visually impaired shooter, regardless of amount of sight, can achieve an accuracy comparable to a fully sighted shooter.

Individuals with a vision impairment can also participate in archery. Visually impaired archery is the same as sighted archery. All archers use bows and arrows and shoot at a target. The difference is that because some individuals can’t see the target they use a different type of sight called a “tactile sight”. To help an archer with a vision impairment align with the target three slight modifications are used. Foot locators are used to ensure your feet stay in the same position for each shot, a tactile sight on a tripod to help line up with the centre of the target and finally, a sighted assistant (known as a spotter) is used to help shoot safely and to tell you where the arrows hit the target.

Interested in TARGET SHOOTING or ARCHERY? Contact Blind Sport New Zealand today.