This event was originally scheduled to have taken place after the team event. The original rules noted that the individual competition would consist of one shooter from each nation, represented by those who had made the highest score in the team event. In shooting at small birds, the pole was 31 metres in height and had four cross beams with each bird hit to count for one point. Each competitor was allowed to shoot 20 arrows. A fallen bird was replaced so that the archers always had a full field at which to shoot.