[reylamb]

There have been several threads recently on how to grow archery locally. There have also been some great answers. I think we all would agree we need to grow the sport locally, and a rise in attendance at the local level might be reflected nationally.

Last night we were sitting around talking after indoor league and we kicked around some ideas. Granted, we are thinking 3D as that is our main venue in this area, but these ideas should work in any venue to help grow the sport.

Idea #1 Fun Day Shoot
A lot of the guys we see in shops that do not shoot will tell us they would like to try 3D but do not want to embarrass themselves by shooting with the guys that are "serious." We are going to advertise Saturday after the range is set to be the day for anyone just wanting to "shoot for fun." No score cards, no equipment restrictions, no trophies, nothing but shoot what you want from where you want. We are going to charge $5 for the use of the targets, otherwise just shoot and have fun. If the guys want to have a friendly competition between themselves, have at it. The drawback is that we will probably not have food vendors for the fun shoot so that might be a drawback.

Idea #2 Bring a newbie
This is something we are going to try at our next shoot, bring a newbie. If someone brings a friend that has never shot 3D before the friend shoots free, and the person that brought him will shoot for 1/2 price. The new shooter will have a couple of options, register in one of the trophy classes and shoot the appropriate stakes, or shoot from wherever they want and not register, basically just have fun.

Along with that we are trying to figure out how to put the fun back into archery. New shooters are not having fun shooting turkeys, bobcats, javelinas, etc at 45+ yards and loosing arrows. Add in our previous idea about the beginning archery classes, and hopefully we will see some growth in archery in our area next year. Unfortuantely we did not get these ideas earlier.

Has anyone tried these ideas at their club?
Does anyone see any problems with these ideas?
Does anyone think they might work?
Does anyone have any other ideas?
What say you?

 

[sagecreek]

I think the rookie class is a good idea and have been thinking about moving them up a peg to the womens stake at my range, no throphy and lower entry fees.

 

[Daniel Boone]

Mathews has the best idea

Get it introduced into the schools.

Make it a sport.

Manufactuers need to do all they can to get bows into youth hands.:wink:

 

[reylamb]

Get it introduced into the schools.

Make it a sport.

Manufactuers need to do all they can to get bows into youth hands.:wink:

I am having some difficulty with that and our county school board......something about zero tolerance and weapons in the schools.

 

[Jhorne]

We are going to have a free shoot August 26 with marked yardage on a plate if you want to know the yardage just wark up to the plate and see what it is, if not, just judge it and shoot. We are basically going to be trying to get bowhunters to come, besides that is where most of us got started. We will be selling hamburgers, FF, and drinks, so it won't be a total lose on funds. Wish us luck.

 

[TCR1]

we held a shoot for all the 4H kids. I think that will help a little.

Gotta get the kids hooked, they will get Mom and Dad going.

 

[Daniel Boone]

Go through 4H

I am having some difficulty with that and our county school board......something about zero tolerance and weapons in the schools.

4H, Boy scouts, any club. Oklahoma has placed oylympic archery in seven schools. My district has installed archery in the special ed classes. Those kidslove it.

 

[Bees]

Idea #1 Fun Day Shoot
A lot of the guys we see in shops that do not shoot will tell us they would like to try 3D but do not want to embarrass themselves by shooting with the guys that are "serious." We are going to advertise Saturday after the range is set to be the day for anyone just wanting to "shoot for fun." No score cards, no equipment restrictions, no trophies, nothing but shoot what you want from where you want. We are going to charge $5 for the use of the targets, otherwise just shoot and have fun. If the guys want to have a friendly competition between themselves, have at it. The drawback is that we will probably not have food vendors for the fun shoot so that might be a drawback.

the problem I see for your club with this concept is unless you restrict how many arrows they are allowed to shoot, your going to have a bunch of shot up targets and no money to replace them. Archers being what they are, are going to bring more than enough arrows and shoot all of them at all targets haveing fun.

 

[Dado]

Apply a project to the city authorities asking for a space, equipment for archery. In return your programme will be called archery and youths against alcohol/smoking/drugs - whatever sounds the best, and offer free hours to kids to come and have fun...

 

[Marvin]

we just need space! land s out of sight and everyone comes out to the country to own 3 acres and believe they own the next 500 too. we got the people just no where to go. if we could get off the ground things would scould start themselves.

 

[BowRegards]

1) Be creative in setting up the course. So many shoots I attend are so simple, and very shot is the same. Instead, have some shoots from a blind, where the archer must sit down or kneel. Instead of a single deer, have a buck and a couple of does in a group, arranged so the buck is partially hidden.

2) Have lots of water on the course.

3) Advertise the heck out of the thing.

 

[GeoMike]

My club started something this year that seems to be popular:
They have an archery "tag sale" at the shoots.
You bring stuff you want to sell. Tag it with your name and price and go shoot. There's an envelope with your name on it. The buyer gives the money to someone at the sign-in table, which goes into your envelope.
Some people come more for the sale to get deals or clean out stuff they don't need.While they're there, they go out and shoot the course.
I heard a few of these folks come in and comment that they enjoyed the course and will be back.
Not sure of the numbers, but I know it did bring in some folks that might not have shown up otherwise.

 

[Deezlin]

the problem I see for your club with this concept is unless you restrict how many arrows they are allowed to shoot, your going to have a bunch of shot up targets and no money to replace them. Archers being what they are, are going to bring more than enough arrows and shoot all of them at all targets having fun.

I tend to agree with Bees. I guess, it really depends on the people who do come. I personally, would charge everyone who comes some amount. There are those, who will take advantage of you if you let them.

I think, you have some good ideas, but some people are just plain embarrassed about their inabilities. I have a friend who shoots with me on occasions. His wife shoots well or better than many women, but she will not go with us to a shoot.

3D is getting too expensive for many clubs to do, as often as they would like. People are beginning to feel the gas crunch and they will only attend so many and so often.

Of all the expenses of this hobby, I feel the cost of a local shoot is the least of my expenses. I can't imagine hassling someone over $5 or even $10 or $12 course fee.

If it was Golf the cost of membership for the public courses are over $500 and the green fee for non member is probably approaching $20. I haven't played in so long now, I really don't know.

Clubs are hard to run today, because of everyone jobs and other time commitments. The fact there are several national and state events on the weekends, make a routine local shoot hard to keep attendance up.

I feel more clubs should offer a permanent type field course, if they have the area to do it in. People could then come as they want and shoot as they wish. At least, the members and they could bring an occasional friend.

 

[Mark250]

I like the idea of having a marked 3D course. Then it just you and your shooting capabilities.
Having a novice class is an exceptional idea as long as the archer is a novice.
Any kind of kids program, they are our future of this sport! Our home proshop just started a kids program every other saturday. The turnout is growing every week.

 

[ryan76chev]

heres what I did. I was at work surfing different bow websites and one of my friends asked me what the big deal was and didnt understand what I found so enjoyable with archery. So what I did was had him come over to my house for a bar b q and while he was there I pulled out my bow and convinced him to launch a few arrows in the back yard. I sold him my back up bow 2 days later. :wink:

 

[NS17IL]

Archery in School

Mathews has the best idea

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get it introduced into the schools.

Make it a sport.

Manufactuers need to do all they can to get bows into youth hands.

I'am in high school and would love to start archery in school but the community doesn't really like hunters. Me and a few buddies are going to try to start a club this year, but it a lot harder than you think. We need a teacher that will sponsor us, basically so we don't kill someone. Its all so got to be aproved by the school board and thats the hard part.

 

[IlBuckMaster]

Bowhunter Classic

The biggest complaints that I have heard from people wanting to try 3D in our area is that it is intimidating. The shots are too long (but if you make the course shorter, the target guys complain); you lose too many arrows, the target shooters take way too long at each stake; not sure of the protocol / etiquette required.

One of the things that we have decided to try this year is to host a Bowhunter Classic. Basically, this means no target rigs or scopes, no long shots (only shots you would encounter during a normal hunting situation here in Central Illinois), bring whatever you would normally use during hunting - including rangefinders (this has been controversial - but they will net you no real advantage with the course setup; we also do not allow discussion of yardage or shot selection within a group). We are also going to do a shotgun start (another point of controversy locally) - less chance for anyone to cheat because you don't know what score it will take to win. Also, if everyone finishes at once and we have a shootoff - it will add to the excitement since we will (hopefully) have a gallery of people watching.

We use ASA targets - no 14 ring and the twelve ring will only be used as an 'X' to break ties. If we still end up with a tie (for example, two people shoot 280 with 20x), then there will be a sudden death shootoff after everyone turns in their scorecards. Personally, I am hoping for a tie so that it ends in a shootoff as they can be very exciting.

The average bow shot in this area seems to be around 20 yards. Therefore the course will average somewhere between 20 and 25 yards with a 40 yard max (so everyone knows which pins need to be set). In order to make it difficult / challenging, we will be trying things like forcing you to shoot from a kneeling / sitting position; shooting out of a ground blind; shooting from tree stands attached to trees (but kept close to the ground for safety reasons).

To be certain, the course is going to take a lot more time to set up and tear down. But initial indications are that we will attract many bowhunters who have never considered shooting at one of our "normal" 3D shoots.

Quite possibly they will come back next year less intimidated and with a better understanding of the connection between 3D and hunting.

 

[AT_X_HUNTER]

If you have the facility and someone capable and avalible offer shooting clinics. Do group and private lessons on yardage judging, shot execution, bow tuning, ect. You could try getting together with a local pro shop for assistance and advertising. Make it an event. Try to get local sponsors and have a BBQ or a hog roast. Tell people to bring stuff they want to sell. Have a shoot going and offer shooting clinics.

Then if the people teaching the clinics are still interested you could offer lessons on a monthly basis, or even get with the DNR and see if it could be incorporated into local hunter education classes or try running a youth league.

If you can catch the kids attention they will express interest. If you can provide an inexpensive way for them to try and learn their parents may eventually become interested aswell.

 

[Deezlin]

Mathews has the best idea

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get it introduced into the schools.

Make it a sport.

Manufactuers need to do all they can to get bows into youth hands.

I'am in high school and would love to start archery in school but the community doesn't really like hunters. Me and a few buddies are going to try to start a club this year, but it a lot harder than you think. We need a teacher that will sponsor us, basically so we don't kill someone. Its all so got to be aproved by the school board and thats the hard part.

It use to be in the schools when I was a kid. Not so much for the males but for the gals. Now, I guess, there are a few organizations which could help with this and I think it will eventually lead to more people on 3D courses if they still exist.

But, if you are going to try an bring it back to schools, you had better get rid of the camo and get some nice pretty competitions bows an FITA targets. You start shooting at foam, pictures of animals, etc. it will all be over in a heart beat.

The youth will be our long term survival. But, I don't think Reylamb is worried about that. I think better communications with the community might help. Flyers in K-mart and Walmart might help. Of course, gun and archery shops also.

 

[Daniel Boone]

We have one club

That got a federal grant. Over 40,000 dollars

Club is on City property. In can be done.