3rd Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown

   Well, I went into this event with the least amount of practice I've had this year. I decided to take some time off and clear my mind, although I probably had more going on inside my skull than normal. I decided to take the advice I give so many other people and rely on my experience while taking a step back. 

  When Tyler and Tom picked me up and we got under way, I felt confident. We made the 10-hour journey through the blistering heat and ended up in southern Ohio around 3:00 a.m. Near the end of the journey, we played dodge-a-deer, as the little critters were out and about when most humans had long since retired to their beds. 

                                                                     Practice Day

  With the high heat and lack of sleep, I didn't feel overly ambitious on practice day. While Wade and Tom went out to shoot 20 targets, Tyler, Jeff and I shot a few arrows at the butts then headed to the practice range. After shooting well on the 10 targets, we packed our stuff up and headed to the Rocky boot outlet to see if we could find some bargains. I was quick to the draw when I spotted a pair of Rocky Outbacks, my all-time favorite boot. I quickly picked them up and purchased them. Eventually, Tom and Wade showed up and told us they had both shot well. The news made my day since both of them have struggled a little bit this year, and I believe it always helps when you turn the corner as the IBO World approaches. It allows you to bring some confidence with you to the dance. Here are my two new pair of shoes. 

Day 1

  When I reached tent where the target assignments were on the table, I learned I would be shooting with Mike Sutter, Glenn Meadows and Aaron Kilburn. I've shot with Mike in every event this year, so I knew that would be OK, and I shot with Glenn and Aaron the first day at Pipestem. 

  After drawing cards, I learned I would be leading off the first target. It was a brown bear down a tunnel. The number stuck out when I looked at it, and I didn't waste any time drawing, aiming and executing when we were told to shoot them up. I started with an 11.

  Within minutes, the heavens let loose and rain fell from the sky with a fury all its own. The heavy rain matted my shirt to my skin, and I felt like I was wearing extremely wet spandex. For a few minutes, the rain hammered us, but we picked our way through a short javelina, a bomb ram, a  medium-range Dahl sheep, a short panther and a decent black bear before getting called off the course due to an approaching thunderstorm. 

  The break lasted a few hours, and when we headed back onto the course, I started with a long stone sheep. I centered it and felt a sense of relief to keep my momentum going. Then, I navigated a steep downhill bobcat and a short medium deer across a small gulley. I continued focusing on making good shots and nothing else.

  A little over halfway into my round, I came to a downhill feeding doe. Being last, I listened to all of the arrows. Although the arrows didn't sound like the target was too far, my eyes told me a different story. After all three guys in the group hit high, I didn't change my plan. Instead, I used their arrows as an aiming reference and had 100% confidence in my number.

  When the shot broke, I instantly knew it was my best shot of the round. It felt like someone cut the string from my release with a pair of scissors. It was a perfectly executed shot, and the arrow flew like a dart. Unfortunately, it landed about 2 inches above the arrows in the top of the 10 and found itself in no man's land to score a 5. Sometimes it amazes me how you can miss where you're aiming by two inches and get a 5, but that's what happened. I just smiled and continued down the path. I knew I still had some time to make up for the mistake. 

  I quickly got back on track and shot a few 11s. When we got to #20, I had a hard time judging it, but when I settled in on my number I committed to it and made another great shot. My arrow landed inside-out on the 11 in the fallow deer. With two targets left, I saw a bedded elk at the next stake. Although the target looked monstrous, I studied it and took in the surroundings. When I cut the arrow loose, I was happy to see it land in the 10-ring, just to the left of the 11. 

  When I got to the last target of the round, an antelope, I noticed a lot of low holes. However, with others finishing their rounds and a lot of commotion on the round behind me, I lost my focus for a few minutes while studying the yardage and executing my shot. I walked off the range with an 8, but I was satisfied to know I had only left the 10-ring two times for the day, and one of the arrows was just from me not paying attention to where I was actually aiming and considering I could possibly hit higher than that spot. I walked off the range at 1 up and learned I was in the lead after Day 1. Although I had a few mistakes, I navigated the round OK, and gave myself a chance to win. After all, you sure can't win the first day, but you can definitely lose. 

                                                                         Day 2

  I slept like a baby Saturday night and was ready for the round to begin Sunday morning. I felt good about  the upcoming round and couldn't wait to get started. After getting to the stake, I learned I would once again be shooting with Mike Sutter. I guess he has become my shooting partner for the year. There's nothing wrong with that because he's been shooting well this year, and he always gives me good arrows to reference. He's also quiet and goes about his business while shooting. I can shoot with quiet people or people who like to talk. I don't mind one over the other, but knowing what to expect for the day is always nice. I also learned I would be shooting with Jeff Kirkland, whom I haven't shot with in a while. I always like shooting with Jeff. He's positive and roots for others to succeed. When mistakes are made, he feels for his competitors. Matt Bressler rounded out our group. I shot with him at the IBO World last year. Matt's always in the mix, so between him and the other guys, I knew it would be a battle right until the end. 

  We started on a long white goat. Amazingly, I was the only one who didn't 11 it. I had to settle for a 10, but I executed a good shot. Having to lead the next target, it was difficult to get a good read on it. They had leopard stuffed in a hole, so you couldn't se the legs, and it was very difficult to find an aiming spot. I did the best I could to aim in the right place. When my arrow struck the target, I was relieved to get a 10 without having a good aiming reference. 

  Making our way across a small field and down the road a little ways, a standing grizzly welcomed us at the next station. I excited a perfect shot and thought I had an 11. However, my arrow struck about a half an inch above the 11. I felt good walking toward the next target. I had just executed one of my best shots of the weekend. 

  When I walked up on the next target, I felt confident with my number. It was a boar across a small valley. I simply misjudged it, but I shot a perfect shot. My arrow struck the 8-line high. Scratching my head as I walked away, I readied myself to lead off the next target. 

  I made quick work of the medium deer that greeted me. The slight uphill shot was tough to get an exact number due to the legs being hidden, but it was pretty close. It was definitely a target I needed to capitalize on, and I did just that. I walked away with my first 11 of the day. 

  I quickly added to my 11 count when I smoked the next target, which was a wolverine. It was a tricky number to get, but I felt confident in it because I look at the target almost daily at the house. The course didn't get any easier when I walked around the corner and spotted a gator across a water hole. Everything in my gut told me it was closer than I thought, but I went against my instincts and let it eat. When the arrow struck the 8-line high, I was a little disappointed in myself that I didn't listen to the little voice in my head. I know better than to make mistakes like that one. 

  After escaping a high 8 on a black bear, I smoked a tricky fallow deer, bedded ram and impala, getting 11s on all of them. I was back on a roll and had erased the unfortunate 8 on the gator. Then, I came upon a long downhill brown bear. The number was obvious to an extent. I knew it was at least 50, but with all the bullshit setting of a few targets this year, you still have to be careful. All I had to do was execute a good shot. 

  When I drew the bow, the sight picture wasn't good from the rip, so I let down and started again. On the second draw the pin settled OK, but it wasn't great. However, as I was aiming, someone behind me decided to turn on a handheld, battery-operated fan, which distracted me for an instant, and that instant is all it took for my thoughts to drift. My focus went somewhere it shouldn't have, and I lost control of my intense focus. That second or two sent the train off the tracks, and everything suffered. It started with my mind, went into my aim and ended in my shot. It's amazing how something that simple can drag you underwater and contribute to drowning. Then, I was staring at a 5 in the target. Instantly, I figured I could make it up in the remaining targets and began my quest. 

  I shot just over the 11 on a caribou, then 11d a snarling wolf across a ravine and followed that with another 11 on a bedded doe. With three targets left, I didn't know where I stood, but I figured the 5 had probably done me in. Then, I had to lead off a grazing doe. Unfortunately, I lost the pin on the animal and couldn't aim at all. I simply couldn't see the pin. I battled it through a few letdowns, then I finally had to get the arrow off. That's when it hit to the left of the 10-ring. I quickly battled back and shot an 11 on the next target, which was a stone sheep. 

  Getting to the last target, a boar, I had memories of smoking a boar on my last shot a few years back to make the shootdown round. Although I figured I was out of it by a hair, I wanted to end this tournament the same way I ended the one in my memory. When the shot broke, I figured I had smoked the 11. I executed yet another perfect shot and my pin had frozen on the two arrows in the 11. I was highly disappointed when the arrow hit a fingernail width above the 10-line for an 8.  I walked away with an 8 and quickly found out I had missed the cut by 3 points... the story of my life. 

Final Thoughts

  I'm in the best place I've been mentally in a few years, and my confidence is growing. It feels good to be in the mix in every shoot again. I gave myself a chance to win this one, and I shot well on Day 2 but it just wasn't quite good enough. That's what happens when you compete against the best in the world. 

  My equipment is performing flawlessly, and I'm getting better with it every time out. I'm glad I chose the Elite Victra as my bow for the year. It feels good to choose the bow I want to shoot and not be bound to any company, shops or people. I chose the bow that I felt would give me the best opportunity to win, and as an amateur I won more with an Elite than any other bow. 

  A few people asked me how I slept knowing I was leading. I just laugh at the comment. I've led plenty of things over the years, and I've never really paid much attention to it. It's not a one-day tournament and leading after Day 1 or going into a shootoff doesn't mean a damn thing. I just stay focused and try to repeat what I did the previous day. I can't do anything more than that. It definitely makes shooting a lot easier. I had no expectations, but I did feel like I was going to win the event. 

  While everyone can do it, I can easily see where I could've won this event. I aimed in the wrong spot and knew I was doing it. It cost me 5 points. Then, the distraction that I encountered got the best of me, causing another 5 points to disappear. Those two shots alone were worth 10 points. I'll be better with these things at the next one. As far as the distraction goes, I just feel that was in bad taste. Sometimes people don't think when they do things, and other times people do things purposely. It's neither here nor there because in the end, I own it. My mental state was not where it should've been. If it had been, I wouldn't have heard any outside noise, whether it was people talking, birds chirping, or chipmunks racing through the leaves. I'm thankful for the unfortunate incident because it will definitely make me better going forward. I must've ignored that part of training for a little too long. 

  Once again, I had a great time this weekend. I love traveling with Tom and Tyler, and Jeff and Wade just round things out. I believe Tom and Tyler are a big reason why my shooting has turned around this year. They let me sound off when I need to, and they supply a lot of laughs and things I will always remember as time passes. I love those guys. 

  Once again, Jacob did Jacob things. I've never felt so happy for anyone as I did for him after this event. I've been fortunate enough to share a few long-assed car rides with Jacob this year and my perspective on life and his are two different things. I'm an old washed-up dude who shoots a bow and he's the Superman of 3D archery. He's taught me a lot of things about archery ... and life. Jacob is a good listener and pulls no punches when it comes to his thoughts or advice. More people need to be like him. You will never find a harder worker, more dedicated husband, loving father, incredible son or great friend. It's easy to respect and root for a guy like Jacob. Many of us celebrate his highs and mourn his lows simply because we love to see him succeed. He's a normal dude like all the rest of us, and that's what he likes. So, congratulations Jacob. It never gets old watching you do what you do with a bow and arrow. We are all proud of you, and you inspire us to try a little harder and give a little more when all seems lost. I wish I could've done my part and joined the shootdown round with you like a few years ago, so I'll give it my best to see if we can have a repeat of 2017 to end the year. 

ASA Metropolis

I slept in Wednesday morning and headed to Mike LeFever’s house in Syracuse around noon. Shortly after getting on I-90, I noticed Jacob following me. After all, we were headed to the same place. We ended up getting on the road around 1:00 p.m. had a good ride, arriving in Metropolis, Illinois, around 1:00 a.m. We even thought Tom and Tyler finally purchased an airstream trailer to travel the country shooting and hunting, but we learned it wasn't them. 

  We couldn’t have asked for a better day to practice on Thursday. Bright sunlight welcomed us, so we headed onto the practice course to try our hand on some foam animals. While nobody shot all that well, we still felt confident by the time we finished. Mike Bushey even got to thoroughly enjoy his hot dog on a stick. Kinda makes ya wonder, doesn't it Christine?

                                           Day 1

  When I got to the stake, I learned I would be shooting with Jamie Drouillard, Richard Owens and Richard Callaway. It has been a quick minute since I’ve shot with Richard, and I have always shot well with him in the past. Having shot with Jamie in Kentucky, I knew we would have a good day. Jamie is an easy guy to root for, and he always supports his fellow archers. I had never shot with Richard Callaway, but having seen him on the range in the past, he always appeared to be at ease. 

  We started on a coyote placed on a log at about eye level. It’s never easy to judge a target when it’s out of place, and it made it even more difficult since it was on a giant fallen tree. 

  When I hit full draw, I couldn’t settle well and the pin danced from belly to back and nose to tail. However, I felt relieved when the arrow landed at 6 o’clock in the 10-ring. I was off to a good start. As we navigated through the course, everything felt good. I was seeing good yardage, and my shots were breaking OK. I teetered on the bar at about even for the better half of the day. 

  At day’s end, I found myself at 4 down on the scorecard. It definitely wasn’t where I felt I should’ve been, but I knew I would still have a shot if I crushed the next day. The course was much softer than I had anticipated, and I simply didn’t capitalize on the many opportunities that were present. On soft courses, you need to capitalize when the points are there to be taken. Jamie had done that and passed all of us, earning himself a spot on the leaderboard. However, I still felt good about my position and my shooting. 

                                         Day 2

  Looking at the weather forecast all night and early in the morning, it was sketchy as to whether or not we would be able to finish our round. After trudging through the mud and standing water to get to my course, I learned I would be shooting with Brian LuAllen, Mike Sutter and David Fannin. 

  I’ve been lucky enough to shoot with Mike almost every tournament this year, and Lu is one of my all-time favorite guys with whom to shoot. It would be my first time shooting with David. Once again, I knew it would be a nice day on the range. 

  I started on the softest part of the range. Like Day 1, I would be starting on a coyote on Day 2. I made a great shot on the little critter, and once again hit him at 6 o’clock in the 10-ring. The next five shots, I went at every 12 and only connected with one of them. At that point, I felt like it just wasn’t meant to be, but I also knew it’s pretty easy to sometimes get on a wave and ride it like a surfer until it hits the beach. I looked in the calm waters behind me and hoped for a wave to jump on. I knew my shot was good enough to have the ride of my life. My shot had definitely improved from Day 1. 

  Once again I teetered back and forth between a few up and a few down before finally finishing my day at 2 up and weekend total of 2 down. I felt good about the weekend, even though it gave me the worst placement of any tournament I’ve shot in this year. If I remember correctly, I walked away just inside the Top 20, but within a handful of points from a Top 10. 

                                       Overall Thoughts

  I can’t feel badly about this tournament. I gave it my best and came up a little short. I’ve shot two events for the year and have an average of 400. I guess that’s alright. This one had some tough shooting conditions, too. It's never fun to clomp through mud and stand in water while shooting, but you have to do what you have to do sometimes. 

  I enjoyed shooting with Jamie and watching him win the tournament was a pleasure. Jamie made sure to tell me in Kentucky that he was rooting for me, and I enjoyed his support and enthusiasm. I knew he was being real. He and I go back a long way, and I’m thankful for his friendship. When we got done the first day, he made sure to tell me that he watched me shoot a few shots, and he said my shot looked great. Coming from him, I took at as a pretty good compliment. After all, I’ve always believed he has the nicest, best-looking, cleanest shot of any shooter in our class. 

  After completing the interview after his win, he walked by with his Happy Gilmore check and gave me a big hug. I was genuinely happy for him. Like me, he has had more than a few clunkers along the way, but we have both always found a way to battle into positions to give ourselves a shot every now and then. Watching Jamie gave me some incentive to keep plugging along. My shooting is great right now and I’m taking every event one arrow at a time, working my way toward giving myself another chance. After all, that’s all any of us can do when we are shooting against the world’s best 3D shooters. I think he said it best when he said something along the lines of some days he doesn't even know if he has the ability to compete with the young guns coming into our class. I think we all have a tendency to forget the talent in our class. At any given time, any of us could come other the winner. I've beaten everyone in the class at one time or another, and I've been beaten by all of them too. We just need to have a positive attitude and give it our best without quitting. 

  Due to the horrible weather this spring, it seems like we just started getting quality time outdoors. However, looking at the schedule, there are only a few events left before another season will be in the rearview mirror. It seems like this one has gone faster than all the rest. The older I've gotten, the faster the time passes. I've lived more life than I have left. 

  The highlight of my weekend was watching may friends from home. Jacob did Jacob things and made one hell of a run at the title, shooting about 7 out of 8 12s to open Day 2. There's never a tournament where he doesn't amaze me. We also got to see our good friend Christine Bushey find her way onto the leaderboard at day's end on Day 1. We all know she can hang, and it felt good to see her build some confidence for the sprint to the finish line. 

  I’m unsure if I’m going to the Classic. I’ll take any advice from any of my friends who might be reading this. While I had not planned on shooting any ASAs this year, I’ve enjoyed going to the few I’ve attended, and I feel like one of these days, all the arrows will fall into place at the right time could have the ability to be the one you skipped, and you'll never know.

  As for now, I’ll be headed to Nelsonville, Ohio, next week for the last leg of the IBO Triple Crown. I haven’t picked my bow up this week, so maybe a little time away from the stick and string will bring a revival of sorts. I’ve enjoyed the silence. My mind has been deep in thought about life and the trials and tribulations we all face. While none of us can predict the future, the future sometimes seems lost in the fog as the light turns into darkness. All we can do it put one foot in front of the other and see where our feet guide us. Silence can be deafening and overwhelming, but it can also be exactly what the mind needs to find its way and see its visions. The future can always be seen before it happens if we are willing to put the time in practicing it rather than shooting our bows. I can surely vouch for that, so I will look ahead and see what comes to the mind's eye. I'm hoping to see brilliant colors and exciting experiences. Until then, I'll see you on the trail. Best of luck to all of you in all of the events you will be shooting in. 

 

                                       

 

2nd Leg of IBO National Triple Crown

 

  I've always enjoyed going to the second leg of the IBO National Triple Crown because it's relatively close to home, being our shortest trip of the year, 7:40. With that being said, Tyler and Tom picked me up around 5:00 p.m. on Thursday after work, and we were on our way. I've never traveled in the same vehicle with Tyler and Tom until this year, but I thoroughly enjoy it. I love their company, and it relaxes me. We ended up arriving at the AirBnB around 1:00 a.m. and got a decent night's rest before heading to Two-Mile Run State Park for the tournament. 

                                                                      Practice Day

  While Wade and Tom headed to their range to get 20 targets in on Friday, Tyler, Wags and I stayed behind and went to the practice range to try our hand at judging and shooting. We all had a good day and didn't put much into it. Although my hold was shaky, almost all the arrows found their way into the 10-ring. Unfortunately, most targets were within a few yards of each other. That can make judging difficult at times. 

  After finishing, we hung out at a picnic table and BSd the entire day. The day passed quickly and before we knew it, Wade and Tom were sitting with us after finishing their first 20. They both struggled, so we didn't spend much time talking about it before heading to dinner at a local diner. Wag (also know as Big Country) got himself a Big Country breakfast for dinner, and Tyler did the same. It was quite a heap of food, and they made good work of it. After dinner, we got to bed early to be ready for Day 1. 

                                                                          Day 1

  As we gathered around to get our shooting assignments, I didn't need to look at the paper. I knew we would be peer grouped according to the first leg, so I would be in the third group with Digger Cogar, Glenn Meadows and Ray Young. However, once again, for the second year in a row, the wonderful tournament director decided not to peer group people according to score. That put me in a group with Jackie Caudle, Gregg Ayers and Jim Livak. I knew I would have a good time, as I get along with all of the guys, and I love that they can all have a good time while shooting and not take it too seriously. That usually lends to a relaxing day on the range, and it did. 

  When I got to my stake, I realized I would be starting on a long turkey with shadows on it that were constantly moving. I felt confident with the number when I drew the bow. The blue fiber quickly settled on the black dots on the left side of the 10-ring and parked in place for a few seconds. When the shot broke, it felt like someone had cut the string from my release with a pair of scissors. Then, I heard the guys says, "Nice shot." 

  The arrow landed on the black dots in the 10-ring, a fingernail width out of the 11. I was off and running and my hold and shot were top notch on the first target of the tournament. I quickly built upon that with perfect shots on the antelope, impala and Corsican ram that followed. 

 

  Then, I ran into a lane that had a brown bear at the end of it. It was a bomb, but the number stuck out to me. I knew I would get him too. When I drew the bow, the pin never settled, but I hung with it for a few seconds to allow it to run its course and drop into place. Losing my focus for half a second or less, a thought about letting down and starting over entered my mind. Instead of addressing it, it addressed me and started the process without me being on the same page. When it happened, the bow started going forward and I tried to join the process. Seconds later, the arrow jumped off the bow when the bow was 3/4 to 1/2 draw and sailed through the air. I hadn't shot the arrow. It simply got away from me while beginning to let down. Suddenly, my great start (both mentally and physically) was gone. When I got to the target my arrow was behind the target, where it had ricocheted off a tree and found a home on the leaves. 

  I joked about it for a few seconds, then moved on and left it there. I knew I would have to get back on the horse and try to limit the damage the rest of the day. If you shoot archery long enough, you will experience almost anything. Unfortunately, this incident happened at an inopportune time, but I knew I could battle back and hopefully end up OK at the end of the day. After all, I've been judging and shooting well. 

  As I meandered through the course, my shot seemed to take a few targets to get back on track and become fluid again. When I got into and area in a bottom that was filled with ferns and a little water, I felt like I was back in the game, and I cruised through an area I labeled as Murderer's Row. It started with a bomb of a black bear, then a large deer, followed by a gator, grazing doe, howling wolf and coyote. None of the targets were easy to judge, and all of them required perfect execution to get them. I ended up getting 11s on the bear, the deer, the gator and the coyote, and every one of the shots was executed perfectly. On top of the perfect execution, the pin also sat down like a rock. It was the best hold I've had on a 3D target in a long time, and it settled my mind. 

  When I finished with a low 10 on the bobcat that was up on a log, I breathed a sigh of relief to get off the course at 11 down with a zero that was due to a freak issue. When I saw the scores, I realized I was in 11th place after shooting 19 arrows compared to everyone else who had shot 20 arrows. I wrote that off as a successful day and knew I would have a good chance the next day, especially with the way I've been shooting. 

                                                                        Day 2

  I shot a few arrows and the target butt before heading to my stake on Day 2. After hiking up a steep hill, I got to the stake and liked the target I would be starting on. It was a bedded stone sheep and looked like a relatively easy one to start the day. I would be shooting with Rob D'Alfonso, Matt Bressler and Ray Young. I knew I would enjoy the day because I always like shooting with Ray and it has been quite a long time since we had shot together. I was lucky enough to shoot with Matt at the IBO World last year, and this would be my first time with Rob since he just came into our class this year from Open Pro. He finally reached Old Guy status, and it's good to have him on board. Some people can't stand Rob and others like him. He always speaks his mind, and it can ruffle some feathers. I guess that's why we probably get along. I have always tended to do the same thing. 

  Once again, I started the day off making good shots. When we got to a long standing bear, my heart missed a beat when the shot fired. That second that passes when your brain registers the arrow should've hit but hasn't caused a little anxiety. Then, I saw the arrow on the 8-line below the 10. I had to look at my sight to make sure I hadn't made a mistake while setting my sight. I couldn't fathom how it could've hit that low because I had made a decent shot. 

  I quickly put it behind me and buckled down. I navigated through the next few targets and made the best shots I could make, picking up a few 11s along the way. Then, we all had to shoot through the chronograph that was set up at the halfway point. Surprisingly, my bow was 4 fps faster on their graph than it was on mine. At home, my bow is 300 fps. I heard others say similar things, so I'm not sure what to think. 

  After smoking the Caribou and driving the center of the 11 on a short fallow deer, I made another great shot on the new whitetail target that was a bomb. As I neared the end of the day, I began getting tense from being tired and struggling a little with getting my shot off. After shooting an 8 on the third to last target, I had to shoot a bomb of a leopard. I made a perfect shot and the arrow landed barely out of the 11. With one left, I got a little ahead of myself and checked out mentally. I was exhausted and basically ended my day with the picture-perfect shot on the leopard. I couldn't have made a better shot. It felt amazing.

  Lesson of the day: Don't cross the finish line on the second to last target. Make the perfect shot on the last one instead. 

  When I got to the last target and had to lead it, I acknowledged it was a black bear... a relatively easy shot. Instead of remaining 100% focused from start to finish. I tried rushing through the process without following my steps from start to finish like I had on the previous 39 targets. 

  At day's end, I learned I had missed the shootdown round by 8 points... the arrow that I never truly shot at the target on Day 1. I gave it my best, but came up a little short. That's the way it goes sometimes. 

                                                                   Final Thoughts

  I've attended three national 3D events this year and have shot well in all of them. While the scores may not be reflective of that, I'm still staying in the top 10, while also making one of three shootdown rounds. I've been feeling confident behind the bow and with my numbers. It's just a matter of time before all of it falls into place. Every performance is leading me to a better place. I love the equipment I'm shooting this year, and it seems to keep me honest. 

  My mind is clear this year, and that makes shooting a lot easier. I've been learning to have fun again, even if the train is plowing off the tracks and heading through the woods while coming apart. If you can't have fun, then there's no sense in doing it. 

  I had a series of ups and downs at this tournament but 95% of it found me at my best. I made some of the best shots I've made in a few years, and they felt amazing. I haven't forced any shots this year, and I've gone back to letting down until I can make a good shot. I think this serves me a little better than the last few years. 

  I believe I will be going to Illinois for the next ASA. I guess I might as well give it another shot while I can. I'm definitely not getting any younger and this surely isn't getting any easier with all the younger guys coming into the class. 

Until next time, I'll see you on the road. 

London, Kentucky ASA

 

 

Well, it's been a bit since I've attended a national ASA, and I only attended two of them last year when my life was in turmoil, and I didn't know which way was up. While attending Foley and Benning before landing on my feet again, my mind just wasn't into what I was doing. The same held true the previous year when I attended all of the ASAs after losing my job of 34 years and wondering what would be next. with all of that being said, I felt mentally prepared for this event in London, Ky., even though I haven't had much time to actually put in time behind the bow. 

                                               Practice Day

  Jacob and I didn't leave for Kentucky until about 3:30 on Wednesday when he met me at work. When we began our journey, we navigated through some heavy traffic in the capital of New York, which made our trip a little longer than anticipated. We drove until about midnight and decided to get a room for the night since we had both been up for the better half of the last 24 hours. 

  After getting up and finishing our journey to London, we gathered our stuff and decided to shoot a few arrows. When I drew my bow on the practice range, I knew practice was going to be a train wreck, so I decided to go along for the walk and just get a look at targets while not paying attention to where any arrows landed. I was in no condition to shoot. When we finished shooting, I felt good about my numbers and ignored everything else, as you must have a short memory when examining practice after having no rest and driving 13 to 14 hours. 

                                                                       Day 1

    When I drew my bow before the round, I felt strong and solid. I could feel my shot, and I stored away the feeling so I could try to replicate it on the range. After shooting a few groups of arrows, we headed to our ranges. I would be starting on Target 11 and hadn't spoken to anyone who was on the same target. 

  When I got to the target, I saw a coyote staring at me out of the darkness. Actually, I could only see the few white patches on the little critter and knew it was going to be a chore to judge it and shoot it due to the darkness. 

  After a few minutes, Scott Hamlin and John Irvine showed up on the stake. A short time later, groups were reorganized and we were moved to stake 12 to join Mike Sutter, who made four in our group. When I got to that stake, I looked down the lane and saw a bomb of a lynx. However, I've always found it easy to aim at the lynx and when we were told to "Shoot'm up," I drew my bow when it was my turn and began aiming. As I aimed, I realized I wasn't in my back. Instead, I was just sitting there aiming at the target without any engagement at all. Then, I relaxed a little and the shot fired. It landed squarely in the 10-ring, and my first ASA of the year had begun. 

  Before leaving the stake, I stored the first shot in my memory and made sure to tell myself that I would focus solely on my shot for the remainder of the day. If the arrows landed in the 10-ring that would be great, but if they didn't, I wouldn't care as long as I made the best shot possible. After the first 10 targets, I found myself on the leaderboard but paid no attention. 

  As I meandered through the course that day, I didn't have the best hold. I had a lot of jittery sight pictures, and a constant humming vibration while at full draw. However, the movement seen through the scope wasn't nearly as bad as it appeared on the outside. I stayed steady in my back and increased tension until it fired, making some of the best shots I've made in years. Although the day was a grind, the shots were rewarded when the arrows hit the targets. 

  After misjudging a black bear with a few targets to go, I knew I had to get a few points back and figured I'd gun at the few remaining targets. When I walked up on the coyote where I was originally scheduled to start, I pulled back, anchored and began pulling . When the shot broke, I knew I was executed perfectly, and I heard Scott say, "Perfect 12." With a sigh of relief, I sat on my stool and processed the last 15 minutes, realizing I was lucky to walk away at 1 down for the day but also knowing I could've easily been 8 up with just a few minor breaks. I had missed the few 8s's I shot by minimal amounts. At days' end, I found out I would be in the third group for Day 2, and I've seen plenty of people move out of Group 3 into the Shootdown Round. 

                                                                         Day 2

  On Day 2, we were delayed an hour due to a passing T-storm, so Jacob and I hung out in the car and waited the storm out. When we gathered our gear to head to the range, we took our time walking to the down the road. Both of us had gotten a good night's sleep, and we were ready for the day, with Jacob having his plan and me having mine. 

  Since I shoot with the old guys, I figured if I could come off the range about even or a little up, I would have a chance to shoot five more arrows at the end of the day. However, I've never been one to coast and sometimes, I get big-eyed. 

  I was glad to see Loren Lohr would be in my group again on Day 2. Loren was in my group on Day 2 in Pipestem a few weeks ago, and I really enjoy shooting with him. Loren is a great guy who has tons of experience and he brings calm presence to every group he's in. He has more experience than almost everyone in our class and his experience is appreciated by everyone. I was also happy to see I was shooting with Jamie Drouillard. Jamie and I met on Archery Talk about 20 years ago when we were both about the same age and experiencing the same life difficulties. We became internet buddies, and I never imagined we would meet on the range and become friends. We both went through tough divorces, and we talked about our experiences. Jamie's dad and my dad were both great men who gave their sons everything they needed, and Jamie and I became friends with our dads in adulthood and shared many great memories. Although I had never shot well with Jamie in the past, he's just too good of a guy to not shoot well with. I've always rooted for him, and I think he has the best shot of anyone in our class. He makes it look effortless, and I make it look like I'm getting pummeled by Mike Tyson. However, we've both been fortunate to use our own styles to find a little success along the way. Jamie is always supportive, and he also roots for his competitors. Then, Don Krietemeyer filled out our foursome. I had never shot with Don, so I didn't know what to expect. 

  Once again, I would be starting on a bomb of an uphill lynx. Being fourth in line, I listened to arrows and gave it a full ride when my turn came about. My pin settled quickly, and the shot fired. The arrow landed in the 10-ring, and we were on our way. 

  With a slight grade uphill, it made it a little difficult to get the release to fire. I battled the entire day and made sure to remind myself that only good shots were acceptable. Although my hold was atrocious, the shots were good when they finally broke. I shot at a few 12 early and found a few 8s and 12s. After shooting over the 12 on a blesbok, I reeled it in and tried to remain slow and steady and take minimal chances, especially with a shaky hold. I shot so I could give myself a chance, but I didn't shoot directly at them. Instead, I played the odds and tried to get a few to rise into the 12. 

  As we neared the end of the day, I knew I needed one and thought I could get one on an uphill bear I had to lead off on. I had a great aiming spot due to a small glare on the target, so I went for broke. When the arrow hit, I thought I had shot a 5, but Jamie fist-bumped me and said, "Great shot." The arrow had kicked after hitting the target, so the nock was well above the 12. It made me nervous for a second or two. 

  After getting the 12, I knew I was on the plus side, so I decided to shoot 10's the rest of the way and hope for a rise. I felt like my numbers were good, so as long as I made good shots, I felt confident I could 10 out. On my last shot of the day, an uphill wolf, I made a good shot and the arrow landed a little low right of the 12 and I walked off the range at plus 2 for the day and plus 1 for the tournament. In my head, I thought that would be good enough, but having finished a number of times in 6th place, I just waited to find out. A few times I had coasted the last few targets when I shouldn't have and it cost me, so I hoped I had made the right choice this time too. 

  After handing the cards in, Destini told me I had made it in. Although I haven't shot very many ASAs, an ASA shootdown appearance has been eluding me and it has always gotten under my skin, especially having made IBO shootdowns regularly. It felt good to finally get that monkey off my back. It's kind of surreal when I look at this picture. Almost 30 years ago, I was on an MBO team with Ryan Jeffries and we won the First Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown, then there's two of the legendary 3D shooters of my era in the picture too, with Jeff Hopkins and Jack Wallace, with Mike Sutter rounding the group out. Going from Joe to Pro wasn't a hard choice, but in some ways I do wish I had done it as a younger man, but life had always gotten in the way. I'm glad I've made friends with these guys in my senior years and gained their respect. If you have the respect of your peers, I guess you can't ask for more than that. 

                                                                  Shootdown Round

  I was relatively calm in the shootdown round, but I couldn't pull out any magic. My shaky hold from the last two days stayed with me, but this time my numbers didn't help me out. After shooting in the woods all weekend, I lost my numbers in the mowed grass field. I did the best I could, but I under-judged one and over-judged a couple. That's just the way it goes sometimes. I did walk away with one bonus ring. All but one shot was good, and the first shot was absolutely perfect, but landed a tad low of its intended mark.  It wasn't a horrible shootdown, but it wasn't close to my best one. I guess I need to practice in the yard a little bit more. 

                                                            Overall Thoughts on the Weekend

  This tournament was a grind. It was far from my best shooting, but I found a way to grind it out and figure out a way to get to the finish line with what I had going on. I never looked back and I never got ahead of myself. I just kept my head down and ignored the shaky hold and focused on my shot. The shot from start to finish may have been choppy, but the execution stayed in line and didn't veer off track. I never shot a poorly executed shot throughout the qualifying rounds. 

  Although some of the shots weren't 10s on a scale of 1-10, they were still good enough to keep line and find their mark. I shot a lot of perfectly executed shots the first day. My shots were definitely better the first day than the second day, and I think some of that is because it was the first time I had shot this bow uphill for a lot of shots. It wasn't much uphill, but it was almost every shot, and that can wear on a person. 

  Back in the winter when I called Jacob after a few horrendous episodes of poor indoor scores and asked for advice, he told me to jack up the holding weight. I think that's what helped me more than anything this weekend. I'm currently holding 18.5-19 lbs. It took a bit to get used to it, but it has helped me execute crisper shots when I need them. 

  I was really lucky to have good, positive people in my groups both days. It's always easier to shoot when you get along with your fellow shooters and everyone roots for everyone else. I appreciate all of you guys, and I root for you too. 

  I was undecided about shooting this year. My life is a lot different right now and last year was my worst year in my shooting. However, things were very unstable, and I had a hard time putting one foot in front of the other, let alone breathing in and out. I feel a little more grounded this year, but I also know time is getting away from me. I'm close to 60 by the day, and it's hard to compete with the younger guys who are coming into the class. I've had health issues that have made that even more difficult and aged me more than most others my age. I just take it step my step and try to enjoy every second of every tournament. 

  When my peers learned I had made the shootdown round, many of them congratulated me and were truly happy for me, even at the expense of their misfortunes. Those guys are true friends and I would do anything for them. I appreciate all of them. Jamie had a rough go the last few targets and instead of focusing on the that and being a bad sport, he showed his happiness for me and was more excited for me than I was for myself. That's a pro's pro right there. Richard Teasley shot an 8 to end his day, and that is what put me in the dance. Instead of talking about that, he patted me on the shoulder and shoot my hand. He's a genuine good guy and I hope we can write his archery story one of these days. I think it's one that needs to be told. 

  Then, there's Digger, who say patiently on his stool while waiting for cards to get turned in because he was on the bubble. Why did it have to be me that knocked him out? You gotta feel for your buddy when that happens. We always discuss the ups and downs of everything, but Digger dismissed that this time. Instead, he was happy for me and I asked if he would stand in my box for the shootoff. I was glad to have him by my side. He brings a calm presence, and I enjoyed the laughs with him for the few minutes we got to stand in the sun and shoot a few more arrows. His presence helped me, and I appreciated it. I also appreciate his ear on the phone whenever I need it. When he, Andy Jaquith and I were standing together early in the weekend, it felt like I was transported back 30 years ago to when we used to all battle it out for the winner's circle in MBO. I"m glad all three of us made it back to this class to do it again. These guys made me better from the very beginning and still inspire me today to keep up with them. 

  I also appreciate Tony Tazza asking me if I needed him to stand in my box. Tony is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. He's what pros are supposed to be, and I feel extra fortunate to have shared a stake with him so many times over the last few years. You could never ask for a nicer, more sincere guy. When he texted me a few weeks ago to ask me if I would be coming to London for the ASA, I told him yes. Since he's not shooting IBO this year, I knew it would be good to see him, and I'm thankful he offered his assistance. 

  It feels good to know I've been competitive again after the last year and a half of misfortunes and mental chaos. It also felt great to travel with Jacob again. I value his insight and advice more than any archer on the planet. While I have a few tidbits of wisdom to share with him every once in a while due to me being older, his advice is way more valuable than mine. I was happy for him this weekend. He deserved to have a big Day 2 and a great shootoff. If it weren't for a little wind drift, things may have turned out differently. Oh, and the arrow he ricocheted off in the 12 on Day 1 for an 8, which caused a 4-point swing. That's taking it on the chin and making the most out of a bad situation. 

  We had a good weekend without any outside noise, and it felt good. The Busheys and Sean Royster gave us good company at dinner and our laughs and conversations made the trip a memorable one. Hopefully, there will be more laughs along the way. Good luck to everyone out there and I'll see you on the trail.