Fish House IBO Qualifier

 

  On Saturday, I decided to attempt shooting at the Fish House IBO qualifier before going to work. However, I hadn't planned on getting the God-awful news on Friday that my best childhood friend had passed away. It hit differently than anything else I've experienced and lingered in my mind, as it still lingers tonight while writing this. Although hindsight is 20/20, I wouldn't have gone to the event if I had to do it again. However, since I went to it, I'll share some thoughts about the few hours I spend behind the bow. 

When Wags didn't show up until 7, I knew I was going to have to hurry to get to work in time, even though the boss said I could come in when I wanted to. I gave my co-workers a time to expect me, so I wanted to stay in that time frame. 

  We didn't head onto the course until about 7:30, and the woods were dark. It made it difficult to see the target and where you were aiming. I started off on a long boar and believe I hit it right where I was aiming. However, the arrow landed directly above the 8-line. After moving to the next target, a medium alert deer, I hit it behind the pin, this time for an 8. 

  Walking down the road, I dismissed the first two arrows and figured I would just battle through the first half until things got a little lighter in the woods. I was also battling low blood sugar and could 't keep it up. This affected my hold, my mind and my execution. 

  When I got to the next target, I took a gander at it and shook my head. I knew it was going to be a tough day when I saw a bomb of a bobcat. When I drew the bow back, I instantly knew I didn't have enough number on my sight, so I let down and reevaluated my situation and thought about where I had to hold to stay in the 10-ring. After drawing a second time and settling in, the shot broke and I quickly learned I hadn't held the pin in the right place. The arrow struck directly below the 8-line. 

  After getting an 8 on a steep uphill black panther, I was beside myself, but I was determined to get the train back on the tracks. That's when I rolled the next three shots, executing some of my shots of the year. During the process, I realized I just wasn't meant to hold the bow well on this day. In my older years, I can hold the bow well some days, and other days I have to battle through what I'm given. It was one of those days. 

  When we finished the first half, I considered calling it a day. Then, the more I thought about it, I decided to continue on the course so I could get more judging practice. The second half started with a bomb of a leopard before quickly getting shorter with a large deer, then a moose. I started the second half well and kept plugging along with the horrible hold. Although things weren't great, they weren't terrible either. It gave me practice for when I'm struggling with my shot and hold. 

  About halfway through the second half, I made tow perfect shots in a row on a red fox and a bedded buck. I couldn't have asked for better shots, and both arrows found their mark. As I dashed across the field after finishing, I knew I wouldn't have time to chat. Instead, I had to make the trip to work. 

                                                            Final Thoughts

  This was Fish House's second year of holding an IBO qualifier, and it did not disappoint. This was an ass-kicker of a course and the conditions made it even more difficult. Although it gave us a few breaks with some 25-yard shots, the majority of the targets were long, and the sets were amazing. 

  Rich and his crew went above and beyond while setting this course. They used every trick in the book to fool people, and they must've done it well because nobody broke 300 in any class. This was a top-notch shoot, even though it was on the extremely difficult side of the scale. This type of shoot challenges us in all areas of 3D shooting. Their grounds are incredible too, with groomed trails, easy walking and all sorts of terrain.  Kudos to everyone involved in setting it up. Hopefully, next year we can find a way to get more people to the event. I believe word of mouth should help with that. 

  My mind was full while shootings and there was no place in it to focus. There's nothing that can compare to losing your childhood friend, and the thoughts that inundate your mind are often mind-boggling. I tried my hardest to focus, but I found it simply impossible. I also knew I had to get to work, and that thought never found a place to hide from the time I woke up. 

  I'm headed to Kentucky for the ASA on Wednesday after work. Jacob and I will be making the trip, and we will give it our best. Although neither of us has ever shot lights-out while competing in the tournament, there's always a first time, and we are both ready to dance. I haven't spent time with Jacob in a while, so I look forward to some great conversations and learning a little something along the way. I value Jacob's advice, and it tends to help me with some little things along the way. Neither one of us has had any quality practice this spring due to the weather and life, so we will rely on experience and see where we end up. Good luck to anyone else who is headed to Kentucky. The summer is about to get busy. Then, before you know it, the 3D season will be done and hunting season will be rolling in. Put the work in now and see what happens in late July and early August. 

Here's the shot of the day. Don't ever let Wags tell you he doesn't have a little luck on his side. After a shot got away from him, the arrow glanced off the tree, broke, then barely stuck in the bear. Atta boy, Wags. You made it look easy, 

1st Leg of the National IBO Triple Crown

  It always seems like May gets here without warning and no time to be properly prepared for this event. This year was no different, especially with the extended chilly temperatures, high winds and nonstop rain. Between the hours at work and the crappy weather, I was the least prepared I've ever been before heading to West Virginia for this tournament. 

  However, with 60 targets between two regional tournaments under my belt, I felt somewhat confident. My shooting has been going well, and my bow has been performing better than me. I figured I would rely on experience to carry me through. 

                                                                   Practice Day

  After getting up at 5:00 a.m. to be at work at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, I was a little tired when Tyler and Tom picked me up at work. With them already three hours into their trip from northern Vermont, we would still have another 10 hours to cover before resting for the night. The ride went quickly, and we arrived in West Virginia around 3:30 a.m. 

  We slept until about 7:30 a.m., then headed to the tournament site, where Tyler, Wags and I would spend our day practicing and Tom and Wade would head to their ranges in an attempt to get 20 targets in before day's end. 

  We ended up meeting Digger Cogar and Destini and spent the day on the practice range with them. It was backed up most of the day, but we all had a great time and shared some deep laughs. I'm not sure I've ever had as much fun on practice day, and it reminded me why I still travel to play this game called archery. It's always good to spend times with my friends whom I never see anywhere else, especially my friends I made in this sport 30-plus years ago. 

  No matter how much we shoot, we all chase perfection, and that is what most likely keeps the majority of us coming back... because nobody can ever be perfect. While some days seem like nothing can go wrong, other days seem like you've just started shooting a bow and know nothing about sport. Either way, I enjoy watching the flight of the arrow. 

  As we progressed through the round, I found my shot becoming effortless, and before long, I was headed toward the homestretch. We ended up shooting 20 targets, and I never left the 10 ring. It increased my confidence and I knew I was ready for Day 1. Wags also shot well on the practice range, and he recently changed to shooting a button instead of a hinge. The change seems to be suiting him well. 

Day 1

   Day 1 greeted us with a warm morning and no wind. It was a great day to shoot. After getting my target assignment, I learned I would be shooting with Glenn Meadows and Aaron Kilburn. Although I had never shot with Aaron in the past, I have shared the stake quite a few times with Glenn, and he's one of my favorite guys to shoot with. He makes things relaxing and calm. He brings a sense of calmness with him and it radiates amongst everyone in the group. I looked forward to spending my day with Glenn. 

  I would start my day on a bedded Dahl sheep on the edge of a golf course, then I would have to navigate through a Hogzilla, caribou, gator and fallow deer before getting back into the woods. The Dahl sheep allowed me to execute a picture perfect shot like the ones I dream about in my sleep. The arrow landed inside/out in the 11-ring, and my confidence from the day prior instantly found its way into the empty space between my ears. 

  Making my way to Hogzilla, I knew it was a bomb, but I wasn't able to hear any arrows being shot from the group in front of us. I decided to set my sight a little short of max yardage. Once again, I executed one of those shots I dream about, but the arrow ran out of gas and stuck in the foam perfectly in line under the 10-ring. Satisfied, I walked up the hill and waited to shoot the caribou. 

  After being fooled by the previous target, I kept adding yardage. Before I knew it, I was standing next to the target retrieving the 8 that I had shot above the 10-ring. Now, I began getting a little anxiety as I looked up the hill and saw a gator lying on a berm above a sand trap. When Glenn misjudged it, I took some yardage off my tape. A few minutes later, I was retrieving my low 8. Now, 8 points down after 4 shots, with two of the targets being huge, I knew I had to settle in and get back on track. 

  I quickly got a couple of points back by shooting a few 11s with perfectly executed shots. My bow was aiming well, and I was shooting good shots. I knew I could make the ground up if I stayed the path. I stayed within myself and battled back and forth the rest of the day. I made some of the best shots I've made in the last two years and the 11s piled up as proof. 

  At the end of the day, I found myself sitting at 10 down, the low man in the group, but I also evaluated my day and realized I had recovered nicely after the first four targets and shot my way through the rest of the day at 2 down with seven 11s. Although the score didn't reflect my day, it told me I had a long climb to have a chance. However, thinking about practice day and the few regional tournaments I shot the last few weeks, I liked my chances. 

                                                                     Day 2

  When I got my target assignment on Day 2, I realized I would be in the fourth group with Loren Lohr, Mike Sutter and Nate Dorsey. Having shot with Loren and Mike in the past, I knew I would have another easy-going day. It's always a good time shooting with Loren, and he keeps things in perspective, never being down when struggling and never being too high when pounding. He keeps things on an even keel, and I think that's what makes good shooters shoot well. Although your group shouldn't be responsible for how you shoot, I've seen some groups that make it difficult to concentrate at the level that is sometimes necessary. 

  Unlike the first day, I got off to a rough start when I shot an 8 on the first target. Quickly putting it behind me, I erased the 8 with a few 11s and quickly got into a groove where my shots felt good. Although they weren't effortless, they felt solid and made me feel like I would have a good day. After getting through the first 10 targets of the day, I was holding my own and hadn't gone backward. I knew if I stayed on the path and could somehow grab a few 11s down the homestretch, I would have a chance at getting in the shootoff. When I got through a gauntlet of targets stacked on top of each other and looked at a turkey on the back of a green on the golf course, where we would be shooting it from the woods, I knew I could make up some more ground with a good shot. With two arrows in the 10-ring when my turn came around, I put my pin on the nocks and let it eat. The arrow struck just to the right of the arrows for an 8. It was a good shot, so I couldn't complain. I accepted it and moved forward. 

  The next target was a long, downhill alert deer that was placed on a side hill. With an arrow on the right side of the 10, I made sure to stay to the right while aiming, and my arrow hit a tad to the right and low for an 8. Although it wasn't a bad shot, I quickly found myself going backward. After smoking a short snarling wolf for an 11, I found myself staring at a bobcat on a log. 

  Believing I had a good number, but second guessing it while aiming, I let down. When I drew the second time, I made a great shot, and the arrow landed directly under the 10-ring for an 8. Knowing I would have to bite and claw my way to the finish and try to get a few 11s, I stayed composed and felt confident about my number on a boar. When I drew the bow, I thought the target looked farther away than I had my sight set, so I held on an arrow that was on the 8 line high. The arrow hit directly behind the pin and found itself  on the 8-line. Then, having to lead off my last target of the day, I executed a good shot and figured I hit right-side 10. Unfortunately, the arrow hit close to where I aimed, and I got myself another 8. I had quickly dropped 8 points and found myself at 382, about 10 points out of the shootoff. Packing my stuff up and heading down the trail, I could've beaten myself up and tore myself down, but I smiled and felt satisfied. I had given it everything I had and just came up a little bit short due to a few mistakes. 

                                                                         Final Thoughts

  I didn't have many expectations going to this tournament due to the horrible conditions we've faced in the  Northeast this spring, which hasn't allowed much of any time to get quality practice. With that being said, I also know my capabilities and felt confident I could still give it a run. 

  My first day wasn't great, but I learned I can stay the path and come out on top. I focused on shooting good shots and did everything I could to stay strong and execute to the best of my ability. I'll give myself a solid passing grade on that test, and that says a lot when thinking about last year. Although I shot a few too many 8s, I also made plenty of great shots to stack up a nice pile of 11s, and that felt pretty good. 

  Day 2 brought me to a familiar place, and I got a feeling from a few years ago that I liked. I figured I had crawled my way back into contention and was ready to finish it off. However, after going on and off the golf course and finishing in the woods, I had a hard time calibrating my yardage guesser, and that caused my demise. I'll definitely get better with that as time goes on. I also finally felt like I was and could be competitive again. I decided to bet on myself this year and shoot a bow of my choosing. That allowed me to test a lot of bows and find one that I thought best suited my shooting style. I landed with an Elite Victra, and I can say that so far it's one of the favorite bows I've ever shot. It also feels good to be home with Elite again, especially since I was able to win a lot of cool stuff with one as an amateur and shoot a couple giant deer with one. I can't wait to see how things play out with the bow as time progresses and we become better friends where we know how to act and what to expect with one another as things become intimate. I'm sure there's an elite performance hiding within this Elite bow. 

  I feel good going forward and I will do what I can do. I will be headed to the ASA in Kentucky in a few weeks, and I look forward to spending time on the ASA range with the guys who shoot that series that I didn't get to see at the IBO. 

  My dad also got out and shot the Northeast Championship Series ASA in Massachusetts last weekend. He made his debut in the ASA Legends Class. It was a lot for him since he recently had a hip replaced, but he got through it, and that's what is important. He's still able to do what he likes. 

  Until next time... shoot to have fun and have fun while you shoot. The picture below... only in West Virginia....

  

 

New York/New England IBO Shoot at Hudson Falls

 

  After many sleepless nights and conflicted thoughts after the IBO World last year when I shot one of the worst scores I've ever shot at a national IBO event, I seriously considered hanging it up and becoming a backyard archery again... the place where it all started and seemed effortless. After all, I would just be shooting arrows for the pure fun of it and no thoughts or expectations of past history would come to the forefront of my mind. 

   However, after considering all options, I decided I didn't want to go out the way I performed in the last event of the year. I chose to cut back on my schedule and just shoot a few events this year. In doing so, I contacted Mike Price and asked him to help me with a few issues that have caused issues for me the last few years. After visiting him, I started putting the work in and decided I would just see where it would lead me... so here we are. I'm back on the range with my friends. As you can see, I'm having a good time with Wags, and Wade is in the backdrop. These two are my guys, my friends, my supporters and the ones with whom I have shared all of my successes and failures. Those two and my many other friends are the real reason why I'm returning. The results aren't what matters anymore. Now, it's time to go enjoy myself and take what happens without overthinking things or letting it influence what I think about myself. 

  We will be heading to Pipestem, WV, next weekend, and unlike most of the people who will be there, we will have minimal practice. We went to an IBO qualifier at Ti Yogi last weekend and we shot at Hudson Falls this weekend. We got winter-like weather both weekends, which made it almost impossible to figure anything out other than judging yardage. 

  I weighed a lot of options for which bow I wanted to shoot this year. Tyler Thygesen finally talked me into giving the Elite Victra a try because he thought it would react similarly to some of the bows that have allowed me to experiences some successful moments in the past. I'm glad I listened to him, and the Victra will be the bow I head onto the range with this year.  It tuned easily, and I'm ready to see how it does. 

So I headed onto the range with Wade, Wags and Robbie on Sunday morning. It was a chilly morning and relatively calm when we started. As we made our way through the first eight targets, I felt like the old Todd was reemerging from the closet of ghosts. Everything was effortless and the arrows easily found their way into the 10-ring. It's never easy when you start off with a bomb of a white wolf in front of a pond, then it gets followed up with a bomb of a feeding doe in which you can't see its legs. 

  As we meandered through the first half, I felt confident with my numbers. Although my shot wasn't smooth, it was still good. Then, we got into the field, where the last four targets of the first half could be found. That's when the wind started hammering, and it never stopped. The wind ended up getting me on a few of the targets and I hit them to the left due to massive wind drift, even after aiming well right of the 10-ring. I guess that's what happens when you shoot an arrow that weighs 290 grains... the price you pay for shooting light poundage and light arrows. When we had finished the first half, I was satisfied. 

  After a short break and moving to the second half, the wind stared hammering and it was almost impossible to hold the bow on target in the open fields. Unfortunately, we would be in brushy fields for the majority of our second half. 

  As we progressed, I was just trying to hang on. Eventually, on a long mountain lion, I changed releases just for a change of pace. It definitely fired a little bit easier, so I used it for about three targets before returning to my primary piece of equipment. 

  When I got to the last target of the day, a strutting turkey that would require us to shoot from a field, down a tunnel into the brush, I had a solid aiming point when I led it off. The two black dots on the left of the 10-ring allowed me to get the pin to them quickly and execute a good shot, one of my better ones of the day. The arrow struck the right side of the dots, and I walked away with a 10 on the 42 yard bird. I was happy to walk toward the club, knowing I had survived one of the toughest shoots I've shot in a long time. 

                                                                    Final Thoughts

  I'd like to say the entire day was as smooth and effortless as the first 10 targets before the wind settled in for the day, but I had to grind after it picked up. Although people make fun of me for saying I think the wind likes me more than others, I know everyone in the group saw it happen with their own eyes on a few different shots. It can be totally calm, then become gale force wind when I draw the bow. Thankfully, I learned how to shoot well in the wind in my younger days. Although it made me a little hesitant with my shot, I plowed through and found a way to make it work. 

  When I look at the big picture, I can say that If I had less than 1/2 inch on a ruler for the last 15 targets, I would've finished about 10-12 points higher. I'm satisfied with the results for all things considered. I shot the best line I've shot in a long time, and all but two of my misses were extremely close. The wind and a bad number got me on the two that missed by a wide margin. I'll continue working and see what happens next week. I'm excited to get there and see all of my friends from across the country. It will be a great time, and I can't wait to catch up with everyone and share another memorable weekend at an archery tournament with some of my closest friends. 

  I can't end this without saying how much Wags and Robbie impressed me on Sunday. Wags finally decided to shoot a button, and I think he shoots it much better than a hinge. He also had stellar numbers for the most part and shot really well in the wind. 

 Robbie had a rough start and began beating himself up and blaming the bow. However, after taking accountability and realizing what he was doing, he straightened his sh*t out and started pounding. It was impressive to watch him recover from a bad beginning. It was the most mentally strong I've seen him on the archery range. If he continues in the same direction this year, he will tough to beat in August. This was an all-out ass-kicker of a course and he handled it like it was soft. Kudos to you, Rob. I look forward to watching your progress. 

  I finally got to shoot with Wade again after missing out the last few years. When I was a much younger lad when I started going to big shoots, Wade was the guy I always wanted to beat. He was always at the top and still is today. He just finds a way to get it done, and he has always driven me to be better, In all the years of shooting with him, he has shot a PSE except for a few years when he shot a Hoyt. This year, he is also shooting an Elite Victra, and he looks the best I've seen him shooting in a long time. 

  I can't leave without giving Chuck Weeden some serious props. He set a course that walloped me. My brain hurt afterward, and I was swearing at him. I just wanted a small break on the course to regain my senses, but I never got it. It felt good to survive the course and know I will never see anything more difficult this year. Thanks, Chuck, for keeping all of us honest and challenging us to be at our best. We all appreciate it, even though we wanted to kill you while shooting. 

  I'd also like to give thanks to the president of HFFG, Dave Russell, and to the guy who always makes sure our grounds look great, Chuck Little. Chuck did a great job cooking for everyone. Thanks, guys, for giving us a great place to participate in the things we love. 

                                                                                                                                                                              

Digger Cogar Considers Retirement

 

  I'm not sure of the exact date, but I believe it was in the month of May in the mid to late '90s when I learned about the Cogar family. A father and his two sons traveled around the country participating in national archery tournaments, and they were all pretty good. They were well respected, and they always held their composure, even when they hadn't performed up to their potential. They were good ol boys from West Virginia, and I became friends with them.

  I quickly learned that Digger and Mike were two of the guys to beat if I had any chance of standing on the podium at the end of the event. We would all end up in peer groups at the national triple crown and we would share sniffing leads at the halfway point or at the end of events over the years. We all had our ups and downs, but we stuck at it.

  Although I didn't know Digger's age, I knew he was pretty close to me. Then, the year I turned 50, Digger went into Senior Pro, so I knew we were both born in 1969. Although I had minimal time to shoot in my early 50s, I joined Digger in the class when I was 52. 

  Over the last handful of years, we've shared a lot of great experiences as well as a few that weren't so good. I've always found it easy to discuss the rounds with Digger because we tend to see things from the same angle most of the time. He's always been one of my favorite people with whom to shoot, and I've always respected his archery knowledge and shooting ability. I consider myself lucky to have walked with him on the path to where we currently stand. 

  That's why writing this brings a great amount of sadness. Recently, Digger has spoken of retirement due to a catastrophic moment he encountered while shooting at the Foley ASA in February. After his Day 1 round, he went for a nature walk to a nearby Adventureland Park. While walking, he wasn't paying attention to the "Beware of Alligators" sign and veered off the walkway for a few seconds. 

  Without knowing he had approached a female gator that was trying to feed her babies, it was too late when the gator lunged at him and clamped her jaws around him. Digger did everything he could to save himself further injury and narrowly escaped death. However, in doing so, he wasn't able to get his release hand and arm away in time, suffering horrible injuries to his forearm and fingers. It has taken its toll on him, and shooting the release accurately has become increasingly difficult. It also traumatized his mental abilities and made his eyes bug out of his head briefly, exploding his yardage-judging capabilities. Let's all wish Digger a speedy recovery so we can see him back on the courses if he decides he doesn't want to retire quite yet. However, if he does hang it up, I'm sure he won't be the first one who was driven away by a pesky gator found along a 3D trail. 

  

From Behind the Line

   A little over a year ago, I stood behind a row of chairs at the Lancaster Archery Classic on Saturday during the Collegiate Youth Tournament. There were kids of all ages winging arrows down range. Some of them as serious as top-level professional archers and others not giving a hoot if their arrows landed in the scoring rings. Then, there were parents who were living their lives through their children and others who were just content to watch their kids have fun shooting their bows. 

  As the minutes passed, my blood glucose plummeted, and I needed to sit down. Scurrying for a chair to sit in before passing out, I scanned the chairs in front of me and found an empty one to plant myself in until I recovered. 

  A few minutes later, a parent (a man from Kentucky with a shooter's shirt that said "Coach" on the back of it) accosted me with a verbal attack. He wasted no time going off on me that I had sat in his daughter's seat and she had a bagel in the seat to mark the chair as her own. 

  I quickly informed him that nothing was in the chair and that's why I sat there. I also noted that competitors had two rows of chairs to sit in a few rows in front of us and no spectators were allowed in those chairs. At this point, I could see the attitude in full force. He began letting loose and had his facts wrong. His daughter had lied to him, but I give him credit and standing beside his daughter. However, he refused to listen to a grown adult. I quickly learned why she had most likely lied about the bagel being in the chair. If I were to guess, I'd say the man (the coach) had the ability to be verbally abusive if not physically abusive too. I can only surmise due to his actions I was witnessing firsthand. 

  In the end, I watched the girl have a meltdown as the coach ran back and forth between his students and helped them with their attitudes. The Super Bowl was taking place for him, and he wasn't even shooting. The next day I was able to watch Jacob Slusarz win the tournament in the Open Pro class, and I got to stand within feet of him while he did it. I wondered how many kids watched him and dreamed of being like him in the future. He was acting as a true role model.  I also wondered if the man from the day before was smart enough to know he was hurting children and the sport of archery by acting like he acted that day. 

                                                                    Last Weekend

  Although I had no intentions of attending the NYFAB State Championship, I learned I somehow got the days off, so I told my father I would bring him back and forth if he wanted to shoot. Due to the issues he is having with his hip and being unable to walk well, I knew he couldn't make the drive by himself. When he decided to sign up, I told him I would be his chauffeur. Then, shortly after committing to it, I also saw that NYFAB was looking for someone to help out with the kids' bales on Saturday and Sunday morning. Since I had nothing to do, I volunteered to help with the scorecards and keep an eye on the kids. 

  As the unofficial practice began at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, I met the kids whom I would be helping. One was Alana Miller and the other was Andy Fritts. As they shot arrows in practice, I didn't know what to expect. After all, they were cubs and cubs are there to have fun or because their parents want to live their lives through their children. 

  Well, it didn't take long before I learned why both kids were there. They were there because they loved shooting their bows and knew they had a chance to win their divisions. I also got the pleasure of meeting both of their parents. When I met him, I realized I already knew Alana's dad, but Andy's dad was a new face to me. 

  After a brief discussion, I learned that Andy was coached by Glen Bordwell and he and his dad did their business at  Legends of the Fall pro shop, which Jeff Bordwell has run for many years. I met Jeff about 30 years ago at a NYFAB event.  Here's Jeff with Andy. The Bordwells are good people, and good people find good people. 

  As I talked with the kids throughout the round, I learned a lot about both of them, and I enjoyed every second of the conversations. Alana told me she loves shooting with her dad, but she didn't like getting up so early in the morning to make the trip to the shoot. Then, she informed me that she didn't go to bed until 2:00 a.m. I laughed and took it all in. She entertained me the entire time. 

  Near the end of the round, she knew she was shooting well and kept trying to look at the cards. However, I kept them turned upside down and offered a Jolly Rancher if she shot all Xs. I figured it would take her mind off the score and make her focus on getting that Jolly Rancher. It worked perfectly, and I rewarded her with a Jolly Rancher piece of candy after she smoked the last five Xs of the round. She ended the day with her personal best score of 300 with 53Xs. I was happy for her, and I was even happier when I saw her dad's excitement when he learned the news. 

  During the round, I also got to chat with Andy's dad quite a bit, and I learned Andy loves motorcycles, hunting and shooting his bow. Andy told me he has an awesome coach, and his coach is Glen Bordwell. He looked like a little Glen to me, and I had the pleasure watching him execute his shots. Even though he was nervous, he pulled through all of his shots and stayed strong right until the end, shooting a 300 with 48Xs. 

   At day's end, I was ecstatic for both kids. They both shot great rounds and both of them were excited. I couldn't wait for Sunday to see if they could hold on and find their way into the winner's circle. Since I gave Alana a prize for shooting well, I told Andy I would bring him a copy of one of my books the next day. He told me he liked to read, especially anything about hunting.

                                                                       Day 2

  After going home and shooting my bow for a bit, I called it a night and got a poor night's rest. When I hit the road at 5:30 a.m., I needed a little extra jolt of caffeine to stay alert. The ride out was uneventful, and I waited patiently for the round to start. As the minutes ticked away, I began getting nervous when neither kid had shown up when unofficial practice started. I hoped they would make it. 

  Then, as official practice neared, I saw both kids roll into the arena, both of them telling me what they wanted to shoot for scores. I quickly reminded them that there scores were insignificant and if they shot the best shots they could shoot, they just might get a good score. Although they didn't seem convinced, they went along with my advice. I'm not sure if they understood what I was saying or if they just chose to pretend they weren't listening. Either way, I said it enough to distract them from the real task at hand. 

  As the round got to the halfway point, they were both shooting lights out, so I didn't say anything other than telling them they needed to change positions of their targets. Neither one of them missed a beat and started nailing 10s on the other end of the switch. 

  Around the seventh end, Andy got a little rattled, shooting a 10,9,8. I was a little concerned, but it didn't last long. The next end, he recovered nicely and shot all 10s. Then, with one end left, they both asked me how many ends were left. I told them they had three more ends to go. After a few frowns and disgruntled gasps, they headed back to the line. 

  They both shot great shots on their last end and walked away with their personal best scores, with Alana shooting a perfect 300 and Andy shooting a 296. When you can shoot your PB at a big event, it says something about your mental fortitude and your support group. I wish Andy's coach could've been there to see it because I bet Glen would've liked it more than anything he's done in archery, and he has a long list of accomplishments. Andy's dad came down to the floor when the kids were done and slapped him a high five. They were both celebrating the great round, and it made me smile. 

  Then, Alana's dad came over and I took a picture of the two of them in front of her perfect target. She only had one close one the entire round and she ended the round with a stellar group of three arrows. 

  Both kids would end up winning a State Championship title in their respective classes, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them and their parents. I hope both kids continue down the archery path and it gives them the ability to escape problems when they get older. 

                                                             Final Thoughts on the Weekend

    Although I never expected to be all-in while watching kids I had never known shoot, I found it exhilarating to root for them as if they were my own. I rode their highs and lows in the round, and I saw it in their faces. With every arrow shot, I felt a rush of adrenaline, especially when the kids neared the ends of their rounds each day. I'm not sure how I ended up where I did, but I liked it. 

  I enjoyed chatting with the kids throughout their rounds, and it made me realize that archery really doesn't matter. We all do it because we love it. Then again, we all learn to have a love/hate relationship with it from time to time. We create unseen pressure, and we strive to do our best. We create self-expectation, and I've seen that destroy some of the best of them. However, if we all take a step back and realize we got into the sport because we love bows, arrows and the arc in archery, it changes the perspective. Kids have a way of showing us that life can be simple if we allow it to be simple. However, we create our own demons, and when we feed these demons, they can quickly consume us and take total control. When we all started it was exhilarating to shoot just one arrow into the bullseye, then we wanted to put another one in there, and before we knew it, we became obsessed with accuracy. 

  The chase for perfection is the root of all evil in archery because even the best of the best can't always be perfect. However, if we chase the repetition of a perfect shot, we might just be able to shoot perfect scores. These kids showed me that when their minds were distracted from their scores, they performed in a more carefree mood and did much better. It was a pleasure to watch. 

  I also learned how important it is to have a good support group and solid role models. Watching Andy's dad let Andy do his thing without interfering with anything was something more parents should try to do. He would give Andy a fist bump on the good ones and totally ignore the bad ones. Glen has definitely taught Andy well. 

  Watching Alana's dad let her navigate her rounds without any type of emotion was a pleasurable experience, especially when he appeared at the end of the round and congratulated her.  I'm glad I was able to help with the kids, and I'm even happier I got to share my weekend with two new State Champions. They both have fantastic parents and role models. Although I never forget it and don't take it for granted, I'm not sure I tell people how fortunate I've been to have all of my friends' support over the years. Furthermore, without my parents, none of my memories in archery could've ever been made, so thank you Mom and Dad. I never would've been able to live my archery life or meet my archery family without your help. 

2025 IBO World Championship

  

  After registering for the IBO World Championship, I considered bailing out before it became too late, but I decided to stick it out and attend the event since the plans had been made almost a year earlier. My life has experienced a lot of changes this year and finding the time to have quality practice has been almost impossible. Unlike Digger Cogar, I need to practice regularly to perform well. I also need my mind to be clear and focused when I attend events. Over my career, if I've been unable to achieve those things, the results haven't been too terribly good. However, I also know I have the ability to perform well at the highest level, so I threw all my eggs in the basket and hit the road. 

  Although I drove for a few hours on the way to West Virginia, my neck was sore when we finally arrived. My lack of sleep finally caught up to me. Since the store opened, I've found myself there from open to close almost every day. My back and legs have paid the price, too. In the last two weeks, I shot my bow one time, which was at the IBO NY State Championship. While I didn't shoot well, I found a few things on the bow that needed to be changed. After making the changes when I got home that day, I felt confident. However, the overwhelming chaos at work consumed all of my energy, and I never saw daylight hours to shoot. 

  Finally, two days before leaving for the event, I got an hour of daylight after work to attempt shooting my bow. At that point, I knew it wasn't going to go well. After shooting two groups of six arrows from 40 yards and seeing that neither group was smaller than a basketball, I knew I was in trouble. My body was shot, and my arms, shoulders and back couldn't do what was necessary to hold well or shoot a good shot. I knew I would have to suck it up and take whatever would come when I got to the event. 

   When we finally arrived around 3:00 p.m. the day before the shoot, we decided to shoot a few targets before settling in for the night. My eyes were heavy and fuzzy as we made our way through the practice range that was set up along the road. After a few majorly misjudged targets, I finally got it together for the last few of the day. 

  We stayed to watch Jacob get his award for his IBO National Triple Crown Championship, then we headed back to our place. Jacob has now won the crown two times in the last few years, and it is considered one of the hardest things to win in 3D archery. He battled it out right to the end this year to come away with the title, and he earned it with a great shot on a strutting turkey. 

                                                                            Day 1

  When I got up in the morning, my vision was still fuzzy. I also felt like I hadn't slept in days. I got up and got going in hopes that I would come alive and everything would be put in the rear-view mirror. I felt like I might've accomplished it when we got to the practice bags and I shot good groups. 

  Then, Dad and I decided to shoot the practice range along the golf course. It started with quite a few uphill shots, and I paid the price. I didn't make many good shots, and I also couldn't see yardage well. However, like the day prior, I got it together near the end of the round, smoking the wolverine and turkey before ending with a great shot on the elk. While my eyes and body didn't feel the best, I figured I'd find a way to muddle my way through the day and give myself a shot. 

  When I headed across the levee to the first target, I walked with Matt Bressler, Tim Gillingham and Greg Heberlig. I knew I'd have good aiming references the entire tournament. When the cards were drawn, I learned I would follow Gilligham for the day. 

  Being last on the first target, I couldn't get a good read on anyone's bow. Then, when I drew my bow and settled in on the long, uphill large ram, I felt confident. When the shot fired, I knew I had it. I executed a good shot. However in that split second after the shot fired and before the arrow struck the target, I knew I was in trouble. The arrow should've landed before it did. Stepping away from the stake, I saw that what I heard made perfect sense. I had held a perfect line, but my arrow was in the belly of the target. I had misjudged it by about six yards. 

  Moving to the second target, I let the first one slip into the back of my mind and paid no attention it. After all, I've had plenty of poor starts in my career and recovered from them without many issues. When I got to the stake, I saw a bedded stone sheep and felt confident with my number. I made a good shot and saw my arrow strike the 10-ring. 

  As we made our way through the course, I began feeling dizzy, and an archer I haven't seen in over 30 years made his way behind my string. Things quickly snowballed out of control, and I saw myself struggling just to hold on, both mentally and physically. Eventually, it got to a point where I lost all confidence and felt like tucking my tail between my legs and walking off the course. I had no business competing with some of the best professionals in the world. I was totally outclassed and didn't do much to make it better. 

  After shooting a wolverine across a small gully and hitting it in the back for a 5, I just laughed. After all, Tim missed the target and he was still only four down. With only a handful of targets, including the next one, which was a 50-yard javelina, I just wanted to get off the course and forget about the day. I did well to get the javelina, barely miss a mt. lion to the right, then get a fallow deer and a Dahl sheep. Finally, I arrived at the last target of the day, which was a goat. Being the last shooter in the group, I had great references to aim and settled my pin on Tim's arrow. It was in the middle of the middle. 

  When my shot broke, I knew it was my best one of the day. Then, I heard Bressler say, "You're not going to like that. It smoked Tim's arrow and ricocheted to a bad spot. Once at the target, I saw that Tim's arrow was destroyed and mine was a solid 7 inches from his. I just smiled, took my arrow from Tim after he pulled it and walked off the course. I kicked my own ass and allowed it to happen. I didn't care if I returned the next day. I shot my lowest first round score in the history of my IBO shooting since 1993. 

                                                                               Day 2

  Going into Day 2, I just wanted to get done as quickly as possible so I could get on the road toward home. Although I started with an 11, it suddenly went downhill and walloped me. I begged for mercy with my conscious mind, but it showed me none. Finally, after shooting four fives in the first handful of targets, I took control of my mind and told myself I was going to run the show. 

  The last 12 targets of the day reminded me of my old self. I held well. I felt relaxed. I remained patient, and I executed good shots. Nearing the end of the day, I shot some of my best shots to finish the tournament. I executed a perfect shot on a fairly close elk as well as shooting a perfect 11 on a bomb of a black panther. Then, I finished the tournament off with a perfect shot on a fallow deer and walked away with a 10. 

   After pulling all of the arrows, we matched the cards and walked down the road toward the tent. Tim had shot one hell of a round, especially considering he had a zero. As we walked down the road, we discussed many things about life, work, archery and the outdoors. It was a relief for me to know the mercy killing was over. 

                                                                         Final Thoughts

  Although I knew I had all the odds stacked against me due to the responsibilities my employment has brought with it, I figured I would hold my own and give myself a chance. Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. 

  My body had been physically destroyed and never recovered. My mind was nothing more than jello, and nothing registered clearly. I didn't learn from my mistakes, and I wasn't able to distance myself from the demons tugging at my collard. Instead, I let them jump on my back and wreak havoc with my mind. I gave in to them and lost a battle you can't afford to lose. 

  Although every wheel but one was flat on the bus, I continued driving it to the finish line. I've never quit in my life and that day would not be my first. Finally, near the end of the second day, I finally learned what I needed to learn from the embarrassing performance: the bow I was shooting cannot be muscled. Instead, I learned if I just aim the bow, trust my shot and let it happen, the bow is deadly. If I had figured that out early in the first day, I might've given it a run. However, my eyes need to get addressed in the off-season. 

  I never imagined I'd have an enjoyable weekend shooting with Tim. Although we have had a few differences over the years, I still respect his talent and his opinions, even if they differ from my own. Sometimes we just have to agree to disagree and walk away. It doesn't mean we have to dislike each other. 

  We talked about a lot of things, including bows, yardage, hunting, fishing ... and life. We talked about his YouTube channel he's trying to get going as well as the release he's having made. I can't wait to try the release. It sounds like it might be right up my alley. We also discussed work and all the things that go along with trying to find good employment. 

  Finally, when we handed our cards in and began to separate to go our own ways, Tim asked me if I'd be willing to relocate for work, and I told him it would all depend on the offer. As I've always tried to help others, I appreciated the fact that after we talked about my misfortunes, he was thinking of how he might be able to help me someday if things worked out for him in his business ventures. 

  Looking at my performance, I don't give it much thought. If I hadn't run into the issues I had to deal with at work, I would've been more concerned about everything that happened. I realized you can't beat yourself up when the stars don't align. 

  I've  been considering calling it a career at the national level and doing other things with my time. The new job doesn't lend well to practicing, and I know I can't compete if I can't practice properly. Although I think things haven't played out well the last few years, when I began researching it to find out if I still "have" it, I found some interesting facts.

   In the last three years, excluding this year, I've been on the leader board at one point in every shoot I've attended except a few times. I've been a contender, and I've appeared consistently near the top during the events. I think I've lost sight of that because I expect more of myself. 

  After looking at all of the data, I decided to go to my annual eye exam in October, shoot a little in the winter, then make a decision. It'll give me more time to digest all of the changes in my life this year and try to sift through them and make the best choice for myself. Until then, I hope everyone has a great fall and all your arrows fly true. 

 

  
 

Third Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown

 

    With all the changes in my life recently, quality practice time has become severely limited. However, I feel the break was needed and has helped me in the mental arena. I've also had decent numbers in the limited number of regional shoots I've attended. With that being said, I felt confident when I threw my gear in the back of the truck and headed for southern Ohio to compete in the third leg of the IBO National Triple Crown. 

  Although I didn't find myself in the top two groups, where I've been peered the last four years, I figured I could make up some ground and find myself in the top eight by the end of the weekend. My confidence was riding a high, especially considering the way I've been shooting my 3D bow at long range. 

                                                                    Practice Day

  Since almost everyone in our traveling group had assigned times to shoot, we all chose to do different things on practice day. However, Doug decided to shoot 20 targets to get a head start. While Dad shot the field round, the rest of us shot the 3D practice range. I made quick work of practice, shooting 10 targets and calling it a day. After shooting 10 targets, I felt confident. Every arrow but one found its way into the 10 or 11 ring. After practice, we sat in the giant barn and welcomed the cool air from the giant fans on the ceiling. We talked, joked and had a good time. Here's Doug heading to his range. 

                                                        

                                                                               Day One

  I was looking forward to getting started and knew we would have a good group. I always enjoy shooting with Kevin Koch, and he sets the bar high. He's one of the top shooters in the Senior Pro class and has accumulated his share of victories in his archery career. He's calm, supportive and always in control, even when things don't go as planned. He never gets too high or too low, and it's easy to shoot with him. 

  

  Getting to my target assignment, I saw a bomb of a grazing doe at the end of the lane. It didn't take much for me to figure out the distance. I knew it was in the neighborhood of 50 yards, so I set my sight and prepared to send my first arrow of the tournament. 

  When I came to full draw, I felt calm and totally in control. My pin settled nicely in the area where it needed to be, and I began executing my shot. Within seconds, my arrow was in the target. It hit just right of the 10-ring at 3 o'clock. 

  Although I wasn't happy with the score, I was satisfied with the shot. I made a solid shot. If I were to guess, the morning shadows played into the arrow hitting to the right of the intended place. I took that confidence to the next target and was ready for hogzilla. I executed another great shot after a long hold and got on the board with an 11. 

  

  As we picked our way through the course, I noticed the targets were significantly closer than the last two tournaments, and I knew the scores would be higher. About seven targets into my day, I began struggling with my release, so I changed to another release in hopes of getting things to feel better while executing. 

  The change definitely worked, as my shots began breaking cleaner and quicker. However, I shot quite a few 8s before getting things back on track. Then, I made a few shots that were good but resulted in 8s. Although I thought I had the right numbers, there's not way in truly knowing if you're shooting unmarked yardage. 

  At day's end, I knew I had an uphill battle, but I never quit playing the game. I sat at 10 down and never shot a 5. I had issues staying out of the 8 column and all of the 8s put be well behind the 8-ball. I gave it my best but came up a little short. 

                                                                            Day 2

  Day 2 gave me  good group again. I was able to shoot with Digger Cogar, Jim Livak and Scott Price. I knew we wouldn't have any issues and welcomed the shooters in my group. I've shot with all of them multiple times. 

  

  I came out of the gate swinging and found myself plus 2 until we came upon an alligator. When I was glancing at the target, I couldn't believe how close it was to us. I also became distracted with a lot of things going on around us, so I loss my focus for a few minutes. This loss of focus cost me dearly. I shot a 5 on the gator, simply from not paying attention. This was a mistake I shouldn't have made and will have to do better in the future to prevent it from happening again. 

  After making the mistake, my mental state was fragile until the end. While I didn't shoot poorly, I shot too many 8s to be in the hunt. I ended the day at -9. However, I felt like I shot a pretty good round, even though the score said it was mediocre. I guess it just goes to show you that a few mistakes can significantly change the result. 

                                              

              

                                                                                  Final Thoughts

    This year has been a struggle. I've encountered a lot of changes, and it seems those changes may have snowballed into a melting snowman. Snowmen seem to be making a regular appearance on my score card this year, and when I was always in the hunt there weren't many of them at all. To return to my former glory, I need to find a way to replace the snowmen with 10s. I know I still have the ability. My long-dsitance shooting every day at home shows me I can still shoot a bow well. My eyes have become a slight issue, and I'm not sure if it might be a larger issue than I'd like to admit. I'll look into that in the off-season. 

  I enjoyed my groups on both days. There wasn't any tension in either one, and that always makes it easier to shoot. We had fun with Jim Livak on Sunday, and we think he might need some glasses too. Jim (or Juker) always makes the day fun, and Sunday was no different than normal. 

  My last event of the year will be the IBO World in early August, at which point I will lay down my target bows and pick up my hunting bow to head to Colorado in hopes of chasing down a nice elk in Unit 66. In my time in the woods this fall, which will be minimal due to new responsibilities, I will think about my future in tournament archery and attempt to make the most fitting decision. Until then, I'll see some of you at the IBO World Championship in West Virginia. Good luck to everyone. 

  On one last note, I have to give a hearty congrats to my buddy Jacob Slusarz for winning the IBO National Triple Crown for the second time in the last three years in the Open Pro division. This feat is simply amazing with all the changes he has had in his life recently. Congratulations, Jacob. You deserve it. Good luck at the last few tournaments of the season. There's something to be said for being able to stand next to the greatest of all time and shoot a perfect arrow to win one of the most coveted titles in all of 3D archery.