Since Dad wanted to shoot in the ASA tournament, we headed out at 5:00 a.m. We accidentally took a few wrong turns on the way, but we got to the site around 8:45. When we pulled in, it appeared that most people had already signed up and headed onto the course. We shot a few arrows and decided we were ready. Before heading out, we had to shoot through the chronograph to make sure our bows weren't going too fast. Over the years, I've always used a competition electronic chronograph because it's the same band of chronograph the officials use at the national tournaments. So when Dad and I both shot through the chronograph, the results that displayed on the screen surprised me. I had shot my bow through Aron's chronograph, Sean's chronograph and my own, and every one of them gave me the same speed. This one seemed to read a little bit higher than mine. I also heard other people saying their bows were going slower through that chronograph than their own chronographs. Those machines can make you pull your hair out at times, and they've always been that way. It seems like they could design all of them the same.
When we headed onto the range, the wind was hammering, and the first shot was out in the open. I had a hard time settling down and the bow was really moving around when the shot fired. Shooting unmarked yardage, I was disappointed to see my arrow on the 8 line under the 10. I knew I had the yardage, but I executed a poor shot. The next two shots were not stellar, and it started getting in my head. I couldn't hold well due to the wind, and it was causing me to be non-committal on my release. After getting into the woods, things improved a little, and I executed a couple of great shots. When I got the place where the course turned and started coming up the other side of the road, I made an incredible shot and smoked a javelina. I had the perfect yardage, ant he arrow hit directly behind the pin.
A few targets later, I was standing high on a rock and shooting a chamois that was down a hill. The wind wouldn't let up and my pin went from the front to the back of the animal. When the release fired, the arrow hit directly right of the 10, where the arrow had drifted with the wind. When you're shooting light poundage and a 290 grain arrow that has a 90 grain point in it, it doesn't leave much for error while shooting in the wind. I let the shot bother me, and as I approached the next target, I was concerned about my stabilizer and cam touching the pile of rocks in front of the stake. I let it mentally distract me and paid more attention to that than shooting my arrow. Being distracted on a 44.5 yard coyote usually doesn't result in a happy ending -- and it didn't.
Still thinking about the last shot, which I never do, and paying attention to my stabilizer and cam amongst the rocks, I paid the price, and barely caught foam on the coyote. I had the right yardage but came unglued. Continuing down the trail, I let it bother me, and I knew my first shoot of the year wasn't going as I had expected or planned. Unlike my normal process, I got sidetracked and began becoming lost in outside thoughts about everything else going on in my life. I paid the price a few more times over the next few targets.
Going into the second half my goal was to stay afloat and not lose ground. With the long yardage, it made it difficult to stay on track, but I did the best I could. The wind got me on a few shots, but overall my arrows found their mark. I think I came off that half about 6 down, which I considered a success for shooting unmarked yardage and the difficulty level of the course.
If I had to evaluate my ASA tournament, I would give myself a 6 out of 10. I struggled with commitment to the shot, but I executed great shots. I did a phenomenal job of concentrating when I had to bear down on the second half. I did the best I could to shoot in the wind and accept the results. I didn't expect he course to be set with so many long-yardage targets, so the judging was a little tougher, as yardage definitely gets harder to estimate after it gets beyond 40 yards. I did learn that my yardage judging was stellar, and that made me happy. My work in that area passed the test. The long distances made it difficult to actually aim directly at 12s. Although I aimed at a few, I only hit one the entire day and I called the upper because I could see it well. At the end of the day, I learned that I should have just announced at the beginning of the day, that I was shooting all uppers. I judged a hair hot, causing me to hit high. If I had called all uppers, I would have ended at nine down. It just goes to show you that a lot of people luck into the 12, no matter where it might be. Many people never think about it, but the 12s are the size of a 5-spot X and not many people can repeatedly shoot 5 Xs on a 5-spot regularly at 20 yards, let alone 30, 40 or 50. Although I can't prove it, in classes other than pro classes, I think that's why people are so up and down in ASA shoots and the same person doesn't usually win consecutive shoots at the national events.
My take on the day: I shot well. I struggled getting my shot to go off. I got distracted. I barely missed when I missed. My sub-par shots go left with this bow. My concentration was at an elite level on the second half. My aiming was phenomenal. The club always does a great job with their events, and it's a pleasure to shoot there.
The IBO Shoot
After checking the weather, Wade, George and I decided to head to western New York to shoot on Sunday. The forecast called for a few showers early, but that was about it. George met me at 4:45 after driving an hour from his house to my house, and we headed out to meet Wade. We got to the shoot at about 9:35, warmed up and headed out on the course. We were grouped with Ike and Mike, and I haven't shot with them in probably 15 years. I still remember the first time I ever met Mike, and we have remained friends over the years. Although he lives west of Buffalo, and we don't see each other much, it's always good to see him. Unfortunately, having five people in the group, I knew it was going to be a long day, but I also knew there would be good arrows in the target every time I didn't have to lead off because every shooter shoots well.
I started off well, barely missing an 11 on a Corsican ram. Stepping up to the stake on target 2, I knew it was going to be a tough shot. It was a long cheetah that was set up a creek bed and the black spots blended in so it made it really hard to aim. When it was my turn there were a few good arrows just a hair to the left of the 11. I held just off from them and the release fired. The arrow instantly appeared in the 11. I made a great shot, guessed the distance perfectly and ended up being rewarded. I executed another great shot on the next target and found myself in the 11 agin. Through the rest of the course, I held my own and shot good shots. I judged well and felt good about the loop when we finished. I sat at 4 down and knew I should have been a little higher. Also, of the three 8s I shot, one was on a long Jake turkey, which isn't an official IBO target, so I basically wrote that one off.
Heading onto the second loop, I felt good about my start. I executed a great shot on a long alert buck and barely missed the 11. I followed up that great shot with a great shot on a long coyote and smoked the 11. I love coyotes because the black stripe ends directly in the 10-ring. That target is the closest to dot shooting that you will get on a 3D course. As we picked our way through the rest of the course, we got hammered with an intense downpour for about 5-10 minutes, and we got soaked. It drenched our bows and made a mess out of things After it past, the wind began howling, and the day seemed to become somewhat miserable. I executed a great shot on the lynx and hit it over the 11. Although I was disappointed, I was happy to get a 10 because that target is tough no matter where it is set.
The first shot after the rainstorm, was a very long hogzilla, another target that will never be seen on a national range, and I was unsure where the arrow would hit. I wanted to add yardage due to the amount of water that the strings had soaked up, but I chose to dial the sight into the yardage I guessed. I hit dead low after making a good shot. It irritated me for a second, but I moved on and realized it's all a part of the game. The middle 10 treated me well, and I ended up 3 up on that loop. Going into the last 10, I just wanted to finish off the day on a positive note. I had good yardage estimations all day, and wanted to keep building on that.
A couple targets after hogzilla, I came upon another target that won't be seen at a national event, which was a gobbling turkey. I missed it about an inch to the left of the 10. It was a good shot, but barely missed the 10. Although I was disappointed, I moved on and let it go. Although I shot one more 8 on a long medium deer, I stayed in the 10 the rest of the way. When all was said and done, I had finished at 3 down on a course similar to many courses I've shot at national events. It had a mixture of all yardages and made you use the sight tape. Although there were a couple close ones, the vast majority of them were in the 38-48 range, and that is what can be expected. Once again, I had good yardage, and I shot three 8s on the only there targets that weren't official targets. I can take that any day of the week.
My thoughts on the day: I aimed unbelievably well. I stayed focused all day. I didn't let anything distract me to the point of throwing me off my game. My concentration was at another level. My yardage estimations were spot on. My bad shots go a hair left with this bow.
When I struggle with my game, I sometimes consult people I respect for opinions. After texting Jacob, I may try my old reliable Stan SX2 this week and see how that goes. If we can ever get a day where the wind isn't blowing Mach 9, I might be able to try it and see what happens. I'm going to use the IBO shoot this weekend in Massachusetts to experiment with a few things and see what happens. It might be a train wreck, but I could find something that is missing that could propel me to another place. That's what I'm hoping for this weekend.
If anyone didn't notice, I decided to shoot Senior Pro this year. I worked hard in the winter to be ready for it, and I'm working on yardages to give it my best shot. Sometimes insignificant conversations stick with people, and I had a talk with Ted and Sara Kay last year in West Virginia. I had just finished my round, and they were sitting on their tailgate when I approached them. After chatting for a bit and discussing the Senior Pro class, Ted said, "You've definitely earned your right to shoot in that class. You should just do it."
Well, I didn't put much into it last year due to all of the COVID stuff going on and wasn't feeling it. However, the more I thought about Ted's words, the more I decided the time is now. I'm not getting any younger and many of the guys in the class are the same guys I met in MBO and SPM back in the early days of my archery career. I've always been able to compete at the top of every class I've shot in, so I'll give it my best and see what happens. If I lay an egg, at least I know I tried.
Here's my card for Sunday's shoot and a few pictures of my deer head that just got finished. It's an Adirondack buck. I hope I see all of you out on the trail
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