1st Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown

Dad made it into the Bowhunter Defense Shootoff and won a Carter Insatiable release. 

   Before heading to West Virginia last weekend for the First Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown, I couldn't wait to get on the road. I felt the most prepared I've been in as long as I remember, and my shots were breaking well and my numbers were good enough to keep me in the 10-ring. I figured there  wasn't much that would keep my from being in the shootdown round. My confidence was overflowing in my cup, and I was ready for the challenge. 

  Since I always deal with travel stress, I tried something my doctor recommended for this trip and figured nothing could possibly be worse than normal. My stomach usually turns into a mess when we get on the road, so I tried remedying that with some medication to keep my insides from becoming a nuisance. I won't go on about this, but the new tactic seemed to work well. I'll be trying it again in a few weeks when we head to London, Ky., for the ASA. 

                                                                              Practice Day

  Dad and Wade headed out to shoot a few of their courses on Friday, so I stayed behind and decided to shoot some targets on the practice range. While sitting around, I met up with Bill McCall and Clayton Gingerich, and we headed onto the range to get our bearings. Practice didn't go too terribly bad, and by the time I finished shooting with them, I felt pretty good about the next day. It took me a bit to see the yardage in the West Virginia woods, but I seemed to figure it out by the end of the 12 targets we shot. 

  After shooting with them, I met Cole Bromley on my way out and shot some more targets with him. When all was said and done, I felt confident about the next day. I couldn't wait to get on the range to put my last few weeks of practice into play. I was ready!

                                              Day 1

One of the more interesting shots from Day 1. 

  Unlike most tournaments, our names were called for our target assignments. The range would have overflow on it, and there would be many groups with five shooters in them. I quickly learned I would be shooting with Jim Livak, Dave Tetrick, Scott Price and Jeff Hopkins. I always enjoy shooting with Jeff, and it's usually pretty relaxing, so I looked forward to my day as I made my way down the trail to the target. 

  When I got to the target, I couldn't figure out the setup of the range. There were four groups within 50 yards of each other, and we were all shooting different targets. It was a little confusing at first, but we quickly figured out we would be starting on a boar. The stake was in a small field, and the boar was a little bit out of the field and in the woods. The set made it tough to get a number. 

  I was drawn to shoot second, so I was glad to know there would be an arrow in the target. When I hit full draw, the shot went into my back, and I felt solid. Within seconds, the shot broke, and my day began. The arrow struck less than 1/4 of an inch over the 11. I was satisfied with that. 

  Moving to the second target, a long fallow deer, I felt good about my number but not good about the lighting. When I hit anchor, I searched for a good aiming spot on the target and felt like I acquired one. I broke a smooth, powerful shot, and Jeff said, "Nice shot." With the way it felt, I figured I had center-punched the 11. Stepping away from the stake, I realized Jeff was commenting on my shot, not where the arrow landed. I barely missed the 10-ring at 3 o'clock. I'm pretty sure the arrow hit behind the pin. I accepted it for what it was and moved to the mountain lion at the next station. I progressed through the next few targets and made some great shots, shooting 11s on a brown bear and large buck. Moving out into a field for stations 1 and 2, which had hogzilla and a stone sheep in their lanes, I made a few more good shots. 

  After getting an 11 on the stone sheep, I went to the next stake and spotted a lynx. The sky was dark and it began spitting rain. The lynx was down a mowed path into a brushy fence line. I figured the target was between 35-40 yards. My pin sat solid on it, but I couldn't get the shot to fire. When the arrow finally went downrange, I wasn't happy with the way it left the bow. I hit just over the 10 ring for an 8, but I think the arrow hit where the pin was sitting. I always tend to hold high on that target because the 10-ring resides so low, and any miscalculation on yardage on the short side could easily result in a miss. 

  When we got to the lynx target, the backups began and targets were stacked on top of each other. It created a lot of chaos and could have easily distracted some people if they weren't paying attention to the task at hand. I went through a stretch of about five targets over the next 45 minutes that made me question my sanity and what I was doing. It was as if something had entered my mind and took control of my throught process. I began doing things that I don't do, and I knew I had to fix the problem before it cost me. Mentally, I focused on visualizing a perfect shot and tried combating the issue with that tactic. Unfortunately, that didn't work for me. Finally, we turned the corner and got away from the crowd when we came upon a relatively short, downhill wolf. I told myself I would take a zero before I would shoot another shot in the manner I had shot the last four or five arrows. I made a great shot on the wolf and hit it on the bottom half of the 10-ring. I just couldn't find many 11s on this day. 

  With about five targets left, Dad and Wade showed up and watched me finish my round. While they were watching, I made some great shots and got back on track. I felt confident with my shot. When I got to the bedded elk to finish my round, it was the first target of the day that stumped me on yardage. I didn't feel confident with the number, so I tried picking a number that I thought would be safe. After the shot fired, I felt good to get a 10 and get off the range with a 200 for Day 1. I found myself on the leaderboard at the end of the day. 

 

                                                                                      Day 2

  Going into Day 2, I felt confident about the day in front of me. I met Cole and Tyler at the target butt in the morning and felt great about my shot. I didn't focus on hitting the dot. Instead, I focused on making quick, powerful shots. I wanted to speed my shot up for the day and stop overaiming, as I caught myself doing a few times on Day 1. 

  

  While shooting at the practice butt, I was talking to Tyler about phantom low shots I've been getting from time to time. Then, as we were talking about it, I had one appear, and the arrow barely hit the bottom of the bag. I'm not sure what I'm doing to cause the problem, but it consistently happens very inconsistently -- if that makes any sense. However, it has been happening at inopportune times. I never thought about it again after leaving the practice bags. 

  Jacob and I walked together to our target assignments and decided we would meet up afterward. I felt good about both of our chances. I started on a fallow deer and was drawn to shoot first. I started the day off with a powerful, relaxed shot, and the arrow pierced the 11. A few targets later, I found another 11 and suddenly became more relaxed... things were clicking. I was going to cruise through the day. 

  As I progressed through the round, the 11s became scarce, and I just couldn't connect with one. I was all around them, but just couldn't put an arrow in any of them. Then, we came upon a medium alert deer, which is one of my favorite targets. I guessed the target to be.a shade under 40 yards and felt confident I would get the 11. I could see a dark spot in the 11 and knew it would be easy to aim at. My pin sat down quickly, and I made a good, solid shot. When I saw the arrow hit the 8-line directly below the 10, I couldn't figure out how the arrow got there. I was absolutely sure I didn't misjudge the target. After consulting with the other shooters, I knew I had shot it for the right number. Puzzled, I moved to the next target. 

  I had to lead off a relatively short black bear a few targets later, and I didn't feel good about being able to find where I wanted to hit it. When the arrow struck the target, I knew it was a pinch right, but I figured it was still close to where I had aimed. Then, I became a little irritated when I saw the arrow had barely missed the 10-ring. I guess I just aimed in the wrong place. Although it didn't hit behind the pin, it wasn't far off the mark where I wanted it. 

  Slightly irritated after pulling arrows, I made my way to the next target, a long turkey on a side hill and slightly uphill. After roughing the number in, I felt confident about it. Jeff Kirkland led the target with a high arrow. Bill hit it a hair low and left, and Jeff Hopkins hit it way low. When I drew, the pin settled nicely in the groove where the top of the 10-ring resides. Then, my shot fired easily. I knew I had a chance at the 10-ring. Then, I heard Gillingham say, "it hit that other arrow." 

  Not paying attention, I gathered my stuff and walked to the target. I figured he meant I had hit Bill's arrow, and I was OK with that for such a difficult shot. However, when I got to the target, I saw my arrow sitting next to Jeff Hopkins' arrow. Both arrows were about 7 inches low and well into the 5. Still, as I type this, I have no idea why or how the arrow landed in the place it landed. Once again, a phantom low arrow. 

  Continuing through the course, I held my own and felt good about things in the grand scheme. I knew I'd be on the bubble for making the dance. Then, we came upon a long grazing doe across a small ravine. Having to lead it off, I wish I could've heard an arrow, but I also wasn't too concerned about it because I was pretty sure I had a number that would work. 

  

  The footing was a little awkward, with my toes pointing straight uphill. The aim got a little wobbly but nothing out of the ordinary for an uncomfortable 3D shot. When the arrow loosed from the string, I heard the noise nobody wants to hear: the arrow hitting the core connector. Instantly, I knew all hope of making the shootoff was gone. Jeff Hopkins tried making light of the situation and said we should all copy one of our peers when he shoots a five. I joined in the fun and threw my hat on the ground and kicked it around. We all laughed. Bad luck happens. I guess you have to learn to take it on the chin and move forward. Once again, I had the right number on my sight, and the arrow hit considerably lower than it should have. Although I didn't make a great shot, I still figured the arrow would hit in the bottom of the 10-ring. 

  That target took the wind out of my sails, and I shot low 8s on two of my last three targets of the day. I ended up dropping nine points in the last four targets and missed the shootoff by eight points. I guess I just needed the tournament to end at target no. 35, and I would've been alright. 

                                                                              Final Thoughts on the Weekend

  I'm not sure where to start. If I said I wasn't highly disappointed, frustrated and extremely angry, I'd be a liar. It's OK to be all of these things, too. Well, at least I think it is. Unlike the previous national ASA Pro-Ams I've shot this year, I was definitely prepared for this event. Going into it, I was certain I would make the shootdown round. Every practice round had been good, and my shot was feeling really good, too. I was ready. 

  I ran into some unexpected issues the first day, but I put aside the dumb things I caught myself doing and made sure to execute good, powerful shots to finish the day like I started. I feel extremely fortunate that the train didn't go off the tracks when I was doing things I've trained so hard over the years not to do. I survived the gauntlet the first day and found myself in the top four scores. You can't win on the first day, but you can definitely lose. I gave myself a chance to be there at the end, and that's the most important thing to do on Day 1 of any tournament. 

  Then, just as I had visualized many times, I got off to a great start the second day, hitting two of the first three 11s. I made great shots on all three targets too. Check the box... nerves were good, and I was focused and ready to finish the job. 

  Progressing through the round, I began gaining confidence, which allowed me to relax. My shot felt great, too. My hold was short on every target, and my shots were crisp. Looking back on it, I probably shot my bow the best I've ever shot it at a national event on the second day. When the unexplainable began to happen, I stuck to the plan and continued trying to make good shots. I'm not sure if the karma bus pulled up to drop off some demons on the turkey, but I almost feel like I got what I should've gotten on the first day when I was doing all the dumb stuff. Maybe there's a higher power, that let the unexplainable low shots out of the bag to make me realize that the things I did the first day are unacceptable and I can't do them to get to where I want to go. I'll never truly know, but I think that might be a small reason for the events that unfolded over the last 10 targets of the day. 

 

  In the end, I realized it never matters how prepared you are for anything because we cannot predict what will happen. I probably could've gone to the event without putting in half the work I put in and finished in the same place. This particular finish left a sour taste in my mouth that is still here two days later. I simply need to figure out what I'm doing to cause the low shots at inopportune times. I spoke with many of my peers about it, and everyone offered the same type of responses. I guess you could say I'm a little lost and riding the waves in the ocean without the motor working on my boat. In many ways, I currently feel like Santiago in "The Old Man in the Sea," a book written my Ernest Hemingway. If you are unfamiliar with it, Google it and read the short plot synopsis on Wikipedia. This will give you a better idea of how I'm beginning to feel. 

  On the ride home and in the days that have followed, I've more seriously considered cutting back my shooting schedule after this year and possibly hanging it up. I could possibly go back to my younger days and tour the streams, brooks and ponds of the Adirondacks all summer in search of that one trout that everyone wants to catch. I could spend more time roaming the woods in search of big bucks and new places to hunt. I could just relax and do absolutely nothing. Maybe I could just sit down and actually finish the murder mystery novel that I started when my dad was so sick a few years ago. I could even begin to write the archery book I've been wanting to write, "The Journey from Joe to Pro." This tournament did not give me these thoughts, but this tournament did make me think more seriously about the end of the unwritten book I just mentioned. 

  I've already begun my work to figure out the reason behind the low shots. I've researched all of my notes, and I've found a few interesting things. I've had a tendency to get unexplainable low shots when my draw length has been a pinch too short and also when I'm holding a hair too much weight. Both of these issues happened in my tour with PSE bows. Unfortunately, I have made a lot of draw length changes since that time. I also tried lengthening it a tad bit recently, and the results didn't seem to lean in my direction. Instead, I had a hard time holding the bow steady. Maybe I didn't give the change enough time. I've also begun to think that it might be inconsistent hand pressure on the grip at certain times that leads to the low arrows. 

  I also noticed my scope housing was not square to my sight bar. I'm not sure if every once in a while, the slight angle on it causes me to see the pin differently and cause the misses. I've also been running a peep aperture that is far larger than anything I've ever used for 3D shooting. It's more along the lines of a hunting peep. I changed that out, so I'll see what happens with that. I'll never give up searching until I figure it out, but I will also be more aware of things I must do to prevent unexplainable things from happening. I'm moving forward, and I will be prepared for the ASA in Kentucky. I've never shot well there, but this year I'm hoping to break the streak and claw my way out of the dark hole I'm in right now. 

  Here's a picture of the first group I shot from 50 when I got home. This seems to be the general theme while shooting groups, except in tournaments the phantom low usually hits a tad lower. Hopefully, I can figure it out. 

                                                                                    My Peers

  One of the things I enjoy the most about shooting in the class in which I shoot is that I get to shoot with the same guys all the time. It's odd how you end up with many of them over and over, yet you never shoot with many of the others. This season, I've been fortunate enough to shoot with Darrin Christenberry a few times and Jeff Hopkins over the last two events. These guys are both good guys, and I enjoy my time shooting with them. I always feel relaxed with them and they always try their best, but they also never fail to cheer me on too and congratulate me after good shots. It's good to have friends like this when you're competing head to head. Trust me, there are many others who do not want you to succeed and most likely wish ill will against you. That type of person is not for me. 

  This weekend, my friend Digger Cogar made the shootoff after a rough first day. We basically flopped days, as we so often do. I've competed against Digger since the mid '90s, and I always know if I can get past him, I have a good chance at being near the top. We have traded places many times over the years, and it's always nice to see when he does well. He has always traveled and shot with his dad, too. Our dads are in the same class, and they joke a lot. We are both in our mid 50s and our dads are in their mid 70s, yet we are both still "kids" to them. I"m glad that we have both withstood the test of time in archery - and life - to be able to still compete at the highest level at this point in our lives. I feel fortunate to have grown up shooting against the likes of Digger and Darrin. Of all the people in our class, the three of us started right about the same time and are still at it. We've all been able to accomplish different things, and that's what makes archery great. 

                                                                   Digger and his dad during the shootoff. 

  I got to shoot with Bill McCall and Jeff Kirkland on Day 2 also. Both of these guys are laid back and easy to shoot with. Unfortunately, I haven't had  a good day while shooting with Bill yet, but I've had a few good ones with Jeff. Bill has made multiple shootdown rounds while shooting with me, so I think he does alright in that area. Hopefully, I can shoot with him again this year when it matters, so I can put that behind me. Until then, I'll be putting the work in and working toward the next one. On another note, my team, Team Darton, had a good showing at this event. The team comprises Digger Cogar, Jeff Kirkland, Bill McCall and myself. All of us switched to Darton bows this year, and it appears things are working well if you look at the end result of our first event shooting as a team. Go Darton!!

                                                 My teammates Bill McCall and Jeff Kirkland during the shootoff. 

  Jacob also did Jacob. He shot a really solid round the first day but couldn't find very many 11s. He was all around them but couldn't put many arrows in them. After the round, he said that it was probably one of the best shooting and judging rounds he's had in as long as he can remember. He felt really confident going into the second day. The second day he put on a shooting clinic, shooting +13 on a very difficult range. He went into the shootoff in 3rd place and came out in 3rd place. I expect he will gain more speed as the train keeps chugging forward. Now that we can get outside in the Northeast, he can put in the proper time, and he's hungry. Everyone keep an eye out for his progression over the coming months. He brushed his bad luck aside from the ASA in Louisiana and showed everyone that it's impossible to do well when you hit a brick of bad luck and have an equipment issue hinder your great shooting. He showed all of us how you put an event behind you and just move forward and take what you can from it.