After shooting in Vermont last week, I came home and wondered if I would have to cancel my trip to this event. The following day, Sunday, after going to a local shoot with Jacob, I knew the likelihood of showing up at this event and being able to shoot without a lot of pain and discomfort would be all but impossible. The pain in my right shoulder and left elbow were unbearable at times, which limited the amount of sleep I could get throughout the week leading up to the event. After shooting with Jacob on Sunday, I never touched the bow until I took it out of the case at the tournament on Friday.
After arriving, I decided I would attempt to shoot a few arrows on the practice course and see how my body would react. Twenty arrows later, I felt good about things. I got through the practice course with a few 11s and only two 8s. The course had longer shots on it than most courses, so that built my confidence. I packed up the bow after the 20 shots and decided to see what the next day would bring.
Day 1
Since the pro classes are always peer grouped according to the First Leg of the National Triple Crown, I knew ahead of time who would be in my group. However, when I looked at the paper on the table, I saw that I was with other people due to some people not showing up. I was more than happy to see that I would be shooting with Tony Tazza, Jeff Kirkland and Matt Bressler, all good guys. The target assignment said we would start on Target 10, the farthest target from the check-in station. On my walk to the target, I began glancing at the targets along the way and realized we were in for a doozy. Just glancing at them, I figured the scores would be low.
Arriving at the stake, I glanced down the hill and spotted a nasty-looking gator. It definitely wasn't a target I would've chosen to start on if the choice was left up to me. When the cards were drawn, mine was selected first, meaning I would be the first shooter on one of the nastiest targets on the course. Before the horn sounded to begin the round, I dialed my sight and waited.
I didn't waste any time when "go time" came. Drawing my bow, I felt good. The pin hit the center of the gator and floated for a few seconds before my shot broke and the arrow was in flight. Tazza said, "Nice shot. It has a chance at the right side of the 11."
Wshewwww. I survived the initial punch in the face from my opponent. After taking the punch, my confidence came to the forefront, and I was ready for the rest of the fight.
Moving to the next target, a bedded doe, I felt good about my number and couldn't wait for my turn to shoot. My fellow competitors had a good group of arrows in and around the 11 when my turn came around. I honed in on their arrows and got an 11 for myself. With confidence building, I moved to the next target. My hold was good, and my shots were breaking effortlessly. I didn't know what to expect, especially since it was the debut for my Darton Veracity 35 at a national event. With a 6 inch brace height and 35' axle to axle length, you never know what might happen under a bit of pressure, but with the nervous energy that comes along with these tournaments, everything was rolling along nicely. Moving to the fourth target, I was already at +2 and felt good about the direction I was headed.
When I got to the long uphill wolverine, I was confident with my number because I had been shooting my own wolverine at home regularly, and it looked identical in size to where I had been shooting it. When I anchored and started to get into my shot, the pin drifted to the left and the bow fired. Luckily, I caught a left-side 10 on it and felt lucky to escape with 10 points. The bow helped me on a shot that was less than average.
Moving through the course, I came upon a brown bear that looked similar to a bear cub. There wasn't much guessing of the yardage when I got to the stake. It was. bomb... and uphill. It might've been intimidating to some people, but I practice shots like that all the time on my own targets. It was just another typical shot I make on a daily basis. The pin settled quickly in the middle, and I smoked the 11-ring. Things were clicking.
Then I came upon the Big 10, muley, or whatever you want to call it, and I was unsure of my number. The uneasiness probably came from messing it up a bunch of times on my own range this year. With that shadow of doubt in the back of my mind, I executed a less-than-stellar shot, and the arrow hit high and to the right. I had misjudged the yardage and made a bad shot. I shook it off and ignored it, after all, I had just ran a streak of three 11s and was sitting at 5 up.
The next target was the hogzilla, and I'm not familiar with the target. I have a difficult time judging it and never have any type of consistency with it. I figured I had plenty of yardage on it when I dialed my sight. When the shot broke, my brain instantly told me the arrow had been in the air longer than I thought it should've been. I knew it was going to hit low... and it did. The arrow landed just under the 10-ring for an 8.
Unlike the previous target, this one shook my confidence, and I felt my first real nervousness when I turned the corner and started down the other side of the road for my final 10 targets of the round. Tony Tazza centered the 11 on the bedded stone sheep, and it was a long shot into a dark area of heavy canopy. Luckily, when I drew the bow, I could see his nock. The pin danced like a drunken bear at a Grateful Dead concert, and my heart jumped through my chest when the shot fired. However, the arrow landed right next to Tony's, and my confidence was restored. Looking down the road, I saw that I would be leading off the lynx.
When I got to it, it was my lead once again. I got all the bad ones at this tournament. I could see a couple of black dots at the top of the 10-ring when I drew the bow. I let the pin settle below them and pulled. The shot fired quickly, and the arrow landed inside out in the 11-ring. Wshewww, escaped another potential disaster.
After getting that target, I battled my way to the end of the round. My shot was a little choppier than it was during the first half of the round, but I ended the day at +2 and in third place. I shot a solid round, and the bow performed better than I anticipated. I was happy with the way it reacted while I was shooting it.
Long Distance Novelty and Bowhunter Defense Shootdown
On Friday afternoon, Jacob participated in the long-distance novelty and put on a show. Wags (Jeff Wagoner) bought him five shots for $20, and Jacob had to judge the distance to the new Rinehart ram target and put an arrow inside out in the 11-ring to win a ticket for a 50/50 drawing. If he won the drawing, he would have to give half of the money to Wags.
After estimating the target to be in the vicinity of 75 yards, he began shooting at it. A few minutes later he has five arrows in the 10-ring and 3 of them were inside out in the 11-ring... mind boggling. Watching a world-class archer at his craft can be inspiring and demoralizing at the same time. We all feel fortunate to root Jacob on in everything he does and many of us live vicariously through this triumphs and defeats. He gives all of us hope. We feel for him when he comes up short, and we cheer with everything we have when he's in big moments. That's what makes the people of our region so special.
When names were called for the Bowhunter Defense Shootoff, Tom Thygesen was one of the names, along with Zach Yamin. With a youngster and an old-time from my region in it, it was ready to root for both. Although Tom made a great shot, his arrow was a hair farther from center than that of his competitor's. However, Zach Yamin went to the finish line and took home the big check. Congratulations, Zach. You did a great job. I could've used your composure for my appearance in the shootdown the next day.
I know Tom was hesitant about shooting in the event, but I'm glad he did it because it gave us all a chance to cheer for him.
Day 2
Going into Day 2, I found myself in the top peer group. I would be shooting with Digger Cogar, Jeff Kirkland and Tim Gillingham. Once again, my starting point was the farthest from the check-in tent of any target on the range. As I wandered through the woods looking for my station, my mind was empty. There were no thoughts of the round about to be shot, and there were no thoughts about the one that was shot the day before. Instead, my mind was calm.
When I finally arrived at the stake, I saw a caribou in the middle of an old logging road. I couldn't believe how close it was to me. As we waited for the horn to sound to begin the round, my eyes played tricks on me. I couldn't convince myself that a caribou target would be set so close. Finally, when it was my turn to shoot, I settled in and executed a good shot. The arrow struck just above the 11. It felt could to start on an "easy" target... as that would be the last one we would see for the day.
Approaching the next stake, I spotted a snarling wolf at the end of a long downhill tunnel. The early-morning lighting made it difficult to see, but there were a couple of bright nocks in it by the time my turn came around. I held slightly over one of them and broke a great shot. The arrow caught the bottom of the 10, and I felt good about the start of the day.
As we progressed through the first 10 targets, I picked and clawed my way though them, never getting too high or too low. My hold wasn't nearly as good as it was the first day, but it was good enough to keep my arrows hitting close to where I was aiming. I picked up a few 8s with two misjudged targets, one being a medium alert deer and the other a leopard. I hit both of them just under the 10 ring. However, I finished the first 10 with a perfect shot on an antelope that was set in a field, and we shot it from he woods. I made a perfect shot and the arrow centered the 11.
With 10 targets left, I was well aware that the course was set up in a way that the first 30 targets could be ripped out from under me with one lapse in concentration. This course required every tool in a 3D shooter's tool box, and I knew I had to stay focused. Heading down the homestretch, I continued making good shots and knew I was in a pretty good spot. I knew I just had to do my job.
That's when I came upon the 35th target of my round and glanced up the hill to see a strutting turkey that I was going to have to lead. I got all the good leads that his tournament, starting with the alligator, then getting the wolverine, lynx and now this turkey. Without any arrows in it, I would have to do my best to make it good. I knew an 8 would be par on it due to the difficulty level, but nobody wants an 8.
A young girl taking photographs for the shoot was nestled into an depression in the ground in front of the stake and a little to the right. I saw her when I was setting my sight but never paid attention to her again. When I hit full draw, I settled into my anchor and the shot broke quickly. It was one of the crispest shots I shot all weekend. I couldn't have asked for a better shot. The arrow struck just below the 10-ring. Now, I had 4 targets left in the round.
I tried my hardest to avoid any catastrophes, but I lost my pin on a long uphill grazing doe and didn't let down when I should have. Unable to see the pin clearly, I thought it was still in a could spot. When the arrow struck the target, I realized I had made a complacent error that might cost me a place in the shootdown round.
I was able to pick up a few 11s over the last couple of targets and escaped the day at 7 down, finishing third overall in my class. I would go into the shootdown round in 3rd place.
Shootdown Round
As I stood around talking with friends and waiting for the round to begin, I felt calm. I didn't sense any type of nervousness like I get sometimes. I chose to have my dad hold my umbrella. I cherish the time I get to spend with him, and I'll be forever thankful for all of the undying support he has given to me. This journey through competitive archery never would have been possible without him. I wanted him there with me. I was feeling like I was going to give him some happiness at the end of the round.
In shootoffs, I never know how I will feel until I hit full draw. While drawing my bow, I felt confident and ready for the moment... no nerves. Then, I anchored and the sight picture quickly turned ugly, and I felt foreign behind the bow.
After all, I had only shot this bow on the 3D range one time previous to this weekend, and that was the weekend before.
Instead of trying to get the pin to slow down, I focused more on getting the shot off. That was a mistake, as I paid no attention to the pin. The arrow struck the turkey to the left of the 10-ring and high... 8. Instantly, I was in a bad place in my mind.
Moving to the next stake, I looked at the longest target of the five in the shootdown round, an impala. When I drew the bow, the pin began moving wildly. Once again, I didn't try to slow it down. Instead, I battle the release and tried my hardest to make a good shot. I got long in the hold and kept yarning on the release and pushing the bow. It was like a boxer taking a beating in the corner and hoping the bell will save him before he falls to the canvas. The bell didn't save me. I muscled through it and paid the price... a 5 high and to the left, just out of the 8. It required a few looks from the scorers to decide on the 5.
I continued through the next three targets and shot all 10s, with the alligator being my best shot. Every arrow I shot went to the left, except the alligator, and landed out of the 10 or just inside it. The bow reacted a little differently when I was nervous than it had all weekend. I wasn't ready for what I ran into and nobody beat me or passed me in the shootdown round --- I beat myself. I can own that. That's the only way a person can improve. I had worked hard on my mental game before this event and knew I would break my "almost" streak and get into the shootdown round. It was well rehearsed and everything went according to plan. However, I had not prepared for the shootdown round, and it was blatantly obvious when I got there and drew my bow on the first target. I will not let that happen again. I have performed well in previous shootdown rounds and have the ability to finish the job.
It's hard to explain to people what it feels like because many people congratulate you, and you have to say ,"thank you," but you also feel like exploding. The easiest way for me to explain the performance in the shootdown is comparing it to a kid who is 90% potty trained. The kid is hanging out in the living room with all of his parents' friends there and dumps a load in his pants. He looks around and hopes nobody noticed as he slowly walks over to his mom and hopes she will rescue him. Then, he disappears into the bathroom while the conversations continue around him. That was me in the shootdown round. I could not hide from the mess I made out there, so I did the best I could after getting out of the gate poorly. I tried to hang on and get out of with a few positives to look back on. I guess I recovered well after a bad start, but that bad start cost me a lot of money.
My Take on the Weekend
For not knowing if I would be able to draw my bow and shoot, I think I withstood many things and made the best of it. The trial run of the Veracity 35 was a success. I feel the bow did everything I needed it to do. It gave me a bit of confidence that I might've lost over the last few months. It made me realize I still have what it takes when another gear needs to be found. I shot well on a very tough course, and I'm proud about that. I made a few mistakes along the way, but I also had enough cushion at the times I made them to survive them. My focus was intense the entire weekend, and my mental approach was on point.
I"m not sure what is worse: missing the podium by one spot or missing the shootdown round by one spot. I've now experienced both of these things in two of the last three events, and neither one of them felt that good. In all reality, missing the podium is probably worse because I put myself in position to get it done.
I had a great time shooting this weekend. I enjoyed both groups I found myself in, and we all had a good time. There didn't seem to be the tension that can sometimes be found at the highest level in the top groups. It was actually relaxing and felt like I was shooting on my own range with all of my friends. I guess that's the way it should be too.
Over the last three years, Jacob and I have made the shootdown in the same events a couple of times. Unfortunately, I haven't lived up to my end of the bargain and allowed us to both come out with podium finishes. Hopefully, things continue in the same direction and we get a chance to do it again.
In the grand scheme of things, I'm satisfied. I finished Day 1 in third place and stayed there through the second round. Then, once in the shootdown, I backed up one place and found myself in fourth. When fourth isn't good enough, you know you have to work harder to fix the problem. I'll put my head down and see what I can come up with over the next month and a half. It's a race to the finish line now.
Here are some photos of my friends from the weekend. I enjoy being around all of these people. They bring out the best in me, and I'm thankful for all of them and what they do.
Jake, a typical Masshole, got the best parking spot. Right in the middle of the entrance. Only if you're from Massachusetts.....
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