After getting home from the IBO World a few weeks ago, I quickly set a bow up to shoot at the Maine Senior Games. Although I put no effort into preparing for the tournament, I wanted to see how my PSE Supra X felt during a target archery setting instead of a 3D setting, as I've always shot the Supra platform well for target archery.
So I went and shot the senior games to see how things felt. I also decided to shoot my new HBC Flex (small). A few years ago I let Aiden Pfiitze borrow my medium one, but I never felt that one fit well. When I began shooting the small version of the release, it felt good in my hands. I ended up holding my own with the hinge and shot what I would consider a decent score for all things considered. While it was nowhere near my high, it was a score most people would kill to shoot. I had to realize I was shooting a bow I had no experience behind, and I was also shooting a release style that I hadn't shot in a number of years in a tournament. After getting done in Maine, I headed home and put that bow away. I learned the bow will probably perform well next indoor season, and I look forward to seeing what I can do with it.
On Monday, I went outside, unpacked my bow from the IBO World the previous week, and decided to shoot a few arrows at 60 and 70 yards just to make sure the marks were good. Since my shoulders were beat up from shooting 90 arrows at the senior games, I decided not to shoot during the week, but I also needed to make sure the marks were good since I hadn't shot the bow beyond 50 yards all summer.
Having avoided anything to do with 3D for a week and not caring where the arrows hit, I went to the top of the hill and shot an end from 60 and 70 without expecting anything good. I shot this group from 70 yards and sent it to Barry via text. I said, "I think we are good to go, but I think Jacob might have more confidence in me than I have in myself." I didn't bother shooting any more groups because I didn't want to diminish any confidence I had, and my Dominator Duo 35 gives me a fair amount of confidence.
Game Day
I rolled out of bed around 4:25 on Saturday morning and had no idea what to expect. With the pain in my shoulder near the same level of discomfort as the time period in which I was rehabbing it after surgery, I was tentative about going. However, I told Jacob I would pick him up about 5:45, so I gathered my stuff and headed out.
It would just be the two of us on the journey to north central Massachusetts, and as I drove to pick him up, I confronted the realization of this "fun" shoot. While we are usually expected to win, I also go with the realization that every person out there thinks they would win if they partnered with Jacob. However, most of those people don't realize that that fact alone brings a lot of pressure with it. If we lose, it's because I didn't go my job, and my job is to give Jacob as many opportunities as possible to shoot at 14s. We always approach this shoot with a plan, and we adjust to the plan as we progress through the course. Sometimes we veer off the path and other times we stay on the straight and narrow. We never do anything that isn't discussed before it's done. We truly work as a team, and I think that sometimes gets lost in this event when other people look at it from afar. How many of you come up with a plan and stick to it throughout the round?
When we arrived, we got there when everyone else was warming up and loading out of their vehicles. It felt good to see everyone, knowing this would be our last hurrah for the summer. My shoulder was extremely stiff and had all sorts of pain in it. I knew it was going to be tortuous to shoot my bow. The pain was more than I wanted to deal with, but I figured I could withstand it for 30 shots... never knowing I would probably draw my bow about 100 times before the day had finished.
I stayed at the 20-yard bale the entire time and shot a lot of arrows to loosen up the shoulder and arm. Although the pain didn't get any better, my shoulder loosened up and lost some of the stiffness. I knew it wasn't going to be a great day for holding. The hold wasn't bad enough to make me worry, but it also was going to present a lot of movement while executing my shots. It was definitely going to give me more movement than normal, and the longer shots would most likely make it show up even more than my eyes were accustomed to seeing. It would surely be a challenge.
Heading to our first target of the day, an antelope at 41 yards, I was glad Jake Lafontaine and Cole Bromley would be shooting with us. In all our years of shooting team shoots, we have only shot with the same two people in a group one time, and they are Jake and Cole.
I settled in after drawing and the shot fired effortlessly. The arrow struck directly below the 11. Jacob made a good shot but barely missed the 14. We've never started off well, so we had no concerns whatsoever.
Moving to target 2, a 52-yard brown bear up the hill and on a slight angle, we both knew it might take a bit to get going. After shooting an arrow that hit just low right of the 11, Jacob smoked the 14... we were off and running. It was a difficult shot, and we were both rolling. Jacob missed the first one by less than an inch and smoked this one, and we got off to a start that would allow him to get into a groove shooting at the pink 14s. It's always easier if you get to shoot at them regularly rather than randomly throughout the day.
When we got to target 3, the Rinehart wolf that is biting the deer's leg, it was a 44-yard uphill shot. When Jake shot before me, he hit it low and there was no defined aiming spot on the target. Being unfamiliar with the target, no defined aiming spot, and the history in my head of shooting the same target two weeks earlier on a practice range and not killing it, my shot went off and the arrow landed about two inches to the right of where I was aiming. We couldn't tell whether it was in or out of the 10-ring. After discussing things, we decided to have Jacob shoot at the 14. When the arrow hit the target, it barely missed the 14. We walked away with the only 8 we would shoot for the day, and we decided we would not give anymore points away the rest of the day.
After walking away from a relatively close target with an 8, neither one of us felt good when we looked up the hill at the next target, a 62-yard mountain lion. It was intimidating to look at, and the uphill shot would add a degree of difficulty that would make it a difficult target to gain points.
When I drew the bow, the pin was bobbing and weaving pretty good, and I had to let down a few times. On the third draw, I said to myself, "Just make the best shot you can."
I held for a long time, but it felt decent. When the shot fired, I heard Cole say, "You smoked it."
The arrow was inside-out in the 11-ring. Those bombs can make it difficult to stay above water, but after Jacob barely missed it by less than an inch, we walked away with a plus 1 gain. We both felt good about the result. We also both knew that we were on the edge of beginning a run that might last all day. Through four targets, Jacob hadn't missed a 14 by more than an inch, and I was all around the 11s on everything but the wolf that I could not find a good place to put my pin.
That 62-yard mountain lion would be the last time any questions would remain as to whether we were going to have a good day. We would not shoot anything other than 11s and 14s from target 6 to the end of the first half. However, it doesn't mean that we didn't tackle all the same challenges as all the other shooters, and the two that really told the tale were the last two targets of the first half.
When we arrived at the second-to-last target of the first half, a 67-yard bedded buck, the shadows were wreaking havoc. After letting down a few times, I realized the shadow had moved and given me a perfect aiming spot. I put the pin on a shadow in the 11 and shot a perfect shot. The arrow smoked the 11. Although I made a few good shots throughout the first half, that one rivaled the shot on the mountain lion. We were once again in a perfect predicament. We were in the plus no matter what happened. Then, Jacob erased my 11 and pierced the 14-ring... 67 yards... something the size of a quarter... the arrow lying squarely inside-out in the pink dot. When that kind of thing happens repeatedly, there's no mistaking that you're shooting with one of the world's best archers. There is no argument, no debate, and no questions, and it's amazing to watch.
Laughing and giggling as we all moved to the next target. We guessed what it might be. Something in my head told me it would be the elk that was in that area a few years ago. I figured Shawn Couture's friend, Chuck Reed, who has since passed and the shoot was in memoriam of him, probably loved that shot. When we got to the station, it was the elk. It made me smile, and I realized I wanted to make a good shot in memory of Shawn's friend. Something in my gut told me that target was there solely because of him. It resembled a scene you would actually see in the west while elk hunting, and I have plenty of those experiences to look back on. It brought me back to Colorado. Here's a picture of the elk.
There was a good crosswind when I hit anchor, and I knew the 69-yard shot would test our skills as well as our equipment. I tried battling with it before succumbing and letting down. Shooting a 290-grain arrow, I knew the arrow wasn't built to withstand any crosswind. When I drew my bow the second time, I got the pin in the middle and tried to get the shot off as fast as possible. When it fired, I felt relieved when Jake said it was in the 10-ring. I felt like I had just smoked a real elk. Then, Jacob stepped up, drew his bow, settled in and donutted the 14 once again. We walked off our first half at 37 up, and Jacob hit eight of the last 10 14s on that half... mind-boggling. After he got the last two, a 67-yarder and a 69-yarder, I wondered in my head what Jake and Cole were thinking. What were their true thoughts? They both finally got to witness both of us clicking at the same time. Although we encountered a few bumps early in the round, we both bailed each other out when needed, and it made things relaxing. I'd still like to know what they were thinking then and as the day progressed. Having never experienced shooting with two people like that in a team event, I'm wondering what goes through one's head because I know what goes through my mind.
Second Half
As we made our way to the first target of the second half, I shared where we stood. We have always wanted to break the 80-up mark, and we both knew if we showed up and both did our job we could get there. However, it would take both of us being at or near or best to achieve the almost impossible task. Knowing we usually shoot better on the bottom half, we wanted to give it a run.
We got off to a quick start, as we both did our job. When we got to a 53-yard snarling wolf, I was having a hard time determining where to hold my pin. When I finally thought I could see it well enough to hold in a spot, I felt confident. When the shot finally broke, I said, "Yup," in my head. However, the arrow landed less than an inch out the left of the 10-ring at 3 o'clock. I really couldn't complain. The arrow directly behind the pin. I guess that's all a part of aging. You just don't see like you did when you were younger, and that's a part of it. Jacob only took seconds before picking me up and covering for me with an inside out 11. Although I messed up, we still gained points. How could I ever ask for a better teammate?
After getting back on track, we got to the last target on the range before turning back and heading down the other side of the road. It was a large HD deer at 44 yards. Being an older target and with faded lines, I couldn't see where the 10-ring was located and had to guess where to shoot it. Once again, it was one of those targets that is difficult to shoot if you're an older person due to vision and definition. I hit about an inch to the right of where my pin was located and the arrow landed less than a half inch outside the 10-ring. We were unsure whether it was in or out, but we decided to take no chances. Jacob lined up and smoked yet another 11. He bailed me out again... my arrow was, indeed, in the 8-ring. I still couldn't find anything to complain about. I had shot a couple of 8s in a five target stretch, but I had hit both of them within an inch of where I was aiming.
As we began making our way down the homestretch, we both began to feel like we could never miss. It was similar to having someone else move your legs to walk. I moved my right leg and Jacob followed it up by moving his left leg. We walked together in stride and never missed a beat. If it were field-day in grade school, we would surely win the potato-sack race, because that's the race we ran the entire day. We never wobbled, and we never tumbled onto the grass, where we would have to pick up and start over. We were headed to a mountain top that seemed untouchable. This was not Kilamanjaro, and it was not Everest, this was just two teammates doing everything they could to survive the climb and plant a flag where no-one had ever imagined going and may never go again. We were on our way to the moon, and we were carrying our own flag.
When we got to the last target in the woods, a 59-yard rising boar, I felt extremely confident. When my pin finally settled down after a few letdowns, I got it to the middle and executed the best shot I could make. The arrow struck the 11 dead center. Then, Jacob continued being Jacob, and he shot what I considered the most memorable shot of the day. As soon as the shot broke, he said, "Did that barely miss to the left?"
Sure enough, the arrow was sitting less than a half inch to the left of a quarter-sized pink dot 59 yards away, and he knew exactly where he missed it when the shot fired before the arrow had hit the target. If that's not beyond amazing, I don't know what is. It has nothing to do with the fact that he missed. It has to do with the fact that he knew exactly where the arrow hit when the shot fired, and it was because his shot wasn't perfect. This is what is so hard to explain. At the level he's at, he can explain all of these things in ways that the vast majority of archers could never comprehend. Yes, others might be able to do that at 20-yards, but to tell you that at 59-yards on a quarter-sized bullseye is something that only the best of the very best can do.
When we got to the ball field for the last three shots, I was undecided if I should tell him, but I told him where we stood. We needed to get two of the last three 14s to get to 80 up. We were sitting at 73 up. I know he loves the challenge, so I shared with him where we were standing, and I felt confident he would get us to where we needed to be. However, in telling him, I also knew I just put and undue amount of pressure on myself because I knew I had to 10 or 11 every one of the last three targets in front of the crowd and our friends, who are always waiting for all the shooters to finish in front of the pavilion.
The wind was blowing across the ball field when I drew on the 45-yard antelope, but I still felt confident. When my shot broke, I barely missed the 11 to the right. I gave Jacob a chance to get our first of the two 14s we would need. He decided to play the wind and aimed according to what he predicted would happen. Well, the plan didn't work and the wind didn't help us. We walked away with a 10.
When I looked at the next target, I knew any chance of breaking 80 up was going to be on my shot. If I didn't come through and give Jacob a chance, we would have no chance at all. When I looked at the 59-yard blesbok, I had a few recurring thoughts about the target. I've struggled mightily with that target over the years because I can never find a good aiming spot, and I knew I had to come through on it this one time. People think there is no pressure, but pressure even shows up in fun shoots.
Jacob, looked at me and said, "You got this." Although I briefly thought about needing to shoot a 10, it never crossed my mind after drawing my bow. My pin went up the leg and a hair to the right. As soon as it hit the "spot," the shot fired, and I knew I had it. The arrow landed right in the middle of the 11... we still had a chance. Seconds later, everyone in the area let out some exclamations when Jacob smoked the 14. Could we get the last one and go from 77 up to the rarified air of 80-plus up?
When I looked at the 43-yard stone sheep before drawing my bow, I could clearly see a glare under the 11, so it gave me a perfect place to put my pin. Looking to my right, I saw Brandon Ashford with the spotting scope, and I knew he was there to watch people shoot the last shot of the day, so I made sure to shoot a good shot and give Jacob the chance we both wanted. I let down on the first draw, but the second one felt good right from the start. When the shot fired, I knew we had a chance, and everything in my gut told me Jacob would finish the job. He's the best finisher in the world of 3D archery... and he's my teammate. He had great timing the entire day, and I know when his timing is good, he is unbeatable. When he drew his bow on the stone sheep, the shot went a little longer than normal, but I recalled his win in Metropolis this year, so I waited patiently. Then, seconds later, the shot broke, and the arrow appeared in the 14... we had broken the magical, unheard of score of 80 up, finishing at +81.
My Final Thoughts
Honestly, I'm not sure what to say after witnessing what I witnessed on Saturday. My entire archery career I've been surrounded by phenomenal shooters and have had the pleasure of shooting with some of the best who have ever shot a bow and arrow. However, I can say with 100% conviction that I have never shot with anyone who is more skilled than Jacob Slusarz when it comes to the majority of archery games you can play. Overall, he is a step above all others in my opinion. He can hold his own in any indoor venue, and he has beaten legendary shooters in the professional ranks, shooters who will go down as the greatest ever. On his best days, in my opinion, there is nobody who can beat him.
I asked Jacob to be my teammate at this event when he was still in the youth class, and we have shown up every year and gave it our best. We have seen a few years where we couldn't seem to get things going, but we both figured out a way to survive and help each other when we could. Last year, we simply didn't have it. I struggled mightily on the first half, but never missed on the second half. Jacob had issues with his sight and had to add yardage after 55 yards and subtract yardage before 35. It made for a brutal day, as we were never able to bale each other out. I believe we still shot 53 up, but we were far from our best.
In our first year at the event, we struggled in the beginning and things got off to a shaky start before we began gelling and knocked off Sean Roberts and Josh Binger, who had been running the table for a few years and seemed unbeatable. A few years after that, we hit our stride and came in around 72 up, but we haven't returned there in a few years. We screwed with our equipment after the IBO World, and I usually ended up bringing a bow I hadn't shot much all year and only used for target archery. Well, this year, we both decided to not do anything to get ready for the event and just shoot a couple arrows the day or two before the shoot to make sure our marks were good. It was the first year I showed up with my actual 3d bow in quite a few years. Instead of shooting a higher power lens, I also left my 4x lens in for the shoot. Maybe that is what got us over the hump. I'll never know for sure. It might also be because we are both professionals, young and old alike, who have succeeded at a national level.
I also came into this shoot after experiencing one of my worst years ever in national tournaments. That would make one think I probably wouldn't pull my weight in this event. However, things kind of fell into place, and the only times I left the 10-ring were when I couldn't actually see the places clearly where I needed to hold the pin. I never missed due to a poorly executed shot. That was the biggest plus of the day for me, and those issues are to be expected by a 55-year-old man.
Although I won't say it's the best I've ever shot, I do know that I shot marked yardage two times this year, and both times the results were pretty damn good, especially this time with the max yardage of 70 yards. The other time I shot marked yardage was with Rob, Tyler, Tom and Matt on the day off at the IBO World, and I performed flawlessly that day too. If I can see where I want to hit and make a good shot, I will hit it. When shooting marked yardage, seeing a defined aiming spot is essential to my success.
I let down a zillion times on Saturday due to an injured shoulder and the inability to rotate properly and without pain. I was in a substantial amount of pain and actually considered quitting halfway through. However, I've never quit, even due to injury, so I decided to stick it out. As I type this right now, I can barely lift my surgically repaired shoulder, so I probably didn't make the best choice, but this will be a memory I will never forget... so that makes my stupidity worth it.
In my archery career, I've never considered myself any better than anyone else. However, I do know I've beaten everyone at the highest level while shooting head-to-head against them at national tournaments, and I also know that all of them and the vast majority of amateurs have beaten me too. When I was a young man, many people accused me of cheating and people used to accuse Jacob of cheating. We both went to nationals and made those people eat their words. When you're competing against the best of the best, there's not much room for error. We both proved early on at national events that we could compete against the best shooters in the country when going head to head. There's no better practice than going head to head with the best people of your region or the best people in the country. I encourage everyone to do that. It will only make you better. I did this with Roger Thibault when I was a kid. Funny, but I kind of feel like Roger must've felt back then. Cole and Jake are the same age I was at back then, and I'm the same age Roger was back then. I hope they gain things from me like I gained from Roger back then, and I hope they remember the times with me and they things they learned when I am gone.
When I shoot in events like these, I think I sometimes fail to realize that I'm also a professional like Jacob. While I haven't had the success he has had and will continue having, I've had my share of time in the top 10, and I've made the dance a number of times to shoot for titles while also securing podium finishes and cashing Happy Gilmore checks. Therefore, I think sometimes people look at us at team shoots and don't realize the experience the two of us bring to the table. We remain slow and steady, and we encourage each other along the way when encouragement is needed. We have both succeeded on the highest level and competing against that can be a daunting task. However, we shot with Jake and Cole and we cheered them on. We gave them high fives when they smoked 14s and 11s, and we felt the disappointment when they couldn't bail each other out. We've all been there, and it doesn't matter whether you're a pro or a Joe. Many of us are very close, and many of us have succeeded at a national level, so we all know what it takes. I guess that makes us all appreciate each other's journeys in a more intimate way. We are all a team, and I couldn't ask for better teammates. I actually write these things for all of us. We all fail and succeed together because all of us want each other to succeed.
When I took a step back and looked at the scores, it humbled me. When I see Tom and Tyler at 322, Jake and Cole at 325 and George and Shane at 335, I know and understand how difficult it is to shoot those scores. I also know that all of those guys have at least one top 10 national finish and four of them have top 3 finishes or wins, and four of them have finished in the top 6 at the IBO World. They have succeeded at national shoots and to compete against these guys and call all of them my closest archery friends in my region is an honor. They all drive me to succeed and keep at it in hopes of giving others things to shoot for. I've also shot with every one of these guys multiple times, and they have always complimented me and supported me with all of my decisions along the way. They have helped me with equipment and have given me their thoughts on shot execution and other important things. They have all helped me reach success on my journey, and I'm thankful for all of them. I also realize all of these guys could flip flop next week with scores if we held the same shoot next week. They are all great shooters, and that is what makes shooting in our region so challenging. I encourage all shooters in our region to shoot with the guys who have succeeded nationally. It will definitely bring your game to a different level, and it will give you different perspectives from people who have been there and done that. I also know that all of the guys I mentioned sought me and Jacob out and wanted to shoot with us at different times. When Tyler did this a number of years ago, I instantly saw a difference in his performances. He went to a national event shortly after and won. He hasn't slowed down since that year he got out of his comfort zone and answered all the critics. In the process, Tyler has become one of my best friends, and I try to offer advice that I could've used when I was in my early 30s. All I can do is hope that any mentorship has helped him, as well as Jake and Cole and the rest of the crew. I do what I do, so you guys can succeed. Jacob and I love shooting with you guys because we are all one and the same. We just love shooting our bows, and that's all that really matters.
I could go on and on, but I want to thank Shawn and crew for all of their work every year. You give us something to look forward to, and we all appreciate your time and efforts. It never goes unnoticed and we truly appreciate you and all of your help. I can only hope you truly know how grateful we are for everything you do for us every year. It goes a lot deeper than you will ever see from the surface. Thanks for everything. Here's the picture of the last arrow shot when we shot 72 up a few years back. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures this year, but this one is for inspiration that you can always do better.
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