Well, I went into this event with the least amount of practice I've had this year. I decided to take some time off and clear my mind, although I probably had more going on inside my skull than normal. I decided to take the advice I give so many other people and rely on my experience while taking a step back.
When Tyler and Tom picked me up and we got under way, I felt confident. We made the 10-hour journey through the blistering heat and ended up in southern Ohio around 3:00 a.m. Near the end of the journey, we played dodge-a-deer, as the little critters were out and about when most humans had long since retired to their beds.
Practice Day
With the high heat and lack of sleep, I didn't feel overly ambitious on practice day. While Wade and Tom went out to shoot 20 targets, Tyler, Jeff and I shot a few arrows at the butts then headed to the practice range. After shooting well on the 10 targets, we packed our stuff up and headed to the Rocky boot outlet to see if we could find some bargains. I was quick to the draw when I spotted a pair of Rocky Outbacks, my all-time favorite boot. I quickly picked them up and purchased them. Eventually, Tom and Wade showed up and told us they had both shot well. The news made my day since both of them have struggled a little bit this year, and I believe it always helps when you turn the corner as the IBO World approaches. It allows you to bring some confidence with you to the dance. Here are my two new pair of shoes.
Day 1
When I reached tent where the target assignments were on the table, I learned I would be shooting with Mike Sutter, Glenn Meadows and Aaron Kilburn. I've shot with Mike in every event this year, so I knew that would be OK, and I shot with Glenn and Aaron the first day at Pipestem.
After drawing cards, I learned I would be leading off the first target. It was a brown bear down a tunnel. The number stuck out when I looked at it, and I didn't waste any time drawing, aiming and executing when we were told to shoot them up. I started with an 11.
Within minutes, the heavens let loose and rain fell from the sky with a fury all its own. The heavy rain matted my shirt to my skin, and I felt like I was wearing extremely wet spandex. For a few minutes, the rain hammered us, but we picked our way through a short javelina, a bomb ram, a medium-range Dahl sheep, a short panther and a decent black bear before getting called off the course due to an approaching thunderstorm.
The break lasted a few hours, and when we headed back onto the course, I started with a long stone sheep. I centered it and felt a sense of relief to keep my momentum going. Then, I navigated a steep downhill bobcat and a short medium deer across a small gulley. I continued focusing on making good shots and nothing else.
A little over halfway into my round, I came to a downhill feeding doe. Being last, I listened to all of the arrows. Although the arrows didn't sound like the target was too far, my eyes told me a different story. After all three guys in the group hit high, I didn't change my plan. Instead, I used their arrows as an aiming reference and had 100% confidence in my number.
When the shot broke, I instantly knew it was my best shot of the round. It felt like someone cut the string from my release with a pair of scissors. It was a perfectly executed shot, and the arrow flew like a dart. Unfortunately, it landed about 2 inches above the arrows in the top of the 10 and found itself in no man's land to score a 5. Sometimes it amazes me how you can miss where you're aiming by two inches and get a 5, but that's what happened. I just smiled and continued down the path. I knew I still had some time to make up for the mistake.
I quickly got back on track and shot a few 11s. When we got to #20, I had a hard time judging it, but when I settled in on my number I committed to it and made another great shot. My arrow landed inside-out on the 11 in the fallow deer. With two targets left, I saw a bedded elk at the next stake. Although the target looked monstrous, I studied it and took in the surroundings. When I cut the arrow loose, I was happy to see it land in the 10-ring, just to the left of the 11.
When I got to the last target of the round, an antelope, I noticed a lot of low holes. However, with others finishing their rounds and a lot of commotion on the round behind me, I lost my focus for a few minutes while studying the yardage and executing my shot. I walked off the range with an 8, but I was satisfied to know I had only left the 10-ring two times for the day, and one of the arrows was just from me not paying attention to where I was actually aiming and considering I could possibly hit higher than that spot. I walked off the range at 1 up and learned I was in the lead after Day 1. Although I had a few mistakes, I navigated the round OK, and gave myself a chance to win. After all, you sure can't win the first day, but you can definitely lose.
Day 2
I slept like a baby Saturday night and was ready for the round to begin Sunday morning. I felt good about the upcoming round and couldn't wait to get started. After getting to the stake, I learned I would once again be shooting with Mike Sutter. I guess he has become my shooting partner for the year. There's nothing wrong with that because he's been shooting well this year, and he always gives me good arrows to reference. He's also quiet and goes about his business while shooting. I can shoot with quiet people or people who like to talk. I don't mind one over the other, but knowing what to expect for the day is always nice. I also learned I would be shooting with Jeff Kirkland, whom I haven't shot with in a while. I always like shooting with Jeff. He's positive and roots for others to succeed. When mistakes are made, he feels for his competitors. Matt Bressler rounded out our group. I shot with him at the IBO World last year. Matt's always in the mix, so between him and the other guys, I knew it would be a battle right until the end.
We started on a long white goat. Amazingly, I was the only one who didn't 11 it. I had to settle for a 10, but I executed a good shot. Having to lead the next target, it was difficult to get a good read on it. They had leopard stuffed in a hole, so you couldn't se the legs, and it was very difficult to find an aiming spot. I did the best I could to aim in the right place. When my arrow struck the target, I was relieved to get a 10 without having a good aiming reference.
Making our way across a small field and down the road a little ways, a standing grizzly welcomed us at the next station. I excited a perfect shot and thought I had an 11. However, my arrow struck about a half an inch above the 11. I felt good walking toward the next target. I had just executed one of my best shots of the weekend.
When I walked up on the next target, I felt confident with my number. It was a boar across a small valley. I simply misjudged it, but I shot a perfect shot. My arrow struck the 8-line high. Scratching my head as I walked away, I readied myself to lead off the next target.
I made quick work of the medium deer that greeted me. The slight uphill shot was tough to get an exact number due to the legs being hidden, but it was pretty close. It was definitely a target I needed to capitalize on, and I did just that. I walked away with my first 11 of the day.
I quickly added to my 11 count when I smoked the next target, which was a wolverine. It was a tricky number to get, but I felt confident in it because I look at the target almost daily at the house. The course didn't get any easier when I walked around the corner and spotted a gator across a water hole. Everything in my gut told me it was closer than I thought, but I went against my instincts and let it eat. When the arrow struck the 8-line high, I was a little disappointed in myself that I didn't listen to the little voice in my head. I know better than to make mistakes like that one.
After escaping a high 8 on a black bear, I smoked a tricky fallow deer, bedded ram and impala, getting 11s on all of them. I was back on a roll and had erased the unfortunate 8 on the gator. Then, I came upon a long downhill brown bear. The number was obvious to an extent. I knew it was at least 50, but with all the bullshit setting of a few targets this year, you still have to be careful. All I had to do was execute a good shot.
When I drew the bow, the sight picture wasn't good from the rip, so I let down and started again. On the second draw the pin settled OK, but it wasn't great. However, as I was aiming, someone behind me decided to turn on a handheld, battery-operated fan, which distracted me for an instant, and that instant is all it took for my thoughts to drift. My focus went somewhere it shouldn't have, and I lost control of my intense focus. That second or two sent the train off the tracks, and everything suffered. It started with my mind, went into my aim and ended in my shot. It's amazing how something that simple can drag you underwater and contribute to drowning. Then, I was staring at a 5 in the target. Instantly, I figured I could make it up in the remaining targets and began my quest.
I shot just over the 11 on a caribou, then 11d a snarling wolf across a ravine and followed that with another 11 on a bedded doe. With three targets left, I didn't know where I stood, but I figured the 5 had probably done me in. Then, I had to lead off a grazing doe. Unfortunately, I lost the pin on the animal and couldn't aim at all. I simply couldn't see the pin. I battled it through a few letdowns, then I finally had to get the arrow off. That's when it hit to the left of the 10-ring. I quickly battled back and shot an 11 on the next target, which was a stone sheep.
Getting to the last target, a boar, I had memories of smoking a boar on my last shot a few years back to make the shootdown round. Although I figured I was out of it by a hair, I wanted to end this tournament the same way I ended the one in my memory. When the shot broke, I figured I had smoked the 11. I executed yet another perfect shot and my pin had frozen on the two arrows in the 11. I was highly disappointed when the arrow hit a fingernail width above the 10-line for an 8. I walked away with an 8 and quickly found out I had missed the cut by 3 points... the story of my life.
Final Thoughts
I'm in the best place I've been mentally in a few years, and my confidence is growing. It feels good to be in the mix in every shoot again. I gave myself a chance to win this one, and I shot well on Day 2 but it just wasn't quite good enough. That's what happens when you compete against the best in the world.
My equipment is performing flawlessly, and I'm getting better with it every time out. I'm glad I chose the Elite Victra as my bow for the year. It feels good to choose the bow I want to shoot and not be bound to any company, shops or people. I chose the bow that I felt would give me the best opportunity to win, and as an amateur I won more with an Elite than any other bow.
A few people asked me how I slept knowing I was leading. I just laugh at the comment. I've led plenty of things over the years, and I've never really paid much attention to it. It's not a one-day tournament and leading after Day 1 or going into a shootoff doesn't mean a damn thing. I just stay focused and try to repeat what I did the previous day. I can't do anything more than that. It definitely makes shooting a lot easier. I had no expectations, but I did feel like I was going to win the event.
While everyone can do it, I can easily see where I could've won this event. I aimed in the wrong spot and knew I was doing it. It cost me 5 points. Then, the distraction that I encountered got the best of me, causing another 5 points to disappear. Those two shots alone were worth 10 points. I'll be better with these things at the next one. As far as the distraction goes, I just feel that was in bad taste. Sometimes people don't think when they do things, and other times people do things purposely. It's neither here nor there because in the end, I own it. My mental state was not where it should've been. If it had been, I wouldn't have heard any outside noise, whether it was people talking, birds chirping, or chipmunks racing through the leaves. I'm thankful for the unfortunate incident because it will definitely make me better going forward. I must've ignored that part of training for a little too long.
Once again, I had a great time this weekend. I love traveling with Tom and Tyler, and Jeff and Wade just round things out. I believe Tom and Tyler are a big reason why my shooting has turned around this year. They let me sound off when I need to, and they supply a lot of laughs and things I will always remember as time passes. I love those guys.
Once again, Jacob did Jacob things. I've never felt so happy for anyone as I did for him after this event. I've been fortunate enough to share a few long-assed car rides with Jacob this year and my perspective on life and his are two different things. I'm an old washed-up dude who shoots a bow and he's the Superman of 3D archery. He's taught me a lot of things about archery ... and life. Jacob is a good listener and pulls no punches when it comes to his thoughts or advice. More people need to be like him. You will never find a harder worker, more dedicated husband, loving father, incredible son or great friend. It's easy to respect and root for a guy like Jacob. Many of us celebrate his highs and mourn his lows simply because we love to see him succeed. He's a normal dude like all the rest of us, and that's what he likes. So, congratulations Jacob. It never gets old watching you do what you do with a bow and arrow. We are all proud of you, and you inspire us to try a little harder and give a little more when all seems lost. I wish I could've done my part and joined the shootdown round with you like a few years ago, so I'll give it my best to see if we can have a repeat of 2017 to end the year.
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