We left at 5:30 a.m. so we could meet Tyler and Tom at the event. Being about a three-hour drive, it gave us plenty of time to discuss a lot of things, both about archery and life. The odd thing was there was a wide variety of ages in the truck, going from Wade in his 60s to Logan Stevenson, who is still in his teens.
The ride went quickly and seemed like it took about an hour to get there when we pulled in the parking lot about 8:15. After registering and heading to the practice range, I couldn't help but notice the perfect shooting conditions. It was crystal clear sky and bright sun. There wasn't a lick of humidity when we began the day.
After shooting a good group at 40 yards, I felt confident. They had huge dots on their targets, and I'm not a fan at aiming at stuff that is too large or too small. I need it the perfect size to allow me to shoot my best shots and feel comfortable while aiming.
Shooting a new trigger that Aron made for me, I was still trying to figure a few things out with it. That's when I drew my bow and sent an arrow sailing into the woods behind all of the target bags. It's probably still flying through the sky. I'm still not sure what caused the release to fire, but it did it again today (Sunday evening) while shooting at home. I'll need to figure it out if I'm going to use it a lot.
When I got my group assignment, I learned I would be shooting with Wade, Tom and Tyler. I knew I would have good arrows to aim at all day. When you're lucky enough to shoot with the best shooters in your region, you know you have to be on your game.
After the cards were drawn, I was told I would have to lead the first target, a roe buck. The number stuck out to me, and I executed a flawless shot with my new trigger. The arrow pierced the 11, and I was off to a good start.
As we meandered through the beginning of the course, the new trigger worked great. It allowed me to hit five 11s in the first eight targets before I ran into a few issues. After three 8s on the next four targets, I decided to switch back to old reliable.
That's when I drew on a stone sheep and easily nestled my finger on to the trigger. Unfortunately, it fired before I had the pin where it needed to go, giving me an 8 on a stupid mistake. I was able to settle in a little better on the next target and execute a good, solid shot, barely missing the 11 on the caribou.
The next target, a wolverine fooled a few of us in the group, with Tyler and I hitting each other at 12 o'clock in the 10-ring. I felt lucky to escape with a 10. The next handful of targets, I made perfect shots and cruised along shooting 10s. However, I got into a streak in which I didn't think I would ever get an 11. Then, I executed an absolute perfect shot on a lynx. I knew I had smoked the 11. Unfortunately, I ricocheted off Tyler's arrow and found myself in the 8-ring.
When I got to the next target and saw that I had to lead off on a turkey, I felt confident with my number. Once again, I executed a perfect shot and the found my only 11 in the last 20 targets. Amazing how you can hit five of the first eight, then only hit one the rest of the way while executing great shots and holding the bow well at the same time.
When we neared the end, I was running out of gas and my blood monitor began to sing its ever-too-familiar tune of letting me know my blood was under 50. This made it a little difficult to hold the bow, see and focus, causing me to shoot a couple 8s near the end.
When we finally arrived at the last target, a rising boar, everyone was around and having a ball. While dealing with all of my other complications, it was difficult to get the last shot off. When on my last draw, I knew I had to get it to go, and I executed a perfect shot to end the day, scoring a 10 that landed an inch above the 11. I was glad to call it a day.
Final Thoughts
I'm glad I made the trip to Pachaug Sportsmen's Club. They put on a good shoot, and the grounds are phenomenal. I appreciate their efforts, even though the turnout was relatively low.
I can say that my performance has been almost the same at every event this year. I haven't had too many highs or too many lows. I've been slow and steady, almost like a turtle. I'm ready to shift gears and turn it up a notch, and I thought that was happening after shooting the first eight targets. I simply couldn't miss.
While the beginning of my round was amazing, I can attribute the hiccups for a few targets to the new release and the familiarity with it. I just need to keep using it a little bit at a time until it becomes second nature. I really like the feel of it.
After switching releases, my hold got better and I felt more at ease. However, I could't seem to get any 11s, but that was the general consensus in our group. Wade seemed to make up for the rest of us. Around target 4, he tried Tyler's ACU unit that screws into the riser. He turned into Superman after that, and it was pure pleasure watching him shoot. It was like the Wade that I always strived to become when I was in my 20s. I could never beat him and wanted to find a way to shoot as well as him. Well, old Wade came back after trying his new thing-ma-jiggy. He held the bow like a rock and shot 11 after 11 after 11. If he didn't shoot it in the 11, he barely missed. I've seen a lot of people make it look easy at times, but this was the first time in a long time that Wade made it look easier than anyone I've seen shoot. That thing-ma-jiggy was exactly what he needed to boost his confidence, and it obviously helped him shoot better. That was the highlight of my day.
At day's end, I was glad to get off the course. While I shot OK, it wasn't nearly my best, and it certainly was nowhere near my worst. I was satisfied with the effort. All things considered, especially the low blood throughout the day, I managed to stay pretty consistent.
It was the worst the shadows have been this year. Every target had some type of shadow(s) on it, making it merely impossible to find solid aiming references that stayed in place. I did the best I could with limited visibility. While I didn't have my normal 11 count, I can attribute it to the shadows and the low blood that whacked me from the halfway point until the end.
All in all, I'm ready for the next two weeks. There's not much else I can do, and I look forward to seeing all of my archery friends from across the country one more time for the summer. God willing, I'll see them next year, too. Until then, everyone continue doing what you do best, and shoot as many arrows as you can. May all your arrows land true. I've never had a lot of talent, so I've always relied on these things. Just remember that as you plug along on your journey through archery ... and life.
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