First Leg of IBO National Triple Crown: Being Dumb or Learning a Lesson.........?

  As most people have noticed, I've had a very good 2019 archery season up to this point. Although I've had a few less-than-stellar gigs along the way, most of my performances have been very good. I've finally gotten back to feeling like I can hold my own against any other great Joe out there, providing I just do my thing and shoot my arrows. When competing against the Joes, I know I have a shot, no matter who shows up. I haven't had this type of confidence in a long time, and confidence breeds success. My equipment has been flawless, and my shooting has lined up with my execution.

  So when I came home from Maine a few weeks ago, I knew I had to fix a few equipment issues. The serving broke in two places where my string wraps around my cam. Anyone who knows me knows I hate change. I've never been one who has good luck changing things.

  I set one night aside to go over to George Connors' place so we could BS and work on it together. I always enjoy George's company, and I think it's good to bounce things off each other while working on stuff. George also knows more about Elite tuning and setup than anyone I know.

  We messed around with everything for a couple of hours, but we just couldn't get the bow to feel like it did before we made the changes. Of course, I'm probably the only one this ever happens to besides Chuck. My shooting is super sensitive to any type of change, and that one fact has not been beneficial to me over the years. I'm a feel type shooter, and I need the same type of feel to build confidence.

  After going home and shooting it for a few days, I just couldn't get the bow to feel the same. Knowing the first leg of the IBO National Triple Crown was in a few weeks, I figured I could get it back and be all ready to roll. As the week raced by, I finally gave up and decided I would not make the trip to West Virginia. I don't like going places when I'm not confident in my equipment, and I had absolutely no confidence in my equipment. After all, I figured I had nothing to prove so not going to the shoot wouldn't be any big deal.

  When I visited my dad on Tuesday evening, he said he wanted to go to the shoot. I love my dad and  enjoy spending every minute I can with him. I would never pass down an opportunity to go on a road trip with him to participate in an archery tournament, even if I didn't have a lot of confidence. So I raced home to see if I could figure something out.

  That's when I decided to break out my hunting bow -- the old reliable bow that has killed a lot of big buck and won some indoor and outdoor archery tournaments. Everyone knows I don't use drop-away arrow rests for any type of target shooting, but I had no choice because that bow had one on it. I quickly unscrewed my sight off the bow I had been working on and screwed it onto the camo bow.

  After sighting in the bow quickly, I shot a few groups of arrows from 40 and 45 yards. When you go from stacking arrows like the picture on the left at the beginning of this to the group on the right, it doesn't do much for your confidence, especially when every group was like the one on the left. I couldn't do anything wrong with that bow before I made the changes. I figured that after a few days with the camo bow, I would be ready to roll. I've always had confidence with it, and I know I can perform under pressure with it.

  I went to my dad's house on Thursday after work to shoot some targets. Everything went really well, and I felt good about my chances. Before packing the bow up and heading home, I shot three groups of six arrows, one from 60, 50 and 40 yards respectively. I only missed one on the 122cm face, and the arrows were stacked on top of each other............I was ready...........even though I had some doubt lingering in the back of my mind.

                                                           The Trip to West Virginia

  I worked for half a day on Friday before heading out. My dad picked me up around 10:30 and we got on the road. The first half of the trip wasn't too bad, but the second part of the trip was like a Walmart parking lot on the highway. It was wall-to-wall traffic moving at a high rate of speed, which wreaked havoc on my stomach. Traveling always messes my stomach up due. The anxiety and nerves that come with driving plays havoc on my system. It's never a good thing, and it usually takes a few weeks to recover after the trip.

  We finally got to the motel around 11 p.m. It was a dive, but for $66 a night, we couldn't complain. After all, we would only be sleeping there for a few hours. Neither one of us slept wall. I had issues with my legs all night, and I also continued battling dizzy spells that began earlier in the day. The dizzy spells worried me because I didn't know what was causing them. My blood sugar was fine.

                                                            On the Range

    We got to the range at 7 a.m. and got registered for the event. I exchange pleasantries with Bryan Marcum, the president of the IBO, before heading to the range. At the practice bales, there weren't many people. I saw my friend Bob Warren and talked with him for a while. I met him about 25 years ago at an IBO event, his first IBO ever at Mountain Trail Bowhunters. Sean Rice was with me and both of us were in the top peer group at the IBO National Triple Crown that year. When we got there, we realized that Sean had forgotten his sight, so we taped some pins onto his riser, and he shot the course that way. Bob still talks about that today. Sean lit it up with taped pins on his bow.........taped with scotch tape. If Sean had continued shooting, he would probably be on the pro tour. It was always a  pleasure to watch him shoot. He worked hard at it and was good at it. I'm glad I had the ability to bring him places when he was a kid.

  After firing a few practice arrows, seven to be exact, I was ready to get on the course. I saw two guys walk to the tent in front of me and figured if I rushed to the tent, I would be able to get in a group. The range officials grouped us together and sent us on our way. There were three of us, and two of us where going to try to shoot all 40 targets. One of the guys was from West Virginia, and one was from Pennsylvania. One was shooting in my class, and the other was shooting in MSR.

  It was a long walk to the first target. As odd as it sounds, I wasn't mentally into being there. I'm not sure if my mind was somewhere else or if I was just tired from the lack of sleep and long trip the day before. When we got to the first target, I could see that it was an antelope. It was a good set and had some yardage on it. It wasn't going to be an easy one to start on.

  The guy in MSR went first. I always watch people in my group shoot their first arrow and usually never watch them shoot again. I want to know if people properly execute shots. If someone properly executes a shot, I know he might put up a big number. Although people who don't execute good do shoot good scores, it's usually more of a rarity.

  The MSR guy kickstarted his trigger and sent the arrow on its way toward the antelope. Looking at the arrow with my binoculars, I could see it clearly in the middle of the 11.  I quickly got a number, dialed my sight, drew my bow and settled in. The pin sat nicely just right of where the white ended and a hair above it, but my pin hotdogged and I could see two pins, both blurry. That's an issue with aging eyes. Sometimes the pin looks great, and other times, it doesn't remotely resemble a pin. As the pin sat nicely in the 11, my shot broke cleanly. The arrow struck less than a half inch above the 11. My first shot was awesome. After loading it, transferring into my back and expanding, it was instantly gone...............aiming solid.........pow..............perfect. Old reliable was on its mark. The bow was going to work just fine.

  Walking to the next target, I knew it was one on which I needed to shoot an 11. Leading it off, I didn't have a good aiming reference, and the arrow hit behind the pin, again just barely missing the 11. Ok, I'm executing good shots and seeing yardage well. When I got to the next target, a mountain lion across a ravine, it was a muddy mess. The footing wasn't good due to the amount of mud on the side hill, but the shot didn't look too bad. I broke another good shot and the arrow hit high, barely out of the 10-ring. As I walked to the next target, the Big 10 buck, I felt really good about it. The distance stuck out to me, and I figured it was a no-doubter. I fought the shot a little bit before it broke, which caused me to hit low. It wanted to be in at 6 o'clock, but the less than 1/4 of an inch wouldn't allow it.
After pulling my arrow and walking to the next target, I could hear the guys in my group talking about the target I was about to see. When I got to the stake, I took a look at it and realized it wasn't exactly what I wanted to be looking at after just shooting two 8s by the skin of my teeth. Looking down the hill and across the valley, I saw a coyote that looked like a red squirrel. It was definitely a difference maker. The number stuck out to me when I looked at it..............long. When I hit full draw, the pin locked on the black spot on top of the 11 ring, and I relaxed while pulling. The shot broke perfectly and landed in the center of the center of the 11. After pulling my arrow from that target, the wheels began falling off the bus. I hit low on a long wolf, barely under the 10, within 1/2 inch, so now, I had three 8s that didn't add up to more than 3/4 of an inch off the 10-ring.

  After smoking a bedded doe on a hill, I came upon a turkey down a roadway. It was on flat ground on the bottom of a hill. I love turkeys. I know that I will almost always gain points on people on turkeys. I usually stay in the 10 on them and that's tough to do for most people. I enjoy it when I see them. Unfortunately, I didn't like seeing the turkey on this day. The bow just didn't seem to be that forgiving as compared to the bow I had been shooting up until the week prior.

  Being the last shooter on the turkey, I got a good feel for things. When my pin settled on it, I once again had a hard time seeing the pin, as it turned into a hotdog and two pins. I let down and readjusted my light to see if I could fix it. When I settled in the second time, I couldn't get a good feel for it, so I let down. I ended up letting down again, and I knew it had to go on my fourth one. As I got into he hold, it got a little long. When the shot broke, I figured it might catch right-side 10. When I saw the arrow strike the target, I wanted to crawl in a hole. The arrow was a good eight inches to the right. I quickly learned that the way the bow was set up, I couldn't get away with anything less than a stellar shot, and I paid the price.........dearly. I plodded along and shot a few more 8s before the end of the course, barely missing out the bottom and one out the top. I made two more shots that were not the best shots I've made, and both shots hit to the right, one landing in the 5 and the other landing in the 8.

                                               Sitting Down and Evaluating the First 20

  I could feel the internal rage building inside me. I had made four shots that weren't great shots but certainly weren't horrible and those shots cost me 14 points. I also had a lot of shots that just missed the 11. I figured I should have been about even, but with the black bow, the one I've been shooting, I think I would have been up a ways. I had good numbers for the most part.

  I evaluated things in my head on the walk back to the tent. I thought back to the second leg in Mckean, Pa., in the '90s when I shot 18 up on 20 targets. And a few years back, I shot 13 up on the last 20 at the third leg. Knowing I have that ability, I put the rough start behind me and figured I would give it my best shot because I knew I could make the ground up. I wouldn't get all of it, but I wasn't going backward any longer.

  If anyone wants to know what it felt like, the only thing I could give as a comparison is when a great pitcher is pitching early in the game, and a few errors get committed behind him. He unleashes a great pitch, and a batter golfs it out of the dirt and the ball finds itself barely clearing the wall and landing in the seats. The pitcher is now behind 3-0, but he struck out the side. Now, he just has to see if he can pick his teammates up and keep them in the game, giving them a chance to mount a comeback.

                                                       Staying in the Game

  When I walked up to the first target of my last 20, I could see a really good aiming spot above the 12-ring on a black panther, and when I can see spots to aim at on 3Ds, I usually don't miss. I didn't miss it, either. I stroked it. I broke a clean shot, and it landed perfectly in the center. When I got to the next one, a fallow deer, I could once again see a clear aiming spot. I centered it and executed another great shot. The arrow landed behind the pin...........another 11. I was on my way back. I could feel that 13 or 18 up inside me. Those rounds live inside me, and every once in a while I know I can release
them for all to see. Here's a photo Jake VanHillo took early on in this round. He was in the group in front of me. Thanks for the picture, Jake.



  I plodded through the rest of that course and wasn't able to score another 11. Although I had only gained two points, I hadn't lost any. My shots were clean enough, that I figured I might be able to get six to eight of them on the last 10. Target one of the last 10 stuck out to me like sore them. It was a medium deer down a lane on a side hill. I had a great aiming spot and smoked it. I shot a perfect shot, too.

  The next target was a cheetah down a hill. I had to lead it off and had trouble seeing it. When the shot broke, I knew I had too much yardage on it and the arrow hit just above the 10 ring at 12 o'clock. I earned that 8..........one of the first ones I earned for the day besides the first 8 of the day that I shot on the mountain lion.

  I remained focus and tried with all my might to make a comeback, never giving in, even though I now knew I had not chance of making a good showing. Over the last half of the course, we shot a few memorable shots, including a javelina, alligator and an antelope, all of which were difference makers.
  I got a solid 10 on the javelina, and I 11d the gator and the antelope. I barely missed the 11 on the last target of the day, one of the new African targets.

This shot here is the story of my day. If you cut the distance to the 10-ring in half, that's the distance that I was out of the 10-ring all day. I learned at the end of the day, that I think I just started too early and the vision problems led to the near misses early in the day. When it got bright out and I could see clearly, I basically never missed again after that.




                                                   The Damage: My Take on the Day



  Looking back on it, a lot of things led to my bad start. I let a lot of things affect me that don't normally get to me. I was not mentally ready to shoot. I'm not sure if it was because of all of the confidence I had lost when the black bow didn't come back to where it has been all spring. I have felt like I can't miss with that bow. That definitely had an effect on things. Although I've shot the bow I shot a lot, I don't have any miles on it at all since early last spring. I'm not sure what caused me to shoot two 5s way right with the right number. I won't spend any time trying to figure it out because it's in the past, and I recovered nicely the rest of the way out. I think all of the eights early on were hitting behind the pin. I think I was holding low because of the lighting. It was hard to tell where I was on the target and couldn't get the lighting right with my pin. I figured out in the second half that I needed to set it at about the number 3 position. After figuring that out, I could clearly see where it was on the animal. Having not shot in any leave cover or canopy this year, I didn't have any experience with the pin. I got that figured out by the second 20, so that mistake will not happen again.

  I shot with a really negative guy. All he talked about was how he was going to shoot 5s on certain targets and how he always misses at least one target. He also talked nonstop while I was shooting. I let this get into my subconscious mind during the first half. I'm not even sure if maybe that's why I shot the fives and they had nothing to do with my shot. On the turkey, he made a horrible shot and was talking about all of the turkeys he has fived while I was shooting. I put this behind me going into the second half and blocked it out. I got my focus back and dialed it up a notch. I'm not sure if he was even talking in the second half. I was so locked on, I don't think I would have heard him. Don't forget folks, negativity breeds negativity. Distance yourself from people who speak in that manner, but also learn how to deal with them if they end up in your group. It's like walking a tightrope without a balancing beam.

  This tournament was like a NASCAR race for me. I went a lap down on the first lap after a crash. After pulling into the pit area and getting a few dents pulled out and changing the tires, I got out there and started making progress. When I got near the end, I gained the lap back, but it just wasn't enough to make a difference. I got across the finish line near the top, even with a dented and broken car. It was the worst race I've driven in this year, and I still managed to get it back on track. I think I'd be hard pressed to shoot a score that bad again. Although those things happen from time to time, I was highly disappointed that this happened when it did.

  Anyone who knows me knows I've been crushed my way more bad luck than good luck over the years, including zeros from broken releases, arrows, serving, etc. that cost me national wins, world championships and many other podium finishes in ASA and IBO. It's been a few years since I've encounter the bad luck. Well, it found me again this year. I've been shooting better than I have in a number of years and felt like I would be able to win if I just did my thing. I gave it my best with backup equipment and fell short, but it wasn't for a lack of trying. I've never given up over the years, and I never will, even if I think I'm going to finish in dead last. I could've hung it up after the first 20 and just went through the motions, but that isn't in me. Always fight until the end. Draw from positive experiences and give it your best shot to recreate them. I'm not sure if I'll get the bow back to where it needs to be. I don't have the best of luck with changing stuff around. Hopefully, I can figure it out over the next few weeks. I did check out Jake VanHillo's Evoke 35 yesterday. I really like that bow........I like it a lot. If that bow shoots as well as the Supra Focus I shot this winter, I can see why Jake is shooting it so well. I think that bow fits my shooting style. I'd like to try one to see how it shoots at distance.

  Back to the bad luck deal. It all came to head today on my way home from my club. I was driving home with the window down. Cruising at 50 mph, something struck me squarely in the side of the head. Blood spurted all over the place and feathers were all over in the truck. I looked into the side door panel and found this.



And that folks, tells you all you need to know about my luck. The poor bird struck me in the side of the head and died. When a bird hits you in the side of the head at 50 mph, it kind of stings. This weekend is going to sting for a long time. Hopefully, I can get it behind me..........soon.

                                                    Handing Out Awards

  I have to hand out a few awards for awesome shooting this weekend. In the MSR class, Scott Tozier did not disappoint. He landed a win and earned every bit of it. Over the years, when Scott and I have shot well, we usually end up right around the score, plus or minus 5 points. With the way I have shot this year and with how I finished up, I figure I would have been somewhere around Scott if the black bow had stayed on point. Great job, Scott. That's pretty impressive shooting for a tough course.

  Jim Burdic, another central New Yorker, also brought his game to the first leg and finished in 2nd place in MSR. Great job, Jim. You had to earn every bit of that on that course. It's glad to see a couple of central New Yorkers at the top of the list. It gives me something to shoot for next year.

  Jake VanHillo..............you look awesome. Don't let a few disappointing moments ruin your outlook. You performed incredibly well. You rocked that course and just had to deal with a few, very few unfortunate mishaps. We've all been there. The good ones learn from those mistakes and use them to their advantage in the future. Don't doubt your ability........you have the ability to win at this level. Get out there and practice your yardage. You now know black targets look short to you. Add a few yards if you're ever in doubt on the longer ones. Keep working hard. It's been a pleasure to watch your progress from a distance.

  Jacob Slusarz, you are an incredible archer and person. Wherever you go or whatever you do, just stay the same. It's a pleasure to call you a friend. I enjoy watching your success. It's a pleasure to tell people that you are a friend when I hear them talking about you. It's even better when I can tell them that you're a good person . Congrats to your dad, too. Great job, John. You guys remind me of me and my dad. Keep living the dream and making memories. There's nothing like sharing this with my dad over the years. I'm sure you guys will feel the same as time goes on. It's a pleasure to watch. Great job this weekend, Jacob. I can see that you learned a lot from last year, and this will pay great dividends this year. Keep working really hard. People don't see your work, they just see the results. I understand the work........I get it.  I've always worked hard at it, and I'm not half the archer that you are. You have an open invite to come up with your dad to shoot our range. I'll change it as often as you want it changed. Feel free to come whenever you want to. Dad is there all day during the summer and I"m usually there after 3 p.m. every day.

                                                     S3DA in the Northeast

  As a member of the New York Outdoor Writers Association, I receive daily updates from the Outdoor Wire. Last week I saw that Bob Gattorna is in charge of the S3DA in the Northeast. When I was at the IBO national this weekend, I saw the the biggest classes are the senior classes. We need to get youth involved in archery. This will be a big challenge to get the youth involved. It's all of our jobs to help with this. It introduces children to all types of archery and gives them an outlet. If you can find kids to get involved, then do it. They are our future. If you want tournament archery in the future, you need children involved. Aron Stevenson and his wife, April, have been doing a tremendous job with this. Congratulations to Bob on his new endeavor. I hope to see many more children involved in the coming years.

                                                    My Final Thoughts on the Weekend

  I was raging on my way home. I got home at 3 a.m, and got up at 8 to got shoot a local 3D event. It's not often when we think we are at our best and the big events are coming. I thought I was at my best in the month leadings up to this event. I knew I could win and that is everything. I blew all my tires and crashed in the ditch, but I'll be back.................if I can get the bow where I need it to be or maybe if I get one of those Evoke 35s in my hand to try. Here are my thoughts on the rest of the summer.





                       

New Archers and the Maine IBO State Championship

  This week went by too quickly. Once again, the weather wasn't conducive to achieving much outside with my bow. Early in the week, I knew I had to shoot some of my other bows so I would have a bow to shoot in case I decided to go to Maine on Sunday. I figured I probably wouldn't go due to the number of things I had going on over the weekend, but knowing my dad wanted to go, I tried making sure I had a bow to shoot that would make me feel confident. In case any of your are wondering, the bow I've been shooting is in need of a little work, and I haven't made the time to get at it yet. Although it can still be shot, I know I probably should wait until I get the work done.

  I decided to work on my bow arm this week. All of my attention was focused on keeping a strong bow arm from start to finish. I've noticed over the years by watching others shoot -- and also stepping back and looking at my own shooting -- that if I have a strong bow arm throughout my shot, I very rarely miss. Misses usually don't come on the backend. Instead, they come from what the bow arm does before, during and after the shot. I've been able to get away with murder with my other hand and arm.

  As I focused on my front arm, I realized that I could imagine driving the arrow through the middle of the target. I used the aggressive attitude to help me hold steady and execute good shots. During my trials, I noticed my groups spreading out a little bit. I do most of my practicing from 40, 45 and 50 yards on a 5-spot target. This target has always given me a good idea how I'm holding and executing. Although it's a 20-yard target, I shoot 300 games at 40 to determine if my bow is shooting well. If my bow is shooting well, I can keep all of my arrows in the white. If the bow isn't measuring up, I will shoot random arrows out of the white but very rarely beyond the first ring in the blue. While tuning bows, I use the "keep them in the white" test to determine the forgiveness of my bow. I'd imagine as I get older, I will have to find a different method. I'm sure my hold won't be good enough to do that on a regular basis, but for now, I will continue using that method. Find a method that works for you to determine what is acceptable for groups and what isn't. You need to push yourself to tighten your groups and improve your execution. My choice is to shoot a 20-yard indoor game at 40 yards outdoors. It's double the distance, and I have to compete with the factors that come with shooting outdoors. Too many people get outdoors and wing arrows because they love shooting. I love shooting, too, but I try to achieve something while I'm shooting. This week the work focused on my bow arm. If my bow arm is good, I will not have any left or right misses, which is always my goal.

  Throughout the week, I shot a variety of holding weights on different bows. I shot one bow with 13 pounds of holding weight, one with 6 and one with 17. I ruled the 6-pounder out. I just couldn't get it to feel comfortable to get through my shot. My old reliable bow at 13 pounds won the starting job. That bow flat-out shoots. I can stand on my head and shoot arrows in the middle with that bow. Then, I decided to try the 17 pounder again, the one that Vozzy has helped me with a little bit. I'm determined to make this bow work because I like the feedback it gives me while shooting it. So I spent the most time on that bow.

  I finally got the bow to sit down and not move. When the pin hits the middle, it locks on the X. Unfortunately, I have only a few seconds to get the shot off. If it goes in the first few seconds, the arrows pound the X. If my shot timing it off at all, I wander around the white a little bit. This bow is really close, and I feel confident that I will get it to where it needs to go. I plan on shooting it at the Massachusetts Senior Games next month. That will put it to the test in my hands. I will try to get my Gold Tip Platinum Pierces to tune out of it. The arrows seem to be a good match for the setup. I had to put a 15' bar on the back with 17 ounces on it and a 27' bar on the front with 5 ounces. The odd thing about this bow is that I found that I need the draw length a tad longer than my other bows. Although this bow is a hair longer axle to axle, it just doesn't work unless I shoot it at about 1/8 inch longer. I'm not going to try to figure it out because that's just the way it is with the particular bow.

                                                   Adult Archery Day: Saturday

  I spent Saturday at the range at my local club. My buddy Aron Stevenson, owner of Exit Archery, volunteered to give a crash-course lesson to a group of people from where I work. For those of you who don't know, I work for a large company, and the company does things involved with the outdoors to give people an opportunity to explore things they might not otherwise have access to.

  We had about 25 people sign up, and some of them brought their kids to try it out, too. We had people ranging from early teens to 60s, all there because they liked the idea of archery. They all wanted to launch arrows and watch the mystical flight of an arrow, just as I did when I was a child and still do today on a daily basis. Archery calms my mind and brings me into a place that so few people ever experience. I get lost within my subconscious mind and sit back and watch things happen from afar. Archery becomes effortless at that point. It's simply awesome to experience at that level, but it takes years to achieve that type of feeling. It's Zen at its finest, but the bad days are miles away from feeling the same.

  As I helped the people shooting, it made me smile. The people were having more fun than small children at a water park. Huge smiles formed on many of their faces, and before we finished for the day, some of them were making great shots, but all of them were enjoying themselves. I will definitely try to do this again. Hopefully, a few of them will pursue archery now that they've had a formal introduction to it.  Here are a few pictures from the day's events.

This is my friend Yolanda with her first bullseye ever. Yolanda came to this country from Colombia and has experimented with many things that she had never done in her home country. She loved this introduction to archery.




This is the Gerardi family enjoying themselves and having fun. Mom Girardi seemed to figure it out by the end of the day. This family has some beginner talent. We need to keep working on them.

        

This is Bri, Garret and Sam.........Bri and Garret were showing off a little bit and putting them right in the middle. Sam can actually shoot accurately right-handed and left-handed

   

Matt and Ann really enjoyed themselves.



Matt's smile says it all. Matt is a wizard with computers. I told him that me talking technical archery to him is like him talking computers to me. We both laughed about that.




  There you go. As you can see, this is one of the best days in archery that I've had in a long time. It was simply awesome, and the people who came to the event were awesome people. I hope we lit a fire with some of them that will burn from this day forward. That's all we can do: introduce people to the sport we love and hope they follow in our footsteps.



                                             Maine IBO State Championship

  I really wasn't interested in going to this tournament. I had minimal sleep throughout the week, and I didn't work on my numbers that much. I've always loved Maine since I was a kid, and my mother's side of the family is from Maine, so I have a hard time not going to that state when I get a chance to go. There's something about the state that draws me to it. Maybe it's the giant mosquitos the state is know for! I also know that some phenomenal 3D shooters have come out of Maine. Mainers have always driven me to be better. I haven't met many of them that weren't top-notch archers. It's amazing how small their archery community is and how many national champions have come from there. They set the bar for New Englanders, a bar I've always strived to reach. From Roger Thibeault to their current great one, Ben Lambert, they always send a shooter or two to the south so the rest of us can try to learn a few tricks to keep pace. There are too many great ones to mention, but I can easily say that the likes of them have had a great deal with the success that I have attained over the years. I'll be forever thankful that those guys pushed me to become better just to keep up.

  Dad and I got on the road at 5:00 a.m. When I woke up, I knew it was going to be a long day since I hadn't gotten more than four hours of sleep in the last two nights. When we arrived at the tournament site around 9:00, I signed up and got ready to go.

  After talking to Sean Roberts on Thursday night and discussing the issue on my regular bow that I was putting off working on, he convinced me to just shoot the bow. After all, what could 30 shoots do to it. I decided that would be my best bet, even though I hadn't fired an arrow out of it since my last arrow at the New York State shoot on last Sunday.

  I walked to the target butt and fired two arrows at 35 yards, both of them hitting in the center of the bullseye. Not wanting to shoot any more arrows, I walked to the registration area to be grouped. When I saw Jacob and his dad there, I figured I would be shooting with them again, but then a few people walked up behind me. I ended up in a group with Dad, Barry Gates and Jeff Wagoner. I hadn't shot with Barry or Jeff this year, so I knew we would have a good day and catch up on everyone's trials and tribulations in archery.

                                                  Off to a Good Start

  I got off to a good start when I executed a picture perfect shot on a black panther and donutted the 11 on it. The pin held steady, and the shot broke perfectly. I was off and running.

  I picked my way through the first 10 but never felt comfortable. As we progressed through the course, I realized that the time behind the bow I shot all week that had 17 lbs of holding weight was not working in my favor. It made the bow I was shooting today feel like a sloppy mess. I had a very hard time holding steady and I found myself watching the pin instead of focusing on my execution.

  I had to let down a lot today. I've always been disciplined with that and will not force a shot. Instead, I'll make sure I get it right, and it was very difficult to get it right today. I stuck to the plan and executed some great ones when they went.

  When I started my second 10 and got a few targets into it, I saw the group of young shooters from Massachusetts. They stopped to say hello, and that shot happened to be my best shot of the day. It was a Big 10 buck, and I could see the 11-ring. My pin settled nicely on it, and my back loaded quickly. Once in my back, I relaxed and rotated, and the shot was on its way. The arrow hit directly behind the pin but an inch under the 11. I couldn't have asked for a better shot. This was absolutely perfect. It was shot that I lie in bed at night and imagine in my mind. When I imagined myself winning big events, I always imagined executing a shot just like that one. If you see it in your mind, it becomes a reality. You just have to keep seeing it -- over and over again.

  After shooting that shot, I went on a streak of shooting a few more shots just like that one. Maybe those Mass. guys brought me some good vibes. They're always smiling and are always in a good mood, even if they're not shooting well. A lot can be learned from those types of people. They always remind me that it's great just to be alive. I envy them for their ability to have fun. It's a pleasure to watch.
 
  I briefly lost my numbers on the turkey and bedded doe near the end of the course. I knew I was going to hit both targets high -- and I did. Sometimes, I should listen to the little voice in my head. I chose to ignore it on those two shots and paid the piper.

  I finished that round solidly by shooting 11s on the last two targets in front of the big Boy Scout audience. All of the Boy Scouts who were making lunch made a good audience. One thing I've always done over the years when there's a lot of commotion is to block it out by pretending I'm going to make a shot that everyone sees and says, "WOW, did you see that shot? That was the best shot I've ever seen."

  With that in my head, I focus solely on the process. Even if I blank the target, I will know that I executed a perfect shot for all of them to watch. It will be so perfect that the audience won't even notice if I totally miss the target because they'll still be in awe of the execution. It does wonders to help block out any random thoughts that might come into my mind. It worked perfectly on those two shots, as the shots were two of the best ones I made today.

  Going into the last 10 targets, I felt confident. When I had to lead the white bedded goat, I took a few yards off my tape before drawing. I should've left it on. My arrow struck less than 1/4 of an inch below the 10-ring.  During the rest of that round, I played on a balancing beam...........shoot an 8......shoot a few 11s to catch up.

  When I got to the last few targets, I wanted to make great shots to have those in my mind on the ride home. I accomplished just that to finish my day. I couldn't have asked for two better shots, one landing in the 11 and the other an inch below the 11. I was glad to put my bow back in the case and head home. It was a long day and I was extremely tired.

Here's my card for the day.



                                                 My Take on the Day

  I shot with Barry Gates today. I know Barry has been working with Mark Myers for quite a while. Barry gets frustrated, just like the rest of us. As I watched him shoot today, I thought about last year. He looked like an entirely different guy. He looked to be shooting the same shot at almost every station. I could tell he was a little amped up in the beginning, and I'm sure many of you also get amped up in the beginning. I get that way, too. I've found that my best method to get through that has been to write down in my journal how much I enjoy shooting the first few shots in tournaments and that those shots are some of my best shots I shoot. I've done this enough that it has become a reality. If you write it down enough, it will happen. If you see yourself doing it, it will happen. Trust me when I tell you this. You just have to commit to these things and make good on them.

  Barry has also been beating himself up about his scores all year. I think he shot a 269 today. This was the best 269 I've ever seen shot. Yes, Barry did have a few "Oh Barry" moments from my observations, but try few of them. Instead, he had many shots that were great. That 269 could have easily been a 290 and probably should've been. If you could give him an inch on a ruler, I'm sure he would have been 20 points better........easily. Never judge your performance on your score.

  Like Barry, I could've eliminated four 8s today out of my six if I could've had a half inch on a ruler. When I've been missing, it's no more than a fingernail width below the 10-ring. I'm shooting the best line I've ever shot. I made one poor shot today and paid the price for it. I was unsure of the yardage and let that affect my shot. That will not happen again. I know better than that, and I will improve upon that going into the next shoot.

  I did not have a winning performance today with my bow in hand, but I had a winning performance in my mind. My mind performed at an elite level today. My mental management system exceeded its normal capacity today and carried me through the day. I struggled a little with my shot, but my strong mental game and all of the work I put into helped me from one target to the next. Sometimes when all  cylinders aren't clicking, you need to get in the lane that works and keep the hammer down. Take advantage of the skills that will keep you in the game and trust the ones that aren't working so smoothly on that day. I'm living proof that you can do it if you put your mind to it.

People sometimes fail to realize how hard others work. I've worked on my mental game for many years, and that skill alone has allowed me to come through on some big stages. I do not have the talent that many others have, but I do have the work ethic that most people lack. I've spent hours upon hours meditating in silence. I've spent days and nights visualizing and seeing myself shooting perfect shots in different situations. I've moved targets all over the map every day of the week to get different looks. I've shot arrows until I can't see any longer. I've shot arrows until my fingers are almost locked in the position of how they wrap around my release.

  Everyone thinks Jacob is a natural. If you saw how hard he works, you would not want to be like Jacob. He has that work ethic. He puts targets in his truck and brings them to his club that doesn't have 3D targets and carries them through the woods, setting them in different places, just so he can practice judging distance. The work shows up in his performances. I get it, and I an appreciate it. If you socialize with shooters like this, you realize how much they put into the sport the love. I shared this a few days ago on social media, and it pertains in this case. Take a look and really think about it. How much do you really put into it? Ask the winners how much they put into it, and you will be amazed at the answers they give you. Some don't have to work too hard, but many work harder than most can imagine. I have much more I'd like to write, but I'm spent................until next week........keep working -------------------->



 


 

Two IBO State Championships in a Weekend

  This was a rough week to get any practice in since so many things were going on at once. Softball leagues started this week, and the rain and wind didn't want to let up to get any decent practice in. I did practice my numbers three times during the week, and the results of my practice seemed to be good but not great. I figured I could keep most of my arrows around the 10-ring for the weekend. It's hard to shoot well in IBO shoots if you don't practice your numbers, so I aways try to find time to practice numbers. I envy the people who don't have to practice yardage. Sometimes I feel like I have to work way too hard to be somewhat competitive. That's why I keep this journal updated for all of you. I know that all of you work hard, too, so I just try to share my journey with you.

                                      Time To Grow Up for a Handful of Adults

  I was highly disappointed with the turnout at the NY shoot. Unfortunately, the date was voted upon for the shoot last July and the agreed-upon stipulations were not followed. We voted to have the tournament be the first of all state tournaments, including the New England shoots, figuring we would get a great turnout for it since it was located within a reasonable driving distance for most New Englanders, too. When I saw the "tentative" schedules being handed out at the IBO World, it didn't take long for me to notice that two New England shoots had been scheduled in April and the NY one was tentatively listed for Memorial Day, a weekend that was never discussed. I feel it's incredibly sad that whatever happened after leaving that meeting happened. I guess I'd say that's why I'm probably the most disappointed with the turnout, which in fact probably had nothing to do with the shooters but had everything to do with whatever happened behind the scenes, disregarding the discussions that went on.

  Since I don't get overly involved in all of the political BS that goes on, I'm not sure what went on with everything that led to where it is now, but I have noticed that many of my IBO colleagues and some former colleagues have given me the cold shoulder over the last few months, dating back to early winter. I haven't been able to figure that out until having a conversation with someone about it this morning. That's when everything clicked. I quickly realized that the old saying, "Don't assume, it makes an ass out of you and me," fits perfectly.

  Some people took it upon themselves to assume things about me without ever asking me. I deal with passive aggressive people on a daily basis. Let's be real folks, it's time to grow up. We are not in grade school or elementary school anymore. Most people know that I'm very straight forward and in your face. I don't hide how I feel or what I think. If I'm responsible for things I take action and own it. I do not beat around the bush about things. Some people like me for that, and some people dislike me for that, but I am what I am. Instead of being passive aggressive, why don't some of you come to the source and find out for yourselves where I stand or if I was even involved with whatever has gone on  or is going on. I'll gladly share my thoughts with you and give you any insight you might be missing that you "think" you know. I could also care less if anyone wants to talk to me. I'm personable and have always gone out of my way to support archery and help others along the way. I do know I have a very large following. I can see the numbers every week. They come up on the stat sheets. I'm not sure where the average of 2,000 readers a week come from, but I know they're here, and I know they see things, email me, and voice their own opinions to me. I'm thinking it's probably because I listen without speaking. I've always tried to to the best by the people and speak for all archers as a whole. Feel free to email me or give me a call. You all have my number and email address. Ok, now that that's out there let's move on to the two great shoots I attended this weekend.

                                                Rhode Island IBO State Championship

  I decided to shoot in Rhode Island on Saturday because the New York shoot was much closer to my house. I figured I would get the traveling out of the way on Saturday. The ride out turned into an adventure when Doug Vaughn got a pop-up alert on his phone that the exit ramp where we needed to get off was closed due to an accident. We quickly made our own detour and arrived at the shoot around 8:45 a.m.

  There were a lot of cars in the parking lot, but not many people were warming up at the target butts. Since they had 3D targets at the butts, I decided to shoot them. I shot at 25, 35, 45 and 50 yards. I shot multiple arrows at all distances and only missed one 11. Although it was marked yardage, I knew I was going to have a decent day. I was holding good and executing well enough to stay in the 11s if I got the right numbers. I couldn't wait to get out on the course.

  My dad and Doug got sent out with another guy, and I had to wait a few minutes for my assignment. I got paired up with Jacob Slusarz, his dad, and Billy "Bob" Hyer, whom I had never shot with. Knowing Bill and having shared a few dinners with him along the way, I looked forward to shooting with him. I knew we would have a good day.

  When we headed to the first target, I was concerned with the wind. It was howling like some of the winds I've seen blowing tumbleweed across the Kansas prairie when I've hunted there a number of times. I just wanted to hold my own and try my best to keep the arrows in the 10-ring. I figured I would have my hands full. I also looked forward to shooting with John and Jacob. I hadn't shot with John in a year or so, and it's always a pleasure to shoot with Jacob to see if I can learn something. Never forget that young people sometimes have more knowledge than people who have been shooting for years. It's an opportunity for us older people to take advantage of what the younger ones can teach us. Always pay attention to the people around you when you're shooting.

  The first target was a Big 10 buck, the same target that I started on in Massachusetts a few weeks ago, and it was about the same yardage. Before I set my sight, something in my gut told me I wasn't giving it enough. I settled in and broke a great shot. The arrow landed in exactly the same place as the one I shot in Massachusetts, hitting just barely under the 10-ring but clearly out of it. Once again, I was going to have to dig out of a hole right from the get go.

  When I walked to the second target, I had a feeling the wheels could quickly fall off the bus. With the wind howling and having already lost two points on the previous target, I wanted to hold on and get back on my feet. I executed a good shot and felt good about moving forward.

  As the day progressed, my shots broke cleanly and I remained tension free. I have noticed the last few weeks that I have some issues breaking a shot when I'm a little unsure of my number. Although it doesn't seem to be any great problem, I will need to work on that a little bit and clean it up from week to week. I've made steady progress with it and expect to keep moving in the right direction with it. I also noticed that many good shooters have the same type of issue when they're unsure of the yardage.

  This course was one that required me to use all of the marks on my sight. Some people might have considered it a soft course, but I never consider any course soft. They are all hard in their own way. Some people think that long courses are really difficult. I find every course to be about the same due to a variety of things you see on all types of courses.

  This was a course that gave me many more highs than lows. When thinking about it, I can vividly remember a few awesome shots. There was a really steep downhill ram near the end, and I executed one of the best shots I've executed all year. The pin sat in the middle and I made a perfect shot. I can't remember if I got an 11 or if it landed a hair to the left of it. Either way, it didn't matter because that shot stuck with me. In the future, when I see a steep downhill shot like that ram, I will draw from the confidence I gained from that one shot. I'll see it and feel it for a long time to come. Make sure you always draw something from the really good ones. Let the less-than par ones go and build off from the good ones. Whenever I asked people how they're doing, they always talk about their bad ones. I try to let those go and move on to the next target. I take great pride in the fact that I almost always back up a bad one with a good one. I very rarely let things snowball out of control after something bad happens. I'll fight until the end.

  When the day ended, I was satisfied with my performance. I had a winning performance and felt good about the day. Some days you're the winner, and some days you're the wiener. I was a winner inside my mind on my ride home -- and even as I sit here writing this tonight. You don't always win after a winning performance, but you win inside your own mind. If you build your mental strength through things like this, you will come out on top more often than not.

  I had a great time in Rhode Island with great guys. Whenever I shoot with John, he always shoots well. I felt that I had shot well, but after adding the cards up at the end of the day, I thought that maybe I hadn't performed as well as I had thought. I finished in 3rd place in my group of four. I gotta say that the others just beat me. I gave it my best, but John an and Jacob just did what they do. I had to remind myself that I still shot well.

  Jacob and I have good memories for targets we have shot in the past. As we wandered through this course we realized that only three targets from last year's event had been moved. Although we couldn't remember numbers, we remembered the targets. After asking some people about it who are familiar with the course, they said that nothing ever moves on that course. Everything stays the same and remains that way all year, with targets outside and in the sam exact spot. That's a little disappointing, especially when a lot of guys drive great distances to test their skills against others. It's hard for many guys in many classes to know how they really panned out against everyone because they don't know who shoots there regularly and who doesn't. It was really good for me to judge yardage and test my skills. Some of my friends from out that way didn't shoot because it's always the same. I missed seeing them there and hoped for more. Here are a few pictures from my day.








                                                    NY IBO State Championship

  Well, I woke up to a nice, sunny morning. On my ride to the tournament, the skies turned gray, and it started to drizzle. The thermometer didn't move much off from 35 degrees for my entire drive. It surely doesn't seem like it's almost May.

  After getting there and catching up with some people I haven't seen in a long time, I headed to the target butt to shoot a few arrows before heading onto the range. I fired a handful of arrows and waited for my assignment.

  When I received the cards, I knew I was going to have to hang with the big dogs, the biggest baddest dogs of New York and New England. A senior pro national IBO winner, a semi-pro national triple crown winner and a semi-pro IBO World Champion, with two of the shooters having been in the professional NFAA indoor national finals shootoff in the past. The talent we have spread across New England and New York is nothing short of amazing. So my group comprised Jacob Slusarz, John Vozzy, Sean Roberts and me.

  We started on a long bedded doe. I was battling low blood sugar on my way to my first target. Although I slugged down some Gatorade, I could still feel the affects of my blood sugar level. After settling into my aiming process, the pin wavered and wandered before the shot broke. I knew it wasn't going to be good when the arrow started its journey. The arrow landed just a tad to the left of the 10-ring, no more than an inch outside. I have to take the blame for it because my body wasn't prepared to start.

  I battled the issue for the first few targets, shooting three 8s in the first seven. I figured it was going to be a long day after starting that way. I continued battling and tried to stay above water. I felt a little better when I made a perfect shot on a razorback boar. I hit full draw, started to pull, and the arrow appeared directly behind the pin. I couldn't have been closer to the center of the 11 if I had walked up and placed the arrow in it. My confidence grew from there, and I trusted my shot and my ability.

  Throughout the first half of the shoot, I found my mind wandering. I was being easily distracted and had a hard time brushing it off. Sometimes, it felt like a pesky fly buzzing around my head. I swatted at it but couldn't ever get it to stop landing in my hair and buzzing around the back of my head. The monkeys kept jumping off the branches and slapping my ears. They tried with all of their power to get inside my head and start a party. I focused and swatted them back onto the limbs of the trees. My focus returned and remained for the rest of the day. It was a true battle to to send the monkeys on their way. Jacob has a tremendous ability to let the monkey sit in the trees above. Sean and I sometimes let them sit on our shoulders and poke us in the neck with prickly pine needles. John always seems to be in total control. He's calm under pressure, and he just goes through the motions.

  Speaking of Vozzy, it was a pleasure to watch him shoot today. This guy ceases to amaze me. His progress has been steady since his shoulder replacement. This guy has worked so hard to be able to shoot his bow again. Once again, one of those guys whom you never see working at it. He goes above and beyond what most others can comprehend. He's the ultimate competitor and does everything he can so he doesn't ever beat himself. I enjoy watching him in action. A lot can be learned from a seasoned veteran. When I shoot with him, it reminds me a lot of when I used to shoot with another great from my area, Jeff Alderman. Neither one of them ever gets too high or too low. They just focus on every shot and keep things in perspective. I'll be routing for Vozzy when he heads to the IBO Triple Crown next month. I'd love to see him get it done. He definitely works hard at it.

  When I got to the second half of the tournament, I felt good about my shooting. I started off on hogzilla, and the arrow hit directly behind the pin. Unfortunately, it was less than an inch to the left of the 11. You can't be disappointed when you hit behind the pin. I guess I need to pay more attention to where I'm aiming.

  I was nervous when I got to the next target, which was a javelina. I couldn't get a number to stick in my head when I kept looking at it, I got a variety of numbers that varied by six yards. Finally, I dialed it in and settled nicely onto the white spot in the 11-ring. I felt the pressure build in my back, and it felt like somebody cut the string from my hand. The arrow instantly appeared in the 11-ring. What a shot! It was one of those shots that people dream about. Everything was done perfectly. These shots continued the rest of the day, and I cleaned the second half with 10s and 11s. I executed every shot like I was shooting a Vegas target at 10 yards. My focus and concentration went to another level during the last 15 targets.

  When I finally got to the last target, a gobbling turkey, the number stuck out to me. I dialed my sight in and looked at Sean's arrow and Jacob's arrow. They were both in the 10-ring, so I buried my pin between their arrows and did my thing. My arrow it right next to Jacob's arrow, and that was the end of my day.



  My hat goes off to Rhit Wilcox. This guy is a worker. He does everything he can to provide people with a great experience. He went above and beyond to make sure Guan Ho Ha put on a fantastic tournament. He surpassed my expectations. If you see Rhit out there on the tournament trail make sure to thank him for his dedication to archery in our region. He supports everyone, and he offers us with a lot of opportunities to shoot at the club where he is the archery director.

                                                  My Take on the Weekend

  I did a lot of traveling this weekend to shoot 60 targets. I've been trying to determine if I want to go to the first leg of the national triple crown. I'm still somewhat undecided. I know I'm shooting well enough to go give it a whirl, but I'm not sure if I have it in me to waste money and travel. I've done it for many years. I enjoy the competition, and I also enjoy seeing all of my friends from all over the country. I have some bow work to do the next few weeks before I make a decision. I'm enjoying the new camp we have, so I might just go spend some time there. This will also be my last year in the IBO before going into MSR.

  The last three events I've attended, I've had winning performances. If you give yourself a chance by shooting solid shots and not worrying about the outcome, things seem to be a lot easier. I've been able to shoot without any tension so far this spring. It's an incredible feeling as compared to the last few years. I can't even begin to explain what a difference it makes when I'm at full draw. Of the 90 arrows I've shot at the last three arrows, I've only shot three arrows more than an inch or two to the left or right of center. This is solely from the lack of tension in the release hand, a battle I've fought for about 15 years. Many wealthy people in the world never would have gotten rich if they didn't take chances..........risk versus reward. I took a chance near the end of indoor season, and it seem to be working out in my favor.

  If you could have given Jacob and I an inch on a ruler this weekend, we both would have shot a lot more 11s, and I would have avoided five of my six 8s. Every 8 I shot, except one, was less than an inch out the bottom of the 10. Jacob stayed out of the 8-ring all weekend. I think he ended up in it twice, but once was because he blew Vozzy's pin nock apart and glanced into the 8. That's just some bad luck.

  A lot of people shot really well this weekend. That Senior Hunter class is one of the most competitive classes out there. I'm not sure who won in Rhode Island, but after watching John Layou shoot, I'm fairly certain he won. If he didn't win, someone else must have put on one hell of a shooting display. He was pounding all day long, and it was awesome to watch. George Connors is always one of the guys to beat, too, and he laid it down today at the NY shoot. Although I didn't shoot with him, I'd say his day was probably similar to John's day on Saturday. Those guys got it going. I can't leave out Gary Jones. Yet another one of Mark Myer's students who is getting it done. He's always in the hunt now. He has been putting his time in and the results are finally starting to show up. It's always nice to see people improve with Mark's help. Great job, Mark. Vozzy is looking great, and Jacob is applying many things you have taught him. You have made the archers in our area much better, and it is helping all of us.

  I finally broke the ice while shooting with Sean Roberts. I've never shot a good round when I've been paired with him. Today, I broke that mold and headed in the right direction. I shot with two phenomenal groups this weekend, and everyone in both groups shot well. That always makes it easier to shoot well.

  I'm signing out for the night. I hope everyone had fun this weekend. Work hard in silence and let your arrows speak for you. Oh, and keep drinking the poison and sharing it with your army, homemade whiskey burns like hell going down and can easily kill you if you assume you know how to make it and drink it. ;-)--------------------------->

 

Massachusetts IBO State Championship

  After last weekend's shoot, I was beyond irritated. Although I hadn't had any time behind my bow outside, the results of my performance were far less than acceptable. That's why I headed to John Vozzy's on Monday night. I decided I would try the high letoff module and see if that would solve my problem with the unsteady sight picture.

  The next night, I made a handful of trips from my yard to the bow press while trying to get the draw length right. When I thought I had it where it needed to be, I began adding and subtracting weight to make sure the bow was going to be good to go. After getting to the spot I thought I needed it, I headed to my dad's place to shoot a few 3D targets that he had set up. After shooting at three of them, I realized the bow just wasn't holding well enough for me to be confident with it, especially going to the Massachusetts IBO state championship, where the terrain would not help anyone who was having a hard time holding the bow on flat ground. On my drive home, I bitched and swore a little bit and decided I just couldn't bring myself to shoot the bow on Saturday. I decided to take the sight off it and  put it on one of my bows hanging on the rack. I simply had enough for this week. Sometimes changes are good, and sometimes you pay the price. I figured things definitely couldn't get much worse on the 3D range after last weekend's dumpster fire.

  The bow change brought me into Wednesday not knowing what to expect. The forecast looked to be good for shooting on Wednesday and Thursday, so I hoped I could get my marks and shoot enough arrows to feel comfortable behind the string before heading out before daybreak on Saturday morning.

  When I walked outside to get my marks on Wednesday after getting out of work, I started close to the bale. After hitting full draw with the first arrow, the bow lurched forward. The arrow skipped off the top of the target and found a home in the neighbor's yard. In my head, I said, "Oh, this is just elfin great. I'm going to the shoot with this bow and just misfired and arrow with it, the first arrow out of it since last summer."

  The cam had an entirely different feel that the cams I've been shooting, which caused the bow to jump forward when I slammed into the wall. The quick motion caused my finger to trip the trigger and send the arrow through the woods and into the neighbor's yard. It didn't do a lot for confidence building and made me very hesitant every time I drew the bow.

  A few hours later when I came into the house, I had regained my confidence and knew that I had made the right choice for the weekend. While the bow felt a little long at full draw, I decided to leave it there. The pin was holding good in the white on a 5-spot target at 40 and 45 yards, and I was staying in the white with my groups of five arrows. The groups weren't as tight as I would have liked, but they were consistent. I knew I would be able to get some more arrows in on Thursday after work, before the rain came on Friday.

  Thursday afternoon greeted me with a mess. A water pipe exploded in the house, and I had to deal with ankle deep water in my basement. As you an imagine, I wasn't able to shoot my bow. With the rain in forecast for Friday, I knew I would have to go to the shoot with less than a couple of hours of practice with the new rig. I felt confident because I had shot this bow last summer.

  Friday afternoon when I got out of work, the rain was lightly falling from the sky. I wanted to shoot a few more arrows, so I went outside and gave it a whirl In the process, I changed released and released the length of the strap on one of them made me hold steadier. The pin didn't float at all. Unfortunately, my shot timing was affected, and I had a hard time getting the shot to break consistently. I didn't pay much attention to it, figuring that my shoulders and back hurt from all of the work I had done in the basemen the day before while trying to take care of the water issues.

                              Saturday Morning, Massachusetts IBO State Championship

  The drive over from New York was an adventure. I miss the exit and had to take an alternate route to  get to the tournament. We drove through rain the entire way and expected that we would probably be shooting in rain for the day. I guess the time we spent lost worked in our favor. By the time we pulled into the parking lot, the rain had stopped, most people were already on the course, and the parking lot was full of trucks and cars.

  I can usually get a good feel for how my day is going to do when I step to the line at the target butt. When I pulled up for my first few arrows and the pin didn't move, I knew the bow was going to hold steady for the day, which gave me a lot of confidence. Normally, I start at 20 yards and shoot a bunch of arrows from that distance. I usually don't shoot any arrows at other distances because I just work on feeling my shot, and it is easy to feel things at 20 without worrying about aiming or where the arrows are hitting. However, since the 20 and 30-yard bales were crowded, I shot at the 50-yard bale. My first four arrows hit behind the pin. The trend continued when I moved to 40, 30 and finished at 20. I was definitely ready to roll.

                                              When My Group Got Called to Start

  There were a lot of people around when I was getting ready to start. When my group was called to go out, I felt fortunate to see that Scott Tozier was in my group. I usually shoot well when I shoot with Scott, and I enjoy shooting with him. Ted Butler, a guy who used to always be in the top peer group of the Northeast Triple Crown in the early '90s, was also in our group, along with my dad. I knew it would be a good day. Ted is just finding his way back to 3D archery after about a 25-year hiatus.

                                                      The Shoot Begins

  It was a long walk to the first target. We started at the top of the hill with the range that had the Big 10 buck on it. When Ted shot under the target and Dad hit it in the belly, I figured they both were having a rough time gauging distance since they hadn't done any estimating recently.

  When I drew the bow, settled into anchor and transferred my shot into my back, I had a few of the first-target jitters show up in my sight picture. Although it wasn't moving all over the place like it sometimes does, it was definitely a little jittery, and I had no problems seeing it. The best thing about it was that although things were moving around, the pin stayed solidly in the 10-ring. When the shot finally broke, I expected to see my nock show up in the 10-ring. Unfortunately, the arrow landed squarely between the 10 and the 8 at 6 o'clock.........perfect line. I was happy with the line but really disappointed with the bad number.

  I quickly put the shot behind me and moved along to the next target, a large black bear down a hill and in a dark, swampy area. It was a great set, and I felt really confident with my number. With a good marker in the target, I executed a perfect shot and the arrow hit behind the pin -- a solid 11. That shot was one of my best shots of the day. I can still feel it as I sit here and tell you about it. Always cherish those good shots and give them the praise they deserve. They can get you through some rough patches when you need to find something positive to look back on while you're on a course.

  When I walked up to the next stake and glanced up the hill, I saw a coyote looking down at me. If this were a national event, this is one of the shots that is put on the course to separate the field. If you get it, you probably gain a few points on the field. If you miss it, you start digging a hole that might bury you. I knew I had already missed one that shouldn't have been missed, so I knew I needed this one. That's not a good place to be in when you've only shot two targets, but I alway approach these shoots like I'm at a national. It allows me to have the same mindset when I'm at the big show.  The number stood out to me when I looked at the target, and I executed another good shot. I hit it a touch over the 11, but it had a perfect line. Here's that shot, thanks to Scott's photography.



  As we progressed through the course, my shots remained clean, but I struggled to get them off. I was battling a problem I didn't have last weekend. The pin locked on the target and barely moved. I had minimal to no pin movement on most targets, which slowed things down and made me admire the pin. I had a bear of a time getting the release to fire, but it wasn't beating me up. Unlike the days when that happens with a handheld release and tension builds within my body, I didn't have any tension and didn't feel it in my hands, forearms, neck and shoulders. The release wasn't firing because I wasn't applying enough pressure on the trigger when I started my shot. Instead, I barely laid my finger on the trigger and didn't pay attention to putting solid pressure on it. Thinking about when I decided on that release, I knew I had a hard time getting it to fire consistently. The same thing was showing up on the range. It might just be because I didn't have any time behind this particular release and was uncomfortable with it. I picked my way through the first 10 targets and felt good about my numbers and my shot, even though my shot was sometimes taking me to the maximum number of letdowns. Although I got there a few times during the day, I always managed to get the shot off fairly easily when I had to. By the time I got to the last target on the loop, I knew that I had made up the 8 that I had shot on the first target. Here's the caribou, the last target of the loop. I scored a solid 11 on this shot.








  Going into the second leg of targets, I felt confident. My numbers seemed to be coming to be without much effort, and the pin was sitting steadier than I ever could have asked for. I've always shot an 18-inch or a 24-inch bar outside, but after talking to Jacob at the indoor state shoot, he told me he was going to try a 27' bar outside this year, so I decided I would give it a whirl too. I've never shot a lot of weight on my bows, so I decided to go with a 27' front bar with 4 ounces on it and a 15 inch back bar with 16 ounces on it -- light according to what most people use these days.

  The first target on the next loop was a strutting turkey on an uphill grade. Turkeys are always tough, but this one was even tougher with the uphill grade added into the mix. I had a fairly good aiming spot to guide me, so I used it and secured a 10 to start the loop. I was satisfied with that. I picked my way through the course and did well with it. As we neared the end of the course, a few things distracted me and I began thinking about the difficult footing. I missed the gator high, hitting the 8 line, luckily avoiding a 5. The next target was the big muley, and I couldn't get good enough footing to make any type of good shot. I did the best I could with it and took what it gave me, which was an 8 the landed an inch left of the 10-ring. I've never been a fan of having shots that are based on luck. Lets' face it, this is target archery, and we never see purposely made bad footing at national events. If you do see bad footing, it's because they stake could not possibly go anywhere else. When luck comes into play on a shot, I believe the stake has not been properly set. Nobody in my group could hold the bow steady. We all went from the back to the belly and from the front to the back. Everyone gasped when their shot went off, and everyone expected the worse due to the nature of the hold. Some of us got "lucky" and some of us didn't. Nothing should really come down to luck in my eyes. I could be wrong, but after shooting for 30 years on the national scene, I've never seen much of that unless there is absolutely no other option. It's just food for thought and a little constructive criticism. Other than that one shot, I thought everything else was stellar.

  After getting those two 8s out of the way and heading to the final loop of targets, I was spent. Mentally, I checked out and didn't feel like shooting the rest of the tournament. When we got to the first target of the last loop, there were three groups waiting to start.

  When I finally got to the stake, I had totally lost my flow and focus -- it was totally gone. It took me a little bit to get going, as I just couldn't get focused again. I tried to regain my good mental state after botching the second 8, which was the only shot of the day that I would like back. Unlike the past, of the 30 shots I executed, that one 8 on the gray ram was the only one that I felt any type of tension. I had a lot of tension, and I could see it in my sight picture. I couldn't get the pin to sit down at all. I missed the target out the top, but I knew I was going to hit there before I shot the arrow. After doing this, I quickly jumped back onto the train that was cruising in the zone, not in the chaos of distractions.

  After making the adjustment, I put my nose to the grind and kept plowing ahead. My numbers remained good and so did my shot. Near the end of the round, I executed a perfect shot on a black panther and a white standing bear. I believe this is the shot on the black panther, if not it might have been the target out by the solar panels. Either way, I got both of those targets and made great shots.



 When I shot the last target of the day, a bedded buck, I knew something wasn't quite right. I knew I had the right number, and the arrow landed at the bottom of the 10-ring, cutting the line in half. When the shot broke, I was almost certain I was going to 11 it. I didn't pay much attention to it until I shot my bow this afternoon. My first three shots all landed at the bottom of the blue on a 5-spot target at 40 yards. Looking at the bow, the draw stop had loosened up and was sliding around in the groove. This is the first time that has ever happened to me.  So the moral of the story is to pay attention to the little things.



                                                      My Take on the Day

  Flat out -- this was a tough shoot. Looking back at the day, I think the club did a great job with the blue and green stakes. I think they probably averaged close to the same distance for total yards and they made both groups of shooters really work to get their numbers. I thought this was fantastically done to keep both groups of shooters on their toes. Whoever did that deserves a hats off.

  If someone watched me from a distance, he probably would have thought I struggled like crazy today because of the number of times I let down. I think I can just attribute that to the release that I hadn't shot at all. Although I have two of them, I hadn't shot this one at all before the few times I shot it the previous night. Like I said earlier, normally I would be exhausted after a shoot like that, but the letting down didn't affect me because it wasn't related to any type of tension. It was just because I was  too unfamiliar with the trigger on it.

  My pin sat down better than it has in a long time. It's amazing how the pin didn't sit down at all last week. Sometimes little changes -- or big changes -- can lead to a better result. The secret is to try things without overdoing it. Some people like to change things every week, and I don't believe that's a good thing. If you can get confidence in your equipment and run with it without changing things, the confidence will continue to grow.

  I talked with my buddy Sean Roberts today, and we joked about how I have to shoot with someone other than him to shoot well. It's kind of funny, but I've never shot well with Sean, except one time when Jacob and I shot against him and Binger at Shawn Couture's shoot. Over the years, I've realized that the people we shoot with sometimes affect the outcome, even if we don't know why. I'm not really sure whey I haven't shot well with Sean, and it might just be pure coincidence. I know I've always shot well with Scott over the years. I know that I've always been at my best in peer groups or in groups of people in which I don't know anyone in the group. I'd suggest that a lot of you up and comers should seek out people who you admire and try to shoot with him. If you shoot with people who are better than you, you will probably improve. You can always learn things, and it will make you work harder to keep up with them. Also, try shooting with people who you don't know at all. Experience things a little and see what you learn about yourself and your shooting.

  I almost forget to write this, but I can't because over the years, I've watched a lot of shooters shoot their bows. I've always been fascinated with the shots of a few different people. I got to shoot behind Pete Swanney for a loop of 10 targets. I haven't shot with Pete since the early 2000s in Roanoke, VA, at one of the ASA Pro-Ams when we were shooting in the Semi-pro Class. I think that was the year I had the arrow explode upon release after it had gotten dinged on the previous shot. I always wished I could shoot a shot like he can. Watching him shoot on Saturday was no different than it used to be. He makes shooting look so incredibly easy. I envy people like that. One of these days, I'll figure it out. I'm not sure whose shot I like better, Jason Kennedy's or Pete's. They both look great. If anyone wants to model himself after someone watch those two guys shoot an arrow. It's like poetry in motion.

It was also nice to meet and chat with Pat Hlavana this weekend when I was done shooting. I hope we didn't slow you down, Pat. We got out money's worth for the day. Wade and Jeff told me you were a good guy, and now I can say that that definitely told me the truth. Keep shooting and keep having fun.

  Congratulations to all of the guys and girls that went out, competed and had fun. I did notice that a lot of Mark Myers' students did really well. Mark helped Gary Jones to a podium finish, and he helped me, Barry Gates, Mark Smith, Chuck Weeden, Bob Bain, George Connors, Tim Schlegel, John Vozzy and Gary Wood to work on different things to improve our game. Great job, Mark. Keep up the good work. Everyone appreciates your sacrifices to help them improve.  I'm not reading any of this before posting, so I apologize for the errors.

Oh, and here's my day at my camp today. Living in upstate NY sucks.





 

Figuring Things Out: First 3D of the Year

  My 3D career feels like it's a million miles away from where it was when this picture was taken. Amazingly, that photo was taken on target number 1 on my second day of the IBO World a few years ago. I sat at the top after the first day and figured nothing would get in my way. After this picture was snapped, the arrow landed in the 5-ring due to a misjudged gator......nothing like putting yourself in the hole five points on day two on the first target. On the next 4 targets, I shot three more 8s and was treading water to stay alive, gasping for air with everything I had inside.  I would go on to shoot 13 11s on the last 15 targets and finish even for the day, making it into the finals. I learned a lesson: never give up, no matter how bad it might seem.

  In some aspects, today reminded me of that day. I treaded water all day. The waves splashed in my face, and I tried my hardest to fight off hypothermia. I gasped for air as the water couldn't avoid going into my throat. At times, I thought I was going under, but I tried to remain focused with the task at hand: finding a way to survive the day and make the necessary changes to fix the problems when I got home.

  When I drew my bow at the practice bags, I knew it was going to be a long day. I couldn't hold the pin still to save my life. It danced all around the bale and made it difficult to commit to the shot as I've committed to it all winter. This bow just has a totally different feel.

  The few times I was able to shoot in the yard to get marks last week, I noticed that it takes me a lot of arrows before the pin sits down. Unfortunately, you don't get to shoot a lot of arrows when you're shooting a 3D tournament. I figured out quickly that the bow wasn't going to sit down and let me make great shots. I would need to figure out a way to get through the course without having all of the wheels fall off the buss and pass me on the way down the hill.

  As I made my way through the first half, I struggled mightily to hold the pin in the kill zone. Looking deep inside my own mind, I couldn't come up with a reason why I could hold the pin solidly in the white on a 5-spot target at home and never shoot an arrow out of the white, yet on this particular 3D course, I could barely keep the pin in the 10-ring. Considering all of the battles I was fighting in the beginning, I held my own and continued marching toward the finish line.

  My arrows were finding their mark every time my shot broke before the hold deteriorated from the unusually high holding weight on my bow. When the hold broke down, the pin quickly fell out the bottom and the release fired. Although I didn't deal with that on every shot, it did show up on about seven of the 30 shots. I can't consider those shots bad because I saved a few of them when the pin started to go south,  and I was able to let down and start over, but there were three that I couldn't catch up to before the bow fired. I knew that I had the yardage on all three of the shots, yet I took my three 5s on the chin. The release fired as soon as the pin darted toward the belly. They weren't really bad shots, the shots were just poorly timed. I'll make the necessary changes this week to avoid those mistakes next week.

  With about 10 targets left, I changed releases, and my shots began to go off a little better than they had throughout the day. I didn't have to fight so hard to get through my shot. Although, I still had one shot that bobbed out of the kill zone and fired, the aiming calmed down quite a bit, and I was able to make what I thought were much better shots than I had made earlier in the day. I felt good about the way they were firing.

  When the day of shooting finished, I was not a happy camper. I didn't have fun shooting my bow today. I did have fun with my friends throughout the day. It's always nice when you share the range with other guys who like archery as much as me. I'd like to give all of the people from Massachusetts and Connecticut a big thanks for showing your support for the IBO shoot in New York. It goes a long way, and it is appreciated. I hope all of you enjoyed your day.

  Today made it seem like all of my hard work throughout the winter decided to get up and leave. I had an extremely hard time feeling my shot with the higher holding weight. Although I thought it would be better for me, I now know that I need to get it down a bit to make my aiming better. If my aiming settles down, I will be able to relax much easier, which will allow me to make confident, strong shots. I expect next week to be much better, providing I can iron things out and get them fixed.

  I'd like to give a shout out to three of the guys who came out of the BBO class and shot in the MBO class today. All of you did a great job with the transition, and I expect that you will all learn a lot this year and have a good time doing it. Those guys are Jacob, Jeremy and Ethan. Nice job today guys, especially on a challenging course. If you handled it like you did today, you shouldn't have any problems the rest of the way. That was a great piece of shooting from all of you.

  I'd like to write more, but my mind is fried tonight. I have too much to process. It was a long weekend, and I'm ready for the new week to start. Considering all of the issues I faced throughout the day, I only made three bad shots, and they really weren't all that bad. I had great numbers for not being outside at all. I haven't looked at a 3D target outside since Shawn Couture's shoot the weekend after the IBO World last year, so I'll take today as a successful warmup. Hopefully, I put the three-headed monster to rest, and he'll subside into the darkness. I've had enough of his three pesky heads for this year.