My Archery Family

         If I flash back in time, I see myself at the beginning of my journey into competitive archery, and I’m brought back to the Anheuser Busch plant in Merrimack, N.H. That’s where I began to learn the best names in the region. Roger Thibault and Al Lane were the ones who were mentioned the most as the ones to beat. If anyone could come close to them, they had a future in the game. 

  A few years later, I found myself in a peer group at the third leg of the Northeast IBO Triple Crown in Rhode Island with the two of them and another guy from the Plattsburgh area named John Breen. At the end of the tournament, I had made up a lot of ground on Al Lane, but Thibault increased his lead. I finished in third overall, and it drove me to get better. Thibault won it, and Al Lane beat me by a few points. I was all in. I had the bug. All of these men where at least 20 years older than me.

  After that year, there were a lot of us that battled back and forth, and we all helped each other improve. Dave Gravlin, Darren Eisenhaur, Bill Romanchick, Wade Chandler, Dave Smeade, Brian LaLeme, Scott Tozier, Ted Butler, Roy Ware, Jeff Alderman, Pete Swanney, Brian Visco, Jon Giguere, Steph Hamner, among many others. Everyone knew these guys, and all these guys had the ability to win at any time. Then, we had the youth who were beginning to lay it down, including Eric Griggs and Dave Cousins, who would be followed by Mike Parker, Ryan Rowe, and Sean Rice a few years later. Many of us respected each other and shared in the victories and defeats of each other. We were putting our region on the map.

                                                             Our Current Archery Family

  Currently, many of us in New York and New England find ourselves rooting for each other at every event. While many of us are in different classes, some of us compete against each other. However, we all cherish the small victories everyone achieves, whether it’s a podium finish or a personal best. I want to take a minute to share a few of my thoughts about the IBO World Championship and my archery family.  Please don’t be offended if I forgot to mention you. I can promise it wasn’t done intentionally. Instead, I’m going to write about the first things that pop into my head and see how much I can recall. Here goes nothing. I hope you enjoy the ride. 

                                                            The Vermonters

  Where do we even start with this one? A lot of big things happened with the boys from Vermont. When I began shooting back in the ‘90s, Stanley Parker was always competitive and shot in the MBR class. He and Bob Rowe had some epic battles. Then, he and Bob Rowe decided they would take over the Northeast Triple Crown when the Nystroms bailed out and went in another direction. I’ll be forever thankful that they carried on the tradition.

  Well, Stanley finally put three days together this year and ended his journey of trying get the biggest prize one can get when they attend the IBO World Championship. Stanley claimed the IBO World Champion title this year in the Master Hunter Class. Congratulations, Stanley on a long-overdue title. 

  It’s not often that a father and son both walk away from a national tournament with bragging rights. However, which Thygesen gets to brag more this off-season? I’ll have to scratch my chin for a bit before I decide, but I think I’m going to have to give it to Old Man Thygesen this year. Tom struggled a little in the beginning of the year, but he put it all together when it mattered the most. Throughout the year, he switched between bows a few times, but he headed to the event with his Darton Veracity 35. That bow just seemed to work better for him. After Day 1, he found himself near the top of the MCBH class, which is for guys shooting moveable equipment who are 60 or older. Tom had quite the field to compete against, including our own Wade Chandler, who found himself on the podium multiple times last year but battled a bad ankle injury this year that prevented him from reaching top form this year. He still put up a respectable showing, though. When all was said in done, Tom made it to the dance and headed into the shoot-off in fifth place and stayed there until the end. Great job, Tom. You made all of us proud, and I’m glad I can say you’re my buddy and a father to a great son. Congratulations on an accomplishment that very few people ever achieve. 

  That brings us to Thygesen 2, Tom’s son Tyler. After making the cut in SPM last year and taking a podium spot, Tyler had big shoes to fill. Although he didn’t have the year he had last year, he also found life getting in the way. He spent most of his summer doing everything other than archery, and we must give him credit for that. However, on Friday evening, he showed us that he still has, game when he plowed his way through the Eagle Eye shootdown to earn a victory. When you’re shooting against the best of the best on and even playing field, it says a lot when you can come out as the winner. This was amazing to watch, and we all enjoyed every minute of it, especially when the photographer captured all of us celebrating Tyler’s achievement. Very few people can ever say they won the Eagle Eye at the World, but Tyler will now be known as the official Eagle Eye of New England. Congratulations Tyler.  

 

                                                              The Maniacs

  Maine has produced phenomenal shooters since I started this crazy game and continues to be home to some of the best shooters in our region. There seems to be a never-ending string of great archers who call Maine home. 

  This year, John “Easy Rider” Freeman moved into the Masters Class. Dad and I figured he would dominate the class this year. Well, John did what John does and went out and stomped everyone. Although I’ve never been lucky enough to shoot with John, I’ve watched him from afar on many occasions. I often wish I had his ability to shoot a bow. He makes every shot look effortless, and he has won everything you can win, including his latest achievement… IBO World Champion. Some shooters excel in every game they play, and John is that guy. If you ever get a chance to watch him shoot, I’d highly recommend it. I’m inspired every time I watch him. His effortless shots inspire me to find more ways to be calm at the center and strong in the process. Congratulations, John, on your win. I feel sorry for the guys in that class. 

  While talking about John, we can’t forget another John from Maine, John Libby. Libby has been a major contender for as long as I can remember. He goes into every big event with a chance to win and has done his fair share of winning. Well, the IBO World this year was no different. When the dust settled, John walked away with yet another podium finish, finishing in 3^rdplace in the MCBH class. Congratulations, John. I can still remember the first time I met you when you and your boy shot the IBO tournament with me and my dad in Merrimack, N.H., on the course along the river. I believe your wife was walking with you, too. It seems like that was just a few years ago, and it was probably about 25 years ago. 

  While we are on the topic of the Maniacs, Payson Reinhart is making a name for himself in the IBO. Last year he won the event in BBO, and this year he decided to jump into the semi-professional class. Once again, he held his own against some of the big dogs who have been playing this game longer than he’s been alive, and he also landed on the podium. As I personally know, that is no easy feat in that class. I have plenty of experience in the class to draw from. Congratulations, Payson, on another unbelievable performance. I wish you all the luck in college and the years to come. It will be the best four years of your life and it will pass before your eyes before you know it… don’t blink. 

                                                            The New Yorkers

  Although New York isn’t part of New England, I have always considered myself a New Englander when it comes to shooting. I spend more time in New England shooting, so I consider most of those shooters as my family. 

  Brian Dibona, from central New York, put a post on Facebook about a month ago looking for someplace to shoot Rinehart targets so he could get practice for the IBO World. Although many of you have come up for the Mead Spring Challenge and the World Warmup Challenge, Brian had never attended. All I can say is that I hope his trip out helped him on his journey to securing a second-place finish at the event. Not only did Brian land on the podium, but he also won the IBO National Triple Crown this year. Congratulations, Brian, on a year that many people only get to dream about. 

  Sticking to central New York, it’s impossible not to mention the Yamins. The Yamins travel the IBO circuit and always seem to be in the hunt at every event. If consistency had a name, it would be Yamin. Zach Yamin put on a shooting clinic in the YMR 12-14 class. However, he got edged out by another fierce competitor from New York, Joey Stevens. I’ve learned that it is incredibly difficult to beat one of Mike Price’s students, especially when it comes down to crunch time. Mike’s resume speaks for itself, having a multitude of champions who have taken is coaching and gone to the next level with it, and Zach came up against one of Mike’s students in Joey. 

                                              Joey won, and Zach finished in second

 They duked it out and both probably deserved to win. I’m sure this event will motivate Zach to continue working. Everyone should watch this young man. The sky is the limit for him. He also found himself as the winner of the Bowhunter Defense Shootoff at one leg of the National Triple Crown. Congratulations, Zach, on a phenomenal year. 

  Zach’s big sister, Haylee, couldn’t let him have all the glory. She shot her butt off to get into the shootdown round the final day. Then, once there, she put up a stellar score to close the gap. When all was said and done, she fell a point short of the big prize. Haylee never quits and is always in the hunt. She’s a shooter that can never be counted out. She will always give herself a chance to win. We can never predict the future, but I’d be willing to bet that we might see Haylee in the professional women’s division at some point in time. She has what it takes. Every year, she takes every challenge head on and seems to surpass all expectations. She’s a true champion. Great job, Haylee. We are all proud of you. You make New York proud. 

  While we are still in New York, I have to say that the kids from my hometown make me proud. The first time Aron Stevenson attended the world championship, which was about 29 years ago, he walked away with a runner-up belt buckle for the youth barebow class. Well, this year, Aron carted his entire youth shooting team to the event for the first time. They got to experience something he experienced in West Virginia three decades ago. Although his son Logan didn’t one-up his dad, he still accomplished something to remember by getting himself a 3^rd-place finish and standing on the podium at the IBO World Championship. Not many youth shooters get to do that, and many youth shooters who have done it have gone on to accomplish great things after doing it. Congratulations, Logan. You still have a way to go to beat your dad, but you have a good start. Work in trying to remain humble. It will only help you in the long run and attract others to you. When you’re good, you don’t have to tell people you’re good. 

  I guess we will move on from the New Yorkers by mentioning Aiden Pfitze, who performed in the Cub class.  Last winter Aiden had a meltdown on his way home from the NFAA Indoor State Championship. He decided to cut up his wrist strap and listen to what everyone had been telling him. That’s when he took on the challenge of learning how to shoot a hinge. It was tough at first, but we worked tirelessly while no one was watching and continue to do so today. We learned how to draw the bow, anchor, and execute shots without worrying about where the arrows landed. Then, came the few different bows. Aiden performed with every bow put in his hand, but he really began to excel when Whitney’s Archery Supply put him on their staff, and he began shooting a PSE Supra RTX. Aiden had a solid first day and backed it up with a great second day. At the end of qualifying, he found himself headed to the shootdown round in the fifth spot. He had beaten some of the titans in the Cub class to gain entry to the final day. I had the pleasure of working on the range he shot on the last day, and I found a lot of enjoyment in watching him go arrow for arrow against his peers. The sky is the limit for Aiden, and I hope he finds a path in life that will resemble the flight of every arrow he shoots. The flight of the arrow is peaceful, quiet, thought-provoking… and majestic. Work in silence and let the results speak for themselves, buddy. 

 The last New Yorker we can't forget is David Poppo. I met Dave many years ago at the IBO World when I was getting back into the game after shoulder surgery. I believe it was in 2014. He was in my group at the IBO World and I was just recovering from aniplasmosis. We were both shooting in the MBR class, and we had two guys from Australia in our group. One of them whined nonstop, and I had all I could take before lecturing him. I'm not sure why, but that moment sticks out. Dave and I have both put a lot of work in since that time, and I was glad to see Dave's hard work come out at the IBO World. Dave made the shootdown round in Semi-pro, and he also won the coveted buckle for the Bowhunter Defense Shootoff Champion for the year. Congratulations, Dave, on a great ending to the year. I hope you carry your success into next year. Great job!

                                                      The Massholes and the Connecticut Lady

  I’ve always enjoyed shooting in Massachusetts, and some of my best friends come from the state. Jake LaFontaine and Cole Bromley are two young guys whose presence I really enjoy. I hope they stay in this sport as long as I’ve been in it. I enjoy being around them and watching them improve every year. Although they have chosen different paths to get to where they want to go, I support both of their choices. 

  Cole had a great year and improved a lot from last year. He was in the hunt this year in the SPM class and made a name for himself as a contender. That is no easy feat. I was impressed when I shot with Cole this year, and I was impressed when I watched him from afar. His constant progress is a reminder that the road traveled is never easy and there will be potholes that must be avoided along the way.

  Jake struggled a little bit this year, but he kept working. He knew he was on the edge of a great performance and never quit. Jake came over for the Mead Spring Challenge and the World Warmup. He was on a different level than everyone else at the warmup shoot a few weeks before the world. We could tell he was on the edge of something special. 

  He was right near the top after Day 1, and he held it together going into Day 2 to find himself in the shootdown round. Although the shootdown round didn’t pan out the way Jake would’ve liked it, he still showed all of us that he has some game when it matters most. I can only hope his trips to my range gave him the confidence he needed to get over the hump. Jake and Cole are class acts. If more people followed their example, we would have a better world. I appreciate your support all the time, and I love supporting you guys and cheering for you to get the job done. Nice work this year!

   It seems that the Lady from Connecticut always finds a way to be on top. Is she the modern-day Wonder Woman or is she the female Robin Hood? Sara Kay amazes me in every way when it comes to competing with a bow and arrow. She takes on every challenge and heads after titles with a killer instinct. She knows she’s the best and says, “Come and take what’s mine if you think you can.” Her fierce competitive fire drives her to succeed, and a lot of people could learn a lot from her. In many ways, I hope I helped birth this two-headed monster that lives inside her when she steps on the range. I can recall having a conversation with Sara about having a mental edge. I’m not sure if she was put off at first when I told her I thought I could beat anyone I shot against, but that is honestly how I feel. Heck, I’ve beaten all of them at one time or another. I’ve never lacked confidence when it comes to my ability. Although I’ve had times that I lacked confidence in a set-up, I’ve never lacked confidence in myself. Sara hasn’t lacked any confidence after that discussion, and I think that is what puts her a step ahead of everyone else. She knows what it takes to win, so she just goes out there and shoots her bow like she knows how to shoot it. That is what impresses me the most about Sara. She can come off the course and be a hot mess and not let it bother her one bit. The next day she gets after it and makes up any ground she might have lost. This year, she continued doing what she does… win. She repeated as the IBO National Triple Crown winner and the IBO World Championship winner. She is dominant and not many people can ever say they dominated anything at a national level. My only hope for Sara is that she throws all her chips in next year and shoots in Female Pro for what is supposed to be her last year on the tour. She shoots a good enough shot, and she has a strong mental game. I’d love to see her on my range competing against the best of the best… because she is surely one of the best to have played the game. Congratulations, Sara. You’ve accomplished everything you can in that class. Come play with your two 4-year-old friends. We would love to have you. 

                                                                         My Gang

  Although all the people I mentioned above had incredible performances, some of us others came up a little short. Dad fell fall short of what he wanted to do on Day 1. However, on Day 2, he laid it down and made an incredible comeback, falling just short of making the big dance. He was the first guy out. That’s still quite a run after being near the bottom after Day 1. Great job, Dad. I’m sure your bad back and problems with your vision don’t help matters much. There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not thankful that you are my dad, and I am your son. I wish others could experience what you and I have experienced together. I’m the luckiest son in the world. Some days I pinch myself to make sure I’m living a real life. You’ve made it better than I ever could’ve imagined. I’m not wealthy, but I’ve lived the richest life I ever could’ve lived up to this point, and all of that is because of the incredible parents I have been blessed to have. 

  Wags and Wade always make our trips enjoyable. I’ve shot with Wade for the better part of 30 years, and Wags became a regular after winning everything he could win while shooting with his fingers.  Wags couldn’t shoot much this year, but we had an awesome time in Alabama at the second ASA. Unfortunately, Wags was shooting well until his clarifier decided to launch itself into the woods after one of his shots. He found it incredibly hard to see the target after that, but he held his own and somehow limped to the finish line. Although we aren’t sure what we will do next year, ASA seems to be a better fit for him. Only time will tell what he will do. After all, he banged out a 656 Lancaster round this winter and consistently hung around the 650 mark. He’s got game. He just needs to figure out where he wants to play. 

  Wade had a rough year with his messed-up ankle. We all know it’s difficult to shoot well without a solid base. It’s basically impossible to do the things we need to do with a bow if we only have one foot that is working properly. Wade still managed to rack up a few good finishes. It’s never easy to shoot with pain, and it’s difficult to do anything if you can’t stand evenly. Great job this year, Wade. You fought the battle valiantly. I’m sure once it gets fixed, you’ll be right back on track. 

  Jacob also came up a little short at the World. Just like me and Dad, he barely missed the cut. We all felt like we were looking in the candy shop right as the closed sign hit the window. We were ever so close, yet so far away we wanted to jump off from a building. If you shoot long enough, you’ll experience the highs and lows. You must ride the river and see where the water takes you. Hopefully, we can all redeem ourselves in the coming year. 

                                                           Final Thoughts

  I apologize for leaving many of you out, but these things were the first things that came to mind. Hopefully, we will all share in each other’s highs and lows next year. I’d like to thank every one of you for your support, whether you give me a call or send me text messages. I appreciate all of you, and your support never goes unnoticed or unappreciated… Thank You. You guys are all my archery family, and I could never do what I do without all of you. 

 

 

 

Team Darton: Friends, Teammates & Titles

In July 2022, I stood in the parking lot in front of the horse barn at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, after we were told the pros would not be going back onto the range to finish the remaining targets due to the dangerous conditions on the range after a severe storm wreaked havoc and caused chaos. 

  While some shooters were over-the-top mad, others walked away and accepted the decision made. After people began clearing out of the lot, I stayed behind and chatted with Bill McCall about the decisions we both had to make going into the 2023 season, as both of our current contracts were coming to and end. We both discussed things we were considering and shared our thoughts with each other. 

  When the conversation ended, we were aware of each other’s intentions of going to Darton Archery. We also knew a few of our friends were considering the same option. However, it’s hard to get on board with any company, let alone one that is finally changing its course and becoming more heavily involved in competitive archery because everyone wants to go there and there’s not enough room for that to happen. That’s when we decided we would do what we had to do in the coming months and see where each of us ended up. 

  After the conversation, I headed to the vendor area to get ready for the shootdown round. I would be shooting in it with Digger Cogar, Tony Tazza, Jeff Hopkins and Tim Gillingham, and all of us would have a chance at winning due to only being separated by a couple of points after 20 targets, which is what the shoot-off had to be based on for this event due to the cancelation of Round 2. Hopkins would run away with it, pounding every 11 and a few 12s. 

  When the dust settled, Digger and I fell just a hair short. It just wasn’t meant to be on that day. Afterward, we discussed the next year, as all those decisions were fast approaching. Digger had the same ideas as me and Bill, so we all decided we would do what we had to for ourselves and see if we ended up in the same place at the end. 

                                                               The New Year Begins  

  After attending a few ASAs, I was ready to make the trip to Pipestem, W.V., to try my hand at the first leg of the IBO Triple Crown. On my way to the tournament, my phone began to ring, and I saw that it was Bill McCall. He was calling to inform me that we were going to have our backs against the wall in the team event. Then, he informed me that our team, Team Darton, which comprised me, Bill, Digger and Jeff Kirland would have to take down some titans of professional archery. TruBall had organized a team that was made up of Tim Gillingham, Jeff Hopkins, Tony Tazza and Loren Lohr… we would have our work cut out for ourselves. 

  We all got out of the gate well and maintained throughout the weekend. When the dust settled, we found ourselves as the winning team in the Professional Senior class for the first tournament. There were whispers that there would be no way we could win again. We had just gotten lucky. My teammates and I heard the whispers…

  After a short break, we headed to the Second Leg of the National Triple Crown in Franklin, Pa., to see if we could add to the lead. Franklin, always being known for being extremely tough, would require all of us to be on point. 

  After the first day of shooting, Digger, Jeff, and I found ourselves in the top peer group, and my team had extended our lead. Although the tournament was only half over, we were sitting in a good position to secure another win. 

  Although nobody on our team lit it up on Day 2, we all treaded water and basically ended up where we started the day. There were three Darton shooters, Digger, Jeff, and me, in the shootdown round after the 40 targets were completed… and we had secured our second win in as many tries. Could we pull off the impossible?

  All of us were new to Darton at the beginning of the year, and everyone was still learning the intricacies of the new equipment. We talked amongst each other and tried helping with the things with which we could help each other.

  As we headed to the third leg, we knew it was going to be a battle. Once again, I was in the top peer group for the overall National Triple Crown, with Jeff and Digger in my group. As friends and teammates, these guys have always made me comfortable, and I’ve always been able to relax while shooting with them. However, two years ago, my team went into the final leg well behind the leading team, yet we came out on top for the tournament and won the overall Triple Crown in PSR. With that in my head, I knew all of us had to do our job to secure the win. 

  Although Digger and I struggled a little on the first day, we still held our own, and Bill made up some ground. We had 20 targets left to get the job done. The course was difficult, but we all gave it our best effort.

  After the scores were tallied, we found out that Team Darton in the Professional Senior class had swept all three legs of the National Triple Crown and secured what I believe to be Darton’s first Manufacturer’s Cup in the IBO. David had defeated Goliath. The no-name hillbilly squad, with members from New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, had done what most thought would be impossible. 

                                                                My Final Thoughts

  Looking back at last August, my contract with PSE was going to expire soon, and I was looking for a new home. I’m thankful that Bill approached me to take a shot at joining him if he went to Darton. Then, I’m thankful Randy Kitts, the owner of Darton, gave me an opportunity to represent Darton Archery. 

  My journey through national 3D archery tournaments started 30 years ago, and I can remember seeing different teams after they won the Manufacturer’s Cup. Almost always, the cup made the journey from the IBO World Championship to Sparta, Wisc., after it was awarded to the best team. Mathews has dominated the team arena in IBO for the better part of the last 25 years.

 Over the years, I always imagined what it was like to hold the cup and be a part of the winning team. I no longer need to wonder what it feels like. Although we are Senior Pros, and it probably holds nowhere near the significance of winning it in Open Pro, it’s still an accomplishment that will live forever in the home of the manufacturer who sponsored the team: Darton Archery. I’m sure it will be the first of many Manufacturer’s Cups that find their way to the offices in Darton Archery.

  It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t mention my incredible teammates. Good friends and teammates always find a way to bail each other out in time of need. Unfortunately, I struggled a little more this year with the new equipment than my teammates, but I also was able to stay consistent and find myself in the top 3 after 40 in one tournament and in the top 10 regularly. Winning any type of team event is probably more difficult than winning an event on your own. Every teammate needs to contribute and pull their own weight if the ship is taking on water in other areas. We were able to do that this year, and I’ll be forever thankful that Bill, Digger, and Jeff were all on the same boat and rowing in the same direction when we headed into battle with Goliath. None of us have a problem knowing we were underdogs. We welcomed the challenge and stepped forward to take it on. You can move mountains when you have confidence, and avalanches can swallow you up if you approach anything with any bit of negativity lingering around.

                                                 Passing it on is important. We all let Aiden Pfitze hold on to the cup and share in our moment. Aiden made the shootdown round as a cub in his first trip to the IBO World. Way to go, Aiden!!

  Although I’ve seen people sharing their opinions on the Bible verses on the limbs of Darton bows, it’s a free country, and this allows us to have freedom. A business owner can do as he chooses, and you can do as you choose also. Maybe this Manufacturer’s Cup and team win will inspire the verse “with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37) to find its way onto a few limbs in the future. I’ve learned that anything is possible in archery if you believe in yourself. If more people did the same, it could be contagious… and winning – and losing – is contagious. 

  I don’t know what the future will bring in my archery career, and I’ve had a lot of great moments, but this moment stands out above many of them. Although I was part of the PSR winning team two years ago, this win had a different feel. Maybe it’s because Digger and I started at the same time and battled through all the years to get to where we are now; maybe it’s because I saw Kirkland performing at a high level when I was finding my way back to competitive archery after recovering from shoulder surgery and knew he was a guy to beat; or maybe it’s because I’ve always respected Bill and felt honored that a guy of his stature would ever ask little ol’ me to be on his team. Like, what could I offer him? He has done everything that can be done in professional archery. Any way I look at it, I’m thankful for these teammates, my friends. I couldn’t have done it without them, and I hope they feel the same about me. 

  

 

 

  

IBO World Championship

It was a quick turn around time to get ready for the IBO World. We returned from the ASA Classic on Sunday afternoon and headed to the IBO World on Tuesday. I was able to shoot a few Rinehart targets to get acclimated to them, and the practice went relatively well. However, I shot in the pouring rain because, once again, it was raining here at home. 

                                                                                         Practice Days

  We had a few minutes to spare when we arrived, so we quickly gathered our stuff and headed to the defense range to test our skills and get a look at what the woods looks like in the area to determine what we would be up against when we hit the ranges on Thursday morning. It didn't take us long to see we would have our hands full. Everyone seemed to shoot well in the 10-target practice range except me. Half of my arrows were 5s, along with a few 8s. Although it didn't do anything to my confidence, it didn't give me a fuzzy feeling either.

  Everyone in the house decided we would shoot at a local range in the morning, then head over to the site of the event to get our cards and do some shooting there, too. I felt confident going into the practice round. Well, after shooting 20 targets, I began wondering what the heck was going on. I could count on one hand the number of 10s I shot. Just like the prior evening, I shot a handful of 5s. I shortened the throw on my release in hopes that might help. I took a guess that the strap might have stretched, which in turn had made my draw length a pinch longer.

  After we got done at the local range, we headed to pick up our cards and shoot another defense round. After shortening the release, I found my groove on the defense course. Then, all hell broke loose again, and I hit one target in the back and shot over another one. I had the correct number on both of them. The last arrow I shot for practice sailed over a wolverine at 43 yards. Although most people probably would've been panic-stricken, I let the events of the last 24 hours fall on deaf ears. I know my ability, and I figured the issues were from a combination of things but most likely from being unfocused and tired after traveling. 

                                                                                               Day 1

  When I got to the tent, the rest of my group was there. My group consisted of Glenn Meadows, Jim Livak and Bill McCall. All of these guys are easy going and laid back, so I knew it would be a relaxing day as far as dealing with personalities goes. I looked forward to that. Originally, I was scheduled to be in another group, but I saw in the revised shoot times that I had been moved and my start time on Day 1 was moved up about a half hour and my start time on Day 2 was moved back about the same. I would also be shooting with different people than I had originally been placed with. My buddies Mike and Barry also had their start times changed, so we all made sure each other was aware of the changes so none of us missed our start time.

  As we began walking to the first target, the rain began coming down. It was a light drizzle at first, so I decided to leave my rain jacket on to try to stay dry as long as possible. After cards were drawn, I learned I would be following Jim Livak. Jim always has arrows around the 11, so I knew I would have good aiming spots throughout the two days of shooting. 

 Looking at the first target, I saw we would be shooting at a fallow deer. I have always done well on fallow deer, so I welcomed it when I saw it. When my turn came around, I was ready. The target was set in the low to mid 40-yard range, and the number stuck out to me when I looked at it. I had 100% confidence when I drew the bow. 

  When the pin hit the white spot that I wanted to hit next to, the sight picture momentarily got a little choppy. Then, the shot broke, and it felt like someone had cut the string with scissors. Instantly, my arrow appeared inside-out of the 11-ring. I was off to a good start. As we readied ourselves to move to the next target, the rain really started coming down. 

    Getting to the next target, I felt really good when I looked at it. It was a black bear, and the number stuck out. I set my sight and waited for my turn to shoot. When my turn came around, I had already given in to the rain and decided to shed my coat to shoot. I would go between taking it on and off when I was shooting and walking. The pin settled slightly below one of the nocks I could see, and seconds later my arrow appeared exactly where I was looking... 11. 

  Moving along to the next target, an uphill Corsican ram, I was a little hesitant when dialing my sight. I knew it was between 45 and 50 yards, but had a tough time narrowing it down. After listening to an arrow, I felt more confident. I've always found it easy to aim at the ram because is has a ridge that runs directly through the middle of the 11, and it is slightly lighter in that spot on most targets. Once again, my pin sat down, and I executed a good shot and the arrow landed an inch above the 11. 

  As we meandered up the hill, I continued getting good numbers and executing good shots. Then, we got to a long uphill grazing doe. Looking at it from the stake, I knew it was going to be one of those targets that could separate people. It was the first one of the day, and I knew it was a swing target. People who stayed in double digits on it would most likely gain ground on others. 

  Having that target, I felt confident with the number, but I knew the uphill shot at the longer distance would be tough. Besides being uphill and long, it was also on a side hill. When my shot broke, I felt good about it, and the arrow landed less than an inch directly below the 11. I had no gotten into a rhythm that can best be explained as "being in the zone." My mind was clear, my shots were effortless,  and the results matched those two things. I was on my way to having a day that many dream about. 

  After shooting, I sat on my stool and waited for the others. When it was Bill's turn, his light began playing tricks on him and eventually quit. We tried valiantly to fix it and backed up three groups in the process. By the time everything was done, the light still didn't work and we had spent about 30 minutes on that grazing doe target trying to avoid making Bill head of for an equipment repair. Finally, with the three groups backed up and another one coming onto the scene, Bill had no choice but to head off the range to get it fixed. 

  When we got to the next target, everything that had been with me seemed to instantly disappear. As I drew my bow on an uphill mountain lion on a side hill, I knew I had the number. However, when the pin hit the target, it was jittery and I could feel tension for the first time that day. This led to a slightly weak shot, but I felt the shot was still good enough to hang 10... but it didn't. The arrow sat directly below the 10 line... my first 8 of the day. 

  As we made our way through the next few targets, I struggled mightily to get the feelings back that I had experienced until the delay. As the authors and sports psychologists say, you simply cannot bring yourself into the zone on command. It's something that just happens. Unfortunately, I can count the number of times I've been in the zone while shooting. I simply don't get there too often, yet I was there... until that break. I would now have to navigate my way through the day and try to hold on to any momentum I had gained. The momentum was quickly fading, and I was coming back to everyone else's reality.

  When the shooting became difficult after the break, I also lost my numbers. I began having a tough time judging and this led to hesitancy in my shots. Finally, I got back on track on a long ram when I inside outed the 11. As I began finding my way back to the place I had been earlier in the day, my mind began becoming quiet again. Then, we came upon a tough javelina, which I knew would give many shooters a problem. I felt confident with the number when I looked at it. It appeared to be on a rock outcropping in the middle of some big oaks. We were shooting across a hill at it and between a few trees. I could see the white dots in the 10-rings, so I put the pin on them and executed the best shot I could make. The arrow landed just below the 11. That shot gave me the feeling I had experienced earlier in the round. Then, I heard a side-by-side coming up the hill. Not paying any attention to it, I continued through the course.

  When we got to a wolverine target, I looked at it and a number popped into my head. Bill was also finally able to rejoin our group on that target. We sat back and tried to get our order back to where it was when we started when Bill was a part of our group. After Glenn shot an arrow into the back of the wolverine, I began second-guessing my number, but I was pretty sure I had a good one. When it was my turn to shoot, I had a hard time getting my shot to go off. Finally, when it broke, the arrow struck a pinch left of the 10-ring. 

  After reeling off a bunch of 10s and gradually finding my way back into a groove, my thoughts were running laps around the inside of my skull once again. Moving to the next target, a stone sheep that was in a dark setting, I felt good about my number. Once again, I struggled with the timing on my shot and probably held it a little longer than I should've. The arrow struck just outside of the 10-ring to the right. 

  With two targets left, I saw the camera man standing behind the next stake. He was talking to another guy while we were readying ourselves. After losing my concentration 15 minutes earlier, I was doing everything I could to regain focus. I struggled mightily and ended up shooting another 8 before finally centering the 11-ring on the final target, an elk. I got off the course at 4 down, even after all of the lapses in concentration I encountered throughout the day. While I was focused, I lost focus when I needed it the most. I can't explain why it happened, but looking back at the scorecard, I dropped 10 points when I let myself become distracted. I've always prided myself on being mentally strong, so sitting here writing this is difficult when I realize what I allowed to happen to my mind. I simply needed to be better. 

                                                                                       Day 2

    Moving into Day 2, I knew I had a chance to make the dance. I was sitting in 10th place, but I was only two points off from the fifth score and the top five scores make it into the shootdown round. I also knew I would know where I stood as soon as I came off the course because my group would be the last group of senior pros to finish. 

  Strolling across the dam with my group to start the day, I spotted a Dahl sheep on the side of the hill. Uphill shots are never fun, and when you face one on the first shot of the day, it can be a real challenge due to the inability to hold the pin as steady as you can on flat ground. When a little nervous energy is thrown into the mix, the shot can create some anxiety. However, I didn't get much anxiety. Instead, I put the pin where I wanted and pulled until the shot broke. The arrow landed a fingernail width under the 10-ring. It wasn't how I wanted to start my day, but I knew it was early, and I would have plenty of time to get back on track. 

  After barely catching a 10 high on the next target, a bedded buck, I felt relieved. Maybe I could finally settle in and get going. When I walked to the next target and saw a bomb of an alligator, I had a gut feeling that it was going to be one heck of a day. I would have every opportunity to get into the shootoff if I did my part because the course was set to separate people. 

  The shadows danced wildly on the alligator as I got ready to shoot. When my shot broke, I felt good about it. However, when I looked at the arrow through binoculars, I saw that I had missed the 10 to the left. It's a shot I think I probably would've capitalized on if I hadn't been the first one to shoot. The arrow hit pretty close to where I was aiming. Now, three targets in, I was in a hole. I needed to stop the bleeding. 

  Over the next eight targets, I ran off five 12s and felt like I was on cruise control. The numbers were coming easily to me, and the arrows were hitting behind the pin. After centering an incredibly tough fallow deer that was near max yardage and straight uphill, as well as an uphill lynx at about 41 yards, I could feel the momentum building. I was back in that zone from the previous day and felt like luck was on my side. I let down a lot, but it wasn't from tension or anything of the sort. I was making sure I didn't shoot any shot that I believed might be anything less than perfect. 

  After shooting a strutting turkey and hitting it about a half inch to the left of the 10, I still felt good. Leading off the next target, a big buck that was set across a small ravine and on top of the hill on the far side, it was a no-doubt number. I rolled the sight to 50 and tried making the best shot I could make. With the way the sun was hitting it, it was hard to pick a spot to aim. When the shot broke, I felt great about it, and the arrow appeared exactly where I wanted it. 

  When we got to the target, there were two arrows that took a while to call. One arrow was at the bottom of the 11 and one was at the top. My arrow was the one on the top. After it was studied for a while, it was called out. There aren't many arrows that get shot in tournaments that could be closer than that one. It was just a little bit of bad luck with the way the ring was molded. It probably would've been considered in if the 11 had been molded with less of a rise on the line at the top. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. At the point in time it happened, I did't pay any attention to it at all. 

  The next target was close, but it had disaster written all over it. It was a bedded stone sheep, and it was tilted severely backward. You could've shot at the 10 and missed by two yards and gotten a zero. This almost forced people to aim low, and I'm sure it probably caused a few people to shoot fives on the low side. I took my chances and held my pin in the middle. I smoked the 11 and felt relieved to walk away from the target with all of my arrows and double digits on my score card. 

  As we neared the end of the round, I could see I would be ending on a downhill brown bear followed by an uphill coyote. I had all the confidence in the world going into them. When I anchored and began my shot on the brown bear, I felt like I had too much yardage on it, but I didn't dare hold the pin  low. Instead, I followed through with my shot. The arrow landed on the 8-line above the 10-ring... one target to go. 

  As I walked to the last station, I felt confident that I would make the shootoff. Looking at the target, I knew they had surely saved the best for last. There was a coyote looking at me. It was standing on a flat spot at the top of a hill, and it was leaning backward. Once again, the 10-ring had been almost cut in half due to the target leaning backward. If it wasn't max distance (50 yards) I knew it was pretty close. However, I also knew if I held 50 in the center and happened to be off a few yards on the high side, there was no way my arrow would stick in the target due to it being leaned back so far. I'm not sure if they target was like that the entire weekend (or day) or if it had gotten pushed over through the course of the day. Either way, it was going to be a bear of a shot. 

   I was the last shooter to shoot, and Bill had one in the core line low for a 5, while Glenn and Jim were both in the 10 ring. Glenn was a low 10 and Jim had one in the 11. Not sure what to do, I set my sight on 47 and decided to play it "safe." I figured 47 would keep me in the 8-ring either way. Unlike most of the day, when the pin hit the target, it settled quickly. With the backward angle on the target, my mind kept me from putting the pin where it actually needed to be, so I held it on Glenn's arrow near the bottom of the 10-ring. Then, I executed my best shot of the weekend. The shot was relaxed and powerful. I could't have made a better shot if I tried 100 times. The arrow struck the target about two inches below the 10... but was in the 5. I shot a 5 on my last target of the weekend. 

                                                                                        There's where my sight was set for the last target... 47 yards.

  Walking back to the tent, some of my peers were waiting. After handing my card in, I instantly learned that I was the first guy out of the shootoff. I had missed it by one point. It was a helpless feeling when I heard the news. It was like getting throat punched while others stood back and watched. For the second time in three years, I sat on the outside looking in... one point from going to the dance. Then, I thought back to last year. Although I wasn't the first guy out, I had destroyed two of Darrin Christenberry's arrows, making them unshootable.  One was in the 11 and one in the 10, and both of my arrows landed in the 8-ring, which led to losing five points that I should've gotten due to the quality of my shot. The arrow actually hit and destroyed two arrows in the rings that would've put be in the shootdown round. I shot an 11 and a 10 but got two 8s. That was all she wrote this year. I wrote my score down and signed my name. Devastated, I walked away. 

                                                                                      My Final Thoughts

  I learned a few valuable lessons at this tournament. You should never lose your confidence after having a few bad practice sessions. All of my friends figured I would train wreck myself off the side of the mountain after they shot with me in practice. I, however, walked onto the range on Thursday morning with 100% confidence I would get the job done. 

  I also learned that I need to work on keeping distractions distanced from my mind. While it's OK to acknowledge distractions, I can't let them take control of my mind and wreak havoc while running laps around my skull. That's exactly what I did on the first day, and it led to me giving up 8 to 10 points. I just gave the points away like people paying a quarter to feed the ducks birdseed at the pond in the zoo. It was my own fault, and looking back on it, I can't believe I allowed it to happen. 

  When sports psychologists tell people that they have no control of when they enter the zone or when they leave it, I can now say that I understand that completely and fully. I was 100% in the zone during the early portion of my round on Day 1. It was similar to an out-of-body experience. While I was there and in the moment, it was almost as if I was watching it from afar. Everything was effortless and required minimal work. My mind was quiet, and I enjoyed seeing myself perform at an elite level, even though I was watching from some other place, a place that seemed dreamlike. 

  I wish I could return to that "zone" regularly. I know when I was there for about an hour, I was headed into uncharted territory. My ship was sailing through calm waters while everyone else was hanging on to the rails and praying the crashing waves wouldn't sweep them overboard. In my archery career, I've been to that place only a handful of times, and two of  those times I won the IBO World Championship and another time I won the NFAA Indoor Nationals. However, this particular dance with the zone reminded me the most of one year when I won the third leg of the National Triple Crown. After shooting my ninth 11 in a 10-target stretch that day, one of my competitors turned to another guy in my group and mouthed, "WTF." I actually felt the same way as I marched through the beginning of the round on Day 1.  I felt like I could never miss that weekend, just as I felt it Thursday.  If I could ever bottle the feeling of being in the "zone," I'd bottle it and sell it. I"m not sure if I would want it all the time, though. Maybe what makes the times I've experienced it so special is that fact that it has been so difficult to find, yet I know it's there waiting for me to tap into. I will find it again. I'll continue searching. I had my hands on it, and I know I'm too determined to let it come and go like it did this time. This was a first for me. I've never had it appear and disappear, so I will learn from this experience to ensure I stay in the moment and let it ride with me until the end the next time it beckons me to jump on the train and enjoy the journey. 

  I have much more to say about the weekend, but I've decided to write about it in separate entries so I don't take up so much room. Please check back in the coming days to read more about different things I experienced at the IBO World Championship. I'll be writing about my archery family as well as the journey my teammates and I took to land on top of the podium for the National Triple Crown. I hope you come back to read those too. 

             

  

The ASA Classic

 Over the last few weeks, I experimented with a few things, especially arrows and bows, to figure out what I thought might work the best for the ASA Classic. After attending the New England ASA Classic, I was up in the air as to what bow to use. I shot a great round with my black Veracity 35, but it seemed like I struggled to get my shot off due to the higher let-off. However, it seemed like it was effortless to aim, and I could over-aim and still hit the spot I was aiming at.

  Struggling to get the shot off is what made me ultimately choose to go back to the green Veracity 35 that I have shot since the Second Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown, where it had its debut and I sat in third after the 40-target round. That bow has more holding weight, and I seem to break better shots with it. I chose the ability to hold longer for the ability to break a better shot with less effort. The difficult part about the choice is knowing my past and going against everything that has always led to me shooting higher scores. Here is one of the groups I shot at 40 yards before I left. When I keep arrows in the white regularly on a 5-spot target at 40 yards, I consider the bow to be shooting well. Some groups might be better than others, but I won’t take it if most arrows do not land in the white. I’ve always done that, and it still seems to work well even going into my mid-50s. 

 

                                                                 Practice at the Classic

   We shot a few rounds before the event started. Luckily, we escaped the torrential rain that ransacked the venue the day before the event started. I felt good about my numbers and my shot during the first practice round, but the second one left me feeling like I had never shot a bow in my life. I’m not sure if some of that had to do with the fact that I was recovering from traveling. I dismissed the practice session and felt confident going into Day 1. I was prepared and knew it. 

                                                                       Day 1

  Thunder banged all night and rain pounded off the hotel the entire night before Day 1. The forecast didn’t look to be too promising, and I wondered if the tournament might become a 20-target shoot-out. After learning the morning round had been canceled, we grabbed some breakfast and returned to the hotel room. The day dragged as we waited for any type of update. 

  Finally, word came that all pros would start at 3:00 p.m., but amateurs would not be allowed to shoot. I decided to forego shooting any practice arrows. Mentally, I probably wasn’t focused on the task ahead of me. Somewhere during the day, I had checked out and didn’t feel like shooting my bow. 

  Arriving at my stake for the start of the tournament, I was glad to see I would be joined my Allen Conner, along with Jamie Drouillard and Emory Budzinski. I knew it would be a good group. I also enjoy shooting with Allen due to the legendary resume he has put together over the years and his outstanding character. He’s a positive guy and is very encouraging whether things or going well or headed off the tracks. He’s a calming presence and shooting with someone like that helps.

  When I drew my bow on the first target of the day, which had a lot of number on it, the pin was jittery. Seconds later, I was looking at my arrow sitting in the 10-ring at 3’oclock. I felt fortunate to stay in the double digits with the excessive amount of movement I saw on the other end of my scope. 

  My sight picture wasn’t the steadiest throughout the first handful of shots, but my shot felt great. It was firing with minimal effort, even with the pin bouncing around more than normal. I didn’t try to control it and knew if I focused on my shot, the arrow would hit the intended mark.  As the round progressed, the pin settled down and I felt good about the sight picture. I began making great shots, but I suddenly realized what many target archers talk about when referring to unknown 3D and the reasons they don’t enjoy it. Although my shots were great, the arrows were landing above the 10-ring. My yardage guessing simply wasn’t working well. At first, I didn’t pay much attention and figured the problem would correct itself. However, as I neared the end of the day, I realized I was running out of time to make a run at putting myself in a decent position for Day 2. Then, before I knew it, the day was done, and I was looking at an uphill battle that would require my best effort to make significant headway. I shot my bow well the entire day, and I left the range with that in mind. Sometimes the score doesn’t reflect your shooting. Day 1 was a prime example of that. 

                                                                    Day 2

  Day 2 greeted us with much nicer weather conditions, and I felt confident. Before the round started, I set a goal of cutting the gap to the top in half. After Day 1, I was sitting in 31^st place, far below anything I ever could’ve imagined. I would consider my weekend a success if I could get to 15^th before the end of the tournament, but I also know that’s a tall task when shooting against the best of the best. Any type of movement is usually difficult. With Jacob at 29^th and me at 31^st, we joked about it in the hotel room, but Jacob made a point of saying if he could get to 20 up, he thought he would have a chance of making the big show. At 4 up, he would have to have a great day, and he said he was all in. I knew I had to get back to even to have a shot and felt like I could accomplish that too.

  It was a long walk to the range, so I took my time and walked with Jeff Hopkins. We chatted about a few things and discussed his upcoming elk hunt. As he talked, it reminded me of my dad talking about me, as he expressed how much he couldn’t wait for his son to get on some elk. While talking about it, his excitement gave me a gentle reminder of all the great times I’ve shared with my dad and how much we enjoy each other’s company. I could truly appreciate his enthusiasm and excitement. I hope the two of them have an awesome hunt and enjoy each other’s company. Time passes way too quickly, and I often wish I could go back to the past and experience all the things with my dad that we both did as younger men. With Dad on the downhill slope to 80 and me very close to the downhill slope to 60, I never imagined the time could’ve passed that quickly. It seems like just a few short years ago when I experienced my first elk hunt, yet that was in 1991. 

Dad and I stand at about 12,000 feet on one of our first trips elk hunting

One of our early trips out West

                                                                                    Packing one out when I was 21

Dad killed this one when he was about my age. It charged me when I finished it off for him.

                                                               Dad killed this one a few years ago at 11,500 feet at 72 years old. 
 

  Getting to my stake, I saw that I would be shooting with Scott Darnell, Jim Livak and Tim Roberts. I knew it would be a good day, as all those guys are easygoing and easy to shoot with. When the round started, I got out of the gate quickly and found myself at 4 up after 8 targets. I was on my way to getting back to even, and I felt great about my hold and my shot. 

  Although I never usually let score come into my mind, I briefly considered what I needed to do to make up the ground I had lost the previous day. That’s when I lost my aggressiveness and tried to play safe and take limited chances. I learned a valuable lesson: don’t ever take your foot off the gas when you’re in the passing lane. 

  When I put my blinker on to go back into the cruising lane, I momentarily got tentative and shot back-to-back 8s. I paid the price for changing my mindset. After doing that, I barely missed a few more the rest of the way and ended up gliding to the finish line. I was somewhat satisfied with the day, but not overly happy with the weekend. 

                                                          My Final Thoughts

    I went into this event feeling confident about everything involving archery. Although my mind has not been 100% focused due to a few trying things in my personal life, I still felt confident. I’m not sure if extracurricular thoughts in my head led to breaks in concentration or if it was something else. Any way I look at it, I simply didn’t do my job to the best of my ability.

   I’ve never struggled with yardage judging, but that seemed to be my biggest problem at this event. I continuously shot out the top of the 10-ring on everything I missed. I never shot an 8 on the low side, and I only missed one shot to the right or left, which I will blame on poor lighting conditions and most likely hitting where my pin was at the time the release fired. 

  The weather delay on Saturday caught me off guard, and I wasn’t mentally prepared for it. Starting at 3 in the afternoon was like stepping foot in a foreign land. I didn’t feel comfortable from the time I started to the time I finished. I probably should’ve warmed up prior to going to the stake, but I felt like I would be good to go. I’ll never know if I did the right thing because we can’t go back in time and change things. If put in that situation again, I will go to the bags. However, when no officials from the ASA could answer any questions when we arrived on site, it made it difficult to know what to do. They couldn’t tell us if the practice bags were even available for shooting, and they couldn’t tell us if other arrangements had been made. They also couldn’t tell us where to park, so we found our own parking spot. I find it hard to believe that nobody could answer simple questions, but we asked a handful of people wearing blue shirts and gained absolutely nothing from any of the interactions. 

  When amateurs were allowed to shoot the next day, Dad was able to shoot all 40 targets. However, there was no water on his range after about the halfway point of his round. On the downhill slope to 80 years old, I still can’t fathom how the 70 and up shooters must walk so far to get to their ranges, then once there and shooting, there’s no water to be found after the initial water ran out. That is inexcusable. People can get heat stroke and run into serious problems. Three people were taken away when my dad was shooting due to dehydration, yet no water arrived. That’s my rant on that. Well, the fact the host site was charging $5 to park after the parking areas got flooded out seemed suspect to me too, but that’s going down an entirely different rabbit hole. Let’s do better, no matter who we are when we are running shoots. Water is a necessity when humidity is through the roof and it’s 93 degrees. 

  My ASA year was far from satisfying. Looking at the big picture, I stunk the joint up. I did have my moments here and there, but I could never get in a rhythm and stay there. I had stretches of brilliance, and I will take that and learn from it. 

  After London, Ky., ASA, I bought a wolverine because it prevented me from making a few shootdown rounds. I quickly found that I was aiming way too low on it. The purchase was worth it when I walked away with 22 points on the target last weekend. That’s the only official ASA target I own, so I guess I can take something from that. 

  I enjoyed the weekend, and it felt good to share a lot of moments with my peers. Jacob put on a Jacob show once again. His display on Saturday was beyond amazing. When you’re next to it regularly, you tend to not notice it. However, when you take a step back and look at it, what he does with a bow in his hand is mind-numbing. 

 

  As I waited for him to take part in the shootdown round, I chatted with Joe Pitt for a while, and we discussed the issues we all face. We talked about trying to protect a good score instead of continuing to be aggressive throughout the round. We both agreed that we are better when we don’t get defensive. Shooting while playing defensively can’t do anything other than lead to disaster. It makes shooters weak and tentative, and it’s impossible to succeed that way. I appreciated the conversation with Joe. We can all gain things from different people, even if it comes from a five-minute conversation. When we were talking, his buddy Richard Owens called him, and I could tell the two of them sounded just like me and my friends when we talk on the phone after a shoot or on the way home. They both talked about things that happened in the event and what they would’ve done differently if they had the chance. It was refreshing to listen to others who sound like us. We are all in this together, and that is what always keeps us coming back. We share the same passion, and we compete against ourselves as well as each other. 

  I’ll be heading to the IBO World this week to end the year of shooting. I’ll give it my best shot and see where I land. No matter what happens, I’ll find all the positives and build upon them as I close the chapter on the season. I’m ready for hunting season. I’ll watch the water flow past me in the slow-moving stream, and I’ll watch leaves float freely through the air as they search for a resting place on the forest floor. I’ll slowly turn my head around after hearing a twig snap, and I’ll hope a big-racked buck is trying to quietly sneak past me without knowing I’m there. Summer is fading and fall is coming… and I’m ready to launch at least one more arrow.