Let the arrow fly

Emily Vig of Coeur d'Alene pointed her bow toward the ground, knocking the arrow to the string.

The 8-year-old then pulled the bow up, aimed carefully, and let the arrow fly. It came to rest just outside the rings near the center of the 3-D wolverine target.

Emily and her 15-year-old sister, Alex, began archery this year. Their uncle, Paul Clock, is the president of the Coeur d'Alene Bowmen club, which hosted the 3-D Archery Tournament at Farragut State Park over the weekend.

"It's really fun," Emily said Sunday as she hiked a trail to more targets, which included two wolves and an elk. She said the alligator target, a low-profile target that sat uphill from where she stood, had "stumped" her. Shooting from above or below a target makes it difficult to gauge your aim.

By early Sunday afternoon, the tournament was winding down as some of the approximately 500 people who attended the event began to leave, while others pushed on.

Many of those who attended the event were families, so several children competed in the tournament. Heather and Steele Freeman of Coeur d'Alene were paired up with Jim and Erica Rose of Athol on Sunday afternoon, as well as their 7-year-old boys, Ronan and Easton.

"I started shooting last year," Heather said. "I love it. It is a great family activity and getting to be outside is a bonus."

She said watching her son, Ronan, improve over time has been "awesome."

"That's the coolest part is watching the kids shoot," Erica said.

The 40 3-D targets, with the likeness of several different animals, were set up over four different courses covering up to about 80 acres. A fifth course was set up for youth and practice as well. Rings in the center of the targets determine the shooters’ score, worth 11, 10, 8 and 5 points. The highest score wins.

Clock said Saturday was mostly practice. Each competitor then went around the course, keeping their own score on a card that was handed in at the end of the day. The top 10 competitors in each division from Saturday went out Sunday in groups of three to five, called "flighted" groups, to determine the top three in each division. Trophies were handed out at the close of the tournament on Sunday.

There was a total of 21 categories — eight in the men's division, five for the women and eight for the kids. Karen Vanskyock, secretary of the Coeur d'Alene Bowmen club, said "freestyle" is the largest category in each division. The difference between "freestyle" and "open" is simply the equipment used, Clock said.

Steve McDonald of Harrison, Josh Patterson of Post Falls, and Brian Bower of Colbert, Wash., competed Sunday for first, second and third place in the Men's Open category. They all agreed the weather over the weekend was "awesome" and the "invisible bear," a black bear that had been placed in the shade, was the most difficult target.

Those who competed both days were eligible for the awards, but the event was informal and anyone could come out and shoot at anytime for a one-day fee.

Vanskyock said the April tournament is the first of three shoots for the year.

"This usually is our largest shoot, the first one, everybody is really excited to get out and shoot their bows," Vanskyock said.

She said last year about 600 people had attended the event and people come from all over the Northwest. The next shoot is scheduled for June 4-5, and Vanskyock said the club hosts several other events throughout the year as well, also donating their time and providing archery instruction during Coeur d'Alene Parks and Recreation's "Unplugged and Outdoors," a program to get kids away from their electronic devices and outside during Spring Break.

Clock said the club was founded in 1955 and currently has about 250 members.

"This is one of our main fundraisers," he said. "We are looking to buy a piece of property and a building that we can have an indoor range in Coeur d'Alene or Post Falls area. It's kind of slow-going."

Anyone interested in the club or events can email vanskyock@frontier.com or visit www.cdabowmen.com.