Fake targets, real fun
RYAN COLLINGWOOD/Press Coeur d’Alene Bowmen president Paul Clock gives his 6-year-old nephew, Carson Vig, some pointers Sunday at the 3D Snow Shoot near Farragut State Park.
RYAN COLLINGWOOD/Press John Hamburg shoots at a 3D dinosaur Sunday at the Coeur d’Alene Bowmen’s 3D Snow Shoot near Farragut State Park.
ATHOL — Five dead-eye archers walked the final course of the Coeur d'Alene Bowmen's 3D Snow Shoot on Sunday, each stepping over piles of elk droppings in a woodsy area near Farragut State Park.
Local marksman Paul Clock was among them, firing arrows through an assemblage of mock animals including deer, elk, raccoons, turkeys, wild hogs, alligators and, interestingly, dinosaurs.
This piqued the interest of Clock's 6-year-old nephew, Carson Vig, holding his miniature bow and eagerly awaiting his shot at a stegosaurus.
"Can I come, too?" the little boy asked Clock, the Coeur d'Alene Bowmen's eighth-year president.
He obliged. This was, after all, an event for all ages and experience levels.
The two-day event featured 450 participants, ages ranging from 4 to 80. Some were from as far away as Oregon and Canada.
Among them were professional archers using the event to prep for upcoming cash tournaments. Others were novices; self-described weekend warriors enjoying outdoor recreation among friends and family.
"We run a competition, so we're pretty serious about this," Clock said. "But it's all about fun and bringing the kids out and introducing people to archery. This is awesome."
Trucks, campers and concession booths were lined up near a logging trail a couple miles off Highway 54, most belonging to participants who braved the mercurial weather.
"The weather has been off and on, so we’re thankful that the weather held mostly. We've been thankful for people have still come out," Clock said.
His wife, Julie, knew why the turnout was still favorable.
"Because archers are troopers and they come out no matter what," said Julie, standing near a campfire.
The first of the Coeur d'Alene Bowmen's three major events, the weekend's shoot is often the biggest of the year. It included four different courses and 40 targets.
The top 10 shooters from Saturday were flighted in each of their respective divisions Sunday. Final results were not available by press time.
Some of the trickier targets moved, including a sizable elk. Others were placed in tight spots, which required shooting through trees. Twenty-five volunteers helped set up the impressive course.
Akin to golf, groups kept track of their scorecards and used a point system, 11 being the highest on a shot. The farthest shooting distance, 60 yards, was the equivalent of a par 5.
Stefan Honsaker and his wife, Amber, of Coeur d'Alene paired up with another couple, Jake Reiter and Kari Elwood, shaking off their archery cobwebs.
"After a long winter, it's good to just get out of the house and get some practice in," Reiter said.
The Honsakers liked the fun simulation the event provided.
On one particular target, both couples cleared their arrows through a hole in a burnt stump, which had a mock raccoon on the other end.
"I like the different depth perception in how there's targets through the trees. That's really practice for when you're out actually hunting," Stefan said.