Archive: Sports

People came from everywhere to shoot at the LBH Archery Club's indoor shoot at The FIELD last weekend.  Club president John Huether says shooters came from as far as New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Ohio, and all over New York.  The event was the not-for-profit Lansing club's fourth indoor shoot.  It was held at the old Ames store in the Pyramid Mall last year because of scheduling conflicts, but it has been at The FIELD the other three years.  "This is where we started it," Huether says.  "You couldn't get a better spot for it.  The location is perfect, and the facility is excellent.  We have ample room, it's safe, it's contained.  There is no chance of anyone getting behind the targets.  Everything is funneled in through the front."


Huether says attendance was fair, but he feared that the warm, sunny weather might be keeping some people away.  By late Sunday morning about 100 individual shooters had participated, and many of those had shot two or three rounds.  That included about 45 kids on Saturday.  "An archery shop in Williamson brought down a bunch of kids," Huether says.  "The whole line was full.  It was awesome.  I ran out of trophies!"


Open shooters paid $30 per round for a percentage of the total.  Money-round bowhunters paid $25 for a guaranteed cash prize.  Other categories including bowhunter trophy, women, seniors, and traditional were $15.  Kids from 14 to 16 paid $5, and younger kids could shoot free.  These fees paid for prizes, and maintaining the club's supply of targets.  "The money that we make from this helps us put it on next year," Huether explains.  "It's self-sustaining.  It keeps our insurance paid up, buys new targets, and buys food for the next shoot."

Each round included 30 arrows.  Shooters got three minutes to shoot three arrows, one at each of three targets.  Stations on the shooting line were color coded, with arrows taped on the floor to help locate the targets marked with the same-color.  The club erected two hunter's stands for longer distance shooting, allowing targets up to 40 yards distant.  Volunteer score keepers recorded the shooters' scores after each three minute turn.  Three dimensional targets that looked like various animals had areas marked in rings worth 11, 10, and 8 points.  Hitting a target anywhere on its body was worth 5 points. A practice range was set up in a long narrow room beneath the Lake Shore Fitness Center, with targets at three different ranges.


LBH Vice President Craig Rinear built a moving target for the shoot, a deer on a motorized platform that moved in a circle when Huether flipped the switch.  A bolt on one of the wheels made it wobble to make it appear to be hopping, and add more challenge to shooting it.  That followed a tradition of moving targets for the club, including a frog target in a pond at last Fall's outdoor shoot.

Huether spent most of his time in a booth operating the timer, lights, and the moving target.  He used The FIELD's scoreboard to count down the three minute times, but the club hauled in other equipment, including the targets, stands, dense foam sheets to protect the building from stray arrows, and safety lights.  "We bring in the lights and everything else," Huether says.  "Just for added safety, green lights for 'clear to shoot,' red lights for 'don't shoot.'


Club members had intended to shoot Saturday after closing, but were two tired after running the event all day.  But they had tried the course Friday night after setting up.  "They all had fun shooting," Huether says.  He and his son did shoot Saturday while staying with the equipment and booths to maintain security while the facility was still open.

Texas Hollow Archery, from Burdett, NY sponsored the shoot, and most of the targets had individual sponsors as they do in the club's outdoor shoots.  Each target sported a sign with its sponsor's name on it.  Walter's Chevrolet sponsored the trophies, which were displayed on a pickup truck inside The FIELD area.  Vendor presence was up at this shoot, with archery shops, taxidermy, and an outfitter shop represented.

The Braves and Cubs division shooters from age 13 down got trophies just for participating.  Older than that trophies were awarded for winners and placers.  Huether gave all the participation trophies away, promising to get additional ones to local kids, including his own.  "That way the traveling kids can go home with their trophies, and I can get more trophies for our locals."


Archery has come a long way since the days of Robin Hood.  Most of the contestants brought complex rigs to compete with.  "It's all high tech," Huether notes, pointing out sights, stabilizer bars, composite bows, and other gadgets.  He says some enthusiasts spend thousands of dollars on their bows and equipment.  "We have a traditional class for reed curves and longbows," he adds.  "But it's not really popular any more.  Most people use compound bows.  With that comes really fast arrows, precision sites, and arrow rests.  The sites make you that much more accurate.  It's a long way from Medieval!"

----
v3i16