All posts by 3Rivers Archery

By Jason D. Mills

Happy Father’s Day!

Becoming a father was one of the most transformative experiences I’ve ever had in my life. Right up there with earning my Eagle, Globe and Anchor, getting my Bachelor’s Degree, and getting married. Granted, being a dad is an ongoing experience – as my daughter is only three, but I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything else quite like it. I am my daughter’s hero and I get to shape her entire world, this responsibility is almost unbelievable.

Every day I wake up early, get dressed and ready for work, drive more than an hour, do my job, and when I get home I have to deal with everything that grown-ups have to deal with. But, at the end of the day, after all the bills are paid and my bank account is empty, after the frustrations of the day are gone, and all of the home repairs are done, it’s all worth it; because I get to kiss boo-boos, I get big hugs, cuddles on the couch, I get to hide in blanket forts, race in the yard, play with stuffed animals, and vigilantly ward off monsters from under the bed.

Too often I see dads portrayed on T.V. as bumbling doofuses, easily outwitted by even the least cunning child. They are the butt of every joke and seen as a not-so-necessary accessory, easily discarded and far from respected. I, however, contend a different point of view:

Dads matter.

Daughters look to their fathers to see what kind of man they should expect to provide for them in marriage. They are the benchmark against which all other men will be tested. Boys watch their fathers to learn what it means to be a man, and to learn what men are supposed to be. They learn how they should treat others and how they should carry themselves.

Fathers instill a strong work ethic by going to work every day to provide for their families – even when they don’t want to. Fathers teach their children about honor, by honoring their spouse and others. They teach patience by being patient with willful children. They teach courage by willingly facing their fears. We teach our children – everything. By word and by deed, we are watched and examined. There is likely no higher task any father will be called to do.

So, be a dad. Matter in your kids lives.

3Rivers Archery would like to encourage every dad on their journey, we know you’re committed to doing things well and we know you’re committed to your family.

By Patrick Kelly

This story has been republished with the permission of Patrick Kelly, who, at the time of writing this article, was preparing to go on a bear hunt.

I was planning on leaving for my bear hunt early Friday (June 12) morning, but I decided to leave Thursday (June 11) instead, so I could make a stop on the way. I cleared it with my hunting partner, and got off of work around 7:30 p.m. on the 11th, and headed home. After dosing a sick horse with some medicine, I decided to go grab a battery from a light by a feeder, so that I could charge it and put it out tomorrow morning before I left, so that, hopefully, it would last through my bear trip.

“No sense in not taking a bow,” I thought to myself. So, I grabbed my Silvertip recurve, and one arrow tipped with a 175 VPA 3-blade broadhead and a lit nock and began the 1/2 mile walk to the feeder.

I got there around 8:30 p.m. and, wouldn’t you know it, there was a hog under the feeder who spotted me and took off – with a raccoon hot on his heels.

“Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained,” I thought.

I decided to back off into a small cluster of trees around 90 yards from the feeder and see what happened in the short time until dark. I promised my wife that I would head home by 9:45 p.m. to eat the steak she was cooking.

A little before 9:30 p.m. came around, and I was just getting ready to head out, and I saw a hog sneak out of the drainage to my east and make it’s way to the feeder. I figured it to be around 100 pounds or so.

I was wearing very faded jeans that seemed to glow in the low light, so waited a few minutes for it to get a little darker to make my move. I slowly moved to the west to put the light (a slow glow light, which was already in position) between me and him, and then headed toward the feeder.

The stalk was a little complicated, because between me putting on some weight and my jeans having shrunk some, they actually were squeaking when I walked, and the wind was dead still. I was also wearing a pair of hard sole Wellingtons and the ground had dried out considerable in the last two weeks in which we haven’t had any rain. I actually covered the distances sidestepping as quietly as I could, while holding my pants to keep from squeaking, all the while bearing in mind that a light wind could swirl at any minute and bust me.

I quickly covered the distance, and as I approached the light, I could see the hog, which now looked more like 175 pounds, under the feeder, and a raccoon feeding between him and the light. The light is not even 10 yards from the feeder.

Just before I made it to the light, the raccoon heard my slight noise, which the hog didn’t hear with his corn munching, and stood on it’s hind legs. He couldn’t smell me, and the light was blinding him, but he knew something wasn’t right. He decided to head for the drainage, and I moved a couple steps closer to the light, now only around 8-10 yards from the hog.

I could see him bending at the knees to get under the feeder, and I could see his front leg clearly, but waited a few moments to see if I would get a better shot. He was facing to my right, and he decided to back up to my left and step just away from the feeder. When I saw his front leg clear the feeder, I quickly came to draw and release. The nock lit up, but the hog took off toward the west (my left), banging the arrow off of the feeder legs and breaking the nock. I heard him circle into the brush toward the south and it sounded like thrashing. I thought that he probably was dead, but I texted my wife to tell her I was on my way to get flashlight, and that I had shot a 150-175 pound hog.

I headed home, ate some steak, and went back out with my wife and the dog to make a quick track and get started. Poor blood on the dry ground, but the dog found the hog in a couple of minutes, and I was pleasantly surprised with my very quick glance that the hog would go 225 pounds. I marked the spot, drove my wife back to the house, headed in to town to pick up a couple bags of ice, then came back to start the field dressing. When I got a good look, I was very happy. I didn’t weigh him, but I am sure that he would go 275 pounds. What a chore it was getting him into the truck. I really had to be creative.

I double lunged him, and he went around 50 or 60 yards, but no more. The arrow stopped on the far side of the shield and broke off when he dropped. Dropping this hog off at the butcher for my mother-in-law, but I’m going to really be needing another freezer if my luck holds up on this bear hunt.

It’s a fate no parent ever wants to face, but it’s something that tens of thousands of families face each year – serious childhood illness.

Children, often too young to speak, many times cannot express exactly what ails them, which can make diagnosis go from difficult to nearly impossible. This coupled with the high cost of specialty medical care in the United States can make an already stressful situation go from challenging to emotionally crushing.

This is where St. Jude Children’s Hospital tries to help. Despite the more than 65 thousand children they see annually, no family is ever sent a bill and every patient is given top-level care and attention.

This is part of the reason why the administrators at TradGang.com, an online traditional archery forum, decided to hold an annual auction to benefit the children’s hospital. Started in 2004, the members of the forum have raised more than $735 thousand to date.

This year they are hoping to donate at least another $75 thousand more, but Terry Green, a site administrator, explained that the economy isn’t what it was when the annual auction was founded. He said that he isn’t sure if the turnout will be as pronounced this year.

However, he said that, “The kids are sick regardless of the economy” and that they will hold the auction as long as the traditional archery community is willing to give.

So far, this has been a great system and everyone has benefited. However, it takes a massive amount of work.

The auction had such a huge influx of participants the administrators had to setup on a different server. Green explained that between everyone involved there are hundreds of man hours donated before a single item ever gets shipped.

Each year a group of administrators get together and donate their time to run a benefit auction , where 100% of all proceeds are donated directly to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. The members of the forum will donate items to the auction and then other members will bid on those items.

“I had seen it done on another website and a member suggested doing it on TradGang,” said Green, on the initial motivation to have the auction. “Now, we’re one of their biggest annual donors.”

In fact, Doug Campbell, another administrator of the site, visited St. Jude to accept an award on behalf of TradGang, which recognized them as one of the hospitals largest donors. The site even made it onto the hospital’s wall of fame, which proves that even the smallest donation – when combined with the strength of others – can make a huge difference.

Green explained that no one from the site ever touches the money; everything goes directly to St. Jude Children’s hospital.

The auction features everything from custom bows to home made cookies.

“It’s a lot of fun, there’s some bantering that goes back and forth,” Green explained. “We had a lady donate two dozen cookies and one guy bid a pretty large amount and another guy got some buddies together to out bid him.”

Things ended up escalating and the two dozen cookies ended up going for a whopping $6,000. The next year? The same two bidders went at it again and a pound cake went for $7,000.

“Donate whatever you want to donate; we take anything but firearms and ammunition. I’d just like to encourage folks to visit and bid high,” Green said. “One hundred percent goes to the kids.”

By Jason D. Mills

For the traditional archer, high quality archery targets are awesome, but they can get expensive quick. Personally, I love my Yellow Jacket Supreme, but there are many people who love traditional archery because of the DIY aspect, which seems to accompany the sport. It’s for those reasons that I’ve decided to do a DIY traditional archery target blog.

Note: These DIY projects are meant as traditional archery targets; although they may work, they are not meant for compound or crossbow shooters.

All supplies are not created equal, for this reason I recommend taking a few practice shots at close range at half draw to make sure the target is stopping your arrows. Slowly increase your draw until you’re at full draw at close range. If the target is still doing its job, then feel free to enjoy your new DIY traditional archery target.

The Dressed-Up Bag of Mulch

Difficulty level: 1/10

Cost: Less than $15

Time: About 5 minutes

The name of the game for this project is “Cheap.” We’re keeping costs down while maintaining functionality. For this project you’ll need a Polypropylene Target Face and a bag of tightly packed mulch or peat moss from your local hardware store. You want the bag of mulch or moss to be at least 12” thick and VERY TIGHTLY PACKED. I prefer moss because it’s less likely to mess-up your arrows. This target is great because any mess that’s created will benefit your lawn, so there’s really no impact on the environment when the target starts to fall apart.

After you’ve got your supplies, simply affix your burlap target face onto the front of the bag of mulch or moss (unopened). You’re done. What’s bad about this target? It’s not going to stand the test of time. So, although it is cheap and easy to make, be prepare for it to break down quickly.

For a more lasting target, you might consider putting your mulch or moss inside of the U-Fill It bag target or, for an even better (self-healing) target, put your bag of moss inside of the Replacement Cover for the Yellow Jacket Supreme. You’ve just made a long-term, outdoor target that is good for your lawn for less than $25.

The Saran Wrap Filled Box

Difficulty level: 1/10

Cost: Less than $10

Time: About 10 minutes

If you saw the Dressed-Up Bag of Mulch and thought that the price was still a bit much, then this is the project for you. You’ll need an empty box, a bunch of used plastic wrap (enough to fill the box), some duct tape, and a Peel and Stick Target Face.

Note: If you ask a local business (try a superstore or hardware store) you might be able to get the box and plastic wrap for free, which would really keep the cost down. You could also try factories, as they have a ton of excess plastic wrap from shipments.

The bigger the box, the bigger the target – however, the bigger the box, the more plastic wrap you’ll need.

After you have all of your supplies, stuff the box with the plastic wrap. Stuff it in until it’s impossible to fill it anymore. Just like the Dressed-Up Bag of Mulch, you want this target very tightly packed. After you’re sure it’s packed, close it up and tape it shut with the duct tape. Finally, stick your target face on the box and voila – you’re done.

This project is not only easy, but it can be nearly free for those traditional archers who can easily come by the supplies. However, cardboard will not hold up in the rain (or in any wet conditions) and it will break down quickly if you use it often (as it is not self-healing).

The Compressed Carpet Target

Difficulty level: 3/10

Cost: Less than $50

Time: About 2 hours

If you’re a bit more adventurous and you’re not afraid to spend a few extra bucks then this is the target for you. For this project you’ll need to visit your local hardware store and pick up a pressure treated 2x12x8 (should be about $12), four 36” x 5/8” standard threaded rods (about $6 each), eight 5/8” x 1-3/4” zinc-plated standard flat washers (less than $0.20 each), and eight 5/8”- 11 zinc-plated standard hex nuts (less than $0.20 each). You’ll also need a decent target face and some target face pins. Finally, you’re going to need a whole lot of scrap carpet. This is really the biggest variable in price for this whole project. If you’ve got the scrap laying around then you’re going to save yourself a lot of money. However, if you have to buy it, try and find the extra carpet from you local big-box hardware store, you should be able to buy a lot of it for not a lot of money.

For tools, it would be best if you had at least two pipe clamps or some ratchet straps, but if not, then your elbow grease will have to do. You will also need a knife, saw, measuring tape, drill with a 5/8” drill bit, and a 5/8” wrench.

You’ll want to cut your 2x12x8 in half, which will give you two 2x12x4s. Drill a hole in each of the four corners of both boards. You’ll want to make sure each hole is 1” away from the end and side of the board. After you’ve threaded one side of each of your standard rods with a washer and hex nut push each rod through one of the holes on one of your boards (use your measuring tape to make sure the same amount of rod is sticking through each nut).

Now, you will want to cut your carpet in 12”x3’ 10” sections (you’re not cutting them 4’ long because your holes are 1” deep on both sides, which effectively makes your target 2” smaller). After you’ve cut your carpet, start stacking it on top of the board that has the rods threaded through it. Stack it as high as you can – ideally until it’s almost at the top of your rods.

Next, you’re going to put your second board on top of your pile of carpet. Thread the screws through the holes you drilled earlier. Put on the washer and the hex nut – make sure the hex nuts are all finger tight. Gently lay the target on its side and pack it down with your feet to make sure the carpet on one side of the target is flush. Stand the target back up and tighten the boards down with your pipe clamps or ratchet straps. Get them as tight as you can and then re-tighten your hex nuts. If you don’t have pipe clamps or ratchet straps, then you’ll have to tighten the hex nuts with your wrench as much as you can. If needed, you can sit on the target, or apply pressure with your knee to aid in compressing the carpet. After you’ve gotten the hex nuts as tight as they’ll get, use your measuring tape to make sure an equal amount of the rod is coming out of each hole.

Now you’re ready to apply your target face and send some arrows down range. This target is great for those traditional archers who want a target that will last a long time and are determined to make their target themselves.

Clear as mud, right? If you’re having trouble visualizing it, then the below video might help

The Sandbox Archery Target (great for broadheads)

Difficulty level: 5/10

Cost: From $110 (if you use only plywood instead of 2x6s) to $150 (if you use 2x6s)

Time: About 4 hours

So, you want a high-quality target, something that’s going to last a long time AND you want to be able to shoot broadheads into it, but you still want to build it your self –because you’re a masochist.

Although I’m not a masochist, I do love DIY projects and this is one that I think just about anyone can do. What makes it cool is the fact that you can shoot just about anything into it. Yes, that means you can shoot this target with broadheads. However, this is a sand target, which means it can make your broadheads blunt – no problem if you have a few that are for practice anyway or if you know how to sharpen them.

For this project you’ll need a saw, measuring tape, and a drill. You’ll also need to visit your local hardware store and buy six 2x6x8s (about $6 each), one 5 lb. box of 3” screws (about $23), two 4x4x8s (about $10 each), one sheet of 3/4″ pressure treated plywood (about $35), 10 50 lb. bags of all purpose sand (about $3 each).

As this build is a bit more complicated, I’ve made a graphic (above) to help out.

First, cut a 4’x2’ section out of your piece of plywood – this will act as the floor for your new Sandbox Archery Target. If you want to keep costs down, you can cut your plywood into four 4’x2’ sections and use it for the floor and three walls – otherwise, use the remainder of your plywood as a backstop behind your target.

Then, cut one of your 4x4x8s into four sections and screw them onto the bottom of your 4’x2’ piece of plywood 1’ apart from each other. Cut your other 4x4x8 in half and attach it to the other side of your plywood (as shown above).

Next, cut four of your 2x6x8s in half. Cut your remaining two 2x6x8s into four 2’ sections.

If it were me, at this point I would cut two holes in the ply wood, so that you could slide a 2x6x2 down into it – helping hold the sand. Affix the 2x6s together as shown above. Next, simply fill with sand and get shooting.

A good idea would be to staple a rugged outdoor target face to the front of your new Sandbox Archery Target, so you have something to shoot at.

The below video shows what a Sandbox Archery Target should look like after it’s completed:

DIY 3D Style Target

Difficulty level: 8/10

Cost: Less than $20

Time: A weekend

That’s right; I’ve saved the best for last – a DIY 3D style target for less than $20. However, this one is the most time consuming and can be the most technically difficult. Expect this project to take at least one full day if not a weekend. If you value your time, you might want to stick to a traditional 3D archery target. However, if your times not worth that much, or your pretty budget conscious and don’t mind tedious work, this is the project for you.

You’re going to need a sheet of plywood (about $15, but if you want to go all-out get pressure treated plywood for $35), a pencil, tracing paper, a ruler, a computer with a printer, and a jigsaw (if you want it to look a bit more lifelike, then get some paint as well). An old school projector would also be a huge help with this.

First, find a picture of an animal that you would like to turn into a 3D target online. Print the picture, make  sure that it will fit in a 4”x8” box (if you don’t have a printer, use the tracing paper to trace the image one the screen – don’t press too hard, you don’t want to puncture your monitor). Next, use your ruler (or measuring tape) to measure out a 4”x8” box on your tracing paper. Next, make 1” squares in that box, making a grid pattern. Next, lay that tracing paper on top of the picture you printed out earlier. Trace the outline of the animal onto the paper. If you have an old school overhead projector, now would be the time to put your outlined image onto it and project it onto your plywood. If you don’t have a projector, then lightly (using pencil) draw your grid pattern (except instead of 1”x1” squares they will be 1’x1’ squares) onto your plywood and transfer the image onto the plywood that way. After you’ve traced your image onto the plywood it’s time to cut it out using your jigsaw.

Be sure to cut out the vital area of your new target. Place a box target behind the vital area of your target and you’re good to go!

If you opted to buy paint, now would be a good time to paint the target to your liking.

Here is a video that might help explain it:

 For even more great DIY ideas and toturials, check out the book “Bow Accessories” by Volkmar Hubschmann.

By Jason D. Mills

By Jason D. Mills

We all know how awesome Renaissance Faires are – you get to step out of your modern life for a day, back into a period when times were a bit simpler (and a bit more unsanitary).

You get to enjoy the food (I’ve never left a Renaissance Faire without first eating a giant turkey leg), take part in the festivities, take in the sights, and sometime you can even show off your skills as a traditional archer.

In fact, what is there at a Renaissance Faire other than awesome traditional archery stuff? Here’s a dozen things we love about Renaissance Faires.

The Food

To be honest, I’m not even sure if I like turkey legs, but I can’t say that I’ve ever left a Renaissance Faires without eating at least one. That’s not to say that there isn’t a veritable cornucopia of foods to consume. Everything from bacon on a stick, pork chop on a stick, pickle on a stick, sausage on a stick, and just about anything else you can imagine – on a stick.

The Clothes

Because, “Why not?” A Renaissance Faire is likely the only place that it’s okay to be an adult who is in costume simply because you want to be. Want to dress like a knight? Wear elf ears, pixie wings, horns, or fangs? The Renaissance Faire is the place to be.

The Shows

This one is kind of hit-or-miss. Some of the shows you’ll find at your local Renaissance Faire will be top notch, other won’t. I’ve seen everything from an actual Liger at a Renaissance Faire and professional comedy acts to some pretty forgettable performances.

The Politics

No voting, no elections – if there is a politician you disagree with, duel them in the streets! (Or at least pretend to dual them as the crowd goes wild.) The winner is vindicated and the loser is banished to wherever the losers go.

The Sports

Jousting is a pretty hardcore sport. Sometimes it seems to take forever to get to the actual event, but it’s fun when it happens and the kids love it.

Family crests

Everyone should have a family crest. Seriously, it’s a unifying force when your entire family can look to a single crest and know you all have that in common. It’s also pretty awesome to learn the history behind your name.

Personal heralds

When and why did we stop doing this? Why do I not have someone announcing when I enter or exit a room, all while singing about my conquests like a modern day bard.

Children’s archery

Well, children’s anything really. This whole thing should be all about the kids (but we all know that’s not true). It’s a lot of fun to watch your kids have fun – especially when that fun includes a bow and arrow, a throwing axe, lance, or maul.

Punishment

Public shaming in the stockade is a great way to discourage stealing wears, I wonder how well it would work for pirating music?

The Music

Everything deserves a song, apparently. Which, if I’m being entirely honest, is cool in my book. In all seriousness though, there is music everywhere at just about any Renaissance Faire.

Work

Forget those TPS reports and, instead, pick up a blacksmith hammer and anvil. Work is just cooler when it looks like you’re dressed like William Wallace

The Craft Stores

The cool thing about most of the stuff you find at a Renaissance Faire is that much of it is hand made. In fact, many of the store keeps you meet are the very artisans who made the wares you’re perusing. Yes, they’re dressed a little funny, but that’s all part of the job.

Some time ago I wrote an in-depth build-along entitled the “Beginner’s Guide to Building a Hickory Longbow.” Well, in researching how to build a selfbow it is impossible not to hear about Eric Krewson’s tillering gizmo. As such, I felt it would be natural for me to reach out to Eric and see if he’d be okay with me sharing some of his secrets. Not only was he happy to share the information, he generously sent me a tillering gizmo as well.

This information has been republished with the permission of Mr. Eric Krewson.

By Eric Krewson

Since I made my initial tillering gizmo there has been an input of ideas to make it work better from other bow makers. Consequently, it has evolved into a differently made tool than my original design.

Here is how to make the latest version. I use a drill press, bandsaw, and belt sander (because I have them). This tool can be made out of any scrap wood, holes drilled by hand, out of square and work just fine.

I cut a large downed cedar looking for a bow stave. I may or may not have found a stave, but I definitely found a bunch of beautifully grained gizmo material.

I start by cutting a piece of wood 1″ square and 6″ long. You can make the gizmo longer if you want to, but I have tried a bunch of lengths and always come back to 6″.

A little sanding to get rid of the saw marks.

Mark the center of the block lengthwise and center.

Drill a 5/16″ hole on the center mark.

Use a 1/2″ Forstner bit to cut a 1/2′ deep hole over the 5/16′ hole you just cut. The Forstner bit cuts a clean hole, but any 1/2″ bit will work just fine.

Next, mark the ends of the block with a 45-degree angle to shorten side opposite the pencil of the gizmo. This allows one to run the gizmo closer to the tips while tillering.

Here is and update for a slimmer shape for your gizmo that will go further up the limbs without string interference.

I tap a 5/16″ nut into the 1/2″ hole and seat it all the way down with a piece of dowel.

Screw a pencil into the nut(I put the pencil in a vise and screw the gizmo on it) and you are ready to tiller. I sand the pencil a little after I cut thread on it so it will screw in and out easily. It only took me 10 minutes to make this tool, start to finish.

With a little Tru-Oil this will be a beautiful little tool, it has a wonderful grain pattern.

Older version:

Newest version:

USING THE TILLERING GIZMO

After floor tillering your bow, bend the bow slightly on your tillering tree or tillering stick using the long string. Retract the pencil in the Gizmo and run the wood block up the bow’s belly and find the widest gap. Screw the pencil in the block to a point it is almost touching the bow’s belly at the point where you found the widest gap. I change the angle the pencil has been sharpened to a very short angle and sand the tip of the pencil flat for the best results in marking the limb. This lets you work very slight bends.

Initially, I set my gizmo pencil about 1/8” off the limb for the first few corrections. This course setting will mark only the stiffest spots. If you set the pencil too closely for your first few passes it will mark the whole limb.

Run the Gizmo up the belly making sure it is centered on the limb. The pencil will mark non-bending areas, which need wood removed. Always check the entire limb with the gizmo every time you use it and scrape wood from all the stiff spots at the same time, not one stiff spot at a time. Start on the long string, continue at brace and up to about 20” of draw. You do need to have a way to hold your bow string while you mark the limbs with the Gizmo.

I often set my gizmo for one limb and use this setting on the opposite limb as well. This way you will end up with two closely matched limbs.

I have holes in my tillering tree and insert a 3” piece of dowel in one of the holes to hold the string with the limbs slightly bent while I mark the limbs with the gizmo.

Go slowly, no more than ten scrapes on the marked areas of the limb, flex the limb 30 times and recheck. I have found it usually takes five or more check, scrape and check sessions to get a stiff spot moving, so be patient. You can get the limb bending perfectly this way. You will still have to eyeball bending in the fades, but the rest of the limb will be perfectly tillered. Hinges will be a thing of the past.

Make a few passes with the gizmo on your limb and the areas that need attention will be perfectly obvious. You can fine tune the tillering by closing the gap between the pencil and limb to almost nothing. At this point, I like to use a cheap orbital sander to remove both wood and any tool marks that are left. With course sand paper, the sander will leave tiny swirls in the wood so I like 220 grit for my final tillering work with the sander and follow with a light hand sanding.

The gizmo doesn’t work in the fade out area of the riser so you will have to eyeball the bend in this area or put a flat board across the back of the bow in your tillering tree and watch the gap between the back of the bow and the board to see where the limb is bending.

Tillering that once took me hours to get close takes me about 45 minutes with the Gizmo and the end result is close to perfect.

The key thing to remember for proper tillering is using a scraper or sandpaper and work slowly, only scrape off your pencil marks, flex the bow and recheck. I often make a zig-zag pencil mark from one side of the limb to the other over the gizmo’s pencil mark to make sure I remove equally from one edge of the limb to the other.

If you ever get the urge to grab a course rasp or use a belt sander to speed things up even more, take a coffee break and come back when these thoughts have passed.

Question

What about using this with character bows, especially yew that has rollercoasters rather than snakes?

Answer

The gizmo won’t work with a stave with a lot roller coaster (a limb with a lot of dips and humps). I almost always take the roller coaster out of my osage before I start a bow, because it is such a pain to tiller. If the roller coaster is only in one place in the limb I eyeball that section and use the gizmo on the rest.

Question

Eric, are you sanding down the nut side once things are finished so it’s sitting flush? or is it still recessed in the finished gizmo?

Answer

I drill the big hole deep enough to tap the nut about 1/4″ below the surface of the wood. I drilled a shallower hole on the earlier version and sanded the wood and nut flush but often lost too many threads of the nut in the process. The new version with the recessed nut works much better.

This nut is in a little over 1/4″ deep.

This story has been republished with the permission of Randy Madden. Randy was shooting “Hope,” one of two bows made by Bob Sarrels of Sarrels Archery. The bows, Hope and Faith, are identical mirrors of each other – one is right handed and one is left handed. They were made with the express purpose of being donated to raise money for Trad Gang’s annual St. Jude Children’s Hospital auction. Every year, Trad Gang members donate and auction off hundreds of items, worth tens of thousands of dollars – 100% of the money raised goes directly to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. After the bows were made, they were passed around the community for more than a year to drum up interest. While he had her, Randy was able to harvest a prize.

By Randy Madden

I was recently asked if Hope had a new story to tell, and as a matter of fact she does! But I better tell the story, so she doesn’t tell everyone about how fast my heart was beating and how bad I was shaking and how I almost messed the whole thing up!

After gathering with some friends last week I almost decided not to hunt, but my wife said I should go because I only have Hope for a few more days. So, I headed out the door around 6:20 that evening. I climbed up in the same stand that I used in a previously unsuccessful hunt around 6:40 p.m.

My feeder had already gone off, but I wasn’t worried about it. The trail cam pics show that the hogs usually don’t come by until right at dark or a little after. With a storm front approaching my hopes that something would move a little early was high. I didn’t hang my feeder light because these hogs have been hunted and usually won’t commit to the feeder if anything is out of the norm.

So, I sat and enjoined the cool breeze, which was perfect most of the time with an occasional errant swirl. I watched the doves, cardinals, blue jays, and squirrels take turns running each other away to take their turn at the free golden bounty. I sat there just enjoying the evening, contemplating what to do about the coons that seem to get the most of what is meant for the hogs. As the light started to fade I texted my wife and told her that if something didn’t come in soon I would be coming home earlier than normal as I was concerned of shooting something late with the storms coming. As last light came I was mentally getting ready to start packing up. I say mentally because I have to make myself quit or I would have stayed until I got wet.

Then I heard the slightest noise to my left and not very far away. I thought “Oh great, another dang bait stealing coon”.

Next thing I know I see a hog step out on the trail to my left at 5 yards. This sucker snuck to within 5 yards of me and I never knew he was there! Always amazes me how quiet they can be when they have to.

Anyway, I was already standing because I was about to pack it in so I eased Hope off the hook she was hanging on and got ready. I couldn’t shoot because of a few limbs from the cedar tree I was in but all he had to do was take two steps and he was mine. Well, he just stood there staring at my feeder and smelling the wind for a min which seemed like forever then he turned and headed back the way he came! Crap!! I thought he was gone.

After another minute long eternity, he comes out at 15 yards to the left of my feeder and I guess he was convinced all was safe because he walked straight in and started eating. It also amazes me how they can always be broadside to everything except you! I watch him eat for a few minutes and every time he moves, he always stops head on. One time he turns broadside and I start to draw and he starts walking to the opposite side of the feeder and I almost let one fly, but it didn’t feel right, so I let down. This goes on for several minutes and all I can do is pray the wind holds.

He finally walks back to the left side of the feeder and I know he’s going to have to turn around to face the feeder to eat so I put some tension on the string. Sure enough he turns to face the feeder and stops broadside. He’s about 9 yards, head down, wind is in my favor, and I start to draw. I honestly do not remember coming to full draw. All I see is the soft spot above his elbow and the next thing I know the woods erupt with a loud grunt and string is coming out of my tracker so fast I was scared it was going to break off.

After what seemed like forever it starts to slow down, then it’s slowly but steadily coming out. Then it stops. Then it starts going slow again. Then it stops again. Then it goes slow again. The next time it stops it doesn’t move. I keep thinking the worst like maybe the arrow pulled out, so I give him a few more minutes and I call my wife and ask her to bring my spotlight. After she arrives we start the tracking job. We slowly follow the string while constantly searching ahead as far as we can see. All I can say is thank God for my string tracker. Due to the downhill angle and the lack of penetration (only got about 6-7” of penetration, and only got one lung, but my Grizzly broadhead did its job) I only found eight drops of blood in about 250 yards. At the end of the string, I was ecstatic! He was much bigger than I thought, he weighed 272 lbs.

Therefore, I had to recruit my brother to help with the drag. We had to drag him about 150 yards to get close enough to load him in my truck. That was tough. As I pulled into my driveway it started to rain. For once everything went right. But that’s why we do what we do. All the times we fail are washed away by each success!

Definitely my best hog with any bow to date thanks to Hope.

Hope, 54#@28″, Grizzly 175 grain Instincts on D/F shafts, string tracker from Chad Orde.

You can purchase Hope, Faith, and hundreds of other items at Trad Gang’s annual St. Jude Children’s Hospital auction – 100% of the proceeds are donated to St. Jude.

What is 3D archery? Generally, when an archer talks about 3D, they’re referring to shooting at three-dimensional life-like targets – normally made from foam and situated in such a way as to simulate a true-to-life hunting experience. At its inception, 3D was focused mainly on hunting practice, as such most of the targets were shaped like game animals, but 3D quickly evolved into a sport of its own, with rules, scoring, and a nearly limitless cornucopia of targets.

As such, 3D is a great way to get ready for an upcoming hunt, or to just have some fun. It can be practiced alone, with friends, or family. In fact, it’s common for young children to participate in 3D. It’s a great way to experience the outdoors (if shooting at an outdoor range) and gain experience in shooting your bow in a realistic situation.

Before you head out to the range, there is some basic equipment you should bring with you. That said, there’s no special 3D bow that you’ll need; just shoot the bow you’re most comfortable with or the bow you plan to hunt with. You should used field points (don’t shoot broadheads at 3D targets!), it’s a good idea to have a pair of sunglasses handy, some sunscreen, an arrow removal tool (just in case you hit a tree, a cheap arrow puller and target arrow release fluid are good ideas too), a decent quiver, a towel for your hands and gear, and some arrows. Many outdoor shoots can be a mile or more in length, so it’s a good idea to bring something to snack on as well as some bottled water, but please don’t litter.

Six arrows should be plenty, but feel free to carry as many as you need. There are many archers who will bring an extra dozen and leave it in their vehicle just in case they need them. If you plan on shooting for score, you’ll want to bring something to write with and on (sometimes that’s not needed, but it’s better to be safe than sorry). Misses do happen and arrows will be lost (arrows are a lot easier to find with lighted nocks). When you do miss the target, don’t take too much time looking for the lost arrow, as it will slow down the whole event.

Most ranges will charge a small fee for shooting, whether you’re competing or not. This money covers normal wear and tear on the targets and on the range.

On how 3D is scored; typically, the high score shots will be in the vital section of the animal you’re shooting at. There are two primary scoring formats used: ASA and IBO. The ASA, or the Archery Shooters Association, uses 14-12-10-8-5-0 scoring areas. The IBO, or the International Bowhunting Organization, uses 11- 10-8-5-0 scoring areas.

When shooting for score, one arrow is shot at each target; the score is determined by where the arrow enters the target. Below is an example of what the ASA and IBO scoring rings look like.

However, this scoring system does pose a problem in some situations. What if the animal is at an angle facing away from the shooter? Under normal circumstances a hunter would shoot the deer so that their arrow would hit midway between the front and rear legs, which would be a lethal, clean harvest. Despite being the most lethal shot in a real-world application, this shot would result in a score of 5 at a 3D shoot. Instead, the archer would need to aim as if they were trying to pass through the outer shoulder, which would result in a much higher score. Further, some targets will have multiple scoring areas marked. In which case, just ask which one is being shot at – if you’re shooting alone just use your best judgment.

Now, what happens if your arrow is on the 10 and the 12 mark? In most situations you get the higher score, if your arrow is touching it, then that’s your score. If you can’t see the scoring rings from the shooting stake, just aim for what would be the most natural lethal area. Some shooters opt to bring a good set of binoculars, but if you choose to bring binoculars remember to be courteous of other shooters and not take too long. There are also some archers who will bring reference cards of each target, so they know where to aim for the highest score.

Although many 3D courses are set outdoors, there are just as many indoor 3D ranges, which is nice when the weather gets too nasty for outdoor shooting. Most shoots will have between 20 and 30 targets arranged at different distances and positions. Usually traditional shooters will have a maximum distance stake at around 30 yards, but not always. If you’re participating in a tournament there will normally be club rules that you’ll have to obey in order to qualify (it might be a multiple day shoot or there might be different classes). During outdoor shoots be prepared to shoot off of elevated platforms, down hillsides and through brush. Some areas might be highly wooded and other areas might be in wide-open fields. Most targets will not have any indicator of what the distance to the target is, which gives the instinctive shooter a real advantage.

Indoor 3D ranges usually have a single line where all archers shoot from. Generally, archers are grouped by class and skill level. Targets can be as close as 2 yards or as far as 50 yards, normally distance is only limited by the venue.

Outdoor ranges, in my opinion, can be a lot more fun as they are usually a walk-through course (just like mini-golf). Normally, there will be three or four archers per lane – your group will finish one target and then move on to the next. Be aware if you or your group is moving slowly – it’s courteous to let faster archers pass you. Each class and skill level will have a designated stake to shoot from – most shoots are operated via the honor system, so no cheating. The shooter is normally required to touch the stake with at least one part of their body (i.e. foot or a knee) when shooting.

Although each club will have its own rules and restrictions, here are some basics to remember:

1. Although archery is generally a safe sport, it can be dangerous, so stay smart and stay safe. Know what you’re shooting at. Know what’s behind your target. Make sure there are no children about to dart out in front of you or behind your target. Be aware of other shooters at all times.
2. Try not to talk or be disruptive while others are shooting. If you’ve brought children, make sure they’re not making too much of a ruckus.
3. Take your time, but don’t stall other shooters. Some people like to really take their time, others love to move quickly – be courteous either way. If you’re a slower shooter, then let the faster archers “shoot through.”
4. Avoid foul language. These are often family activities and no one wants their children exposed to that.
5. Feel free to bring something to snack on and some water to drink (in fact, I’d encourage it), but don’t litter.
6. When you miss a target, don’t take all day looking for it, as it will slow down the entire event. Misses will happen (so be prepared) and arrows will be lost.
7. You might want to bring a ‘throw away’ arrow for novelty targets, such as steel or iron elks.
8. Have fun!

By Jason D. Mills

By Jason D. Mills

Created by Global Gear, this Archery Infographic offers a brief look at how archery has evolved though the ages. From a tool for survival to a weapon of war to a worldwide sporting phenomena. Although it is clearly not all-inclusive (nor does it claim to be), the infographic focuses on the development of archery into a formal sport activity.

It is worth noting that there is evidence of archery well before 3500 BC, which substantially predates the Egyptian empire. In fact, a recent study suggests that the bow and arrow might date back as much as 71,000 years. We know for certain that archery dates back to at least the mesolithic period (roughly 5,000-10,000 BC) because there are still Holmegaard bows (made of elm) in existence today, which have been dated to  9,000 BC.

But don’t let that keep you from enjoying the rest of the infographic.