For those who are not counting down the days until archery deer hunting season opens in Missouri, the number is now under two months. July and August are long months, and the weather makes you yearn for fall, but now is the time to begin preparations.
The most important elements are practice, practice and practice. Confirming the capabilities of the archer and his or her equipment is essential. Scouting, collecting camouflage and researching gear upgrades has time to spare, but putting arrows where you aim them takes as much advance work as you can muster.
The Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation hosts a special event each year for archers of all ages to put their best shots downrange while raising money to support natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation activities. Jefferson County’s bowhunters and National Archery in Schools Program target shooters, along with their whole families, could enjoy the event.
The Open Outdoor 3D Archery Tournament challenges shooters in five male and female divisions, and four equipment categories. Participants can shoot anytime throughout the day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. along two, 20-target trails on Saturday, Aug. 1, at Mark Twain Lake Archery Range Park, in Frank Russell Recreation Area near Monroe City, Missouri.
Shooters ages 10 or younger may enter the competition for $15 each. Archers aged 11-16 compete for $20. Two adult divisions, for shooters age 17 and older or 50 years and older, pay $45 per person, and the entry fee for the championship division, open to all ages, is $65. Pre-registration is required at mochf.org by Monday, July 27.
Archers in all divisions except the championship group may enter the competition in divisions that include NASP regulation equipment, Bowhunter, Open Compound and Traditional/Barebow. The NASP category requires that the bow setup meets school competition rules with no sight pins or a bow stabilizer. Archers in the Bowhunter division may have a compound bow with up to five fixed-distance pins and a stabilizer of 12-inches or less. The Open Compound group may use any compound bow, with no pin limitations, any-size stabilizer, and a movable scope is allowed. The Traditional category is open to recurve or longbows with no pins or stabilizers.
Archers will compete in groups of three to five shooters. Individuals will be added to smaller groups. There are no reserved starting times or assigned pairings, and spectators are allowed to walk the trails to watch the competition for no charge. Water stations will be available throughout both trails.
Each archer will shoot one arrow per target and submit their own scorecard. In the 10-and-under division, archers will only post a score for one of the 20-target trails. If the young shooters choose to complete both trails, their scores for the best of the two loops will be entered for judging.
The competition will continue regardless of weather conditions. The only possible exceptions are flooding that closes access to the park or lightning which could delay the activity until the potential of danger from a storm has moved out of the area.
All pre-registered archers will receive an event T-shirt and water bottle, plus all will be entered for attendance prizes. Top-finisher medals will be given for first through third place for each male and female division. They will be presented at the awards ceremony following the competition. The Championship division offers cash prizes based on the number of competitors.
All the information about the annual fund-raiser tournament can be found on the foundation website mochf.org. Details are also available by calling 800-227-1488.
Jefferson County archers continue to make impressive showings in state and national competitions, and the county has maintained its reputation as the top archery deer harvest area in the state for more than a decade. Now our best shooters have a chance to show off their skills while raising money for conservation efforts in our state.
The Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization founded in 1997. It is governed by a board of volunteers. Archery deer hunting season in Missouri opens on Sept. 15.
John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 35 years and was the associate editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine. If you have story ideas for the Leader outdoor news page, e-mail ogmjohnw@aol.com, and you can find more outdoor news and updates at johnjwink.com.