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OMEGA SHEPHERDS
Adventures on the Ranch

 

3-D Bow Shoot !

 

-----I am sitting here waiting for Tina to have a puppy.... so far she has 1 little girl but many more are on the way! They are big babies - of course - Gunther is their daddy. But Tina is doing well and labor is progressing!
-----As I wait, I thought I would tell you about last weeks bow shoot! But first I will fill you in on everything leading UP TO the bow shoot!
-----Last fall I bought a "beginner" bow - I could barely pull it back when it was on its lowest setting of about 35 pounds. I felt like a fool ! Here I am - I can break horses, train dogs, throw hay, and all the other things I do but I can't pull a stupid bow back!! Well, I was reassured that it wasn't that I was weak - it just takes different muscles - muscles we don't use very often - to pull a bow back...... but I still felt like a fool!
----- It didn't take long and within a month I was up to pulling that bows full weight of 50 pounds! I practiced most every day during the fall - shooting targets, stumps and trees. When the snow and cold came I pretty much quit shooting though - I figured I had plenty of time before next falls hunting season to get really good at it.
----- Well, about 2 weeks before the Foul Weather Shoot we decided to do it! Andy needed a new bow and I wanted a "real" bow - so we both got new ones. They arrived 10 days before the shoot - we had 2 very nice, warm, non-windy days and we got them sighted in. Luckily we had those two nice days because then the cold and snow hit. It went down to 25 F below 0 F and stayed below 0 for almost a week! The shoot was on Sunday, Saturday morning we woke up and it was 10F below. We said if it's this cold tomorrow we aren't going to go - it's not worth getting frost bitten fingers, ears, or anything else!! Believe it or not - that was the last day of the cold and Sunday we woke up and it was about 10F above. We did chores and headed into town for the competition. It was still COLD when we arrived - but at least it wasn't below 0.
----- I didn't really feel "ready" to do this - I mean I haven't really practiced very much!! But figured hey - it will be fun anyway - as long as I don't loose to many arrows by missing targets!
-----3-D target shoots are a challenge and good practice for real hunting because you get to practice up and down hill shots as well as having to gauge your distance (20-30-40 yards) - because they don't tell you. It's all part of the competition!
-----We signed up - got our score cards - paid our money and were on our way! We didn't really know where the first target was - so we just started at the first one we saw which was number 21. It was a buck - and there were several people in line waiting to shoot at it - but there were 2 guys at the target trying to get their arrow out. Because of the cold the arrows can get really stuck in the target. Andy ended up having to pull the arrow out for them because they couldn't get it. Anyway, finally it was my turn to shoot and I nailed that deer! We moved along and about 4 targets later we couldn't find the target. We were scanning the hillside looking for it - I mean how hard can it be, it's a target - not a moving animal right ? After, a moment we looked down and about 2 yards away from us was the target! Yes, we were practically standing on it! It was a beaver - in a little ditch right in front of us. I loved that one - I think that was the most fun target of all - plus I nailed him too with a perfect 10. We shot at elk, deer, billy goats, rams, buffalo, and lots of bears, wolves, coyotes, and mountain lion. I only missed once - the turkey. I was aiming dead on but must have leaned a little before I let go and whooo - the arrow went clean past his head to the left........ Oooops . I used one of my extra shots that I bought and nailed him the second shot with a perfect 10. Luckily, we found my arrow and it wasn't broken even after hitting a tree!
-----It was cold, especially in the trees and shade so we really enjoyed the times we could wait in the sun. It took about 3 hours to get through the whole thing - most of the time was spent waiting for big groups in front of us though. There were some real pros there - even world champions!
-----We turned in our score cards and they told me I was in the running for a place within my class. That shocked me!! But they wouldn't know what I placed until all the cards were turned in by 3:30.
-----It was only 1:30 and we were hungry - cold and didn't feel like sitting there waiting. So we went to Hardees and got some good burgers and fries! Did a little shopping in town and ran back out to the bow shoot office at 3:25. I went up to the manager and she said "Your Leah right?" And handed me my award - and silver medal with a wolf engraved on it. Pretty cool to get 2nd place in my class - with the very VERY little practice I have had!!
----- I have no interest in becoming a "pro" bow shooter - I just want to be good enough to hunt with it. But those Foul Weather Shoots are a lot of fun, and I would do it again.... just for fun!
-----Looks like Tina is about to have another baby……. Be right back…….. Yep, it's here. A boy this time - so far 1 male and 1 female. Way to go Tina, way to go.
-----I should bring this to a close and tend to mom and babies…..
-----Till Next Time,
-----Leah and Everyone at Omega Shepherds

 

 

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