Robert Hamilton II, June – My favorite archery memory has not happened yet this season, even though I sit here at The Championship getting ready to shoot today. My archery season will not end this year until I head to the Great Cacapon Resort to shoot in the International Bowhunters Organization’s World Championship. I was lucky enough to qualify last year. Last year, my season started in October 2022, making my elementary school team, ended standing on the side of a mountain shooting targets in the woods in August 2023. When I finished shooting those two rounds of 20 targets and shooting a traditional NASP/IBO round on the golf course, I set my goal for this season to make it back to West Virginia. I achieved that goal by finishing 14th in the nation for middle school boys at Eastern Nationals in May.
What I liked about the IBO event was how different it was from traditional NASP® Bullseye shooting. I had practiced outside at my house many times, shooting 3D targets and shooting traditional bullseye. But I had never followed a trail through the woods, finding my targets, assessing the distance and having one arrow to hit my target. I had to also shoot in the pouring rain. It rained and it rained hard. I gave up on keeping myself dry, but my mom and I worked to keep the bow dry, keep the arrows dry and try to keep my face dry so I could see. The second day was beautiful and sunny with yellow jackets everywhere. There were kids like me in the woods, but also people from many different countries, professional archers, and people shooting many different types of bows. I shot with a great group of boys and had a lot of fun.
Even the traditional NASP/IBO round was different. The targets were set up on the golf course. The wind was blowing. You had to time your shot just right based on when the wind was not blowing.
I hope I am lucky enough to be a student contributor next season. And if I am I can share with you my favorite memory from this archery season, standing on the mountain in West Virginia.
