I figured that the hunters on here may enjoy this event even more than the tournament guys.. This year at the Bend Bowmen Hunter's Classic 3D, we will have a new Novelty event. The Hunter's Challenge. This is a full 3D course with up to 20 targets, and maybe more stations. Here's the kicker. Not all of the targets are shoot-able.... One of the issues with 3D as a sport (from a hunter's perspective) is that you never question the shot. You step to the stake, get the yardage, take the shot. If not, you drop the points, and are out of the running. This course is different. You will be given a score card and a copy of the Oregon Big Game regulations at the start. At each stake, you will have to ask, "Is this shot safe, legal, and ethical?" If you take an unsafe or illegal shot, you will score -12 points. Choosing not to shoot will gain you an automatic 12 points. Each target will have a score card at the target explaining how to score. Possible shots include illegal stake locations (i.e. in a road.), illegal game animals, blatant safety violations, property boundaries, or other commonly cited violations. All scenarios will be real hunting scenarios and there will be no 'gimmies' or easy shots. You will see angles and shots you see in the field, not just broadsides. This course has been prepared with consultation from ODFW, ODFW Hunter Education, OSP Fish & game, Bow Hunter Education, and other organizations. This course is not my 'opinion', but facts and common scenarios hunters get themselves into, and it will be fun. 'Lucky' will be making his 3D debut as well.... Time on stake will be 30 seconds, unless otherwise posted. There will be two divisions: 13 and under, and everyone else. No male/female/equipment classes. The dead animal doesn't know the difference. We will cut the kids some slack though. 40 lb minimum draw weight for adults. Prizes for both divisions have been donated by our sponsors this year including Kershaw knives, Oregon Pack Works, Rock Mountain Products, ODFW, and Green Gate Pursuits. The goal is to have fun and to promote safe, legal hunting. This is just part of the biggest Bow Hunting weekend in Oregon:
I really like your idea. That's very cool! I've only shot one 3D in my life. It was fun. I had one shot that was quartering away from me so I shot just as I would have in real life and I shot for the exit which put my entrance back. It would have ended up hitting both lungs. But because of the angle, I didn't hit the lungs on the target face so I only got 5 points. That annoyed me a bit. Is this just the way it is when scoring a quartering away shot?
On targets that are placed at quartering angles, there are supposed to be two sets of scoring rings. One for broadside, and one for the quartering away. You are supposed to use the rear rings in this case. It is up to the host club how to handle this though. We will DEFINITELY be using the rear rings (on this course at least, and only in some cases.... )
Thanks. The one that I was shooting did not have two sets that I am aware. Or I might somehow have missed it, I don't know. After showing up and paying my money, I was given a score card and told where the first one was. That was about it as far as instructions. I might try it again someday.
I think it's great that you are helping to put laws and ethics into a practicable environment, though I'd be curious about a few things. Not every archer is created equal. There are shots I take in 3D league that I'd never take in real life, like a 40 yard quartering shot behind a tree. However, there might be some folks that do feel comfortable taking that shot and have practiced themselves to a point where it would be ethically safe for them to do so. How do you score a station where one archer feels comfortable taking that 40-yard, clear, broadside shot where someone else doesn't? Please don't get me wrong, I feel like the idea is a good one, I just don't think every (or maybe any) situation can be simplified across every archer.
On this iteration, there will be no 'long range' shots. I purposely tried to set the course up so that a 14 year old with a stick bow can hit all of the targets with a fair degree of accuracy. This doesn't mean that they are easy shots, just that if you look at the scenario, think about it for a minute, you will find a way to make the shot work. As for the ethics grey area, once again, this time around, you will only lose points for illegal or unsafe shots where the violation is clear and understandable. The targets dealing with ethics have been kept to a minimum and are scored accordingly. After the event, I will post a few of the shots and scenarios and see how you guys like them.
I think what you are trying to do here is amazing! I love that you are promoting safe and legal hunting. It sounds like it would be an awsome time! Good luck and have fun with the event! (:
Are you going to let the shooters know that this is a test of ethics and legalities as well as shooting ability before they begin the course?
Absoultely. This is a novelty course/event that is being held at our Hunter's classic 3D shoot this weekend. That event is a standard 40 targets over 2 courses with 12,10,8, and -5 scoring. This course is in addition to that and is completely optional. You can shoot one event and not the other, or shoot them all. 60 targets total spread over three courses and two events. I did get several very cool prize packages donated for the novelty course, but prizes aren't the reason for this event. Overall, this is a HUGE weekend for Oregon bow-hunters (if they decide to attend). We also have a milk-jug shoot, potluck dinner, back country hunting seminar, full draw film tour, Bow hunter education class, kids course, etc. Also, I will explain the course, BEFORE they sign-up and when they get their scorecard, they will also get a copy of the Oregon Hunting regulations and the scorecards have the rules/explanations on them.
BTW, This may be our first tournament this year with good weather! Considering that it's our final one of the year I guess it's only fair...
You guys suck. The weatherman tells us that it is going to cool off tomorrow, only in the upper 80s and then start to climb again to a high of 99 by Saturday. Your weatherman says it's going to get warmer and it says 80 lol. I would love that weather. Hope your weekend of archery fun goes well!
Clee, we may get to 100, but only for a few days each year. The tradeoff is that we get down to 0 in the winter. All in all, we have some of the best weather anywhere and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Jason, thanks for a great shoot we all had a great time and went home singing the "we are the champions song LOL" it was cute listening to the kids they were so excited cant wait for more shooting and next year's events. Talk to ya soon! Ps the elk kabobs rocked!! The Dyer Family Tiffany, Jared and Julie (Rich says thanks for taking care of his crew over the weekend! to everyone that helped us out I love our new Archery Family!!)!!
