The Illinois Bowfishers will be helping out again at the archery range. October 4th at the Max McGraw wildlife foundation. (East Dundee) Any help would be appreciated. How about it bowman, fergus, wesbrock?
As of right now I am planning on attending. Don't really see anything that will keep me from it. I just might have to bring my daughters but that should be fine!
We're going to meet at the resturant right to the south of the i-90 exit on rt 25 at 7am. I don't remember the name of the place. It's sort of a pancake house kind of place. let me know if you're coming.
Sorry guys. I'm not going to make it. I'm either hunting or working. And BTW, the youth hunt is the weekend of the 11th, not the 4th, so I don't have to worry about the blaze-orange this weekend. Don't we have a V.P. that's supposed to do something for the club once in a while?
I should be in attendance still but probably can't make it till about 1. I forgot my daughter has ballet class now on saturday mornings. I will have my girls with me but will try to help out at archery wherever I can.
Well I was on my way with my daughters to come out and help but they were definetly not interested in attending. After driving part way we decided to change plans and we went to lunch. Sorry I didn't make it out. Hope everyone had a great time!
Someone post an update on how it went!!! Really wish that I would have made it. I drove all the way to it when my daughters started driving me nuts.
Ah, we wondered what happened to you Jim. I only took a couple of pictures. It was the busiest trailblazers yet. Of course, we'd have some time between groups of kids and then we'd goof off. (shooting at aerial targets, running 'rabbit' targets, 70 meter target.. etc..) Basically, when the little kids left, the big kids were shooting. :D
I really wanted to help out. I will definetly plan on it for next year and I will make sure that I don't have my girls that weekend. Post the pics when you can!
Really didn't get any pictures until the second half of the day. Chris Engstrom and Jim McFarlane both had left by then. That left Lou Gonzalez, Kendall and myself at the archery station. The kids got to experience dog handling, falconry, archery, bb guns, trapping and fishing. Pretty cool. The gentleman in the camo sweatshirt has taught trapping at this event at least as long as I've been attending. I heard him say he just turned 83. I wonder if any of the scouts will ever know how lucky they were to have a chance to pick his brain? This was during the luch break. Teaching a scout the finer points of shooting an arrow from a bow. Hold the bow in this hand. Grip the string with just the tips of the fingers... Keep the arrow on the rest, finger to the corner of yor mouth... "Did I do thaaaat?" An Archer is born!
Kendall instructing. There were more scouts there this year than ever. This young man picked it up fast. But no one could match this guy! The young man on the right was shooting fantastic. He had already earned his merit badge in archery and it showed.
When it was time to leave, this scout leader's truck had a flat. No problem, we'll just help him change it. Right? Well he left the jack and wrench at home where he'd worked on his wife's car. No problem, we've got jacks and wrenches. Just take the spare off. Oops! had to chain it on to keep it from getting stolen. And the lock rusted shut. Anybody got a hacksaw? Well finally someone came up with one. And after much sawing, (thankfully not by me) the spare is out. Now just take the flat tire off...the lugs came off nice. Things are looking up! Just pull the tire off. No? well give it a whack...Nope?...Harder. Still nothing? Pry it and hit it. Nothing! Arrrgh! Had to leave the bad tire on. Two cans of fix-a-flat and a small air compressor later, we take it of the jack. Andre jumps in his truck to follow us to the nearest gas station. After all the tire issues... the battery was dead in his truck. After hooking it up to my truck we've got him going. He said to me "If you look in the rearview mirror and see my truck blow up or something... don't stop, just keep going!" It sure seemed that the car demons had him in their sights. Anyhow, we got him up to a gas station and he got to a real air pump. After that we left for home and wished him better luck. We had more kids and fewer helpers than ever. Not the best combination. Thanks to all who gave their time to help out and give these kids a chance to experience things we sometimes take for granted. The timing of this event is always a bummer (1st weekend of Oct.) but it's well worth missing some hunting to help these kids enjoy some time outside of the city.
Great pictures Christine. Really wish that I could have made it. Definetly going to plan on not having my girls that weekend so I can attend.
