Summer is usually the best time of year to shoot your bow for much of the country. Warm weather and long days provide great excuses to shoot outside, and when the heat gets unbearable you can visit an indoor range.
If you want to spend more time at the range this summer but aren’t sure where to start, check out some community and possibly make new friends. You’ll find no shortage of shooting opportunities at parks, camps, archery clubs, archery shops, or shooting events organized by city or county recreation programs or state wildlife agencies. These varied venues attract like-minded archers all summer. Odds are, they’ve scheduled events you’d enjoy.
Archery Shops
If you’re looking for a place to practice or compete, start with an archery shop. Its professionals can help you master your bow, and steer you to ranges – including their own – that are open to the public. Some shops even offer weekly leagues all summer where archers can shoot a 3-D course, paper targets, or interactive video games. These events increase your skills and expand your circle of friends! To find a nearby archery shop, start here!
Archery Clubs
Archery clubs are great places to meet people. They’re controlled environments, so you seldom have to worry about people or pets wandering into the shooting lanes, and you’ll shoot alongside familiar faces each week. Whether you like to shoot traditional equipment or compound bows, or 3-D targets or paper bull’s-eyes, clubs unite people with common interests. Don’t assume your area has no archery clubs. USA Archery has a helpful search engine for finding clubs based on distance and individual interests.
Archery Parks
Some parks also have outdoor ranges managed by volunteers, which provide even more shooting opportunities. Park ranges often have daily hours, so check the specifics before leaving home or your car. Not sure if an archery park is nearby? Contact your state wildlife agency to find archery opportunities at nearby parks or schools.
Organized Shoots
Summer is prime time for organized archery events. Whether you want to shoot a traditional archery match or 3-D targets in rugged terrain, like a Rinehart R100 event or the Total Archery Challenge, you’ll likely find one nearby. And if you want to pair your vacation with archery, the Archery Shooter’s Association around the country. The tour makes for an exciting way to spend time visiting new areas.
Archery is an inclusive sport with wide appeal for people with different interests and backgrounds. To get more out of archery, make new friends, and have more fun than ever, don’t waste any more time. Get involved today!
