[Loch-Ruadh] Hunter's Moon

[Patrick Bixler]

Archery report ... Eirik's point of view.

As we were loading the truck Tegwared made a comment about forgetting his
bow at home and how he wouldn't be able to shoot that day.  He forgot that
he had loaned me his 40 pound bow, which I cleaned up and prepped a couple
of nights before.  Then there was the excuse about arrows, gloves, not
having money to buy bracers from Gwenllion, etc.  But we thwarted his every
excuse not to shoot.

So then the archery marshall calls out the names and tells us what targets
we will be shooting at.  Teqwared and I were both on the 40 yard targets for
our first shoot.

1st round goes by .. Tegwared 0 .. Eirik 0
2nd round goes by .. Tegwared 0 .. Eirik 0
1st speed round goes by .. Tegwared 0 .. Eirik .. 1 bulls-eye (5 points)
  It was all luck .. I swear.
2nd speed round goes by .. Tegwared 0 .. Eirik 0

Oh .. I forgot the crosswind that blew most of the day.  Most of the arrows
were sticking out of the targets at a 20 to 30 degree angle to the left of
center.  Well, that sounds like a good excuse why we couldn't hit the 40
yard target.

So then we move on to the 20 yard target.  The first round I go and retrieve
an arrow or two that missed the butt.  On my way back I am looking around
for Tegwared.  He is still at his target.  I asked how many arrows went past
the target.  He said none.  He ended up with 15 points on the first round on
the 20 yard shoot.  The 20 yard is where we both did very well.

Speaking of 20 yards, did I forget to mention that I have 20 yards staked
off in the back yard?  Maybe today I'll go get some plywood to put against
the back fence and get a cheap target butt from Academy.

Then the 30 yard round came up.  By this time, I was getting tired.  2
leisurely shoots, 2 speed rounds, per range = 12 shoots X 6 arrows (max) =
72 pulls on the bow.  By the time that last speed round was up. I couldnt
hit anything.  I think I had 1 arrow in the target and 4 in the grass behind
it.

Then came lunch time, nap time, merchanting time ...

Finally the bonus round.  I am still unsure how they figured this whole
thing out.  It had something to do with your average IKAC(?) score, and a
handicap and what range you had to shoot, plus some devalued point system so
that those that didnt shoot as well still had a chance against those that
did.  There was much disagreement from the "huntsmen" and how they couldnt
win the tourney because of the way the bonus round was done.  Heck I think I
got the raw end of the deal since I didnt shoot that much better than the
archers, but still had to shoot at the range that the huntsmen were finally
able to shoot at (30 yards).  I should have had a devalued point system and
got to shoot at the 20, but did I whine?  No.  I shot, crippled the deer
then shot him in the head, right above his eye.  We were going to feast if I
had anything to do with it.

Overall, I think that Tegwared and I both did very well.  The new bow and
arrows that I recieved for my birthday were a blessing.  I was amazed at how
much better I shot with those than I did with the equipment that I had
borrowed in the past.  Maybe is is the bonding of the archer and his bow.  I
dunno.

It was a great event overall, and I think that next year, I will be camping
the event.

Eirik

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