I used to have a membership to an indoor archery range in Cheyenne, but I’ve been bad about getting back in there for the last few years. I really should shoot the bow all year long to stay in practice, but I tend to let it slide over the winter months. This time of year, though, I drag the target back out to the corner of the back yard where I’ve set up a stand to hang it, and I’ll dig my bow out from under all the Christmas decorations and Easter baskets it seems to always gets buried under. Then I’ll head out to the yard several times a week throughout the summer and get back in practice flinging arrows.
If I’d spend more time throughout the year shooting it, I’d probably save some money. I invariably lose a few arrows in the pasture and break a few more hitting the fence post the target is hung on or smacking a rock to one side of the target or the other. I generally start the summer with six to nine arrows – and some years I’ve actually had a full dozen – but by about the Fourth of July, I need to go get another dozen because I’ve ruined nearly all the ones I started out with. More consistent practice might help me keep my arrows in better shape.
But this year, I’ll have a buddy to help keep me on track. My neighbor Kevin suggested we keep each other accountable, and we’ll nag each other to get out and practice together. We’ve even toyed with the idea of joining the archery league at the indoor range after archery season’s over so we don’t have to start over from scratch – and ruin all of our arrows – at the beginning of next season.
But for now, we’re taking it slow. We’re meeting in my back yard tomorrow night for our first practice session. With luck, we’ll keep at it.
