Amidst flurries of snow and frigid temperatures, the diehard archers of Idaho descended onto Spring Valley Reservoir for the annual Presidents Day shoot, sponsored by Ee-da-how Bow hunters of Lewiston.
I was happy to be one of these half-crazy, all-the-way-determined archers braving the fresh powder to knock the rust off my shot.
As my alarm screeched into my ear at 8 o’clock Sunday morning I was greeted by a white blanket of nonsense covering not only my home and yard, but my ghetto truck that now needed warm up for at least half an hour before two-wheel-drive hot-rodding out the unplowed highway to Troy.
After picking up my counterpart Eric Grubaugh, we piled enough equipment — bows, arrows, stupid expensive release aids, targets — into the rig to easily cover the retail of our ride. Basically anything a small army would need for a full assault.
We rallied Tokyo Drift style 20 minutes later into the parking lot of Spring Valley Reservoir. It was packed. Domestic, full-size four-wheel-drives were jammed into every available parking spot and vacant snow bank. It was a bit of an unwelcome sight for a ’91 Nissan billowing smoke from the tailpipe, sliding through the iced slush as the muffler popped and crackled. We spun a donut around a brand-new, bright red F-350 while the old man gearing up on its tailgate yelled some sort of obscenity as we got my old beater sideways.
One lesson I would like to express to all Idaho residents — if there is snow, play in it. Most people from Idaho will understand, and there were a few smiles and thumbs-up for my “uncivil” behavior, but I caution you to be careful. While most Idahoans will appreciate a good snow rally, there are very few that will still think you’re cool after you smash into their truck.
After jamming the front end of the Nissan into a 3-foot snow bank, my buddy and I set up for the competition. While most archers can simply pick up a bow and be ready to shoot, some of this equipment takes preparation.
After getting sights and stabilizers attached in the right order, not to mention shot-gunning an energy drink, we trudged through the still falling snow to the registration area.
Eighteen dollars later, 15 for entry and three for mulligan shots at a buck a piece, we hit the practice range.
The wind was still blowing an annoying amount of snow into my face. After only three arrows we decided that warming up on the course would be the best plan of attack. We thought it best to get through the course while we were still strong of will.
Ee-da-how understands how to set up a challenging course and this year was no exception. Of 40 targets on the range more than half seemed to cater to the advanced archer.
Through the first 20 targets Groobz (Eric) and I were stellar. Miniature black bears, elk, mountain lions and one enormous bull frog were laid down to pin-point arrow placement.
At the break my scorecard read 25 points lost. Honestly not the best display of my shooting ability, but the opportunity to take hardware home with me was still a reality.
Then the second range happened. The wear and tear of a more than three-mile walk through fresh snow was like wearing ankle weights. My legs were aching, exhaustion started to set in and my back gave me hints about how much it hates me. Even my trigger finger was starting to get out of line.
After nailing the first few targets of the second range, things started falling apart. Ten-point shots became eight-point shots. The white fuzz of the fresh snow began to make 30-yard attempts look more like 50 yards.
As we gimped our way to the finish line my score card was a mere shadow of the promise it held at the break. Earning 338 points of the 400 possible, while not pathetic, certainly wasn’t a “professional” performance.
Disregarding my personal failure, the Presidents Day shoot was a success. As the first shoot of the year this is always a battle with the elements. Blankets of snow can make it almost impossible to estimate range, and less-than-tropical temperatures can make even the most determined shooters head for the truck. Even with these setbacks there are always enough shooters to make for a solid competition, and if you weren’t brave enough to battle the elements this year, you can mark your calendar for next Presidents Day. But I warn you to dress warm and be ready to have yourself a wild winter adventure.