[F.A.Q. = Frequently Asked Questions]

I want to attend one of your end-of-month shoots. Please tell me about them.

I want to attend one of your end-of-month shoots. Please tell me about them.

The shoots are scheduled to begin at 9 AM, but many people arrive a little earlier to practice on the marked yardage targets.

After parking, go to the registration shack to sign up for the shoot.

Registration Fees

Members: free

Non-members:  Adults $15 for 42 target shoots; $12 for 28 target shoot. [Cubs and pee-wees shoot free.]

Doe tags:  $1

Mulligans*: $ 1 each           

*a mulligan is a “do-over,” i.e. an opportunity to take another shot to make up for one that you screwed up. This started out as a golf term the history of which has not been verified.

On the Target Assignment Sheet, select the target number where you would like to begin the shoot and sign your name(s).

Shoot instructions and rules are reviewed at 9 AM and then you’ll walk along the course to the starting target that you selected. Shooting generally gets underway by 9:15 AM.

Compound bow shooters will take their shots from the orange cone, traditional shooters (recurve and long bows) from the blue flag, cubs from the white flag, and pee-wees from the green.

Once your group has shot a target, scores are determined (see below) and arrows are pulled. You’ll then move on to the next target in sequence.

When you finish the course, be sure to turn in your scorecard for 2 reasons: first, we want to be sure that we didn’t lose you somewhere on the course, and second, you may have won a prize (prizes may be offered to the highest scorers in each of the shooting classes).

Finally, if you had a good time, go ahead and tell your friends!

Please explain the difference between working and non-working members

Working members help to set up and take down shoots at least once a year. In return for their services, they receive a discounted membership. Members may select which shoot they want to work at the time of membership renewal. You can find the sign-up form here.

I just like archery. Do I have to be a hunter to join the club?

Nope. (Everybody is welcome!)

How are the 3-D animal targets scored?

Depending upon the shoot, you may shoot either one or two arrows per target (scoring the best shot of the latter).  

Most animal targets have 2 (or 3) scoring rings (circles) etched into them – a larger one with 1 or 2 smaller ones inside of it as shown here:

For targets with 3 rings, scoring would be as follows:

Smallest (inner) ring:             12 points

Middle ring:                           10 points

Larger (outer) ring:                8 points

Anywhere else on the body:   5 points

Miss the target completely:   0 points

Note that we do not usually bother to count the inner (12 point) ring in our shoots, hence the maximum score achievable per target is 10 points. [The inner rings may be used for tie-breaker purposes, on occasion.]

In the example above, scoring would be: the arrow with the yellow/white fletching would be 8 points (within outer scoring ring) and the one with the red/white fletching would be scored as 10 points. 

If you’ve purchased a mulligan, you’ve bought yourself an opportunity to repeat your shot.

Two arrow shoots: For the 28 3-D target shoots, you are permitted to shoot a second arrow, but with reduced scoring for the latter. The scoring would be 10, 8, or 5 on the first arrow and the second arrow would count as 4, 3, or 1 respectively.  For example, your first arrow misses the target animal completely and you decide to shoot a second arrow that hits the 10 ring. This would then be scored as 4 points.

Do you permit the use of broadheads on the range?

Definitely not on the regular 3-D targets. We have a special broadhead target set up so that hunters can finetune their arrows prior to setting out on hunts.

Is hunting permitted on the range land?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Are food and other refreshments available during the scheduled shoots?

Yes.  There is a store and restaurant at the Lake Henshaw Resort.

Note that we do provide water on the course, but it's always a good idea to bring along a canteen filled with your favorite beverage during the warm/hot weather shoots.

Are there bathroom facilities available?

Does a bear....?

Yes, There are restrooms in the campgrounds.

What about possible course hazards?

Aside from the fact that we're all out there to shoot sharp projectiles through the air at high velocities...

Seriously, the two main hazards on the  course are rattlesnakes and poison oak. We do our best to keep the latter under control by spraying, but the snakes are out there (usually hiding) doing their part to keep nature in balance. No reason to panic. There are also some red ant colonies in the area, as well as the usual bees/yellow jackets, mosquitoes, etc. Shooters with  bee sting allergies are encouraged to keep an Epi-pen kit with them (prescribed by your doctor) and some anti-histamine tablets.

In general:

Never reach into brush or under rocks where you cannot see what may be lurking! Use your bow or a nearby stick if necessary to check a spot before using your hands to pull out an arrow.

Although our trails are cleared and are easily navigated with sneakers, sturdy leather hiking boots are recommended if you have to walk through brush. Long pants are not a bad idea, either.

What should one do in the highly unlikely event of getting bit by a rattler?  Again, don't panic, but don't waste dabbling with tourniquets, sucking out venom, etc... The most important thing to have on hand is a set of car keys so that someone can drive you to the local hospital emergency department. The physicians at Palomar Medical Center  are very experienced with rattlesnake bites and antivenin serum is on hand.

We are fortunate to have Alanna Dunaway as a club member. An Olympic level coach, Alanna is an accomplished archer who has won national and world level tournaments. She has also broken several state records in archery.

The following classes are available (all held at Willow Creek Archery, in Escondido; 760-432-0605):

Beginners classes: available for both adults and children, these sessions last for one hour and are held on the first Friday of every month at 6:30 PM. ($12 per person; need to call one week in advance to sign up)

Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) program: this program is designed for kids interested in going beyond the beginners level. They meet on the 2nd and 3rd Friday of every month. ($12 per person; attendees must pass the beginners class first, in order to attend.)

Women's class meets on Mondays at 5:30 PM. In addition, Alanna offers private lessons for interested individuals. She can be reached at 760-484-0002.

My eyes are shot and small web print is getting hard to read. Any suggestions?

If you use a scroll-type mouse, one easy trick is to hold down the control (Ctrl) key and operate the scrolling mechanism on your mouse at the same time. On well-designed sites, you'll be able to adjust the size of the type (font) so that you can read things comfortably.

You can also increase the size of your viewing area within your browser window by enabling the "kiosk" view. Pushing the F11 button on your keyboard eliminates the toolbars, etc. When you need to use those functions again, simply press F11 one more time!  Finally, while we're on the subject, this site looks best if viewed at 1024 x 768 or higher resolution.