Second Place Ain't So Bad....
This past weekend was an absolute blast at the TN Classic at Twin Oaks. I decided to vacation this time--didn't take a string board or even one spool of string material--and had a ball!
Shot more novelties than I have in years, shot longbow and selfbow and entered the wingshooting contest. Well, I wasn't dissapointed with my shooting, but it wasn't quite good enough. Luck kinda bit me in the butt along the way--good and bad.
Friday I shot selfbow. Wasn't having an outstanding round, but pretty good. I'd stopped at a friend's house Thursday and found some arrows that flew great--problem is, we didn't have time to seal them. Taper, glue on points and nocks, fletch, good to go--just keep them dry--no problem. On the tail-end of my selfbow round, the bottom fell out. My darts turned into wet noodles! Oh well......good enough for second place.
Shot my longbow round Saturday. First 20 targets, I was ready to quit--it was just one of those days where I was shooting like my eyes were closed. Shook it off, shot the second 20 targets--PERFECT ROUND! (my first, even just for half a round) Got the two bonus shots, but blew the optional steel fox by 1/4". Still, it was good enough for second place.
Moved on to the wingshooting competition--cardboard discs launched by throwing machines. Got 10 out of 16 on Sat, had a blast. Sunday, I was informed someone had gotten 13, so here I go again. The best I could do was 12 (twice), but couldn't break past it. Good enough for second place. To top it off, the guy that beat me did it with his Chek-Mate! Arrgghhh!!!!!
Shot in the tough man--winner take all. 12's counted (tournament scoring was 5, 1, X) for a possible score of 60. I had it with a 48 all day Sat. Sunday, a young fellow scored an incredible 52 (5 tough shots). Try as I might, I couldn't get all 5 shots to happen for me in the same round--best I could do was 49 (third place, but no prize--one fellow shot a 50).
On to the novelties--the Turkey shoot (suspended clay pigeons), the walking deer (it was rigged to move behind bushes, had to get three shots off in a short distance), and the bobbing bear (the kill bobbed behind a 55 gallon steel drum). 2 tickets for a 10 ring, one ticket for an 8 ring. I spend $5 on each (3 arrows for $1), put 14 tickets in the box on the deer and 20 on the bear. Time came to draw for the prizes, I got third place on the deer, and (you guessed it) second place on the bear. Nice prizes too--got a rechargeable compressor/spotlight, a camp chair, and a portable grill. Put umpteen tickets in the box on the turkey shoot, but you can't win them all.
Came home with some prizes, two red cedar plaques in the shape of the state of TN with a primitive arrow and trade point on the plaque (longbow and selfbow), and a beautifully painted turkey feather in a matted frame. On the feather there's a pheasant with a flu-flu bearing down on him--that was the trophy for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the wing shooting competition.
All in all, the most fun I've had at a tournament in years! The prizes were nice, but it was the people that made it--that shoot is the best. If you can ever make it, it's worth your vacation time. If you go once, you will be back!
Chad