I keep seeing these references to the HC as being designed as an " entry level" class, some sort of halfway house between staying home and shooting the " real classes" . If that was the original intention for the class, then it should probably have been labeled a " Beginner Class" or somesuch. I think the great popularity of the class is largely due to many others who, like myself, enjoy coming out and competing with our HUNTING gear. For a few guys, some of whom were heard from above, hunting gear also means three-foot stabilizers and scopes and 1 3/4" vanes, but for the vast majority of us, hunting gear means pins and short stabilizers and 4" fletching, because we' ve found those to be more practical in the field, and we limit our shots to what WE consider hunting ranges. I competed years ago in IBO, but dropped out because the only way to get serious was to buy a whole different rig, and to shoot at ranges that bore no resemblance to hunting ranges, in MY opinion. Besides the expense, I just didn' t WANT to have to shoot two completely dissimilar rigs and have to always be adapting to the target bow for half the summer, then adapting to the hunting rig for a few weeks before season. Better to shoot one type bow and sights all year, and just change points and go hunting. So, equipment restrictions were what it was all about to me, and to many others, when this class was started. Not experience, as I' ve shot for 40+ years. Not seriousness, as I' d enjoy the class just as much if it was the only one and I had to try to beat Christenberry. Put the best shooters in the class that want to shoot it, and let the best man win! Only a very few are competing with any real expectation of actually winning the class anyway; most of us who shoot do enjoy seeing how we stack up against some top shooters, shooting the same gear at the same range. Where' s the fun in seeing how we stack up against a bunch of beginners and guys who would be shooting some other class if they were any good? Seems like in a BOWHUNTING organization, there should be a place for guys to shoot BOWHUNTING gear, at BOWHUNTING distances, against each other without it being referred to as the " Bunny slope" . Right now we have that place, and it' s VERY popular. Mess with it to try to " fix" it so the " good shooters" will stay away, and you' ll end up fixing it so the great numbers of shooters you' ve pulled in with the class will get tired of being insulted and will go back to their local shooting and away from the IBO. I know I' m not likely to ever collect any of the pot after a major shoot, but if I ever do get lucky and win or place well, I' d want to claim a prize that had some good shooters competing for it, not some " booby prize" that should read " Best of the Not Very Good" on it. I see we' re paying the full entry price now, so we should have the same pot split. If you want to try a " Beginners Only" class, or one for " Guys That Don' t Shoot Very Well" , by all means have at it, but that' s not what you' ve created in the HC. By original intent or not, what you have created is going over very well, and doesn' t need tampered with. For many of us, moving to a 45-yard class with what we consider non-hunting equipment is not " moving up" !

I should add that even though the above might seem like an angry type post, I' m really very happy with what the IBO has done in creating the HC, just would like to see it get the respect it deserves and not be " fixed" or " dumbed down" .

I also like the IBO' s position on supporting hunting and appreciate the money raised for defending bowhunting through the Bowhunter Defense courses. I think the organization is mostly on track and doing very well, just adding my $.02 worth to the conversation.