It was a chilly winter morning on February 11 in Quebec City when archers from the area gathered for the North Carolina Bowhunters Association District Nine membership drive.
The NC Bowhunters Association (NCBA) has been the leader in supporting bowhunting in the state for 48 years.
Although NCBA supports local clubs and archers, it is not an association for tournaments or archery competitions. NCBA is a fraternal bowhunting membership whose mission is to ensure bowhunting for future generations by preserving and promoting its heritage, tradition, history and values.
Crooked Stick Farms was the location for this year’s members’ promotion and the 25-acre farm had a surprisingly flat topography compared to most of the surrounding mountainous areas. The area the archers were shooting at was a realistic hunting scenario with 3D foam animal targets at various distances.
The course consisted of 20 shots and each target was scored using rings found on the 3-D animal’s guts. A missed target counts zero points and a shot outside the rings counts five points. Landing inside the rings is worth eight points, with 10 and 12 points possible as the rings get smaller.
Each archer’s registration fee is paid for a one-year membership with the NCBA. Membership dues make up a large portion of the NCBA’s annual budget to help the organization achieve its many programs and goals.
Members enjoy benefits such as a club-only campground near North Carolina’s largest public archery-only play areas in Butner, quarterly magazines, an annual crop prize contest and banquet, and member representation on statutes and wildlife conservation projects.
Transylvania County is in the ninth district of the NCBA, and the organization has been active in getting local bowhunters’ voices heard in the newly released Nantahala/Pisgah Forest Plan and raising funds for the Courthouse Wildlife Field. NCBA is also a partner in WNC Wildlife Day, held annually at Headwaters Outfitters.
To learn more about NCBA, visit www.NCBowhunter.com or find them on Facebook.
Thirty archers participated in the District Nine member shooting. Twenty were new members and the turnout also produced several family members. The beauty of this sport is that it can involve the whole family. The youngest participant in this year’s shoot was 5 years old.
While the day was cool and gray the rain held up and the future of bowhunting looks bright.
Results of the 2023 NCBA District 9 Membership Drive
Bogenjäger Division:
1. Jacob Cauble, 208 points
2. Jason Serres, 202 points
3. Stetson Cauble, 200 points
Traditional split:
1. Eric Johnson, 158 points
2. JT Linville, 133 points
3. Tim Fisher, 107 points
youth department:
1. Bradley Queen, 214 points
2. Mason’s Bell, 208 points
3. Aiden Perry, 182 points
Cub Division:
1. Zeb Owen, 86 points
2. Aria Serres, 30 points
3. Jackie Sotomayer, 10 points
Pee-Wee Division:
1. Judah Owen, 66 points
2. Waylon Franzen, 10 points
3. Sonny Serres, 5 points
The sport of 3D archery is enjoyed by several Transylvanian archers. The best in this sport is Levi Morgan from Transylvania County, a professional archer and 15-time world champion. Several other local archers have either had success or are pursuing their dreams in 3-D archery. It’s a great way to spend time outdoors.
Although the NCBA is not a competitive federation, the value of a good 3-D archery game is building the skills needed to make someone a good archer and archery hunter.
Another NCBA chapter, Blue Ridge Bowhunters in Leicester, hosts several shootouts each year and welcomes new archers and non-club members archers.
The WNC Archery Circuit is another option to find a shoot within an hour’s drive of Transylvania County most weekends.
Don’t let the competitive factor intimidate you; It’s about having fun and being the best you can be.
Shoot a fun round or match your level to the class you’re shooting in, offering everyone the opportunity to have fun.
