Scoutmaster Commentary

We built an awesome Archery Range and had our first Camp Schmitt Tournament. To get to the range you take the road from the Pavilion down the hill toward the dam. The mountain on the right is the one that slops below the venture cabin. There was a nice little ravine there with water run off from the hill sides. We cleared an area about 50 yards below the Venture cabin on both sides of the ravine; and using the already dead fallen logs we built a bridge crossing the small creek and set up a 10 and 20 yd range, shooting across the ravine. We moved a large fallen tree into position so all the boys could sit down when not shooting.

All the boys got to practice with all the different bows on Saturday and on Sunday we had a tournament. Jershon was such an expert we had to handicapped him for the tournament. All boys and adults got 6 arrows, Jershon got only 4. We all ( 20 shooters) shot 3 rounds. Of the Scouts Jimmy got first place with 122 pts, Nick was second with 101. I think Jershon still got something like 96! Of the adults I came in first with 136, just beating out David Naden's 135 with 3 bulls eye's on my last set. On Sat I got one shot with the 65 lb bow from about 40 yards. I got a 9 missing the bulls eye only by about 1/2 inch. I shot at a target nailed to a tree and had the arrow not imbedded itself in the tree it would have gone right through. I didn't have the strength to pull the bow back for a second shot.

Thanks to all you parents for donating funds to help the boys build and stock this range. It is really something special. I hope you have a chance to get up there and use it

Dave Lanar.....Scoutmaster.....Troop33....Takoma Park, MD.

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