Conservation District debuts new Arrows for Education fundraiser
KERSEY – The Elk County Conservation District held its inaugural Arrows for Education 3D archery shoot fundraiser on Sunday at the Fox Township Sportsmen’s Club in Kersey, with proceeds from the event benefiting the county’s annual Envirothon competition.
The event was held from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and roughly two hours in, both District Manager Kate Wehler and Resource Conservation Technician Victoria Challingsworth indicated that the turnout had been good so far, with a steady stream of shooters making their way to the facility to try their hands at the course.
“We’ve had about 20 shooters so far,” Challingsworth said.
Arrows for Education replaced the Conservation District’s Clays for Conservation shoot this year after Clays for Conservation was unable to be held due to ammunition availability.
Both Wehler and Challingsworth noted that Arrows for Education provided more of a relaxed environment where participants could come and go as they pleased and make their way along the course at their own pace.
“At the clay shoot, it’s one of those things where everybody is there all at once and you feel bad because people are kind of sitting around. This has been so much nicer than that. People can filter in. They can walk the course at their own pace. At the clay shoot, you’re really relying on how fast the person in front of you shoots,” Wehler said.
Wehler estimated that the course took most participants roughly one hour to complete.
“The first gentleman that got done did it in about an hour this morning. He said he was taking his time, but I suppose if you wanted to do it faster, you could do it faster. He was by himself. If you’re with a group, I would add a little bit of time because you have to wait for each person to go,” Wehler said.
According to Challingsworth, the course was roughly one mile in length with 3D targets set up throughout.
A variety of animals were featured for the course’s 3D targets. Some, such as bear, deer, and turkeys, gave participants the chance to shoot at targets representing wildlife they could actually harvest in Pennsylvania. Others, such as a velociraptor target, provided a more unique experience.
“There’s also a goblin in a tree. That’s kind of cool,” Challingsworth noted.
Participants were able to use range finders and binoculars along the course.
Challingsworth likened the experience to playing a round of golf. When participants registered, they indicated whether they planned to shoot from white stakes, which were the easiest; orange stakes, which were average; or blue stakes, which were challenging. They had to somehow be touching the stake when they took their shot at each target.
Each 3D target had a circle with rings on it, and depending on where it was struck by a participant’s arrow determined how many points they were awarded. The closer they got to the target spot, the more points the shot was worth. However, points were awarded just for hitting the target at all.
“Hitting the body anywhere is five points,” Wehler said. “This tiny circle is a 10x, that’s a 10, that’s an eight, and then anything past the eight is worth five points.”
Wehler also explained that the angle of each target also presented additional challenges for participants.
“Some of them that are in the woods, there might be a deer walking (at an angle), and you have to touch the stake,” Wehler said. “If I sign up and I’m going to shoot white stakes, some part of your body has to touch this. If you’re in the woods and there’s a tree, you have to kind of maneuver yourself to get the best shot that you can get, and sometimes that’s hard.”
There was also a 50/50 target that required participants to take their shot without being able to use a rangefinder or binoculars. If they hit the designated target spot, they were entered into the 50/50 drawing.
“A couple people hit it,” Wehler said. “There was a gentleman with a recurve this morning that hit it, which is impressive.”
There was also a mystery target 50/50 that participants could pay extra to have a chance at as well.
“When you sign up, it’s an extra $2 for your registration, but then (Resource Conservation Technician Ryan Grimm) has like a bingo calling kit with all the balls. We’re going to pick a ball out, pick a random number, say it’s number seven. Anybody that got an eight or above on target seven will go for the 50/50 for that,” Wehler said. “That’s kind of a fun thing because it’s random and we don’t know what that target is going to be yet. People have been into that. I think there have only been one or two people that didn’t sign up to do that. Even if you don’t win a class, there’s a chance you could win the mystery target 50/50.”
Prizes were also being awarded for the top scores for shooters at each of the different colored stakes.
All of the targets were provided by the Fox Township Sportsmen’s Club, and Wehler and Challingsworth expressed gratitude on behalf of the entire Elk County Conservation District staff to the club for all of their help with the event.
“They set the course up, and then they got brand new targets. They shoot league here on Wednesday nights. There are 10 targets on the course that even the guys that shoot league have never seen before,” Wehler said.
Wehler added that the club not only moved and set up new targets for the shoot, but they also provided Conservation District staff with a tour of the course on Friday and allowed them to use the facility at no cost for the event.
What event will be held next year remains to be seen.
“It’s hard, because if shells go down do we go back to doing the clay shoot? Do we do both? It’s been fun. People seem excited about it,” Wehler said.
The Elk County Conservation District has another fundraiser coming up next week with the 3rd Annual Conservation Cup, which is being held at Bavarian Hills Golf Course in St. Marys on July 30 with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. All proceeds from the golf tournament benefit the Elk County Conservation District Scholarship and environmental education.