The Alberni Bowmen will take over McLean Mill Historic Park on Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23 for a 3D Archery shoot. The event brings archers from all over the Island, Lower Mainland and as far away as Alberta.
The Alberni Bowmen have been holding a 3D shoot every year since the early 1980s but last year was the first year they took the shoot to McLean Mill for a one-day event. With more than 175 archers registered, it was one of the largest shoots on the Island and the largest shoot the club has put on.
Now the club has upped the ante with a two-day shoot, happening on Saturday and Sunday.
The course is actually two 20 target courses set up in the woods and grounds around the mill, a club spokesperson explained. Each shot is at a 3D full sized target of animals from deer to buffalo to dinosaurs. There’s even a target made of steel with a very small soft spot designed to reward shooters who take the risk of destroying their arrows to get extra points.
“We expect that it’s likely to attract upwards of 200 archers this year, and we will be better equipped to get them on the course and around in good time,” said club president Dave Chamberlain.
The new course of two 20 target courses increases the number of shots from last year’s 25 targets to 40 total targets this year.
One of the great aspects of the shoot is also the exposure that the mill gets from people that come in from all over to do the shoot, the club spokesperson said.
“One shooter last year remarked that there was so much interesting stuff to see while walking from target to target. Most of the time the shooters are just out in the bush, and while usually beautiful, it can be quite boring. Not so at the mill.”
There will be a safe area set up for the public to watch.