# Field Practice for hunting



## Craftsman (Sep 17, 2014)

Any archers here? Have you ever participated in a Field competition? There's a county park (Archery Range) near me in Eastern Pennsylvania, open to the public. There are 14 stations, with 16 targets (three from a tree stand), that you can walk through, and shoot. Loop is about 1/2 mile.

I was thinking .... having a slingshot competition there (the entire archery complex can be reserved for free by a county resident). In the Field range, each area has hay bales as backstops (no broadheads). Use of beanie babies (or other stuffed animal figures) can be used as a 3-D slingshot small game target. Set them up on a small pedestal (coffee can ??? ) in front of the hay bale - shoot from the typical archery distance (20 yards +/-), using marbles as ammo. Knock it over to score.

What is your opinion? Good idea? If it were to happen, and you were close enough, would you participate?

Bear Swamp Archery Complex in Northampton County, PA (Upper Mt. Bethel. Twp.), near Minsi lake.


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## S.S. sLinGeR (Oct 17, 2013)

I would try to attend for sure! I'm only an hour away.


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## Urban Fisher (Aug 13, 2014)

The biggest downside I see on this is that many of us aren't really close to PA. Heck some of the regulars live across the big pond! They have events already that look like tons of fun...consider attending one of them. Also for fun, they have the badges you can earn.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Sounds fun. A little to far distance wise for myself.


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## Craftsman (Sep 17, 2014)

Of course (Not being local to Pennsylvania) ... but the idea I'm getting at, is to look around your home area for similar setups ... maybe find a kindred spirit archer who can be an "in" with their archery orgaization for slingshooters. If need be, host a competition using their facility, give them half of the per person registration fee for use of their site.

Think outside of the box!

SSSlinger, since you are so close, you can plan a day trip some weekend to check it out in person. If you can, let me know when and I'll meet you there. I've used this facility for an International Blowgun competition from 2004 - 6 (International Fukiyado Associaion sanctioned events).


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## ChapmanHands (Oct 14, 2013)

If it was on a weekend i would try to make it! Sounds like fun!


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## Craftsman (Sep 17, 2014)

It would have to be on a weekend, maybe could make it the "Pennsylvania State Tournament", and the one in Alverton would be the NE Regionals - I think someone here said something about Florida? That could be the SE Regionals. Maybe I could get Deme to host the "NJ State Tournament" in conjunction (since he thinks they are still banned in NJ, they could join us over the river) with it.

Urban Fisher, Are you into Knife and Tomahawk throwing ? If you have an interest, I can put you in touch with some folks out your way, and maybe you could win them over to the Slingshot Side!

I think I have some pictures from the 2004, 5, and 6 International Blowgun competitions I hosted at Bear Swamp. I'll post some pics when I find them. Remember, it is a County park, so it is open to the public for use, but now they charge a small fee to reserve it for the day. Well worth it, though. If we pull this off, I can get some local newspaper, and TV media coverage. That's the type of thing that Daisy Outdoors and the other manufacturers are looking for.

I would set it up for static target shooting (I believe it can accomodate 4 abreast) ... Then the Field competition, and finally the Long Distance shoot.

After the "official" shoots, I have some toys that we can use to make it a bit more fun and interesting ) a "skeet" shoot ... knock-down auto reset ... spinners ... stuff like that. We'll have to see. No promises.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

I like how it is done at ECST with the steel silhouette targets. I have thought about doing small stuffed animals for a 3d blowgun even though!


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## Craftsman (Sep 17, 2014)

Check out the gallery posts I have for slingshot targets (2-D and 3-D) for Field competitions, and the gallery posts for the Bear Swamp Archery Complex. If I can get it together, maybe I can have a state level competition there in 2016. (No promises! )

Natural Fork, (off topic), the chief meteorologist from the new New Hapshire (channel 1 ?) - TV station is a friend of mine. Hope he'll be providing you with some accurate weather forecasts. His nickname here was "Accu-Stiver".


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## Sst der Kleine Steinschlag (Dec 5, 2011)

Sure a lot of fun, once i went through a archery trail in south tyrolia with my slingshot and a pocketful of coarse gravel. just imagine all the other shooters having hired ovepriced bows and arrows finding all the tagets knocked over and busted and he guy causing all the noise and devastation carrying no bow just something mysteriously heavy in one of his cargo pockets...


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