New Traditional Archery Club ????

[STOBBER]

I'm thinkin' of starting a new Trad. archery club in my area. I have no idea where to start .
Any suggestions from some experienced club members would really help.
Tim Mooring

[Tom Krein]

I am also interested in this.  Sorry I can't help Strobber!

Tom

[paleFace]

PM sent...

[JEFF B]

ok tim ya need to get some land then sort out some targets and get someone to help ya set it out and then make it knowen that there is a new club in town. that ought to do it. lots of work my freind i now i helped set out my club about  a million years ago. and man has it growen.  

[STOBBER]

I'm pretty sure the land wont be a problem, i gotta farmer near here that's always very co-operative to campouts for the youth and such.
I know the McKenzie targets can be a little pricey.
How many is a good number to start out with and how far apart should they be placed ?
Should we charge a membership fee buy targets or have some sort of raffle.?
The farm has swampbottoms, brambles , open hardwood, open fields , pasture and a nice little creek.
Hence the name Nahunta Creek Archers.
Thinking about a agreement with the landowner to keep his paths and field edges bush hogged and help with mending cattle fences. Only thing is that i'd have to use his equipment.
Just thoughts..............

[JEFF B]

28 targets should do it bro say set the first one at 25 yards then walk to ya left about 30 yards and put another one out and so on untill ya have all 28 out if ya  zig zag them about 20 or 30 yards apart no one will  get shot ya have to think about safty all the time. at my club we change the corse every month. we sit down and draw out a plan and then go and walk the corse putting pegs in as we go. this works a treat. good luck bro  

[paleFace]

most archery clubs will give out keys to members so they can shoot/practice any time. make sure you run all this by the farmer right up front. you don't won't to get the club rolling then find out you don't have any land.

you can spend $5000 - $10,000. on 3d targets real quick. if you only have 10 members to start out just the targets are going to cost between $500 and $1000 per member. i don't think that will wash to well. on the other hand holding some fund raiser to secure the money would be a much better idea. if you have folks that will donate items for raffles and maybe even hold a banquet with an auction. it will still probably take some time to get it rolling.

as i mentioned in my PM you will have the insurance issue, especially if you are leasing or using land that belongs to someone else. once accident and the farmer could loose it all. waivers are helpful but don't cover it all.

[42WLA]

Tim,

Count me in. I can't give you much advice we are having enough problems getting the base club started. But, I am willing to help.

[42WLA]

From my research you want 20 targets. That is average in this area.

Here are the standards for setting up a safe course.  
    http://www.floridaarchery.org/davisonRangeGL.pdf    
    http://www.archerysearch.com/publications/amorangelayout.pdf    

If you want insurance coverage it should be designed to the AMO or NFAA standards.

I've got some good ideas for building backstops and just shooting paper animals targets till we raise enough money for foam.

I've got some other info that would good to read.
  http://regimentalrogue.tripod.com/products/3dcourse.htm  
 http://www.thearcher.com/resourceCentre/itemDetails.cfm?itemId=35
 http://www.rangeinfo.org/resource_library/NSRS/07TechnicalTrack/Org3-DShoots.pdf

[STOBBER]

Hey Dave
Thanks Buddy, maybe we can combine our efforts.
All this is new to me but i'm willing to give it a try.
Thanks for the info !

[Woodduck]

what county?

[ChuckC]

You don't have to jump right into 3d targets,  or at least multiple targets.  There are a bunch of other things that can be used as targets and can be more fun in a stump shooting format.  

I found heavy foam balls, maybe 3" diameter, on sale at a major store.  Punched a hole thru them and hung them from tree branches about a foot off the ground.  They make great targets for blunts and you make the shot as easy or tough as you wish  by simply stepping to the side or backwards a bit.  

As your club builds, you may have more money available to spend.  But you may find that you don't WANT 3d's and that the target ranges you come up with are more fun.

The point of the club is not so much a fancy range as it is the club itself.  A gathering of like souls.  The making of new friends.
ChuckC

[TimZeigler]

Stobber, PM sent with some target info.  Tim

[recurvericky]

Does anyone have suggestions on sources of Liability insurance for a range?

[42WLA]

http://www.outdoorsinsurance.com/pbs-program.aspx

 http://www.carpenterinsurance.com/clubins.htm

 http://www.sadlersports.com/nfaa/

[adkarcher]

I started a club a couple of years ago, affilaited with a local R & G club.  The first year, they left their 3D targets out all summer.  This past summer, they did not.  So, we found some foam sheets, 4" thick, about 4x8'.  We cut those in half and made some bases out of old 2x6's.  All members then chipped in 20 bucks (we only have about 8 guys) and we bought some ethofoam animal targets.  Screwed those in and we were off with 20 targets.  The club bought the foam for us ($200) and the members spent $200 on the ethofoam targets.  Even if we had to buy the foam ourselves, there would have been about a $50 investment.  Over the winter, we shoot at our local Gander Mountain.

[Shakes.602]

All of the Above, if You CAN, BUY the LAND, Fund Raisers or However. My Club Folded because we had the Land Sold Out from Under Us.
 Get a Good Lawyer on Retainer and Liability Insurance PLUS Waivers for them to Sign Before the SHOOTS.
 If its Anything like any of the Organizations I have ever belonged to, You will have a Group of 5 to 10 maybe that will Bust Their Butts for Your Club that You can ALWAYS Count on, and the Rest Do what they can. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!
  If I werent Such a Gimp, I would Love to be Doing what You are!!

[recurvericky]

Thanks for the info. I will be contacting them soon. 42WLA, I just move from Eastern NC to Kansas and left about 10,000 acres of prime huntng land behind compared to none in Kansas where I moved to. Sure am missing hunting in NC.

[42WLA]

I just found out that the NCBA has liability insurance for chapters ($100 a year). You just need ten NCBA members in the club to apply.

 http://www.ncbowhunter.com/NCBow-chapter.htm