Total Archery Challenge

[Pheonixarcher]

For those of you that may not have heard of it, the Total Archery Challenge, previously sponsored by Prime, is a 3D event that travels around the country. It consists of four different 3D courses, centered around western and mountain bowhunting. All of the targets are set up in the woods or challenging terrain and are meant to mimic hunting situations. Some shots, the challenge is to shoot through small holes, steep angles, from uneven footing, compromised positions, or longer than normal practice distances. I will admit that it caters to compound bowhunters, but the hiking and creative shooting required for a traditional archer, will make you a better bowhunter.

Only one course on my "local" leg of the event is 15-40ish yards, the other three are 30-100ish yards. Very challenging with traditional equipment, but fun and doable for sure! There are no set "rules" so to speak, so if you need to shoot from a different position, or closer, and it's safe and ok with your shooting buddies, go for it! You only have to keep score if you choose to do so.

Personally, I don't shoot at game outside of 25-30yards, but if I had an elk or moose standing broadside at 40 yards and everything felt right, I can't say I wouldn't take that shot. So, while most of the distances are unrealistic for Trad bowhunters, the challenge is real, and it gives you a taste of what you might encounter hunting in western or mountainous terrain.

There are also some fun and cool novelty games, like Ariel discs that are Tradbows and fluflus only, and the steel challenge. Here you have steel animal targets, with a small foam kill shot. Hit the foam, or destroy your arrow! Lol. You also have a chance at winning a new truck! You have to place an arrow completely inside an orange sticker on an elk target, without breaking the edge of the quarter($0.25) size sticker at about 120 yards!

But again, it's all about testing your skill as a bowhunter. Good concentration with a high heart rate and fatigue is a must! Challenging both your mental and physical capabilities. It is tough, but a heck of a lot of fun!

Just thought you might like to know. Look them up on the web or FB, and try to attend an event near you. You'll be hard pressed to find a more challenging and rewarding, bowhunter oriented 3D event.

[McDave]

Sounds like fun.  Wish they had one a little closer to Sacramento!

[shamus275]

I'll be attending the Boyne TAC this year.

[Trenton G.]

I'll be there. It's been a lot of fun the past few years! Kind of a long drive though

[shamus275]

My drive is only about 59-minutes longer than yours Trenton!

[JR Williams]

I’m attending the Tennessee TAC in 2 weeks, looking forward to it! I put together 2 dozen cheap arrows just for this as I wanna try and hit some of those long shots.

Any other Tradgangers going to that one?

[old_goat2]

I was all set to go to the one in South Dakota, but then I figured out there Colorado Traditional Archer's High Country shoot and so I decided to attend it instead. Maybe next year, not sure!

[Bisch]

They have one about 2hrs from me. I just don’t see any sense in going to a shoot that I know is set up from 30-100yds. At nearly $15/arrow, I just can’t see going to a shoot where I know I will lose or break a bunch of expensive arrows, and be frustrated as heck because I can’t shoot well on top of that!

Y’all have fun!

Bisch


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[McDave]

They have one about 2hrs from me. I just don’t see any sense in going to a shoot that I know is set up from 30-100yds. At nearly $15/arrow, I just can’t see going to a shoot where I know I will lose or break a bunch of expensive arrows, and be frustrated as heck because I can’t shoot well on top of that!

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I didn’t give it very much thought, since it is a long way from where I live, and so I probably wouldn’t be able to go anyway, but your post reflects some of the same misgivings I had when I read about it.

It seems to be set up for compounders.  I attend many mixed tournaments of compounders and trad shooters in Northern California, and they virtually all have separate stakes for compounders and trad shooters.  If they don’t, we make our own rules and don’t turn in our cards.  I enjoy occasionally shooting arrows at distances from 50-100 yards, but I don’t have any real expectation of scoring, aside from the occasional lucky hits.  If I’m going to enter a tournament where I’m going to submit my scores, as a trad shooter I want to be shooting at targets that are 50 yards or less.

[Trenton G.]

I shot the entire thing last year with the same arrow. I missed a lot but the ground was pretty soft. I guess if the terrain is more rocky that would be an issue. Also by the time my arrow got there on some targets it was coming down so steeply that it stuck and never skipped. The compound shooters lost several though. I guess it's not really great practice for hunting. I just do it because I love trying to make long shots and watch my arrow fly. I obviously wouldn't be shooting those distances when hunting but it's fun on the course.

[bama]

I have never killed an elk at less than 100 yards.

[JR Williams]

It's not a competition and you are encouraged to shoot the animals from where you want to. No need to air it out at 100 yards unless you want to. You can shoot from whatever distance you like.

[bama]

Should add that I have never killed an elk at any yardage.

[Roy from Pa]

 

[CDK]

Yup...I have shot at Big Sky Mt. the past couple of years and have had a blast. Love riding up the lift then working your way back down the mountain shooting the course. Many up and downhill shots. I shoot from realistic distances for me and my bow not where the stakes are. Heap big fun 

[Pheonixarcher]

I forgot to mention all the cool targets they have! They have just about every kind of North American big game target available including whitetails and muleys in all sorts of positions, life size elk, caribou, moose, mountain lions, wolves, black and brown bears, javies, large hogs, turkeys, mountain goats and sheep, aligators, and probably a few more I can't think of right now. They've also got a few species from other continents. If I remember correctly, last year they had some African plains species and a life size lion, and other big cats like leopard or jaguar. They also have a kids course that is all close easy shots at fun targets like dinosaurs and alien creatures. Fun for the whole family!

[twitchstick]

My wife has been meeting with them trying to bring their event to our local ski resort this fall. Looks like a fun event.