Iowans read this post!

[Iowabowhunter]

Good afternoon all.

Looking to reach out to my fellow Hawkeye state bowhunters.

I'm interested in starting a bowhunters club here in Iowa, with a focus on growing the ITBS.

I'm reaching out to a buddy who helped get a new club off the ground when I lived in Montana for some ideas on recruiting and obtaining funds, starting up a non-profit etc.

I'd ideally like to have a "home range" with targets, I've got some good ideas there but first need members!

Feel free to PM me, and I can share my email/phone if that's easier.

Mods- I apologize if this isn't the best place for this post!

[soap creek]

I'm a IBA and ITBS member. Let me know if I can be of some help. Attendance has been down at the ITBS shoots the last few years. Like to see that change for sure. Greg

[Iowabowhunter]

I'm a IBA and ITBS member. Let me know if I can be of some help. Attendance has been down at the ITBS shoots the last few years. Like to see that change for sure. Greg

Thanks for reaching out Greg!

I will send you a message

[BAK]

Well Greg, ITBS insists on holding the shoot at Eldora, which whenever I was there was a swamp, then they allowed everyone to bring their dogs which allowed me the pleasure of scraping dog crap off my shoes before I could go back to camp.  I haven't gone for 2 years because of it. 

[rkelly]

I used to go every year when it was at Ames.
I live on the west side of the state and at 80 years old don't care to drive over to Eldora.

[Zwickey-Fever]

I moved here several years ago and when I did, I really beat the bushes looking for other trad shooters in the area. I came up empty. I was lucky enough to have met one individual off here at the Whitetail Classic a few years back. Trad shooters here are to far and few in between. I'm not against starting a ITBS but to be honest with you, Its hard for me to jump in my truck and drive 2.5 hours to a place like Eldora, Iowa and shoot with a few trad shooters when I can walk out back to my own shooting range. I'm not trying to discourage anyone in anyway, just stating my view on the subject.

[Iowabowhunter]

I moved here several years ago and when I did, I really beat the bushes looking for other trad shooters in the area. I came up empty. I was lucky enough to have met one individual off here at the Whitetail Classic a few years back. Trad shooters here are to far and few in between. I'm not against starting a ITBS but to be honest with you, Its hard for me to jump in my truck and drive 2.5 hours to a place like Eldora, Iowa and shoot with a few trad shooters when I can walk out back to my own shooting range. I'm not trying to discourage anyone in anyway, just stating my view on the subject.

I can certainly appreciate that. I have some ideas for a more centralized annual shoot, recruiting efforts and an upgrade to the site. May look at just starting a local bow club, and try to drive attendance to the ITBS from there.

[SlowTurtle]

So, looking to do maybe like Mid-Iowa Archers. Once you join them you automatically become a member of Iowa Bowhunters Association. That what you are thinking? Mid-Iowa holds their shoots at Issac Walton in Indianola.

Start a group and then tie it into ITBS? Are you a member of ITBS? Are they open to doing something like that?

[Iowabowhunter]

So, looking to do maybe like Mid-Iowa Archers. Once you join them you automatically become a member of Iowa Bowhunters Association. That what you are thinking? Mid-Iowa holds their shoots at Issac Walton in Indianola.

Start a group and then tie it into ITBS? Are you a member of ITBS? Are they open to doing something like that?

I was thinking something like that, hadn't heard of Mid-Iowa Archers before but yes, something similar.

I am already a part of the Iowa Bowhunters Assn, funds sent to re-join ITBS (I stopped when living in Montana).

I honestly have no clue if ITBS would be amenable to that or not, I would think they would try to grow and reach as many new potential members as possible?

[Lefty]

Haven't been to the ITBS shoot since they moved.  My daughter and I attended every year for a lot of years and it was always a fun shoot.  We also used to shoot good trad shoots in Ottumwa and Fairfield, but not sure they even have trad events anymore.  With work and family commitments, it is difficult to travel clear across the state for a meeting, but depending on the mission and location, I may be interested in joining. 

[Iowabowhunter]

Haven't been to the ITBS shoot since they moved.  My daughter and I attended every year for a lot of years and it was always a fun shoot.  We also used to shoot good trad shoots in Ottumwa and Fairfield, but not sure they even have trad events anymore.  With work and family commitments, it is difficult to travel clear across the state for a meeting, but depending on the mission and location, I may be interested in joining.

I'm having a tough time getting in touch with anyone affiliated with ITBS, going to keep hammering away so we'll see.

[flntknp17]

Late to the party on this thread.....but I would definitely be interested in something like you are proposing.  I live in central Iowa and was a religious attender of the ITBS shoot for many years when it was in Ames.  We had a very strong and significant number of trad shooters that shot weekly leagues in Des Moines from the mid 90s to the early 2000s.....but not sure what is going on now.  I don't get to hunt anymore, but I still shoot at my backyard range nearly every day when its not uncomfortably cold. 

I will send a PM

Matt

[Iowabowhunter]

Hey everyone,

If you could please send me a pm, I will reply with my email. It's tough to manage names/contact info from here so I'm looking to create a list via Gmail that's easier to manage.

I have reached out to the ITBS on multiple occasions with no luck/response back. I am a member if the IBA, however if I can't even get in touch with someone at the ITBS I'm not sure they would even be qualified to accept my $.

[BAK]

Have you tried their website?

https://iowatbs.com/

[Zwickey-Fever]

I tried several times without response. I even spoke with them, Iowa Traditional Bow Shooters booth at the Iowa Deer Classic last weekend, which seemed like they had very little if any interest in new members. All they said was they had a shoot coming up. I asked how often they had shoots, a question that went unanswered. Oh well. Hard to drive two hours to a shoot when I have a range out back.
  I believe I stated it before on this post, I literally beat the bushes looking for other trad shooters and came up empty. I even set up two appointments several years ago at a trad shop up in Des Moines. They guy was a no show both times. The trad shooters are way to far and in between here in south central. I'm not trying to discourage anyone here but just sharing my experiences since moving here. Great thought though.

[JohnV]

There are more trad shooters in Iowa than many of you think. Just go to the IBA fall shoot and you will see. We have a lot of trad shooters at Waltonian Archers in the north Cedar Rapids area. Wapello Chiefs archery club near Ottumwa used to put on a good trad shoot each summer.

[Zwickey-Fever]

There are more trad shooters in Iowa than many of you think. Just go to the IBA fall shoot and you will see. We have a lot of trad shooters at Waltonian Archers in the north Cedar Rapids area. Wapello Chiefs archery club near Ottumwa used to put on a good trad shoot each summer.

Yeah, I am sure there is. I just haven't ran into them here in Monroe county. Its also very hard to find a trad friendly archery shop as well. I do all of my work on my bows and arrows myself and order what I need online. I met only one guy who shot trad here in Monroe county, but he was a non-resident from Ohio that needed some help getting unstuck. LOL.

[soap creek]

Jacob sent you a PM. Hey guys It would be great if we could get something going. With the way things are currently it may not happen for a while but hopefully this will pass sooner than latter. I live in Wapello Co. near the archery club. I have a course set up at home and also have access to the club grounds (1 mile away). If ever in my neighborhood give me a holler. Not hard to talk me out of working to take time to shoot with someone.

[mikitaz]

I too live only a mile from the Ottumwa Chiefs. Recently reborn to tradgang after taking an unplanned hiatus.  I have a co-worker that would join me in any shoot within reasonable distance who shoots traditional.  Anything I can do to help with this let me know and/or anyone who has connections to the Ottumwa club.