Just as I would do when I worked for a University and gave various Extension presentations to different groups, - you have to look at your audience.
Back in '62, my coach's wife used to do demonstrations at hunting and fishing shows, and on local TV. She shot ping pong balls and into the hole of 45 rpm records, and that was interesting, but did not actually attract new shooters, except me as my Dad worked as a Television Director at the TV station. One of the two Clubs I belonged to in Oklahoma City set up a booth at a state wild life show and it drew a lot of attention. I think it did better than demonstrations because it brought dialog to people who may be thinking about shooting. We did have a few indoor targets set up, people were invited to shoot our bows with supervision.
Inviting hunters to the Club meetings and events helped too. After the service in 1970 I started shooting at a local 2-D event. They used the same animal targets we shot as the last round in field tournaments. I met them through a friend who I had actually helped to get started shooting six years before (1964). We shot in a ravine area right across the street from the field range. Most those guys were more interested in hunting than in supporting the field archery range, so we had hunting camps with the same shooters in the fall. Introduction through friends is powerful.
Same with 3-D today. It attracts an audience of hunters who would enjoy shooting the 3-D events a few times per year. That's the audience. There is also a big wave of us old hardliner's who have come back to trad archery like me, who are full of old dog stories. But that's an audience that I think is still untapped because I meet people all the time who say they used to shoot a bow. With any audience, you have to work it. Just like the knife salesmen at the fairs.
Four events a year as mentioned for your state is good. Also don't worry about a trad supporting archery shop disappearing. It's the nature of all small specialized shops that they do not last forever. If we promote our sport through our friends and family (granddudes and grandgirls, etc), get out in public, invite folks to 3-D events, and set up a fall hunting camp with friends, traditional archery will be stronger than ever, even when they plant me on the 44. I guarantee it.
Topic: Restarting trad archery (Read 626 times)
