Desert Challenge Wrap-up
- The Backcountry Boss Crew
- May 20, 2016
- 5 min read
SHELLIE MCCARTHY
The 2nd Annual Desert Challenge was exactly that……a Challenging 60 target 3D Archery Shoot in the Desert! When most folks think of shooting targets in the desert they might think of flat ground stretching for miles full of sage brush rocks and cheatgrass…..right?
This shoot is located at the gateway of Idaho’s Owhyee Mountains and this beautiful high desert country is far from flat. The sunrise Saturday morning over the course was amazingly beautiful and it was very difficult to capture its beauty on film. However, you can’t be fooled by its beauty as it also presents crazy weather patterns and a variety of snakes and critters that will keep you on your toes.
The collaboration of talent that went in to putting on this shoot was second to none in my opinion. The artistic talent of Donnie Drake (Elk 101), the competitive strategies of Dany Aden (Owner Archery Central), and the incredible vision and hunting expertise of Ross Sevy & the Switchback Outdoor team, together made for a great and fun shoot.
The three courses of 20 targets were all a bit unique. You couldn’t help but grab your camera phone to capture a photo of your buddy’s epic shot off a cliff or huge rock. The targets were solid and in great shape. Also like to give a shout out to the CamoFire crew and MtnOps for the great products supplied on the course. The Switchback course had some great shooting scenarios both long and short with a variety of shooting platforms. The Archery Central course had a “Redding feel” with orange dots on each target coupled with a desert twist to create a fun experience. The Delta McKenzie course was stretched with great angled shots that forced you to keep your form in check.
I would recommend coming into this shoot prepared to know your cut angles and yardages ranging from 3 to 70 yards. Overall it was so much fun. I found that it was critical to come to this shoot prepared to perform physically and mentally. It helped to take one target at a time and mentally focus on all of my “checks” before each shot. Stance, grip, shot execution and follow through are all critical when shooting in desert elements. Wind, rain, rocky footing, and steep uphill and downhill angles all combine to compromise your shooting form. The wind especially became a challenge on the second day reminding me to follow through each shot and don’t be afraid to “let down” and re-group.
In reality these great shooting experiences and scenarios with repetition of clean execution helps me to perform in the field when it really counts. So a BIG shout out to the great team of talented individuals who made the 2016 Desert Challenge a BIG success in my books! So proud to be part of such a great crew of people who make these events a blast…..
THANKS BOSS CREW! -Shellie
ELI ROONEY
The Desert Challenge was a tough and weather dependent shoot on Sunday. Without having the forgiveness of nice weather such as those from Saturday, it was an extreme obstacle to work with the unrelenting weather conditions.
The varying uphill and downhill shots made for long distances across different wind channels making it extremely difficult to gauge how the arrows would react. Not only that, but it was difficult to hold on target to begin with.
It could have been any shoot that would allow weather to pit archers against one another, but it just so happened to be this shoot that I felt extremely disadvantaged against those that shot on Saturday being it was a 2 day scored shoot. For the scores that I did see in not only my own shooting, but my fiancé's as well, it is obvious that for hunting style situations we have had shot in multiple variations of inclinate weather. I would highly encourage anyone to not give up on a shoot or decide not to participate based on weather conditions because it only challenges you further to add an additional skill level to your archery abilities!
- Eli
WADE RICHARDS
This year’s Desert Challenge shoot had some intense shooting on difficult terrain with a few rattlesnakes thrown in for fun! I hunt the timber and Mountain areas of Idaho so the Desert Challenge offered some new country with new difficulties that challenged me physically and mentally.
Marked yardages and the use of rangefinders made this course a must shoot course for hunters preparing for the upcoming bow season. The terrain was not the easiest to hike and the shots from cliffs and rock outcroppings were designed with the archery hunter in mind. I shot this course with my target bow and was constantly reminded how hard they are to aim around rocks and steep inclines.
I myself have two phobias. One is heights and the other is snakes, so this course was psychologically draining for me! If I wasn’t worried about falling off a cliff I was searching the grass for snakes….I hope I am better mentally prepared next year!
Good luck and good shooting! Wade
DALE MOREHOUSE, the boss
The 2016 Desert Challenge was definitely a challenging shoot! Whether you were a beginning shooter or a veteran of the sport, the difficult up and down shots often with rock obstacles to overcome combined with the hiking, the weather....and THE SNAKES made for a mental game in addition to a physical one. And if you have been shooting for any length of time, you know that the mental side of this sport will zap you (like those snakes we were trying to avoid) and put your game in the toilet. Opportunities to shoot in such conditions should be taken advantage of often so when the stressors come in the field you are mentally and physically prepared to overcome them!
A sick kid took me out of the shoot on Saturday, so when the opportunity to shoot came on Sunday I made it my personal challenge to get through all 60 targets. I shot the Archery Central course with my crew and when I realized that time was not on my side I ran the Switchback Outdoors and Delta McKenzie targets course (26 minutes and 32 minutes, respectively). It was a great feeling to run, pull and shoot 40 targets! Granted I couldn't keep up with the 14 year old who agreed to run with me (after everyone else looked at me as though I had lost my marbles), but I felt a great sense of accomplishment and a little closer to archery season. Thanks Seth for being my sidekick! It is a great reminder too, that we need to challenge ourselves on occasion. We often are capable of so much more than we realize!
Kudos to Ross Sevy and the Switchback Outdoors team for setting up a great shoot and being a great host! It was great to catch up with so many of you and to meet so many new people along the way!
We will be back next year....Boss Crew in tow!
Dale
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