Fred Bear Statue to be Built in Grayling, Michigan

Pope and Young has a long history and fondness for Fred Bear and everything he did for bowhunting and conservation. To honor Fred and his many contributions to bowhunting, Pope and Young is helping to raise funds for a 7-foot bronze statue of Mr. Bear.

Adorning the statue will be a bronze plaque that lists the history and accolades of Fred Bear. The statue and plaque will be set in place in Grayling, Michigan, in Grayling City Park.

Fred Bear not only played a vital role in the archery community as whole, but he was also a proud member and supporter of Pope and Young. Fred became a member of Pope and Young in 1961 and served on its first board. Fred is one of the most recognized bowhunters of the 20th century, with his early work filming and promoting bowhunting being unparalleled.

To support this noble cause, Pope and Young will match any donation members make, so donate now through the Pope and Young website by clicking here.

Team USA Crowns Two More Youth Archery World Champs

It proved to be a golden day recently as Team USA added to its already healthy haul of medals at the World Archery Youth Championships in Limerick, Ireland.

Team USA’s Sydney Sullenberger claimed gold in the compound U21 women’s event, having watched teammate Dewey Hathaway become a double world champion with victory in the compound U18 men, to go with the gold he won in the mixed team event earlier in the week. Team USA also had two archers on the podium in the compound U18 women competition, with Leann Drake taking silver and Liko Arreola the bronze.

A teary Sullenberger said after her 140-138 win over Hazal Burun (TUR), “Not even in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen, so it’s nice to see all the hard work pay off.”

Hathaway exceeded his expectations in becoming an individual world champion, defeating Jonas Grigaravicius 143-141, and this after being forced to a one-arrow shoot-off in his last 16 match. “I did not ever expect to be considered a world champion,” he admitted. “But now that I’m able to be, that’s the coolest feeling ever.”

Click here for the latest World Archery Youth Championships results.

Upcoming Summer 2023 R100 Events

The National Bowhunter Education Foundation reminds archers that there are still several summer events remaining in the R100 National Archery Tour.

NBEF is sponsoring the 2023 R100 National Archery Tour, and the R100 is celebrating 20 years of operating family friendly 3D archery events. R100 works with local clubs and archery pro shops that host the events across the United States. NBEF chose to partner with R100 again to increase awareness of NBEF’s safety and success-focused bowhunter ed classes, and to actively support the industry.

“The R100 events are very approachable for youth and adults,” said NBEF Executive Director Marilyn Bentz. “We’ve found these events are a great way for NBEF to engage with archers and foster an interest in bowhunting. We’re excited to sponsor the Youth Zone complete with colorful and unique targets.”

The Youth Zone features five uniquely painted dinosaur targets and two NASP targets. It is free to all supervised youth and cub shooters.

All events use the same format including two 50-target ranges (the Safari Range and North American Range). Specialty shoots are offered each day.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with the National Bowhunter Education Foundation as a way to promote the sport of archery as well as ethical hunting practices,” said R100 Co- owner Brittany Rinehart.

Enjoy the friendly competition at one of the upcoming 2023 R100 events (list below). Spectators are welcome.

• July 21-23 – Sparta WI in partnership with Sparta Rod & Gun Club
• July 28-30 – Farmland IN in partnership with Farmland Conservation Club
• August 4-6 - Moberly MO in partnership with NoMo Bowhunters
• August 11-13 – Saginaw MI in partnership with Saginaw Field & Stream Club
• August 18-20 – Pipestem WV in partnership with Pipestem Resort
• August 25-27 – Calhoun KY in partnership with Myer Creek Archers
• September 8-10 – Franklin PA in partnership with Fertigs Archery Club

Visit www.R100.org for event details.

ATA Celebrates First Round of Bow Technician Certification Graduates

The ATA recently held its first in-person Bow Technician Certification practical assessment in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, and seven participants passed. Kurt Smith, ATA’s director of industry relations, tested the students alongside Steve VanZile, director at the George Chapman School of Archery, and acknowledged the accomplishment for all those involved.

“This is an incredible milestone and achievement for the ATA and our first few certified bow technicians,” Smith said. “We’ve gotten great feedback from members that this course helped them expand their knowledge and feel more confident in their skills. The practical gives us the opportunity to see the technicians applying the skills in a real-world setting. Better yet, an industry certification tells customers the technician is both qualified and capable of providing exceptional service.”

Among the graduates was Casey McFadden, owner of RxArchery in Ohio. He found value in the course and feels more comfortable working on customers’ bows.

“I’ve been running the shop for 2 years, and I don’t have someone checking my work,” he said. “Passing the course validates my skills as a bow technician. It’s good to know what I’m doing is accurate and legit.”

McFadden found a renewed sense of confidence through the ATA’s Bow Technician Certification course. He also learned new skills and is expanding the services he offers customers, including things like third axis adjustment of a bowsight.

The Bow Technician Certification course is ideal for bow technicians of all skill levels and years of experience. No matter how long you’ve been a bow technician, having the certification validates your skills, adds credibility to your shop, reassures customers you know what you’re doing and differentiates your business from competitors.

Each graduate receives a bow technician certification certificate and signs for their store, among other assets to show they’ve mastered bow technician skills.

With dozens of ATA members waiting their turn to take the in-person practical, the ATA is finalizing details for upcoming assessment opportunities in August, October and December.

The ATA congratulates the first seven ATA Certified Bow Technicians and invites others to sign up for the ATA Bow Technician Certification course. The certification is a members-only benefit so you must be a member to enroll. To register or learn more about the certification, click here. To become a member, go to www.archerytrade.org/membership.

If you have questions, contact Kurt Smith, ATA’s director of industry relations, at kurtsmith@archerytrade.org.

4-H Shooting Sports National Championships Breaks Records

Young shooters from across the country recently visited Grand Island, Nebraska, for the 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships. National champion individuals and teams from nine different disciplines received awards at the Heartland Events Center. This year was the largest competition in the event’s 23 year history with 42 states (last year’s high was 39) and 718 athletes.

According to the National 4-H Shooting Sports website, “The focus of all 4-H programs is the development of youth as individuals and as responsible and productive citizens. The National 4-H Shooting Sports Program stands out as an example. Youth learn marksmanship, the safe and responsible use of firearms, the principles of hunting and archery, and much more. The activities of the program and the support of caring adult leaders provide young people with opportunities to develop life skills, self-worth, and conservation ethics.”