Idaho Becomes 50th State to Allow Lighted Nocks and Mechanical Broadheads

On March 7, Idaho Governor Brad Little signed House Bill 507 into law, which allows Idaho archers to use lighted nocks and mechanical broadheads in upcoming hunting seasons. The rule change takes affect July 1, 2022, making Idaho the last state in the nation to accept the use of these archery accessories.

Dan Forster, Archery Trade Association’s vice president and chief conservation officer, works on behalf of ATA members to influence favorable policy decisions regarding archery and bowhunting regulations. He’s pleased with the decision and said it makes things easier for hunters and industry members alike.

 “We’ve been working with state agencies on equipment regulation issues for the past several years, and there’s been a lot of positive changes recently,” Forster said. “We applaud Idaho for accepting the use of lighted nocks and expandable broadheads. The decision makes the use of these accessories consistent across the country, meaning archers now have fewer things to worry about when trying to comply with regulatory complexities while hunting in Idaho. They can use lighted nocks and expandable broadheads legally wherever they bowhunt in the United States.”

  

National Deer Association’s 2021 Field to Fork Report: 43 Hunts, 17 States

The National Deer Association (NDA) recently wrapped up its sixth season of the Field to Fork adult hunter recruitment program. Holding 43 events in 17 states, NDA continued to blaze new trails in hunter recruitment through education and proved the efficiency of recruiting new adult hunters. This tremendously successful program sees that their recruits continue to hunt independently and share in the camaraderie of hunting.

Alongside traditional events held in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin, the Field to Fork program hosted events with organizations and conservation agencies across the country including Vortex Optics, American Outdoor Brands, Hunters of Color, The Nature Conservancy, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge and the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

“The Field to Fork program has been beyond successful, and it’s really exciting to put another great year in the books,” said Nick Pinizzotto, president and CEO of NDA. “Hunter recruitment is such an important part of our mission and seeing so many new hunters get excited to learn and experience what Field to Fork really means is extremely fulfilling.”

“Field to Fork is proving there is strong desire among many non-hunting adults to learn to hunt deer for food,” said Hank Forester, NDA director of hunting. “They have the independence and ability to hunt on their own immediately after they receive a helping hand for their first experience, and more than 80% of Field to Fork recruits are in fact continuing to hunt independently. They are sharing their venison with others, buying hunting equipment of their own, and even taking other new hunters into the deer woods.”

Many of the 2021 Field to Fork hunts were organized and hosted by NDA’s volunteer branches, while other partners included Departments of Conservation & Natural Resources in various states. The diverse community created through Field to Fork is what makes the program successful. By bringing together individuals with a passion for wild food, wild spaces and deer hunting, non-hunters can experience the true excitement found in camp or when hunting with friends and family.

Rob Wallace Named to S3DA Board of Directors

Rob Wallace, director of archery purchasing for Kinsey’s, was recently named as one of the newest members of the Scholastic 3-D Archery (S3DA) Board of Directors. Wallace was eager to accept the board of director position to help share and foster a love of archery for future generations.

Wallace said, “Archery has been a constant presence in my life for as long as I can remember. It has taught me so many life lessons that I use every single day. I was thrilled when the opportunity to serve on the board presented itself.”

What once started as his childhood hobby shooting arrows in the backyard has grown into a lifelong passion, and eventually a career in the archery field. After almost a decade with Cabela’s, Wallace joined Kinsey’s purchasing department as a buyer in early 2014. He eventually worked his way up and became the director of purchasing in 2017.

As a firm believer in supporting archery at the grassroots level, Wallace is a member of multiple local clubs, state and national-level archery and bowhunting organizations, including West Penn Archery Club, Pennsylvania Longbow Association, Pennsylvania State Archery Association, Compton Traditional Bowhunters, USA Archery, and the Professional Bowhunters Society.

“S3DA is a premier organization working to ensure the future of archery and bowhunting across the country,” Wallace said. “I am in awe of the work the organization does at every level, and am truly excited to help write the next chapter of America’s archery and bowhunting legacy.”

 

Lancaster Archery Foundation Awards Grant to 2022 World University Games Archery Team

USA Archery recently nominated a team for the 2022 World University Games, set for June 26-July 7 in Chengdu, China. This prestigious multi-sport event, known also as the FISU Summer Games features 18 sports, including target archery.

The Lancaster Archery Foundation has generously awarded a grant to help fund these archers to represent USA on the world stage. Each archer will receive $1,000 toward the expenses of this trip, and USA Archery is incredibly grateful for the support of the Foundation.

Student-athletes make tremendous sacrifice, putting in countless hours of hard work, dedication and training to succeed in the classroom and on the target. “USA Archery sincerely thanks the Lancaster Archery Foundation for easing the financial burden on our talented collegiate archers and for supporting them on their road to bring home the gold from the Summer Games in China,” said USA Archery CEO Rod Menzer.

“The Lancaster Archery Foundation is proud of these athletes’ accomplishments,” said Lancaster Archery Foundation President Rob Kaufhold. “We applaud their extraordinary efforts to represent our country, their colleges and the sport of archery on the world stage. The foundation wanted to help reduce the financial impact of the trip for these collegiate athletes as they focus on their education and archery.”

Visit www.usarchery.org to follow the team in Chengdu this summer.