A Saturday morning at the Golden District Rod and Gun Club might not interest everyone, but what if I told you it involved bows and arrows?
Catching the early morning sunshine and missing out on the rain of last weekend, I arrived right on time for a free archery session hosted by the Rod and Gun Club. Ken Thompson detailed safety and got everyone up to speed about how to hold the bow, how to load up an arrow, and shoot with aim and power.
We split up into partners, and Thompson provided everyone with a bow to relatively suit their size and preferred left or rights. After watching a few people go first, I tried my hand at hitting the target.
And, I did it.
Each time we went up, we shot three arrows at the target, and most people hit the mark each time. There were only a few flyaways that landed in the tall grass behind the big padded target.
By the end, everyone was mostly hitting the right spot.
To mix it up a bit and add a level of fun, Thompson first attached balloons to the target for people to blow up with their speedy fast arrows.
Then, he started stapling playing cards to the target. I only got one of those, but my friend had at least four. We hit the targets for more than an hour, and at the end, Thompson drew prizes based on the cards everyone had hit.
The morning was a great way to start a Saturday. If the Golden District Rod and Gun Club hosts another archery session, I highly recommend attending. It was fun for all ages, from young children to seniors.
There were a lot of people who attended, too. You might be surprised at who else you will find out in the grass on a Saturday morning. Don’t forget to pack bug spray and sunscreen. The weather is changing so rapidly these days it can go from rainy and miserable to scorching and hot.
Archery isn’t the only thing the rod and gun club hosts. Becoming a member allows users access to the range to shoot their guns, and supports programming and studies the rod and gun club does regularly throughout the year.
Golden used to have an archery club, and it existed for many years. It disbanded a while ago, but with the amount of people who showed up and showed their interest in the sport, I wouldn’t be surprised if it started back up again. I would definitely go to another archery day at the Golden District Rod and Gun Club, just to get better at the sport. After enough tries, I might commit and buy a bow for myself. It is pretty fun and basic, but as Rod and Gun Club vice president Chad Parent explained, it can take a lot of practice and consistency to master the sport.
