2008 World Championship
Welcome International
Bow Hunters!
By Jim Gill (8/22/2008)

As members of the International Bow Hunters pursue their targets in the hills surrounding our area they follow in the footprints of early Indian tribes that once lived and hunted in the area. Bows and arrows that were once used as their primary weapon in battle as well as hunting game to support life have been replaced by a high tech, precision piece of equipment used by today’s amateur and professional bowhunters. While the ultimate high for bowhunters may still be in hunting real game, 3-D archery with lifelike targets placed strategically on a courses spread throughout diverse terrain, provide a crucial test in accuracy in determining the ultimate winners in the amateur and professional divisions.

Bowhunting was a declining sport until 1984 when the International Bowhunting Organization was formed to promote, encourage and foster the sport, since then it has taken on a new life spurring development in equipment design and interest. The I.B.O. National tournaments are held annually beginning in February with the first leg of the Southern Triple Crown, then moving northward in May for the Northern Triple Crown culminating in August with the World Championship and Archery Festival. Ellicottville and Holiday Valley will be hosting this prestigious event through 2010.

Bowhunters, both professional and amateurs from around the globe have gathered this week in Ellicottville vying for part of the $200,000 in cash prizes and trophies. I had the opportunity to meet with two avid bowhunters, one being a professional, the other an amateur to provide some insight on this popular sport.

Amateur bowhunter Mark Gregg from Clarksville, P.A. brought his wife Debbie (also an avid bowhunter) to the event arriving several days early, Debbie had set her sights on visiting Amish country west of Ellicottville. Mark took up bowhunting almost 30 years ago at the age of 16, practices 12 months of the year and tries to shoot in competition every Sunday. He has attended every World Championship since they started in Shelbyville, IL. in 1993, prior to this year’s world event he participated in the Northern Triple Crown tournaments.

The tournaments are a fun filled family affair; they travel together and enjoy camping out when they attend the various tournaments, this year being an exception as they are sharing a unit at Wildflower. While Mark loves the competition they both enjoy meeting other contestants from the U.S.A. as well as many of the Europeans whom attend the events, many good friendships have developed over the years. Their love of the sport was easily recognizable by the huge smiles shown whenever bowhunting was mentioned. When this week’s tournament wraps up Mark will return to Clarksville and start preparing for the upcoming deer hunting season in Pennsylvania

Professional bowhunter Burley Hall hails from Kendallville, Indiana, and first picked up a bow in the early 70’s allowing him to spend more time in the woods. Soon after he started learning how to shoot he felt he had been given a talent for the sport and began entering local tournaments. Moving up the ladder into competitive shooting at the National level soon made him realize there was a lot of work to be done on his part to contend at this level, and practice he did winning his first National event in 1985.

The following year he was asked to turn professional by High Country Archery, his hobby had now turned into his livelihood. Since then he has picked up more sponsors, Carbon Express, Mathews Bows, Bohnie Accessories and G5 Outdoors to support his tour events. At age 60 Burley now shoots in the Senior Pro Class but feels he can still shoot with the best in the Open Men’s Division, like amateur Mark Gregg he has been shooting in every W.B.O. tournament since its inception. Burley practices daily shooting 50-60 arrows and enters approximately 25 tournaments per year; his ultimate goal is to shoot a perfect round in competition.

He described the improvements in archery technology since the sport has become more organized under the umbrella of the World Bowhunters and just how difficult competitive shooting has become. In 3D shooting the perfect shot requires hitting a part of the target no larger than a 50 cent piece from various ranges; this would give the shooter a score of 11. There are 40 real life animal targets set up for each class of archers (a perfect round would score 440 points); qualifiers shoot 20 on Thursday and 20 today to determine who qualifies for the finals tomorrow.

After this weeks competition Burley Hall along with 3 other bowhunters are off to Colorado to participate in the filming of an Elk hunt, at age 60 Burley claims to have it all, he is one happy camper!

Writer’s comments:
Many people participate in solo sports i.e. golf, tennis, skiing, for the amateur and even the professional bowhunter there seems to be a passion for this sport unlike any others. Like Burley, they are truly a bunch of happy campers enjoying the competitiveness, camaraderie and love of the outdoors, the smiles on their faces and their demeanor speak volumes for their love of the sport.

Welcome to Holiday Valley and the Village and Town of Ellicottville, have a safe trip home, we look forward to your return.