By JACK LaDUKE
TUPPER LAKE — Cave men used them to bring down powerful beasts, the Robin Hood stories made them popular, and today's men, women and children are using them as family recreation.
They're the old reliable bow and arrow.
Proof of the growing popularity of the ancient weapon was evident when about 200 archers gathered recently for the 15th-annual Tupper Lake Mountain Archery Contest.
Carrying their composite or wooden bows in their hands, archers from as far away as Missouri arrived to take part in the annual competition.
STUFFED TARGETS
The event took them into the woods of the 48-acre Tupper Lake Rod and Gun complex. Unlike other archery competitions, where archers shoot at a target with a bull's eye, these archers went hunting for mountain rams, rabbits and even a pink panther — all made from artificial materials.
The bacon these shooters were bringing home was points for getting an arrow into a vital part of the stuffed forest animals.
Distance markers determined where shooters stood to release their arrows, making the target easier or harder to hit. The full course featured 60 shooting stations.
BOW TYPES
Some archers prefer to stick with the traditional bow, with no enhancing accessories, similar to those used 100 years ago. They are made of hard wood, many from osage wood from the Midwest.
Others lean toward high-tech bows made of carbon fiber, with precision adjustable sights and stabilizers that take the shock out of a bow after it has been shot.
With today's powerful bows, an arrow can travel 360 feet per second.
GEARING UP
Tupper Lake Archery Club President Dave McMahon said that after the initial investment of a bow and arrows, "there is little extra cost for the sport."
He said that for $400 to $1,000, a person can get just about everything needed to participate in the sport.
Dawn and Wayne Miller of Mineville agreed that once you purchase the equipment, there is little cost after that. Most archery events provide camping space for participants. And many people cook their meals at the campsite, saving the cost of going to a restaurant.
Brad Peters of Crown Point said that the sport attracts two types of people: those who hunt and those who shoot strictly at targets. Everyone agrees it is good preparation for the upcoming bow-hunting season.
The club has an inside heated archery range at the Rod and Gun Club, which allows year-round shooting and gives members more time to hone their skills.
FAMILY FUN
McMahon said that about 30 percent of the 150 club members are women. Nearly every family has their young children enrolled in the club.
"It is a great family sport," he said.
Ten-year-old Jordan Young of Tupper Lake is in his first year in the club. He said it eased the boredom that can sometimes build up over summer vacation.
Jordan's mother, Christine, said that belonging to the club has built confidence in her son.
"He was able to see his skills in the sport improve."
She said the sport brings kids together with a common goal.
The club holds a week-long bow instruction course for youths, providing bows, equipment and instructors.
STARTED DECADE AGO
Much of the success of the organization started with Allen Thompson of Tupper Lake. He owned a small archery shop in Tupper Lake, when he and his son started the club in 1989.
Thompson now has Parkinson's disease and can no longer take part in club activities, but he shows up for events like the recent one at the Tupper Lake Rod and Gun Club. McMahon said he has seen interest in archery and membership in the club grow in the last few years.
