Training is Depressing

So all week I've been meening to get out the bow and rod and practice a bit before this weekends Field and Stream's Outdoorsman Challenge. When you have three kids and another due in a couple weeks and a couple jobs to make sure I can feed them...not much time left over, but last night I finally stopped and said I had to do it.

However, it's pretty depressing when you have to climb into the attic and break into your bow case because you can't remember the combination. When I finally cut though the case handle to "release the beast", I was just happy the string was in tact and sights still straight. So here's the deal. I've had an old Hoyt for twenty-one years...yup...I know...but I never fealt the need to spend the money when I only had time to hunt one week per year and I knew where the arrow was going. Yes, one week per year. I make it a point to go to either ND or CO every year for a week. The last couple of years have been a struggle with twins and starting a new business. So I've lived through the stories of my blogging friends and the hunting and fishing forums...that's even more depressing.

Back to last night. Called a buddy of mine who is a member of a local archery club and he offered to take me out and "show me how it's done". A little trash talking is always fun, but I didn't want to offer a response since my confidence was a little bruised. When I arrive, the targets are set from 10 yards out to 40 and they have an outdoor lighting system so I plan on sticking around for a while. My friend pulls out a new case, Mathews Switchback, release, and starts to laugh as I "release the beast" from the broken twenty-year old case, put on my fingertips and armguard, straighten a couple of sites and say "pick your poison".

Thirty-yard target was first and I am happy to say the bow still works...with a little user error. I kept pulling to the right, but had decent groupings. More than anything, I'm really happy everything is set the way I left it two-years ago...OUCH. After a few adjustments and thinking about all the arrows over the years, I found my groove and backed it up ten yards every ten arrows or so till I hit sixty. Results weren't too bad and the trash talking picked up quite a bit on my end. New Switchback....hah.

Anyways, a little sore this morning...getting old, but I had better grab the rod and see if I still remember how to cast to a spot. This could get ugly so I better make sure the kids are inside or I might catch more than I bargained for...windy today so maybe I can blame the conditions for my failed attempts. Will keep ya'll up to date.