Coon Rapids '08

Rapids Archery Club Annual Traditional Shoot

Rapids Archery Clubhouse

(Before starting, I think it is only fair to give a public service announcement - Rapids Archery used to have a pretty severe problem with poison ivy on their land. The situation is certainly much better than it used to be (from what the regulars told me), but it is still around - some scattered, some in patches. The reason it matters is that the courses wander cross-country in a follow-the-flags manner and not along well-mowed paths. Of the three rounds you shoot, I only noticed it to the north. My general concern at shoots is usually heat, so I wore shorts on Saturday but I managed to come out fine having been given an appropriate warning by my shooting partners (you know who you are, thanks!), and after spending my morning constantly watching my feet for plants that looked like this. BUT, I have never had an outbreak of poison ivy and am not highly allergic to it. If you ARE allergic to poison ivy, it's only fair you be aware of the situation and take the proper precautions. The bathrooms in the clubhouse are continually stocked with Fel's Naptha bar soap (Google it), so that helps but a warning before you arrive is always nice. I don't think the situation is bad enough to deter you from attending, but it is enough to take precautions.)

Myself Shooting While Seated

The annual Traditional Shoot in Coon Rapids is an easy to find event that is a convenient weekend trip for many people living in the upper midwest. It is located here (for those of you that want to map it later) and sports a large, modern clubhouse, 60 3-D targets divided over three rounds, and a practice range with butts from 10 to 80 yards, Unlike many trad shoots, there is not any on-site camping for this shoot. Since it is in a heavily populated area there is no shortage of hotels, and I am told there is camping nearby but it would be wise to contact the club for further details. There is plenty of parking at the range, and a club member helps direct vehicles in the right direction.

Practice Range

The clubhouse and practice range are both modern and very well kept. The clubhouse is where you can find a number of vendors, as well as a cafeteria where you can purchase food, drinks, and snacks throughout the event. The practice range has a large number of targets (5yd increments from 10 yds to 80 yds) and is on a banked and mulched zone. There is little to no chance for losing arrows which gives shooters a chance to practice longer ranges than they might normally be able to. The range also gives ample opportunity to warm-up before heading out to the 3-D rounds.

Start of the African Round

The 3-D course is split into three rounds of 20 targets each: Western, Africa, and Minnesota. As you might guess, the animals on each round correspond to those three regions. The twenty targets are setup in ten stations, so at each stop there are two targets to shoot. This setup helps keep groups moving since everyone only needs to stop and setup half as many times - less waiting and more shooting makes everyone happy! Shots on the course are difficult, with many small shot windows through brush and past branches. Over the course of the weekend I shattered three arrows as they ricocheted off twigs and hit branches sidelong. The lesson? Make sure you warmup first! General consensus was that shots this year were more difficult than previous years - a fact that was exaggerated on Saturday with stiff winds much of the day that would cause your shot window to come and go with the breeze. If the shooting is similar next year, have fun! The most entertaining shot? Riding on a makeshift horse (a swinging barrel) for a shot at a bison is the one that has my vote!

Bison From a Barrel

So what does the shoot cost? Each day cost $15 to shoot, allowing you to go through each round one time (an attendant punches your scorecard), though an additional round (or rounds) can be taken for an additional $5 or $10. Tickets for a Saturday evening Spaghetti supper can be bought throughout the day. I was unable to attend the supper, but it sounds like a good time and there was also an evening "String Shoot" that took place at about the same time.

Like any good trad shoot there was an array of vendors present with at least 5 bowyers and 4 large shops in attendance, as well as a number of smaller shops and collectors - ample opportunity to give into temptation and buy something nice :) This year also featured the display of a large broadhead collection (which was really several collections on display in a large tent on the grounds. The broadhead collectors move their gathering each year I believe, so though they might not be back next year you ought to stop and visit the next time they are there. The size and variety of their collections really is quite something to see.

To sum up, the Coon Rapids shoot offers a challenging course, lots of vendors, and (usually) high attendance though numbers were down this year I'm told. The atmosphere is different than other shoots because there is no 'round-the-campfire atmosphere that you find elsewhere. So there is less chance for a nice afternoon nap on your cot during the event, but maybe it means you can have cozy lodgings at a hotel instead.