On April 18th, I participated in the Total Archery Challenge at the Natural Bridge Caverns (San Antonio, Texas). I felt like this would be a good opportunity to test my archery skills. Even though I regularly shoot in archery tournaments, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I was especially interested in testing my skills at TAC, since I was recently drawn for a New Mexico mule deer hunt in September. My friend and I shot the Leupold course which consists of 25 different 3D targets ranging from 25-65 yards.
Total Archery Challenge Courses
In addition to the Leupold, below is a list of other TAC courses that were available at this event –
• PRIME (25 targets; 40-120 yards)
• YETI (25 targets; 40-75 yards)
• SITKA (25 targets; 40-100 yards)
• NOCK ON (25 targets; 20-100 yards)
In both the Leupold and the Prime course, the expectation was that the archer can shoot 60+ yards and manage tight shot windows. From a practicality standpoint, the Leupold was the best fit for my typical hunt because I run a fixed 5 pin sight and don’t take shots outside of 70 yards. My mentality is that the distances and targets might be different, but the shot process should always remain the same.
Considering TAC?
Below are a few things to consider when participating in a challenging shoot like TAC –
• Pre-Shot Process – Keep the same routine and fundamentals whether you’re shooting into a bag 3 feet away or a bedded ram 45 yards away. Like Marcus Luttrell says, “You play like you practice and you practice how you play.”
• Shot Placement – In most hunting situations, the animal will not be perfectly broadside for every shot. 12-rings don’t move on 3D targets and they don’t always translate to a 12-ring in the field. If you feel like the 3D target is quartered, then aim where you would want to hit on a real animal. This will help prepare your mind to pick a spot on the body to hit instead of a circle.
• Shot Execution – Anxiety and jerky movements are not positive correlations to successful shot execution. Focus on seeing through your target and pulling that elbow to an object behind you in order to get that clean shot break. Find something to think or say that will calm down those nerves – when in doubt serenity now.
• Foam is Home – At the end of the day, hitting foam and not losing an arrow is a WIN. This isn’t a competition designed to pinwheel 12s all day – it’s an opportunity to challenge yourself and seek improvement in your shooting ability.
Concluding Thoughts
TAC is a great event for any archer at any skill level, with plenty of shooting opportunities. It can showcase strong skills or development opportunities with your shot. TAC also offers a tradeshow-like environment, with lots of outdoor companies and vendors in attendance displaying their latest products and innovations.
Like most things in the outdoors, archery is something that you get out of what you put into it. If you show up “cold” to TAC, you might not start out hitting 12s. But by the end of the course, I believe you’ll leave in a better place as an archer. I would highly recommend finding the closest TAC event and giving it a try, especially if you hope to bow hunt western game some day.
