LOCAL

York hunters prep for upcoming archery season

John A. Pavoncello

York Dispatch

Archery hunters are preparing for the fall archery deer season by honing their skills shooting in realistic settings at life-like targets.

Known as 3-D archery, named for the almost life-sized foam animal targets used, the sport is not only for hunters practicing to ethically take game but also for competitive archers seeking the highest score.

York Archers, which sits on 80 acres in Lower Windsor Township, has been a hot spot for archers since its inception in the 1950s. The club hosts bi-weekly 3-D archery shoots through September. Archers walk the trails to shooting stations that feature not only whitetail deer targets but bear, turkey, coyote and even an alligator.

Hunter Terry Wills of Emigsville takes aim at a target while preparing for the upcoming archery season with a 3-D shoot at York Archers in Lower Windsor Township, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2017. John A. Pavoncello photo

For Terry Wills of Emigsville, the 3-D shoots are a way to tune up for the coming season and break in a new bow.

"I only brought three arrows," he said after missing a bear target and sending the arrow into the woods. "Hope I don't run out."

Twelve-year-old Cheyenne Fetrow of York City laughed and giggled between targets but was all business when her bow came up on target.

"We did a Bowhunter's Weekend one time and we decided to do the bow shooting," she said. "After I enjoyed it, for my birthday I got a bow."

Cheyenne Fetrow, 12, of York, takes aim at a target while she and her dad, Matthew, prepare for the upcoming archer season by taking part in a 3-D archery shoot at York Archers in Lower Windsor Township, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2017. Cheyenne has been shooting archery for two years, and this will be her first year hunting. John A. Pavoncello photo

With her hunter safety course in the coming weeks, Cheyenne was excited for her first year of hunting. She's even got some of her friends shooting.

"When we have my friends over we usually go shooting, and two of my friends actually got a bow," she said.

Robin Devono, president of York Archers, is obviously proud of the club's property and facilities.

"We invite everyone in York County to come down and enjoy the wonderful place we have down here, 80 acres of land and it's just beautiful," Devono said.

York Archers will be hosting their annual two-day Bowhunter's Weekend Saturday, Aug. 26, and Sunday, Aug. 27, from 7 a.m. till 1 p.m.

More than 40 3-D targets will be set up, as will running deer targets and a full-size elk target at 100 yards that will require as much luck as skill to hit.

"3-D archery is a wonderful thing for people to come down and get their archery skills up to where they can go out hunting and kill a nice big buck," said Devono.

For more information about York Archers and the Bowhunter's Weekend, visit facebook.com/York-Archers-Inc.