Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Oregon Bow Hunters, ODFW Host Beginning Archery Classes

SALEM, Ore.—Come learn archery skills the third Saturday of every month at the http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/ee_wilson_wildlife_area/index.asp">EE Wilson Wildlife Area Archery Range (29555 Camp Adair Road, Monmouth). We'll even bring the bows and arrows.

ODFW and Oregon Bow Hunters will be teaching archery for beginner and intermediate shooters on the third Saturday of every month (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) from March through November beginning this Saturday, March 21. See www.odfwcalendar.com for more dates.

Volunteers from Oregon Bow Hunters will be at the archery range to provide free instruction to anyone who drops by. No pre-registration or RSVP is required. Bring your own bow and arrow if you have it, but loaner archery equipment is also available. (ODFW is providing the loaner archery equipment, thanks in part to support from Eugene's http://www.bowtecharchery.com/#/home?r=-1&i=0">BowTech Archery.)

Instruction and use of loaner equipment is free, but an http://www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy/parking.asp">ODFW parking permit is required to use the wildlife area. The permit costs $7 daily or $22 annually (calendar year), or comes free with the purchase of a hunting license.

Permits are not available at the wildlife area and should be purchased beforehand online or at an ODFW license sales agent. (Daily parking permits can be purchased online, printed and used immediately; annual permits are mailed.)

The Archery Range is open whenever the wildlife area is open for drop-in practice, but loaner equipment is not available unless a special event is taking place. The facility has a five-target range for beginners that can accommodate up to 10 shooters and an eight-target general range for up to 16 shooters at a time.

"The EE Wilson Archery Range has proven to be very popular with archers of all levels, bow hunters and target archers alike," said Chris Willard, ODFW recruitment coordinator. "We truly appreciate Oregon Bow Hunters' willingness to provide this training so that even more people can enjoy this fun sport."

The E.E. Wilson Archery Range was built using grant funds from the federal http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/home.html">Wildlife Restoration Program, which collects excise taxes on the purchase of firearms, ammunition and archery equipment. It then distributes these funds to states for programs that improve wildlife habitat, support wildlife management, promote hunting and recreational shooting or teach hunter education.

To find out about other events that teach hunting, shooting and fishing skills, see http://www.odfwcalendar.com/