Traditional archers explain their love of 'artistic' sport

By P.J. GLISSON

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MERCER, Wis. - Weekend activity varies from one household to the next, ranging from family brunches to gardening to a number of chores, errands and other options.

For members of the Northwoods Traditional Archers, it's a great time to practice their skill, as they did on Saturday morning at the Northwoods Wildlife and Wetlands Club Range in Mercer.

According to David Steinhorst, who heads the range's archery committee, the total group consists of 15 members, including a few women and youth. However, he said each outing typically has about six members.

Saturday's attendees included a total of five, all from Wisconsin. Steinhorst is from Boulder Junction, and other members included Mike Knautz of Hazlehurst, Steve Ryskiewicz of Minocqua, Mark Walish of Winchester, and Ferdy Goode of Arbor Vitae.

The men started their day by chatting in a tree-enclosed warm-up area that included hanging bows and a table full of arrows, as well as some target opportunities. They spent about an hour following a walkthrough range, which consists of wooded trails that allow them to wander and stop in a golf-like fashion at 14 different stations to try their aim at targets, including 3-D renditions of deer, bear and turkey.

The environment is surprisingly serene, beautiful and bucolic. "We're pretty proud of our little range," said Steinhorst.

"One of the things I like about archery is it's quiet," said Knautz, who is known as "Doc," owing to his past career as a physician. "I have hearing loss from guns."

Beyond that, he said, "I like the camaraderie. I like shooting a bow. It's just fun."

"The challenge is the intimacy of it," said Ryskiewicz. "It puts it in a very personal perspective."

"I like to see the arrow fly on course to the spot you're looking at," said Goode, with some of the men chuckling about how they like the very sound of the arrow flying.

Steinhorst said the group's name implies that its members engage only in traditional archery. This means that they use no mechanical devices - not even in releases.

"It's kind of all the old-world way," he said. "Everybody feels it's more artistic."

Some archers even fashion their own equipment. Steinhorst estimated that it takes about eight hours for him to make a dozen arrows. Ryskiewicz creates his own bows from scratch.

Several of the men mentioned having started the sport when they were kids. Walish said he started with traditional archery at the age of 10.

Walish said he moved to mechanical archery a few years later but added, "I lost interest in that - too many gadgets for me." Hence, he said, "I moved back to my roots." Now, he regards traditional archery as "an addiction."

Steinhorst, who said the group also meets on Tuesdays, said the targets are moved around periodically so that archers don't become accustomed to seeing them in the same place. Some of them also are nearly hidden in brush to make it more challenging.

Trails also fork off into different directions so that members are not following the same route through the woods each time.

The men explained that various labels exist for the type of archer you choose to be, mostly relating to how and where you hold your fingers as you aim.

Goode, for instance, is the only "stringwalker" in the group, which means he holds the bow string in strategic positions that relate to his target's distance.

He emphasized that proper aim is essential. "If you get it out of the kill zone, you may or may not retrieve the animal," he noted, while adding that real hunting obviously is that much more challenging because - unlike the 3D targets used in practice - animals move.

Steinhorst added that traditional archery demands a lot of practice.

In fact, Knautz said he does not hunt as an archer because he doesn't think his skill is good enough. Moreover, he added, "It's not ethical" if it's not done right.

The men said they've never seen real deer or bear on their practice route and added that the arrow tips they use for practice would not work in killing them.

Toward the end of their route, they laughed about a "zombie target," where they make a practice of disposing of any broken or ruined arrows from each practice.

According to Steinhorst, the range is also open to other archers, including those who practice mechanical archery.

He said that range officials hope to offer a walkthrough archery event to the public next year.

The range also includes a separate area for rifle and pistol practice and another area for shotguns.

The fully-equipped cozy clubhouse, which Steinhorst said is used for meetings and potlucks, has several tables covered in wipeable checkered cloth.

He said the range has its own well and septic system, making it possible to offer an indoor bathroom.

The club runs on membership dues and donations, but Steinhorst noted, "You do not have to be a member of the club to use the facilities."