This was a new experience for me as a bow hunter. I never really thought about doing an indoor shoot, but I wanted to go see one, just in case.

The shoot was in a much smaller area than I imagined and all men except four-participating. Though why I even imagined it at all is beyond me, since I know nothing about the format, rules, start times, scoring, etc. I figure I will learn as I go. I have mixed feelings of being there without my bow. On the walk to the building, my excitement builds even though I am not shooting.

I arrived at 9:00 a.m., while things were quiet but things seem to be getting busier as the morning moves on. The first shooting times are not until 10:00, giving people to make last minute adjustments to their equipment in the practice area. There is a small sportsmen’s show set up in another section of the building, beyond the practice target area. The building is much smaller than I pictured... I didn’t realize that such a big production could be held indoors, in a relatively small area. I am nervous walking around, feeling a bit out of place not knowing what the “etiquette” is for indoor archery shoots.

It makes me smile as I realize the chirping I hear is actual birds that have somehow gotten into the building, making it seem more like the woods. I take a deep breath and realize that this is not supposed to be stressful!

When 10:00 rolls around, binoculars are up, scanning the targets: deer, bear, coyote, turkey, alligator, boar, and lion farthest away. I’d guess that the raccoon and the woodchuck are the closest at about 17-yards. Like most hunting sports, it is a men-dominated event. (I only see four women out of approximately 100+ participants.)

Men are chatting to old friends and new – no doubt about their hunting adventures this past season or previous tournament results!

A missed target in the practice area leaves two men trying to get an arrow out of the garage door on the back wall. No one seems to notice the man’s embarrassment, which is nice that the people here aren’t the kind who look down at you if maybe you aren’t as good as they are (yet!).

Ok, here they go into the shooting area. A green light means it is okay to shoot, a red light means, obviously, don’t shoot; people are scoring and removing their arrows from the targets. “Shooters ready? Shoot Away!” signals the beginning of the event.

There apparently is not a dress code per se. There are a few PSE team shirts, mostly camouflaged T-shirts or long sleeved shirts, work boots or sneakers and the baseball-style cap with jeans seem to be standard.

“Lines Clear!” Aha! I am catching on! After everyone shoots twice at the even-numbered targets, everyone goes to score their shot and pull the arrows. Everyone walking back seems relaxed. It is pretty quiet in the shooting area, considering how many people there are in here. Will I fit into this sport? I am naturally an excitable person. If I hit a target correctly, I am likely to jump up and shout “Yahoo!” and make a spectacle of myself!

As I watch everyone stand in their lane and shoot, I am envious! I wish I had come to shoot! Next time, I will not be a spectator; I will be a participant! And in preparation for that time, I need to read up about these shoots, practice ranging distances, buy a lot of arrows and practice shooting at all kinds of targets! As far as additional equipment, there are some must haves: good shoes to stand on the concrete, water bottle, quiver, good food to eat (only carnival-like food available, but no breakfast food), permanent black marker to fix the glare off the bow into the peep. You are not allowed to use a range finder to judge the distance – you can only go by eye, which is where I would have trouble, being so reliant on my rangefinder in the woods.

I learned a great deal at this event, although I must admit, it is not a very spectator-friendly sport. It is difficult to follow the arrow’s flight, even when you are concentrating on a particular participant. I wish I had a pair of binoculars. All I can hear is the “thwack!” when an arrow hits. It is an individual, shoot-for-yourself kind of thing.

You are in competition with yourself. You don’t know how the others are doing unless you are the scorekeeper for your 3-4 person group, and even then, you have no idea how the other groups are doing.

So, prepare yourself for an indoor shoot. Practice never hurt anyone. This is an individual competition for raising self-esteem, and building confidence in yourself that will help you in the woods.