Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
How Archery Changed a Veteran’s Life – Sam Westfall
224 Plays12 days ago
In this episode of the Tricer Podcast, host Drew Miles talks with Army veteran Sam Westfall about his inspiring journey from life as an M1 Abrams tank mechanic to becoming a competitive shooter and passionate advocate for archery.
After enduring life-changing injuries and facing the challenges of PTSD and depression, Sam found a powerful outlet in archery, one that helped him quiet his mind, rebuild focus, and find purpose. He shares how the physical and mental demands of archery not only supported his healing but also created a natural bridge to his passion for hunting.
Sam dives into the parallels between archery and the discipline required in the field, offering insight into how both pursuits can strengthen resilience and mental clarity. This powerful conversation highlights the therapeutic value of the outdoors and the importance of community for veterans and hunters alike.
SAM WESTFALL
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/valorarcherychallenge/
Website - https://valorarcherychallenge.com
TRICER USA
Website – https://tricerusa.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tricerusa/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tricerusa/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@tricer6985
#Tricer #TricerTripods #WesternHunting #ElkHunting #BackcountryHunter #LongRangeHunting #HuntPodcast #PublicLandHunter #HuntingLifestyle #RifleSeason #MountainHunting #HuntTheWest #VeteranStrong #ArcheryTherapy #HealingThroughArchery #PTSDRecovery #VeteransMentalHealth #ArcheryLife #OutdoorHealing #CombatToCamo #BowhuntingLife #TherapeuticArchery #MindfulHunting #FromWarToWoods #MilitaryToMountains #ArcheryCommunity #ShootToHeal
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Guest Overview
00:00:01
Speaker
You are listening to the Tricer podcast, where we talk all things hunting, gear, and the great outdoors. Before we begin, let's start things out right and put God first. Lord Jesus, I thank you for Tricer, and I ask that you can use this podcast as a way to bring joy to all of our listeners.
00:00:17
Speaker
We lay Tricer and this podcast at your feet. Amen. Oh, this will be a fun one here. I'm joined with Sam Westfall from Validate Archer Challenge.
00:00:29
Speaker
Sam is a veteran who dealt with some...
Sam's Military Background and Injuries
00:00:33
Speaker
very severe injuries in the military and um he's a competitive shooter competitive archery shooter competitive um any kind of gun shooter and he figured out a way to use archery to kind of uh help mentally and do all kinds of things and now he's working with veterans to really just use archery as a tool to help veterans so sam how you doing man awesome drew how are you good Dude, I am a just out here living the good life in San Diego. It's warm this week, man. 95 degrees. Where are you at?
00:01:06
Speaker
I'm in Colorado Springs. We're about 91 today as well. So we're at Colorado Springs, not about 91 degrees today. So right there with you. Nice. um So how do you but go from being, I mean...
00:01:23
Speaker
in the military, it's a competitive shooting. ah Give me your story. Let's kind talk about it. It's kind of a cool story. And we actually were off air and you saying like, yeah, I was really depressed and going through some mental health stuff. And then my friend gave me a boat. It just kind of changed your trajectory of your life. So what's your story, man? When
The Journey to Archery as Therapy
00:01:39
Speaker
did you get in the military? Out high school or? Yep. Right out. So let's back up a little bit even before that. So 10 years old, my dad got me shooting, um, firearms, 22 long rifle, um,
00:01:49
Speaker
Plinking birds, plinking prairie dogs. So I started working entrepreneurially at that age, um going out to farmer's fields, knocking down prairie dogs for two bucks a head. By the time I was age 12, I was shooting competitively with 4H, got into shooting firearms, 22 long rifles, state level, scored second, third, and third over three years that I went to the state.
00:02:14
Speaker
Then I got into Went into high school, got into the military immediately after, 26 days after I graduated, jumped right into the Army as an M1 Abrams tank mechanic. That was fun. Got to shoot everything that the Army had to offer.
00:02:27
Speaker
It didn't fly. That's the only thing I didn't shoot was anything that flew. But I got to shoot from 9mm pistols to paladins, tanks, Bradleys, you name it. I got to play with all of it.
00:02:39
Speaker
So had a great time there. Ended up getting crushed, which stopped my military career hard, put me out, ended up with some some pain issues, some PTSD issues.
00:02:53
Speaker
So when you say crushed, you got crushed by? ah ten and one tank, M1 Abrams. A tank. You got crushed by Abrams. Not many dudes can say that and kept all your limbs, which is shocking. I did keep everything.
00:03:04
Speaker
um Years worth of therapy and, you know, kind of working through some issues. Um, I haven't run since 2000. I have no need to run even when I'm up hunting at this point, if I can't, you I'm not trying to chase down an elk. It's just not to happen.
00:03:17
Speaker
So I'll get up to figure out a way to ambush them instead. You get a really good shot so that you don't have to run. That's the key part. That's part of that competition aspect of it.
00:03:28
Speaker
So yeah back to that. So when I got out of the army, I stayed in competitions. I got into some alcoholism, depression, PTSD, alcoholism, firearms, probably not the best scenario. Um, over the years, a buddy of mine grabbed ahold me and said, you know, I got to say this, you're kind of a jerk after you get done with the competition.
00:03:45
Speaker
i said, what do you mean? This was a firearm competition. said, you mean? he goes, about four days, your temperaments up, your anxiety, your stress, you know, you're, you're elevated. So it took me a couple more rounds, couple more weeks to figure out what was going on One of those times we went out to the range and he just put a bow on my hand he said just shut up and shoot what's this goingnna do for me how' is this goingnna be different goes just shut up and try it So the instant pulled that bowstring back, all the noises, all the voices in my head went quiet.
00:04:15
Speaker
The instant I let that arrow go, a little bit of stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, all went out the door with that arrow. that was neat. Let's try that again. Give me another arrow.
00:04:25
Speaker
So he handed me another arrow. Same thing. Amplified it a little bit more because the level of focus and both physical and mental focus it's required for shooting a boat very different than shooting a fire and so it forces that focus mentally and physically to even draw that bowstring back, hold it back, line up on the target and let that arrow fly. And then just like you said, a little bit of stress, anxiety, depression, go out with that arrow.
00:04:49
Speaker
And over time it's gotten better. 15 years later, I've gotten a lot calmer and now it's just, I shoot for fun.
00:04:56
Speaker
Yeah, man, it is true. Cause I do both. I shoot a little bit competitively and then I do, when I say competitively, it's for fun, not nothing like sponsored or anything, right. Other my own company, guess.
Therapeutic Aspects and Community in Archery
00:05:07
Speaker
And when you shoot a rifle, yes, it is fun, but it's kind of like crosshairs trigger, right? When you shoot a bow, it's like an extension of you.
00:05:18
Speaker
like the bow And that's the weird thing about a bow. that makes a but Shooting a bow, if you're in a bad morning, you go out and shoot just a dozen arrows, it's you feel better. And I don't know what it is. It's It's therapeutic because it's i mean it's all the way from your backhand to your fronthand.
00:05:32
Speaker
it's just it's it's you can't You can't fake it with archery. Nope, nope. And typically with a firearm, even if you're shooting a pistol, there's a level of muscle memory involved in that, but it is front sight, back sight, your hands and the target. And that's really not that hard.
00:05:50
Speaker
you're talking about a rifle, especially anything long range, you're probably on a bipod, you're probably in an arrest or even to shooting from prone. Like you said, it really is just you and a trigger and that's all that's involved there with a bow.
00:06:03
Speaker
That, that bow hand is pushing out away, pushing that bow out away from you. Your string hand is pulling that string all the way back and extending those cams all the way out. Every muscle from front hand to back elbow, everything in between chest, shoulders, uh, elbows, you know, everything's engaged.
00:06:23
Speaker
And then when you let that go, you still gotta hang onto the bow or it's gonna hit the ground, but it just lets something else out every time.
00:06:32
Speaker
And anyone who shoots a bow understands this because it's like the biggest stress reliever in the world because you can't, like, you're going to shoot really bad if you're thinking about anything else other than that pin on the target. You're not focused. You're going to shoot really bad.
00:06:45
Speaker
You know, and it's just, ah it is, ah it's, I always say it's cathartic, right? it's It's a great way to get out there and just be like, oh, it's so much better than like something stupid like golf. Like, I know people say golf's the same thing, but now it's not.
00:06:58
Speaker
No. um So I had the conversation with somebody a while back, you know, especially for a lot of military and veterans. When you go to the gun range, you're muffed up. You can't really have a conversation. you're not interactive. um Golf is a little bit different because you are, you can have that interaction. You can have that level of camaraderie.
00:07:14
Speaker
but it's not, I wouldn't say it's the same level of engagement that you have with archery. It's, know, especially from the trash talk aspect of it, for those in the military, they need that, they they kind of crave and they, yeah it's what we live off of.
00:07:28
Speaker
Yeah. I always say that a 3d archery is like golf, but not gay. Like you're out with your friends and you're like allpa for men golf for men. Yeah. You know what i mean? Like you're out there and like,
00:07:39
Speaker
There is serious trash talk going on because like, even though you always want to beat your friends, you always want to have a better arrow. You always want to talk. mean, if they put it in the foam or they miss, like, it's just, you're in each other's head, you're goofing off. You know, we like, if you ever get a chance to shoot with me, like we'll do fun stuff. Like, Hey, one foot front foot up front foot, back foot up, you know, whatever we're from your knees, from your butt, whatever, 10 seconds or 30 second holds. Like we do a lot of fun stuff just to like,
00:08:06
Speaker
it's you're we're all little kids at heart right all of us are just trying to beat each other and having a good time you hit all the high points drew so that's what valor archery challenge is all about is while i do have targets down range i do have challenge shots so it's draw and hold for as long as you can it's send an arrow in five seconds or less it's shooting from flat on your butt shooting from your knees or even shooting from i've got a uh really wonky so it's off camber and then it's angled shooting platform the one foot either front foot or back foot has to be on in order to take that shot um roulette wheel where you have to spin the wheel and that decides what target you shoot at so it really is all the things that you said were all part of my events
00:08:45
Speaker
That's awesome,
Valor Archery Challenge Events
00:08:46
Speaker
man. So let me give you an idea. This is an idea for your events. I think, see, the military, the cool thing military is you guys have like one of the most twisted sets of humors in the world. Like, I mean, like, it's it's gnarly.
00:08:57
Speaker
and ah And you love, I mean, very crude people a lot of times. it's this It's just military, right? It's fun. um Love hanging out with guys. Love shooting with you guys. But the next level of this crap talking, like, it's like you're a bunch of alphas, right?
00:09:11
Speaker
So have you ever seen this back-off challenge in golf? No. So it's where they go to the ball and they have a comedian there just laying into you. And if you back off the ball, you lose.
00:09:25
Speaker
I want to do a letdown challenge. Like they have to hold for 30 seconds. And, but you get someone there just like, look at your mustache, look at you, your scrawny little, but but like, dude, just like, just laying into you.
00:09:39
Speaker
And, and like, and then, ah if they let down, they they don't get to shoot. you know what mean? They don't get the shot, you know, or something like that. Dude, I think that especially in a military event, like some sort of a letdown challenge would be so funny. I'm all for it. I'll write that up today.
00:09:54
Speaker
So just having someone just like lay it, just make fun of them, whatever. You can even do the whole drill instructor if you want to get some other screaming at them too, but that's a little bit hard to do that all day long. But, ah you know, but like, I think there's a comedian out there just laying into them. It would be ah hilarious and they would dig it. And it's just fun, um fun getting made fun of and trying to keep that bow up Thursday. So while someone's picking on you, you know, it'd be a really good time.
00:10:17
Speaker
I'm all for it. I'll put that together. Yeah, I think that'd be really cool. So kind of done to that same point, right? I got all those other challenges. i welded up a steel rib cage for one of the mule deer targets.
00:10:29
Speaker
So two inch gap in between the ribs. Never heard of that. Yep. I'm the only one that's got it. And then somebody said, well, the two inches too wide. So I went to a bore target and I welded up one inch gap in between the ribs on the bore target I've got a steel pillar that's got a three inch hole in it.
00:10:45
Speaker
You put that pillar out, let's call it three to five feet away from the target. You got shoot through that three inch hole, but it's right in line with where the tin ring is. And then I've got a steel fence line shot where you've got to shoot right at the fence line.
00:10:58
Speaker
We're putting the the fence line probably seven to 10 feet away from the target, but that fence is top fence line is right in line with where your vitals will be. So you got to figure out how to shoot over top of it.
00:11:09
Speaker
It really is just all about creating challenge that, brings that level of trash talk to go along with it mental it's mental with that stuff so you like anyone who's archer understands that you're aiming at the top of that fence but your arrows went over because your arrows ballistically is going over but you have to aim at it and there's something about like something about rocks there's something about rocks and about trees that you just like you know you're pulling way left because you're just afraid of that tree and it's like if you just yeah if you just trust it trust the shot and focus it will go there So you, you go, ah you kind of go from the competitive shooting world into the competitive archery world. When did that start? Like 2010?
00:11:45
Speaker
Um, probably a little bit later, 2012, 2013, somewhere in there. Kind of an extreme guy, aren't you? Yeah, very much so. They kind of like you pick something up and like, now I'm a competitive archer and now you have a whole event after it.
00:11:56
Speaker
yeah So, so you pick up competitive archery. Now are you doing like a Vegas style archery or you outdoor 3d only or what? Predominantly outdoor 3d only. Um, 20 yards at a flat paper target just doesn't do anything for me.
00:12:09
Speaker
Yeah. I get bored and I ended up doing more Robin Hoods than not. Um, and that gets really expensive over time. I've got a collection of Robin Hoods hanging on the wall back behind me. That's probably 12 deep.
00:12:22
Speaker
So yeah, I try not to, I try to avoid Robin Hoods at all possible if I can. Um, but I do have Robin Hoods on moving targets. So that's a different conversation. So you get into it, you got into 3d. So what were you doing like writing and stuff? What were you doing for 3d?
00:12:35
Speaker
um So I shot total archery challenge for a number of years. And then I found um as I got deeper into it, know, talking with beast mode archery and then going into a couple of local events here in Colorado, mountain archery fest Western hunt fest.
00:12:51
Speaker
um As I spun into some of those, I also spun up the archery in motion business, which is the moving target and went, you know, okay, let's take the moving target because, I got tired to shooting stationary targets. I can't be the only one.
00:13:03
Speaker
So I spun up a moving target business and kind of took that around the country in 2024, all the way from Pennsylvania to Utah and from Wisconsin down to New Mexico. Had it across the country, about 300,000 shooters put an arrow in it.
00:13:15
Speaker
Everybody had fun with it. Didn't make me a millionaire yet. That's okay. um But what I did find out in the process of all that is, well, total archery is great. its ah It focused focuses on the bow hunters.
00:13:30
Speaker
HHA USA focuses on the veterans in Wisconsin. Awesome. But it doesn't really do anything outside of that space. Well, let's build up an event that really can, has a potential to either travel or franchise.
00:13:43
Speaker
And that's really focused towards the military and veterans community using archery as therapy. Hence Valor Archery Challenge. So now this moving target business, are you selling moving targets are you just going out renting out your deal?
00:13:55
Speaker
So i was I was going out and selling them and I was trying to rent them. Like I said, it didn't make me a minute just yet. We'll get there. yeah so So you are like, you can still go and buy your moving targets if you wanted to?
00:14:06
Speaker
Yep. Okay. So like like my friend has like Bo Disciples Challenge every year in San Diego. He could buy one of your targets. What's a moving target cost? Depends on the model. So our 10 foot mover with a solar panel.
00:14:17
Speaker
So that's 10 linear feet, just straight down, straight back. you're looking at about $25, $2,600. um When you start talking about the Monster, which is 76 linear feet, but it's an oval track, so you do quartering away, quartering to broadside, frontal, and 13-foot distance change in that same oval track, self-propelled, 36-volt battery, 100-yard wireless control, that's looking at about $15,000. Wow.
00:14:41
Speaker
wow so and You were talking about James, and i I've had the conversation with James about getting a moving targeted boat disciples challenge. Oh, you've talked to James? Yeah. He's a good friend of mine. He lives down the street. We're working're going to Mexico together here in two weeks, going fishing together. and Yeah, and he just got engaged, so congrats to He just got engaged, finally, dude. The guy's been slacking over here, Brianna, dude.
00:15:02
Speaker
ah Way out of his league. I would have dumped that guy a year ago if he wouldn't have finally got engaged, got locked down, finally. That's right. Yeah, she does well for him. She does well for me. yeah I love both of them. They're awesome. I'm excited to go fishing with them actually couple of weeks. it' Excited to not be doing a hunting thing, just being fishing with some friends instead of, yeah, something out of outside of the space.
00:15:23
Speaker
feel like we're doing all this stuff. Plus I feel like me and him, like he was in Africa, then I was in Africa. I was in Hawaii and he was in Hawaii. we've been like all over the world together right now, but not together. And I'm like, we can just go to Mexico together and go fishing. So yeah, there you go.
00:15:36
Speaker
So you do it always advance. You're doing tax. Um, have you been involved with the vets at all up until this point? Like, are you going like a VA? imagine you're doing some mental health stuff, obviously. Right. Cause you're going to your own thing.
00:15:48
Speaker
Like what, let's, before we get into like what you do with valor was kind like, but like your mental health and what that looks like, like, oh like, with like, with like that challenge of like why the bow helped you a little bit, you know, cause coming out of like getting crushed, like, like,
00:16:00
Speaker
I couldn't imagine being a 25 year old kid. That's you, right? 25, right? yeah You have your, your career in front of you. and then this happens. And then not only that, it happened in 2000. So the next year,
00:16:13
Speaker
so the next year It all went sideways. All went sideways. All your friends now are leaving you behind to go do what you signed up to do. Because you signed up during like the most boring time ever, the 90s, right? Like mid-90s. That's right.
00:16:26
Speaker
Like the worst, like the the most, I mean, if you're if you're looking for like the hardcore stuff, it was boring. And then now here you are, you got crushed. You're going to physical therapy. All your peers are going to serve this country. Yep.
00:16:40
Speaker
Yep. So on top of all that, I also got divorced. at the same point in time that' under conversation over lot more beer anyway um but so my my military career ended abruptly my divorce happened so stress anxiety ptsd depression dealing with levels of pain um dealing with therapy the va at the time was somewhat supportive not great and there weren't nearly the level of veteran support organizations that there are today nothing like today yeah nothing not not even close congratulations you're out of the army you're on your own good luck
00:17:17
Speaker
And that's really what it was about. And so, like it said, I went into firearms with some alcoholism and some depression, not the best scenario, but it's what I knew and it's what I had.
00:17:29
Speaker
Over the years, buddy mine grabbed ahold me and said, here's a bow, just try it. So taking that bow, taking that arrow down range and and really sending it down range, let that level of stress and anxiety drop.
00:17:44
Speaker
It took the the mental stresses away. archery, as you know, it's it's similar to golf, but for men. So you're out kind of hiking more. you're It's more of an outdoor adventure.
00:17:56
Speaker
um So I'm getting some hiking. I'm letting that become my rehab for my leg and my hip. And then using the hunting aspect of it to kind I have a focus every year that i'm building up every year. I'm going hunting.
00:18:09
Speaker
I take two or three weeks off, and then it's I'm right back to it and rebuilding for the next next season. Yeah. Yeah, because when you think about it with these guys, right, because you're doing what you're doing is working with vets, right?
Veterans' Transition Challenges
00:18:21
Speaker
And yes, there is obviously probably the most prevalent would be mental health issues now, right? With PTSD, these guys would have already did it. And that's something that would never addressed. We all see the guy with one leg. We all see the guy with one arm.
00:18:32
Speaker
and And those the ones that obviously we all look at as a more tragic. But yeah, I couldn't imagine being like, this is my career. And then all a sudden, the next thing you know, you're in a hospital for two years. Right.
00:18:43
Speaker
You're rebuilding. You're coming back. Everyone's looking at you. You're your your friends are over there getting blown up still. And you're still you're over here. um You know, and then there are the guys went over there, didn't get blown up.
00:18:54
Speaker
but blew people up or had their friends blown up or had them blown up next to them. And, and they're dealing with this and then they're coming back into society and we're all like, hoorah veteran or even worse today. We're like, Hey, asshole, you know, you know, half the world hates you because you're, you're American. Right. And half of America hates you right now for being a soldier.
00:19:14
Speaker
Right. Like there's not like, we went from this time of like, I remember, I was in high school when nine 11 happened. I think I was a sophomore. I remember, It was like everyone in the world had an American flag.
00:19:25
Speaker
It was a wild time to be alive when it came to being a patriot. And now if you fly an American flag, you could be a racist. There is that chance. Yep. You know, it's it's really, it's shocking. Now, if you support the police, you hate black people, you know, or now if you support, you know, it's a really weird time to be alive for a veteran where they're not getting the same,
00:19:47
Speaker
you know, everyone's standing up and support your vets, you know, you will the duck dinners, you will some of that stuff, but yeah you know, the hunting dinners, but it's a weird time to not have support. And and i can imagine being pretty lonely.
00:19:59
Speaker
Very much so. And that even, you know, Having the conversation with the participants of my events, I've had a couple of them tell me, you know, thank you for putting these together because it's nice to be able to connect active military up with a veteran because the military active military needs to figure out what does that transition feel like? What does that experience like after the fact?
00:20:19
Speaker
The veteran wants to connect back up with those that he knows that the other veterans are active military because it's, it's a level of camaraderie regardless of what branch it is. And then when I throw a civilian in the mix as well,
00:20:30
Speaker
Well, then both of those can have the conversation of what am I getting into when I walk away and join into the corporate space? And so they can kind of tell them what that's like without not seeing it from the same side, but at least it's a different perspective for them to understand or to help build that level of camaraderie in a shared space in archery.
00:20:51
Speaker
Got you. Now, what are... So now your your event isn't just for, it's not like wounded warriors. This isn't only like a wounded warrior type event. This is an event for all military, active duty, non-active duty.
00:21:04
Speaker
and I'm sure you have injured archers as well. I mean, the whole night. Yep. So even civilians are welcome because I do want that interaction across the different platforms, right? having that seamless
00:21:18
Speaker
It really does. It changes the perspective. um If you think about TAC, they hand out a scorecard, but it's really not a scored event. It's not a sanctioned event um versus like an ASA or an IBO type event where it's a hard score.
00:21:31
Speaker
You've got judges, you've got all nine yards. My events really just fund you. I don't even hand out a scorecard because I just want you to focus on slinging some arrows, having fun, and building that level of camaraderie across the group.
00:21:44
Speaker
And how are you doing these events once a year or are you doing? No, I just had my fourth event here a week and a half ago. No way. Yeah. So, and right now I'm focused in Colorado, but it's going to grow.
00:21:56
Speaker
We're going start to expand out in 2026, probably in the Western States and then kind of figure out where to go from there. Really? So you're all in. How many targets you have? My inventory right now is a little over 50 targets deep.
00:22:10
Speaker
gee Are you setting two courses, three courses? Yep. So we're doing an entry level course for those that have never shot before. And that's 15 targets. Nothing's more than 20 yards. Everything's full broadside. And i we'll start with a mule deer. We'll start with some dinosaur targets and give you something to play with.
00:22:25
Speaker
um And I've got the rental bows, rental arrows and the whole nine yards to go with. Yep. And then as you transition from that, you're going to step over the next level course.
Event Structure and Skill Development
00:22:34
Speaker
And that takes you through somewhere between 20 to 25 anything out to about sixty five yards.
00:22:40
Speaker
We'll have a couple moving targets in there typically. But when you look at those, half of those targets to be broadside. The other half will be hard quartering to a hard quartering away or have some steel challenge in the way.
00:22:50
Speaker
And then the extreme event that we had in May up Bailey, Colorado, that was, there was nothing broadside. Everything was a hard angle, even ah bunny rabbit target facing away from you six feet out and four feet below your feet.
00:23:06
Speaker
So hard angles.
00:23:10
Speaker
Jeez, that's fun. So four events all over Colorado. um and how are you doing How are you funding this? How are you doing all this stuff on your own? So um part of our train motion is helping funding it because our train motion ended up with a couple loans, couple grants to help build that.
00:23:26
Speaker
In the process of our train motion, I got connected and went through a bunch of the different military entrepreneur programs. So whether it was Warrior Rising or IVMF, Bunker Labs, the Rosie Network, DAV Patriot Bootcamp, or even Colorado Veteran Business Outreach Center.
00:23:43
Speaker
Worked through all the different programs, learned what I could to become a business owner and kind of develop that skill set. That's helped me understand financials and where I can get money and where I can find money and where I can help ah reach out to companies like Tricer to say, hey,
00:23:57
Speaker
I'm building this event. Would you be willing to donate a raffle prize? Drew and crew were kind enough to do so. um i ended up with about 50 companies that sent me gear as raffle prizes. So really it's just understanding my audience, understanding the companies that I can partner with, reach out to them and figure out how to put those pieces together.
00:24:18
Speaker
Gotcha. And so how many years have you been doing this now? um So Valor is just... Next month will be a year old. Um, archery in motion is just shy of three years old. Okay. And archery in motion is continuing. You're continuing to build that at on top of this same time.
00:24:34
Speaker
yeah any meeting i mean, the treat these pretty shoots are getting awesome. And what you're really looking for, I guess now is like these archery clubs. Like there's lot of our stuff local. Like we have like two clubs, like maybe the ones that would buy that motion target for all the events to do year round.
00:24:47
Speaker
So that's, that's the, that's one dream aspect of it. Um, Things like outfitters that are, you know whether it's New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, the outfitters that take folks out for hunting adventures, you probably should have them practice on a moving target before you take those paid clients out to go chase that animal and see if they can even hit something.
00:25:07
Speaker
Then you look at where's the growth path to this is the military, even to this day, still shoots at stationary targets. Last I checked, we've been in wars for almost 24 years. It's probably time to change from shooting at that stationary green um green target, silhouette target, to either a steel plate or a cardboard target that's on the move to make it a more realistic practice scenario.
00:25:32
Speaker
That changes the perspective, it changes it, it makes it real, but it also gives you an understanding of what your capabilities are. And that's kind of where the growth path is, is take it into the military law enforcement down the road, but we're not there yet.
00:25:45
Speaker
Oh, that's really neat. I didn't even think about that. Yeah, because it is the truth. I mean, Now, archery moving, I'm not really taking that shot, but have taken some... but When I say moving on animals, when I say moving animals like with a rifle, it happens. It happens more often than not. A lot of times it's slow walk. I'll put it in front of them. You know what mean? It's slow... like they haven't stopped yet, you can't get them to stop Give it to them.
00:26:06
Speaker
um Okay, but Drew, think about... No, I did shoot goat on the run this year. I did i did do that. Hogs in Texas, my bow never stop moving. Turkeys, never stop moving.
00:26:18
Speaker
yeah I can't think of couple this year with my bow that I did shoot. I did shoot a couple of my bow on the move this year. I did shoot a pig with my bow on the move. um That was a bad shot. That was a... But that's how you practice. and That was a bad shot. but i did But I did shoot a goat. I mean, I shot one goat broadside, another goat popped up, stopped, shot him.
00:26:36
Speaker
Another goat's running, turned, led it, put right through it. and That one was actually pretty perfect. It was pretty awesome. But it was 30 yards. It wasn't like anything really anything to write home about. But still, goat on the move, got him killed.
00:26:47
Speaker
But yeah, no. and And the big thing for me isn't necessarily like I want to every animal moving. it's if i It's the same reason why I practice at 80, 100 yards, but I don't shoot that far in animals, right? Yeah.
00:26:58
Speaker
pronghorn I dropped two years ago is 94 yards out. it It is worthwhile to practice those longer shots because you might have the opportunity and that's the only shot you get. um Same with moving targets. If that mule deer, that elk is 30 yards, but it's walking, even not just at a walk, you know, every time that elk takes a step, it's three feet.
00:27:18
Speaker
Having that understanding of how to take that shot correctly rather than putting it through the guts, that it makes a difference in how you make that shot. So...
00:27:29
Speaker
You've been going for a year now. I imagine the first event was kind of like tester. How are these events going this year? Good. um So we're, we're still building the name. We're still building the brand. We're still building the recognition.
00:27:41
Speaker
um But the unique challenges that we're setting up, you know, whereas tack has really focused on set it up in the trees or set it up in the rocks. Half of my events have been in flat open fields with no trees to be found.
00:27:54
Speaker
And to be able to make it a challenging shot in flat open space, for enough to where people are saying this was tough, this was challenging, this was a lot of fun. That says a lot about what the courses that I'm building.
00:28:06
Speaker
So change really just trying to change the game, change the mindset of it doesn't have to be full broadside at 31 yards, put hard quartering two at 26 yards, that's a whole different shot scenario.
00:28:19
Speaker
100%. And then you put a steel rib cage on it and you're really... Yeah, that's just that's just evil. You're just getting cussed out all day long. I'm sure you have a lot of friends. They love it. I love it. It's all good.
00:28:31
Speaker
Yeah. it's There's nothing better to watch somebody else break their arrows. When you break your own... i love sitting there and watching the steel target watch everybody else do it. It's a minor up there that i hurt that it hurts the most. Yeah. so the I do have a steel plate as well. It's got a 4-inch, 3-inch, a 2-inch, and a 1-inch circle cut into it.
00:28:48
Speaker
So... Build yourself up. Get comfortable at four inch. Cool. Three inch, two inch. Yep. I had a gentleman walk out during the extreme event in Bailey in May that his very first arrow of the day was a one inch hole at 27 yards and he drilled it.
00:29:03
Speaker
Nice. So it can be done. you just got to crush on I'm not taking that shot first thing in the morning. I'm probably not taking the shot in the outside either. I, my arrows, i mean, my arrows get given to me and I still don't like doing it.
00:29:15
Speaker
It's still, I hate breaking them. It's just even the time I put into building them, you know what I mean? i build out these Eastman's arrows and I'm like, Oh, I don't want to take me all this time to cut those things and glue and put the fletchings on and put the inserts in and then I break them. That's therapeutic, right?
00:29:29
Speaker
Just build. arrows It is building arrows. I really enjoy building my own arrows. Honestly, like, It's kind of like reloading for me. Like I really enjoy doing it, sitting down and doing it. So yeah, I sort of put, know, put some veins on arrows for two hours and now got a good inventory and I'm all kinds of calm.
00:29:47
Speaker
Yeah, I sit down to my office, turn the TV on, put on like a gritty gritty show or something, or put on, you know hunt go hunt film, and then do some arrows in here for a couple hours and the arrows together. The thing about archery is just can't do it fast. It's just so slow. It's just glue and glue, you know. and That's okay, because it's just, it forces you to sit down and focus and get out of your own head for a bit.
00:30:08
Speaker
And again, it's just like, what i that's why I reload my animals or my ammo too. It's like, there's something cool about shooting, your arrow or your bullet that you made at, it's just like when you process your own game, you know, it's like, yes it's a whole nother level to it that
Camaraderie and Economic Impact in Archery
00:30:23
Speaker
you could add to it. You know what i mean?
00:30:25
Speaker
yeah i don't do my own bow tuning. I hate that stuff. Like all my, friends I have a lot of friends who do it that can do it for me. But like, I just, the bow tuning thing is like, I don't want to think about it, but I'll do my own arrows. Yeah.
00:30:36
Speaker
I, I lost trust in a lot of the different shops around. So I do all of my own tuning. I build my own arrows. You know, I, order them up, get them cut to length. And then from there, it's, I build it all.
00:30:48
Speaker
Go out shoot and shoot them, play with them, have fun. So you got a bow press and everything on. Yeah. Yeah. That's where like, i have friends that do that too. And I'm like, wow dude, I can just go to the bow shop. But the problem with the bow shop is I go down there and talk about cathartic.
00:31:00
Speaker
You get a good bow shop. man I've been down there for four hours. i mean, might as well go to the bar. I'm in there for four. I can't go to the bow shop for less than three, four hours. Every time I go down there and hang with these guys, you know? Well, yeah, but that's, again, that's,
00:31:13
Speaker
different level of camaraderie and community, especially in the archery community, whereas in the firearm space, you probably saw it, there's a lot more ego involved. you don't get that level of interaction that you do in the archery space.
00:31:25
Speaker
You're not going to go to the gun shop for four hours and a conversations with everybody. Yeah, that's definitely true. I'm very sad about the archery space. It is more camaraderie for sure than the the shooting space. I can say the NRL Hunter is really fun.
00:31:38
Speaker
NRL Hunter, like I've done PRS as well, which is cool. And it is camaraderie. There's camaraderie there, but it's like internal hunter is like very similar to tack.
00:31:49
Speaker
Yeah. And you're you're the only difference is like you can't shoot next to each other. you know what i mean? it's a lot more like systemized, but like you are talking crap. You're all with each other. you're kind of it's It's just not the same as when you're someone's in the full draw and you're You know you're in their head you know what I mean? Because you can't do that because you have headphones on and they're timed. right you're not It's different in that sense, but it is inter-roll hunter is the closest thing I've found when it comes to competitive shooting that I really enjoy. I think everyone should go shoot inter-roll hunter and everyone should go shoot tacky fence. If you're going hunting this fall, like go do NRL hunter event with whatever rifle do. The cool about NRL is you can go out there with your freaking, you know, your Savage.308 axis and go hunt it and you know and go shoot it and have a good time, you know, and and learn something about it, right? Because you're going to be at your level no matter what. And that's what I love about TAC or your event is, like, every guy and their mom is a 100-yard shooter until you put an animal in front of them, you know? I mean, dude, I miss twice in Africa,
00:32:41
Speaker
less than 60 yards on a zebra and a wildebeest. And I don't know what I was doing. Like, I mean, i killed the week before I'd killed like six animals in Hawaii, little tiny goats and sheep. And then I missed, I mean, like, ah just it goes things like they ran, they stopped. I rushed a shot and put it in front of them, you know, one of them jumped the string. And it's just like,
00:33:02
Speaker
you just fall apart. And the only way you really get good at that, aside from hunting animals is doing these tack events or these value archery challenge events, right? Yep. Shooting three d really does because the gun range, you're going be at a bench. You're shooting at a known bark, known distance, hundred yards, 300 yards, thousand yards, but going to be shooting from a bench.
00:33:22
Speaker
You typically don't go on cold, windy days. You go when it's nice and warm and you're comfortable. 3d archery events, you're shooting at animal silhouette. and we did For my events, it's all about hard quartering angles so that you really understand what that shot placement even looks like.
00:33:40
Speaker
but If it's hard quartering too, know that you' if you shoot it up in the front shoulder, you yeah you're going to hit shoulder blade, both lungs, then come out the back liver going out. Vice versa, you know if it's hard quartering way. you're not doing You don't even care about the insert.
00:33:53
Speaker
No. I love that. I love that. Because some of these shots, you're like, that's even a kill shot, but it's a 10. um And I do it a little different. All my targets are directional. So know where' when you go to attack, the target's left, target right, doesn't matter.
00:34:07
Speaker
All mine are directional so that they're they're showcasing which direction you need to go after you take that shot. You're not going to get lost because you already know if the animals... Oh, it points you to the next spot. Yep.
00:34:18
Speaker
Oh, that's kind of cool. Yeah, right. um We do well to either mow or weed eat so you've got a clear path. ah This last weekend, we were out and kind of rattlesnake country so i had signage up that said you know rattlesnake's an area but i mowed everything down to where it was an inch above dirt so that you had a clear path to walk and follow had flagging out so you know everything's clearly marked you know where you're going man you know what i was thinking like you could do add this to archery in motion business is just a kick up flag you step on it flag pops up right in front of the target yep and you you step on it and it pops up and you step on again it drops down
00:34:56
Speaker
So almost like a kick drum for like a drumming set? Yep. yep make that put that in your put put that in your thing archery motion it's a free innovative idea from drew because man if you were because i've been at these events where you have arrows flying by you and you're like that was close yeah like it's something to my local events like no offense to my local guys like dude i don't know if they drinking to set it up or what but you're like sitting you can hear the arrows you know and you're like oh my gosh this is this is gnarly you know james is really good james is a good good event i've i've heard that as well as that his setups are very good James is very good, but I've had some local where you're just like, this is a little sketchy, you know?
00:35:33
Speaker
And there are times at TAC where i'm back looking for an arrow, right? Cause I miss cause I suck or I'm with, well actually is I was probably shooting with you and you missed, right? I had a 10. So Sam, Sam missed. I'm looking for Sam's arrow for him, right?
00:35:46
Speaker
And you're back and in TAC it's so thick and there's no one to, and sometimes you're getting so stacked up and so backed up. There's no one to know you're back there. There's no way to really say you're back there. And if there was a way to step on a kick drum, kick it up, it would work. I probably should tell tack guys this too, but make that thing, man.
00:36:03
Speaker
What I found when I went to tack and I had to go behind the target, i would put my bow directly in front of the target. That's a good idea too. Put your bow in front of the target. But even then, you know, like they have to see that.
00:36:14
Speaker
Yeah, yeah but but most people are going to see that there's something in the way of the target because most people are – Typically, they're either glassing or they're ranging what that target is. They're going to see that bow is sitting there they're going why is there a bow there?
00:36:26
Speaker
That's at least going to make them pause and look. yeah That's something. um For my events, we don't I encourage people to wear bright clothes bright colored clothing so that you're at least visible.
00:36:37
Speaker
But i do a 15 to range. either side of the target so that there is a clear safety window. And you, once you walk to this target, you're walking hard out in a way you're not walking behind it at all.
00:36:53
Speaker
Yeah, that was definitely a tragic event. And and I've done a bunch of their events and they are incredibly safe. yeah I'm just trying to think of a way to, another thing could be is like an orange vest that you put over the target animal, an orange vest, right on the, put an orange vest, drape it over it.
00:37:07
Speaker
And then you go look for arrow. And when you're looking for air, you take the orange vest off and you walk off. Yep. That's, I mean, that's an option as well. And that's probably, that's probably easier than trying to make a kick drum for 30 targets out there.
00:37:19
Speaker
A kick drum for, yeah, more than 30. Those guys are throwing up 75 or a couple hundred targets on a weekend, you know, but yeah, like an orange vest is draped over the target and then you, Oh, Hey, someone's back there, you know, and then take a sucker off and leave. Cause yeah, it's, it's like, how do you, especially shooting by yourself? Cause some guys out there and run those things by themselves.
00:37:37
Speaker
How do you say that you're back there, you know, and something happen? Like I said, for me, the easiest thing I found was take my bow, set it directly in front where it's covering the vitals as best I can. That way, at least it forces somebody to pause and go, why is there a bow out there?
00:37:51
Speaker
Yep. A hundred percent. hundred percent. But if it was bright orange, think they'd get it. I'm just trying to think of the good way. I know that there's going to be some extreme, it's going to suck for tack. They're going to have to do some, like probably, i mean, they're going to, the insurance is going to be sitting at every damn target, which going suck. It's not going to happen. but The hike to hunt event after that accident attack, the hike to hunt said, um hunter orange is required for all participants.
00:38:13
Speaker
Really? Yeah. That might be where it goes, huh? Yep. Yeah. Which is cool because a bunch of these dorks go out there and they wear full freaking Sitka camo anyways. either they'll be all They'll be at home wearing their orange, dude.
00:38:27
Speaker
I'm out there in my Crocs and some shorts, you know, shooting these events. These guys are out there in their Kinetrex and got the gators on. I'm out there wearing my Chacos, you know?
00:38:40
Speaker
Yep. I've seen enough of them. Every bit of Kuyu and every bit of Sitka that they can put on, they're out there in it. You just go, guys, and it's not hunting. I want to be as light as possible. I wear like, I love wearing the, I have like a Kefaru belt, you know, and and just like quiver.
00:38:55
Speaker
I got a Nalgene bottle, GoPro in there and that's it. I'm just going, you know, doing my thing. And I usually have a pack with Camelback in it and probably eight extra arrows, but that's really the extent of what's in the pack. Yeah. I only bring it to my clip quiver if I can't do it in that.
00:39:10
Speaker
Whatever. No, I'm just joking. I always have extra arrows. I typically, um i did pretty good. James this year, I did not lose an arrow at James's. I did miss out of, I think, 50 targets missed twice, but I didn't lose an arrow, which was like kind of like my, like, oh, it's pretty good. Didn't lose an arrow. That's a win, you know? The worst thing, the hard thing about, like, tax, I feel like,
00:39:28
Speaker
You always hit trees. And once you put one those four mills into a tree, youre never getting it back. I just kick it out. I just walk up and kick the thing off. I don't try and cut it. i used try and cut them out. It's just like, there's no point. Once you get a tree, it's done. Or a lot the tacks. I mean, some of you realize how bad people shoot when you go to attack. I mean, you're talking hundreds of arrows underneath. They have a bin. if anyone's ever been there, it looks like a Christmas tree. They stack them up. And it's like eight feet tall of just people's arrows. because people just It's a horse trough in the bottom of it.
00:39:53
Speaker
yeah it's ah It's a two and a half foot horse trough that's just completely filled with arrows, eight foot tall. It's amazing. It makes you want to wear Hunter's Orange, tell you what. Right. I saw something on Facebook, something in the last two weeks where a gentleman did an estimate on how many how much money was spent on arrows across the country for annually for tack.
00:40:16
Speaker
And it's like a million and a half dollars. Oh, I bet. It has to be. Has to be. I mean, i know, i mean, for me to get a set of my arrows done, 300 something bucks. I mean, I'm like 25 bucks an arrow now, at least.
00:40:27
Speaker
Right. At least. And you're not getting any cheaper. Not getting any cheaper, you know, especially talking to these four mills these Eastens and it's just like, you know, you want to run the good stuff. Actually, have you, have you heard of Cooley archery yet?
00:40:39
Speaker
Cooley? Yep. So it was Mamba archery. There was a name change. They changed over to K-U-H-L-E, Cooley archery. Bo Davenport out of Texas. Super nice guy. um Him and his wife run it.
00:40:52
Speaker
They're fairly inexpensive arrows, but they're good quality. I've run a couple different models and I use their ultra-cheap arrows as my rental arrows. so Check them out. They make 4 mils?
00:41:05
Speaker
They do make 4 mils. because you You're not cool to shoot 4 mils now. that's right or not You have to shoot a micro-diameter arrow. You've got to have a big, what's it called, a vac? No. f FOC. FOC.
00:41:17
Speaker
Yep. Yeah. Big Fokker up in the front. I got to have that high Fok. So, um, you're out to your four mil point, right? If you can score a 10 ring with a four mil and it's within the ring, you're good to go.
00:41:28
Speaker
If it's breaking a ring, yeah Whereas the five mil, six mil guys, they've they've got a lot more leeway and flexing around. i I literally want to go to like a big fat arrow. Like we had this guy out. i hope he's listening to this pod right now. was if it We had Lampers, Western Hunting Summit last year. And I like, we like, we each had our own team. And like this guy never shot through d archery before, but he was shooting like, don't It had to be like an eight mil. I don't know what it was. Some big white tail, some white tail thing.
00:41:55
Speaker
Dude, that guy got so many lines wasn't your funny i mean just yeah <unk> crushed it and it was like dude like i you miss with a formula you miss so many lines and if you're counting score it sucks right but if you're if you're shooting a formula and you're if you're breaking a line or in the line you know you're there yeah versus if you're shooting tree trunks you don't necessarily you can't say that it's real score Uh, that's what you, that's how you do it. Okay. Cause if I'm shooting with James Visser, no, it wasn't a score. shooting a four mil, you're out. James is a freaking dick.
00:42:30
Speaker
When comes shooting archery, three d yard. ti of Come on. He put up a ah video, what a year ago where the the arrow was, you know, from here to the line and said, well, pulling the line. Does it count?
00:42:41
Speaker
Even I jumped in and said, no, James, that's not counting. Dude. He's so by the book. He's such a good, like the problem with James is he's such a good shot. Like, I know he's like goofy online, like, you know, doing his James thing.
00:42:54
Speaker
But dude, he, I mean, he got beat, the guy beat Cameron Haynes, right? The guy beats Beaumont. The guy like, dude, he is so such a good shot. It's so frustrating shoot with him because like, if he doesn't get, if he gets an eighties Matt,
00:43:07
Speaker
right like if he gets less than eight he's really mad right like he's just so good at archery man like he's so like naturally gifted out he's been pitching to boats he's like three years old i love shooting with them because he just makes you better a better archer but man he doesn't give you anything he does not give me anything no quarter it's like oh nope you're out i mean that's what's fair i grew up when when i first started shooting archery competitively one of the guys that i shot with early on you know said if your arrow isn't halfway in the line where you're cutting that line in half with your arrow, it doesn't count.
00:43:41
Speaker
so pulling the line for him, he said it's out. It's not, not even close. Oh no. Like I shot with Illingsworth and he's like barely even touching the line. He's, he's counting it. Those guys, yeah, these guys are, they're soft they're a lot softer. He's not military guys. you guys are soft. You know, they, they count everything. you know it's close enough.
00:43:58
Speaker
Everyone gets a trophy with Nate Illingsworth and James Visser. they get touched that line. They get in it. Uh, both incredibly better shooters than meet me. By the way, Nate Illingsworth, I cannot believe how good of a shot that guy is. I thought for sure that he was like never going to be good at archery and he's like really good. I'm more talking. I think,
00:44:14
Speaker
crushing it dude i think he put 10 in the 10 ring and on my tricer course with me and i was like dang you were good he's he's a really good shot yeah um mean all he does is write jokes and shoot archery apparently so i don't know well make real archery all day long guy up there he's having fun with it that's all that matters having a good time but uh it is that's one nice thing to shoot of these good guys man they make you better shot and these guys are out there practicing every single day i do love james and nate both um So, dude, what a cool thing you're doing with ah but the Valor Archery.
00:44:46
Speaker
you got your success stories? Has this really changed guys' lives? You guys liking it? they they I'm loving it. i I had an email come back from a participant after this last weekend. Email hit my inbox Monday.
00:44:57
Speaker
And I'll pull it up and read to you because it got my attention here. So, he said...
00:45:13
Speaker
Thank for another outstanding event. This is our third time participating in the Valor Archery Challenge. Thank you for bringing attention to the veteran community and the method to use archery as therapy. These courses have helped me to block out the noise by focusing on challenging and fun shots.
00:45:26
Speaker
I brought my eight-year-old son and we totally love the experience and planning that went into creating your courses. We look forward to the next one. That's awesome. didn't So to get that type of feedback says, you know, I'm doing something right. i've impacted somebody in a positive way that, that made me feel good about what we're doing.
00:45:45
Speaker
That's awesome, man. I really appreciate that. And i love what you guys are doing. Like I said, we always like to give to you guys. You want to give raffle prize, whatever you guys need. We'll support you guys. I might even try and get one of my vets who does on Colorado come shoot on your events. Huh?
00:45:56
Speaker
Come send them out. Happy to have them. How can we shoot you guys? What do you guys got going on? So July 12th up in Greeley, north end of Colorado, we'll be a for with the Greeley Archers for their event called Freedom Fest.
00:46:11
Speaker
But I'm taking over their range, tearing their targets down, putting my own event. Because we're often how often are you going to shoot at flamingo targets? That just makes it fun. And then August 8th 9th, I will be a presenter and I'm also setting up a full course for the Colorado Outdoorsman Days down in Florence, Colorado as well.
00:46:30
Speaker
So that'll have an entry level course, free to use, free rental gear, just come out and play. And then for the novelty and next level courses, it's 40 bucks to come out shoot. So bring your cheap arrows because i have a feeling Sam's kind of a dick when it comes to these courses. It's going to be evil.
00:46:47
Speaker
It's going to be evil. but if Like you said early on, i military guys have a broken sense of humor and I am right there with it. I got tired of shooting stationary targets. I got tired of shooting broadside all day, every day.
00:47:01
Speaker
That's why I went out and started my own thing. So I don't have to play those games anymore. That's awesome, man. i'll to come out and shoot one of these things with you at some point here. Please do. Come on out. All right. Thanks, Sam. Let's do it again, huh? All right. Thanks, Drew.
00:47:13
Speaker
Thank you for listening to the Tricer podcast. Do us a favor and like and subscribe on whatever platform you're listening on. Give us a follow on Instagram and Facebook at TricerUSA and go and check out all of our innovative gear at www.tricerusa.com.
00:47:28
Speaker
Until next time, shoot straight, have fun, and always put God first.