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Fun for all ages
Yahi Bowmen Archery Club of Modesto boasts targets, tournaments & programs
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long with the Modesto City of Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhoods Department, the Yahi Bowmen Archery Club holds two educational events each year for participants as young as 8 years old. The archery course includes instruction and hands-on archery activities. - photo by Photo Contributed

Archery enthusiasts who are interested in sharpening their shooting skills and connecting with fellow archers do not need to look further than the Yahi Bowmen Archery Club of Modesto. Since its foundation in 1954, the club has been serving the archery community of all ages.

 “Our club strongly promotes the sport of archery, including shooting and bow hunting, among families. We are fortunate enough to have pee-wee members who range in age from three to five years old,” said club president Curt Stevenot. “We hope to fill the future needs of archery by involving youth and passing on years of archery experience to new archers and old through sharing.”

With over 70 members, the Yahi Bowmen Archery Club is a great opportunity for archery enthusiasts in the community to get together and hone their shooting skills. Members are able to refine their shooting dexterity on targets, hay bales, and even 3-D targets. The archery range includes 28 targets, the first 14 having field target faces and the second 14 having animal target faces. 

For those interested in practicing on 3-D targets, the club holds 3-D shoots over the course of ten weeks starting in June. The 3-D shoots are available to the public in addition to Yahi Bowmen Archery Club members.  

In addition to the scheduled shoots, the club has three tournaments a year. The Spring Fling and Fall Fling are both open to all archery styles and ages. Also open for all ages is the Bill Sullivan Traditional Shoot, which is only open to shooters with recurve, long, and self bows. 

The Yahi Bowmen also holds two educational events each year in conjunction with the City of Modesto Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhoods Department. The archery course, which is available for participants as young as eight years old, includes instruction and hands-on archery activities. 

The range, which is located at the Modesto Reservoir in Waterford, is open to the public seven days a week and is subject to Stanislaus County rules. The range has also achieved a four star rating by the National Field Archers Association. 

Those interested in becoming a member of the Yahi Bowmen Archery Club must be 18 years or older. Those who are not 18 must be accompanied by a present adult member to participate. It currently costs $60 per year to participate in the Yahi Bowmen of Modesto, however rates will increase to $75 in 2015.

For those who are interested in joining, but who may be unsure of their archery skills and whether they are the right fit for the Yahi Bowmen Archery Club, Stevenot offered encouraging words. 

“For new prospective members, we offer to tutor them and help them find their way to the shooting style and equipment they will need to be successful from the casual shooter to the competitive shooter,” said Stevenot. “By educating new archers, we help the archery community become stronger.”