Looking for traditional bow-folks in Upstate NY

[TMS]

#2361

Hello. I’m looking for any information on any traditional bow clubs or traditional bow shooters in Upstate New York, particularly anything around the Syracuse area. I tried some of the contacts listed at “Tradshops.com” but it seems most of the information is several years out of date and I received no responses to my inquiries. I am involved with a bow league at my rod & gun club and am the only recurve shooter among about 50 compound shooters. Gets a little lonely sometimes.

I’m fairly new to archery (last 3 years) but have hunted with a gun for over 40 years. Definitely enjoy the archery (practice and bowhunting) and would like to learn more. I am aware of only one traditional archery event in the area (“OxTAR” – Oxford Traditional Archery Rendezvous at the Oxford, NY Rod & Gun Club each August) and I would like to find out about any other traditional archery events & network with other traditional archers.

Any information would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

[Lrworkman]

#10437

https://sites.google.com/site/cortlandchapter/

Used to be a lot of traditional shooters at this club. Haven’t been there in a while but check them out. They have some good 3d coarses and also have field archery coarses.

[TMS]

#10442

Thank you very much. I will look into this group. The website seems very interesting. Obviously, one proper group may be all I need, but if anyone knows of any other groups in the area, I would appreciate knowing about them. Thanks.

[Stephen Smiley]

#10726

TMS: I am not aware of any traditional only groups in upstate. I am fortunate that my neighbor is also a recurve shooter so we often stump together but any time I have gone to any of the local ranges its always compound only shooters. I’ll be interested to hear if you find one.

[TMS]

#10791

Thanks, Gama. Just keep your eye open on this thread and maybe more will come out. Like I wrote earlier, there are a number of traditional Upstate groups listed on the “TradShops” website but the contact information is well out of date (I think 2011). So far I’ve sent out 8 letters with not a single response.

I was in my somewhat-local archery shop on Tuesday and asked the owner if he knew of any traditional clubs. He mentioned the Izaak Walton chapter in Cortland referenced earlier. He said there are some serious traditional archers at the club (nice custom bows, etc) as well as some traditional archers that shoot at his shop’s indoor league. Unfortunately, the shop is over an hour drive one way. All the other shops closer are strictly compounds and the newly-legal in NY crossbows.

So I will check out the Cortland club in the spring. Right now it’s a bit too cold to be bow shooting outdoors. At least my club has an indoor range for winter. At 30 yards, it works for me and I’m able to (mostly) keep up with the compounds (thank goodness for handicaps on some nights). It’s funny to me, though, that the compound shooters don’t understand how I can shoot accurately without sights, releases, let-off, etc. I just tell them it’s because I’m better (HA!). But it’s like they have never heard of Pope & Young, Fred Bear, and all. Kind of sad.

[Alexandre Bugnon]

#11396

You have to go to ETAR in July, the Eastern Trad archery rendezvous! That’s not too far from Syracuse, down in Coudersport, PA. I bet you’ll meet many folks from Western NY.

[TMS]

#11681

Thank you very much. I will look for information on this event. As long as it’s not 4 July weekend, I should be good to go.

[jmsmithy]

#12229

Hey TMS..

I’m in the southwest corner of the ADK Park awa northern Jersey. Two places you might want to contact is George Martin at Tollgate archery in West Winfield NY. He’s semi-retired but a great resource. Tell him John from NJ sent you…also Bill Foote at Foote Sticks and Strings in the Vernon area (about 40 mins east of Syracuse). He’s a full shop but does cater to trad guys…good luck and let me know how you make out. Shoot me a message…maybe we can hook up at some point…

[TMS]

#14068

Thanks, John. Been out of Internet commission for a couple of days – the joys of living and running a business in the boonies. I’ll be very close to Vernon in early Feb, will definitely stop at Mr. Foote’s shop. A bit more of a trek to W. Winfield but I do get out there occasionally. I appreciate the tips. Would enjoy meeting up some time when you’re in NY. It’s a real trek to NJ.

[TMS]

#20862

jmsmithy, made the trip out to Tollgate yesterday. George is an incredible fountain of knowledge. Had a great day. I was the only one in the shop for almost three hours (both good and bad). Had a great day, bought a bow and some accessories, and learned a ton. Could not have been a better day. Thanks for the tip. Hopefully something similar will happen when I visit Mr. Foote’s shop in a couple of weeks.

[TMS]

#27591

jmsmithy, looks like Footies has gone under. His website hasn’t been updated in a year. The Facebook page has some recent updates but also a comment that the shop is no longer at the original address and to call a phone number with questions. I called the number today and was told by the person who answered that the number was now held by an individual with no knowledge of the archery shop. Too bad.

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