Last year I had the good fortune of winning the "Eagle Eye" competition at Denton Hill. I ask Mike (junior) about some of the history of the event but he was not able to give much detail, as they did not have a written record. He did say that a women won it one year. I ask if he had a problem with my trying to develop a list of those who have won in past years. He said that would be great and that they may want to use that info.
If you know of anyone who has won in past years and what year they won, would you post that here or send it to me. You could even call at 919 563-2682. The info need is name, age at that time, and state of residence.
Here is what I know so far:
Ken Redding won this (2009)year, and I know that he has won at least one prior "Eagle Eye" event. I don't know his age or what state he is from.
I (Don Ward) won last year. I was 64years old, and I'm from North Carolina.
Any info at all will be welcome.
I (John Dill)lost it this year(2009) I'm 34 years old and from NC :D
I believe it started when Dan Mcmahon from Massachuttes and owner of the the now defunct McMahon Archery, won the competition at the IBO World Championships against compound shooters with a 21st Century Longbow and wood arrows.
It used to be to raise money for the Hunters Defense Fund. It was 1 arrow unknown distance with eliminations. I believe he won it with a 50 yard shot.
After that his archery company sponsored the "McMahon Eagle Eye" shoot at Denton Hill. When went out of business they dropped the McMahon name.
Thanks Jim. I was not aware of that. For at least the last few years it's been a nonprofit event for St. Jude's Childrens hospital.
Do you know about what year Dan won this event, or when it started up at Denton Hill in it's current form?
I really like this kind of event. It's a little bit Robin Hoodish, and a good spectator event. It's also brings out the best and the worst by having to come up in front of a large crowd to shoot at an otherwise easy target. It's surprising how many good archers step up and miss everything. The fear of embarrasing themselves keeps a lot of people from participating.
Please explain how this event works. I was talking to someone just yesterday who suggested we have a similar contest.
Gregg, there are several opportuities to qualify. You can qualify at a tournament before ETAR or there at Denton Hill where you could qualify on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday morning. You qualify at a cost of $2.00/shot for each shot. The target is a 1.5 inch orange dot on the kill zone of a deer target. The distance is somewhere around 15-17 yards.
Last year there were 27 archers who qualified. The eliminator round started at 5:00PM. Each participant steps up to the stake when their name is called, and shoots at a 3 inch dot again on the kill zone of a deer target. After the first round only 3 people survived. After the second round, only 2 survived, and after the fourth round, only one.
It's a crowd pleaser and the tension can cause some normally good shooters to miss badly. One of the local clubs here in NC had an "Eagle Eye" last year after ETAR and it went well. This year there is another one scheduled. It could be a popular event. Just make the eliminator tough enough that you don't have too many qualifiers, but easy enough that you don't discourage everyone from trying.
Good Luck!
Ken Redding is from Ohio----I see him once in a while at Twig Archery's Friday night Trad shoots.....
Qualifying is also at the Sawmill shoot a few weeks before (also put on by the same group) .
Like you said, it is interesting seeing the guys "crack" when the stakes are high. My hat is off to those guys. Wouldn't like to be on the recieving end of their arrows. Thumbs up to all who have qualified over the years. It is quite a show to watch.
(oh yeah, wooden arrows only too)
BobW
I remember the year the woman won it she had a sight pin bracket on her bow with the pins taken off. There was a lot of noise made for her to remove the bracket. They didn't make her do it and she didn't volunteer either. Funny she would choose to remove several sight pins and have to reinstall them in the proper places when 2 screws would remove the whole mess.
Great event.
It would draw far more participants (good for the charity) if they allowed you to use the same arrows you qualify with in the finals.
Steve
Jamie Barker called and confirmed what Jim said. He said that Dan Mcmahon did win against compound shooters in an IBO Championship in 1994, which was the beginning of "Eagle Eye".
Also, he said that Ken Redding was from Ohio. I thought that Ken had said he was from Ohio but wasn't sure. He is a really nice guy and gave me encouragement in last years shoot.
Well, we have the beginning and then this years event. All we need now is all the years in between. Anyone know who the woman was and what year she won?
Ask Blue Monday, he used to shoot against Dan at quite a few events and up against compounders...Doc
tippet,did blue monday used to shoot recurve also?..I remember shooting against a guy with his first name back then ( 94&95)..Jamie
We have a name for 1994, then for 2008 and 2009. Now we need info on the those 13 years in between. There's got to be someone else with info on the "Eagle Eye" history.
1994 - Dan Mcmahon
1995 - ___________
....
....
....
....
....
....
2008 - Don Ward
2009 - Ken Redding
You can post here or call 919 563-2682
This is of meager help, but it might jog someone's memory who can provide additional information. In the late 1990s I remember watching an older fellow win whith a Martin Bushmaster bow.
R.
Jack Thompson won in 1996. He was 64 years old and shot a bushmaster longbow at 55 lbs. I myself qualified in 97 and 98, but didnt fare to well. I remember shooting against Keith Bain and Walter Lucki, former world champions from years back. I remember there being like 90-100 people qualifying in those years, with hundreds of spectators watching the final shoot off. I also remember a guy shooting a 95lb. Howard Hill longbow winning it in 97 or 98. Thompson won $2100.00 in cash, lots of arrows, and a 21rst century longbow to his specs.
Wow! thanks Nyron and Macster. Now we have 4 out of 16. Hopefully someone else will help out with some of the blanks.
1994 - Dan Mcmahon
1995 - ___________
1996 - Jack Thompson-64yrs-55# Bushmaster longbow
2008 - Don Ward - 64yrs -47# Beeler longbow
2009 - Ken Redding - ___ - ________________
I believe that 1996 was the first year they had it at ETAR.
Macster, where was the 1994 Eagle Eye event held? Do you know the whereabouts of Dan Mcmahon? He probably would know more than most of us the history of the event.
i know they had it at the Budweiser plant in Merrimac,NH in 94,that shoot was an I.B.O qualifier,part of the triple crown here in the northeast,That is where Dan won it if memory serves me right..I don,t remember the bow but remember he shot banana fletch wood arrows..do remember my buddy's wife got a tick on her on saturday that weekend there though..Hmmmmm,boy the things we remember at times..
Dan won the eagle eye in Flatwoods, WV at the I.B.O. world championships in 1995, he also won the world championship that year by one point over Keith Bain. I am getting this info out of instinctive archer magazine. He qualified in Merrimack NH by hitting a nickel sized orange dot at 70 yards. In Flatwoods, he squared off against 22 compound shooters and won the $1000.00 grand prize. I believe he lives in MA.
Flatwoods was a great shoot that year.EXCEPT for the fog in the early morning..that stuff was soooooo thick we couldn't tell what way the targets were facing.I was in the top 5 for the saturday shoot.but i think three of us didn't make it to the sunday shoot..
Get Tom Phillips & Rob Schultze (Blue Monday) in on this and I think they could have some more light to shed...Doc
Now we have 5 out of 16. I wonder how many repeat winners there were? Also, who was the youngest, and who was the oldest?
1994 Eagle Eye - Merrimac, NH - Dan Mcmahon
1995 Eagle Eye - Flatwood, WV - Dan Mcmahon
1996 Eagle Eye - __________ - Jack Thompson 64yrs
2008 Eagle Eye-Lake Stephens,WV - Don Ward 64yrs
2009 Eagle Eye-Lake Stephens,WV - Ken Redding
I believe it was'97 when a man with an Osage self bow won it,can't remember his name but I have a picture around here somewhere.
DDyer, can you post the photo?
Wow! first we have Dan Mcmahon winning against compounds and now someone winning with an osage.
it ain't the tools, its the person using them.....
I don't know the years, but Sherwood Handelong from Pa won it one year and Dave Stewart from N.Y. won it twice
I think the man with the osage bow was from Michigan. He was there with Gary Davis, and shot and made bows with Gary. I've met him but can't recall his name. Good shootin, Steve
2009 Denton Hill, Pa Ken Redding OhWell, we have about half the info put together. Hopefully we can stir someone's memory to get the rest of it. If you have any info on "Eagle Eye" please help us out.
Here is what we have now. If you can verify any of this, then that would be helpful also.
1994 Merimac, NH Dan Mcmahon MA
1995 Flatwood, WV Dan Mcmahon MA
1996 Jack Thompson 64 yrs 55# Bushmaster
1997 Man from Michigan with osage bow
1998 Man with a 95# Howard Hill bow
____ A woman won
____ Sherwood handelong Pa
____ Dave Stewart NY
____ Dave Stewart NY (Again)
____ Ken Redding Oh
2008 Denton Hill, Pa Don Ward NC 64Yrs Beeler Lb
2009 Denton Hill, Pa Ken Redding Oh
You can call me if you don't want to post here at 919 563-2682
Anyone know who the oldest or youngest person was to win this event?
Well, a new bit of information. Looks like the guy who won the "Eagle Eye" in about 1997 with an osage self bow was Matt Wirwicky. Thanks to Steve McQueen and Gary Davis for that.
Now for a few more bits of info. Any help at all would be appreciated. Thanks, Don
Interesting stuff. I love yjis kind of history.
That first eagle eye against the compound shooters is the stuff of legends. Right up there with Robin Hood. Wish I would have been there. A nickel at 50 yards :saywhat: Are you kidding me?
I just re-read it was 70 yards. UNBELIEVABLE
It was unbelieveable. I wish that we had the details on it. Also, I think that it's pretty cool that a woman won it one year. Just wish we knew who she was, where she was from, etc.
I wonder how many rounds it took to win in the longest match? And from what states did the winners come from?
Doug, maybe someone will help to find some more history.
I'll ask around
If someone has the last McMahon archery catalog that was put out, it has the name of the guy that won with the heavy Hill bow. I just tossed it about 2 weeks ago else I could look it up myself.
Dave Stewart from Hornell New York has won it 2 times using a wing presentation 2. I will call his and find out the exact years that he won it.Joe
Great!
I just talked to Dave Stewart and he said he won it in 2001 and again in 2007. Hope this helps. Also, Hello to Dale in Pa. Joe
It looks like maybe a Andy Tomay (Tomei)won around 2004. From Elwood city P.A.
All I got.
Joseph, that's really great. We are now at the halfway mark to resolve this.
Some of what we need now are"
Who was the woman who won, and where was she from? Also, what year did she win?
Sherwood Handelong from Pa was suppose to have won one year. Anyone with any info there?
Anyone know what year or years Ken Redding has won the event other then 2009?
Kevin, we will probably get this all worked out by the time your boy wins it.
I remember a article in TBM about the eagle tournament being won by a guy who just had heart surgery. He was shooting a longbow.
the story I heard here locally is when Dan originally won the shoot it was put on by Easton Arrows, when he won it with wooden arrows they asked Dan to except the award behind closed doors so not to embarress Easton archery but Dan refused so after that award ceremony Easton dropped the eagle eye and never put it on again and then Dan bought the rights to it.
speaking of Dan I used to see him every now and then on our local 3D shoots but I haven't seen him in along time--> doesn't matter because when he comes around its always almost a perfect score from the compound stake but he doesn't turn them in anymore.
I shot with Dan at the HH World Championship. I fixed him up with some Superceder arrows, and he shot them for a while, but I don't know if he shot the Eagle Eye with them. Hope so! I'd like the bragging rights. :)
Speaking of Easton, I also fixed up Byron Ferguson with some, but he wouldn't/couldn't shoot them in public. Easton is his sponsor. Swapped them for his book at a show we attended.
Might the female have been Sam Zimmerman? She was the best I knew of in those days. She won the HH most of the times she entered, and Keith Bain's wife (can't remember her name) was her main competition. That was '94 or thereabouts.
Keith's wife name was Edith . I shot with Dan all the time in the early 90's . At the N.E IBO triple crown . Also at the IBO worlds in Flatwoods ( I was there when he won the Easton Eagle Eye) and Snowshoe WV .Also shot with Blue Monday . That was some good times up there in New England.
Billstick
Billstick, Do you know how old Dan was when he won in 1994 or 1995, or what bow he used?
Dan shot a 21st century , that is all he shot , don't remember what model it was. No I don't know how old he was ( late 20's early 30's ??).
As a footnote Dan stared out shooting a recurve at the first N.E IBO triple crown , but switched to a longbow .
Billstick
Wow, Dan did all that when he was only in his 20's or 30's? Let's see, 15 years later would make him about 45-50. That means that he hasn't even hit his prime yet. :) Anyone know if he still shoots?
ttt
From another site it was learned that Matt Warwiki won in 1997 with an Osage selfbow, Rich Baker won in 1998 with an 85# Howard Hill Longbow, and Andy Tomay won in 2004.
The years that are still blank are: 1999, 2000, 2002. 2003, 2005, and 2006.
Helpful hints are:
A woman won it one year.
Ken Redding won another year.
Sherwood Handelong from Pa won one year.
Someone by the name of Charlie ....from Ellwood, Pa won one year with a Robertson Recurve.
Can anyone else help to match up dates with names?
I just got confirmation tha the year after the woman won it a man names Sean Walp from upstate NY won it shooting a Penn Arrow Woods Bow. I talked with him at a local shoot.
Glenn
Dimeit, did you find out what year that was? Looking at what we have so for it would have to have been either 2000, 2003, or 2006.
(http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n375/bassray/DanEagleEye.jpg)
1998 winner with Dan
Great David. This is a very nice piece to the puzzle. Hopefully some others will have a photo or info to share.
Well, we got a fair amount of info together on the list of those who won the "Eagle Eye" over the years. Hopefully some more of you will see this and contribute to it. Anything at all could be helpful.
It's intriging to me that Dan MacMahon won against X-bow competition. Also the fact that someone won with an osage selfbow, and that a woman won it one year. Wow! We know that MacMahon won at least two years, and I believe that Ken Redding did also. Wouldn't you like to know if anyone won more then two years, or what states they came from, and maybe what their ages were?
Wonder what other interesting things we can learn?
I was there watching the year the woman won it. I believe it was 2005 or 2006, not positive.
Concerning the requirement for using wood arrows. I heard they make you use wood arrows because someone involved in running the event sells wood arrows.
John, my guess is that she and Ken Redding won those years( 2005 and 2006. Now if we can figure who won which years. You con't remember her name do you?
I don't know about "someone involved in running the event sells wood arrows." I suppose that I like the idea of keeping it as traditional as possible.
(http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n64/2fletch/P1010002-5.jpg)
This is a list of those that we know of (but haven't varified) that have won. Any info would be appreciated.
No doubt by Christmas, all the blanks will be filled in. Definitely a wealth of information on this site.
I do not remember her name. But I think I talked to her the next year while standing around the trading blanket. If my memory is correct she had been a world champion in the past. She told me she would get me an autograph picture but I never received it.
This is a cool topic, I hope you get all of the names needed to be complete.
Maybe they will make some type of plaque with all of the winners names, let the winner keep it for a year, to be returned the next year to be given to the new winner with his/her name added.
Mike (younger) expressed some interest in developing a history of this "Eagle Eye" event. I doubt it will be complete before Christmas, but maybe by next time we have the "Eagle Eye" at Denton Hill. It's been a little like a crossword puzzle where you get so far and then it starts to drag.
There are hundreds of people in attendance at these events. Someone's got to know more. If you can contribute anything to the history of this event please let me know. Even if you don't know who won what year then maybe you know someone else who might know. It's a fundraiser for St Jude's Childrens Hospital but I don't know if it's always been that way or not.