I am fortunate to spend some of my winter time in sunny Arizona. This year I decided to reach out to an Arizona Trad Gang member, Tom Mosher aka M60gunner, and plan to get together when I got down south. We met for coffee this Tuesday and made plans to shoot out at the Ben Avery Archery Range Wednesdy morning. As luck would have it Tom had contacted Gary Sentman, bowyer/author,who was staying at the Ben Avery camp ground and had invited him to shoot with us. We were also joined by Mark a gentleman from Flagstaff. It was a beautiful sunny day and fun was had by all ...
(http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu113/elkken/P1020487_zpsb30fc0c3.jpg) (http://s639.photobucket.com/user/elkken/media/P1020487_zpsb30fc0c3.jpg.html)
Gary and Mary Sentman
(http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu113/elkken/P1020485_zpsabfa2b77.jpg) (http://s639.photobucket.com/user/elkken/media/P1020485_zpsabfa2b77.jpg.html)
Gary, Mark from Flagstaff, Tom Mosher / M60gunner
(http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu113/elkken/P1020488_zpsa00a399a.jpg) (http://s639.photobucket.com/user/elkken/media/P1020488_zpsa00a399a.jpg.html)
arrows in tall cactus, you just say good bye to them
The Ben Avery Range is a shooting sport facility run by Arizona Fish and Game. They have archery, sporting clays, pistol and rifle ranges. The facility is very nice and there is also camping.
The archery facility had a field range, several animal ranges, a hunter range which gives you lots of varied terrain up and downs to shoot and some platforms. They also have a broadhead range.
(http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu113/elkken/P1020490_zps65d28f2e.jpg) (http://s639.photobucket.com/user/elkken/media/P1020490_zps65d28f2e.jpg.html)
One of the 28 targets we shot on two of the animal ranges. I'm a 20 yard and under kind of guy but most targets can go out to 50-60 yards. You don't want to miss the target butts ... everything has stickers.
It was great fun meeting Gary and his wife. They now live in Montana. He is a tell it like it is kind of guy and we had some good stories going after the shooting was finished.
Thanks Tom for putting it all together.
Thanks for sharing!! Looks like s great time
Awesome! I love meeting the guys from TG! Esp the ones that I feel like I know through the internet, but would not know it if they walked right by me!
Bisch
Thank you Ken for the photos and write up. I am happy we all got together this morning. Wish Gary and his wife were staying longer. Really would loved to hear his stories. I hope to make it up Mark's way this summer.
Thank you Ken, Tom, Gary and Mary. It was a pleasure to meet up with all of you and shoot a few arrows. Here is one more picture with Ken, Gary, and Mary.
(http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a625/mmphoto49/_DSC1360a_zps36ef231e.jpg) (http://s1287.photobucket.com/user/mmphoto49/media/_DSC1360a_zps36ef231e.jpg.html)
Mark
While I mentioned I am a 20 yard and under guy Tom and Gary had no fear of distance. Those boys were shooting some pretty good arrows at 50+ yards. Tom spanked me pretty good on the first animal round when it was just he and I ... he shoots 40 yards like I shoot 20, it was fun to watch.
If you are an elk hunter you definitely would like to live in Mark's neck of the woods in Flagstaff. Beautiful country.
Looks like a good time had by all! I'll have to check that place out - especially with the camping available.
Looks like a neat place to "waste" some time. Great Photos.
Looks like a lot of fun. I wish I was there, especially when temps. here are around 15-20 during the day.
Thats the good stuff.
Nice Ken, thanks for sharing!
Cool! Getting to shoot with a longbow legend, and other great folks, in a pretty place, too!
Always look forward to reading Gary's article in Instinctive Archery.
Good shootin, to you all!
Cool seeing targets in the desert....and arrows in cactus. Don't see that often. Looks like ya'll had a blast....
Thanks for sharing.
Yes it was fun talking to Gary about Alaska and hearing what it was like in the good old days. I sold packaging to fish processors in AK for several years so I knew many of the places he was talking about.
Good thing we didn't have any beer with us, I might still be there ... :bigsmyl: :archer2:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: