Bowsite.com

Bowhunters Rendenvous save the date!

Looks like the P&Y Club is bringing back this great event to WI for 2018.

P & Y had a Bowhunters Rendezvous in 2016, also at the Mackenzie Center, and it was quite the event! It will be again in 2018. If you're an avid bowhunter, you'll enjoy this. Bring the whole family, shoot the 3-D course, see the vendors, shoot the aerial targets! This is a good way to spend the day with your fellow bowhunters. Enjoy!

I went to the first one and had a great time! Took 3 new archers then and will take more next time. We missed the seminars because of bow trouble but won't miss them this time. Food was very good. Hopefully more product booths next time. Might have to go for more than one day lots to see and do.

Sweet, made the tail end of the event last year.

I took the two little boys to the last one. I look forward to doing this one with them next year.

This was a GREAT Shoot! Attended last year and will be there again next year! Well worth going!

If I'm not bear hunting I'll be there! C

It's almost time . Who is going?

I'll be there, Friday for sure, perhaps Saturday too.

I’ll be there 1 day. Not sure which as of yet.

I will be helping to set up the ranges this year again. That sure was a pile of targets to put out. I will be there as much as I can. Some really great people there & a great time.

Wish I could make it, but will be back in the UP, and fishing with the wife,,,,,

That's my problem also G.H. We are at our cabin every weekend spring, summer and fall so I generally only go to these shoots/events in the winter.

Every year they have this it's on the weekend near my wedding anniversary. We always have other plans. I said something about it to the wife and she said she would have loved to go and made a weekend of it. Now I know for next time. Too bad our other plans for this year are non-refundable.

I'm taking 5 youths up on Fri. We'll get there early and make a long day of it. Last year the boys slept all the way home.

Any traditional shooters got room? Was thinking of going and probably bringing the traditional bow. Anyone know the traditional stake ranges?

thanks

I am sure that the distances are reasonable for a trad bow. I don't recall anyone complaining last time. I was in the Wisconsin Traditional Archers booth all weekend so I didn't get out to shoot but talked to a number that did. Of course you can always do as I do and just pick your own shot.

They don't keep score as it is not a competition, just a fun time to have with other like archers. They will give you a score card if you want to have a competition in your group. There are stakes but you can shoot from any safe position. I'm sure there will be a ton of trad shooters as they always make a good showing. Plus I know more are going back all the time. I won't be setting up the 3D targets this year so that should be better on my back. I spent a lot of time last year in the WBH booth & wandering around b s ing. I hope to be there Wed., Thurs., Friday working. Then Sat. I have a meeting & will be there after noon. If you see a white haired guy with a camo hat gimping around that might be any body.

Any reports or updates on the events so far? I wanted to go but my dog had to have surgery yesterday so I'm home taking care of him. He is 15.5yrs old, so being careful with my buddy. If he is ok, might try Sunday. I see they close earlier, is it still worth going? Thanks. I have never been but like I said wanted to go. Looks great and great for WI to host. Bill

OK, I have it straight now, LOL. It is this weekend! My wife and I, plus another couple plan on going Saturday. I wonder if you can shoot all day for that one fee or if that is a one time pay/shoot thing. Well, maybe it will be crowded and we might only want to shoot once, never know. Should be a fun day.

Bill

Anyone there with some photos to share?

What goes on at the Rendezvous stays at the Rendezvous.

We were all packed up and ready to go, but my 4-year-old is still fighting a stomach bug.

I was really looking g forward to the rendezvous.

Unless your going to shoot, it isn’t worth the $5.00 to park this year.

Whys that Drop Tine?

What are they missing?

Very few vendors. Not much else but shooting. Could walk through everything in 5 minutes.

We had a good time today. Shot all 3 courses with my new Border CH. As we had lunch the auction was starting so I decided to bid on a couple targets. I got luck and came home with 2. Yep they could use more vendors but I think this is just the second time for this event, right? Might take time to grow it. I wonder if we could get the word out to some of the vendors we know to help out P&Y. I know an arrow builder and a leather worker. Maybe they just need to hear about it from us. Bill

My friend and myself and his grandson, enjoyed it, hope they continue to have it . Bill how did you shoot with that Border's bow there something different thats for sure?

A lot of fellows went and had a good time. Met a few vendors & talked about what they offered. Saw old friends & renewed acquaintances. Laughed, joked, had fun. I got to meet a fellow named Jack Frost from Alaska. Went to his seminar. He's quite the guy, very interesting,...has taken all North American big game animals with bow and has numerous P & Y class animals. One of the few to take a bow and arrow Super Slam. Some of our most dedicated and accomplished bowhunters from WI and across the nation are there. Easy to rub shoulders with them and to talk to them. This P & Y rendezvous offers a lot to the individual willing to be open minded and willing to take advantage of what is there. For all, it is a fun opportunity waiting to be realized.

Where were the seminars? I didn’t see a listing for events? I walked through the tent looking. Perhaps missed it. Two years ago there were a lot more vendors and bows to drool over.

The seminars were listed on-line and there were paper handouts listing all events (including seminars),...nearly two full pages of events offered. I was at two seminars,...both were in the main lodge. After attending the first seminar I did offer a constructive suggestion to the P & Y management person involved that in my opinion they should have been better publicized and there should have been signs directing people to the lodge,...note, the lodge was/is across the parking lot from the vendor tent and about 100 yards back in the woods. It was almost hidden from view from the vendor tent but it is quite a big building with numerous meeting rooms, offices, and a full kitchen for serving large groups.

As has been noted elsewhere on this forum, this was the second year for this event. I believe they are still on an uphill learning curve but do feel they are making progress on learning how to put on a good show. I just hope enough folks stay with them long enough to support the event to the point where they get their feet on the ground and their act together. IMO, it is a good event and worth whatever little cost their is to each individual attendee. In spending our $$$ there we are supporting bowhunting and to my way of thinking bowhunting today could use all the support it can get. I believe in this sort of thing, if there was another next weekend, I'd be there.

Well put Bill keeping it positive.

Sounds like a good time, despite some not thinking it was worth $5.00.

Pound sand Capt. There was absolutely nothing up to tell of seminars. Ron’s business, HHA, 3 Rivers Archery, and Hoyt bows was about the only venders there not counting the food tents.

Like I said if your were there to shoot it was great. The other not so much. At least I SHOWED UP and supported it and spent some money.

It’s to bad you have no one to care for or care for you but an inanimate object.

Three of us were there on Saturday. I was a little surprised to see all the women, kids, and “older” guys there. Kind of disheartening to see the lack of younger guys not there supporting a great group like pope and young.

The whole thing seemed a little more unorganized to me compared to 2016.

Not sure which surprised me more, the lack of vendors overall, or the fact the majority of the ones that were there barely even looked up at you when you approached their booth. Too busy looking at their phone or playing cards I guess. I had some great conversations with Matt the Hoyt rep, 3 rivers archery, and the Wisconsin traditional booth.

Like usual the food was good and fun shooting. Hopefully this event keeps growing in the coming years

My $0.02

We went today. My son was feeling better. Was a great family friendly shoot. The rain even stopped for us.

Myself and my two boys went and had a blast. like as said above you have to take advantage of what was thier. We arrived at 6 pm Thursday night and set up to camp out. The club was having a wild game feed of sorts that was excellent. Doug Clayton was on the guitar and everyone of the upper officers of the club were thier and available- and they are all top notch people. Roughly 20 of us wore out the arial disk range til dark- my kids had a blast. Friday mornin we went out bowfishing on lake Wisconsin on a first come first serve invite with a muzzy prostaffer. Had a great time dispite the tough conditions- free of charge. Got to spend the mornin in the boat with p&y president Jim Wilhelm as well Great guy! Went back to camp for lunch and shot two of the courses which were awesome on all brand new targets. We then went back to camp and got fueled up for the train to hunt adventure race. At 4:30 we got registered and ran the 2.5 mile 5 target course with 25 other beast mode bow hunters. It was awesome and if you didn’t see any younger 20 something Saturday they were thier Friday. I would spend mountain camp any day with these guys and gals they were studs!!!! We had dinner and waited for the race awards. They had a raffle for race contestants. My son won a 60$ knife set, the other a nose jammer scent pack and I won $200 set of records books. We stayed for the outdoor film festival til 9:30 and drove home and pulled in the driveway at 11pm. Fully spent. All this run me about $225. My kids absolutely loved it!!!!!

My boys crossing this finish line. They were spent but loved it!!!!!!

Steve, yes the Border shot great. It was the first time I shot this CH at a 3d shoot. Prior I was using my Border Black Douglas. I think this CH and I will do pretty well at the next shoot. We shall see. It was great seeing so many fellow WTA members, I even met a couple trad guys I never met in person before. These events keep our bowhunting community strong, hopefully this event continues. I for one will try to be there in the future as well. Good seeing you guys there! Bill

I enjoyed my time there. I thought it was better than the last time. Still needs a little more organization but for their second try it was pretty good. Maybe a little more signage & hand out schedules at parking for people like DT. Just kidding DT, I was at a 5 hour WBH meeting when you came through. I never did sit in the WBH booth as they had enough help. I never did shoot either as I kept getting wore out running around helping where needed. I worked the aerial shoot Friday a.m. that was fun. Saw a couple guys running up the hill in the adventure race while I was working parking. That showed me what I used to be able to do. They looked a bit winded. Not a ton of vendors but I'm sure that will pick up as it grows. I was able to spend more than my budget. I also got to have a beer with Jack Frost after set up on Thursday night. Really a great guy. I think a lot of it is the people there. I got to see many friends from all over that I don't get to see often enough & met many new people including a half dozen or so from the new part of the state where I now live. I even found a place to shoot a broadhead league this year. A lot of Trad shooters as usual. I guess it is what you make of it. I hope I am here for the next one. Will be running back up to that area today for a meeting on the deer farms & new CWD rules.

WASN"T impressed at all this year! Fewer vendors than last year!

it would be worth it, just to listen to Jack Frost, who I know about, he is quite a guy

I had a lurker email me a list of vendors he noticed while there this past weekend.

Tacticam

cancooker

scent crusher

outdoor edge

WBH

Boone and Crocket

HHA LG 3D archery targets

Kenetrek boots Rage

Feradyne

3 Rivers archery

WI bucks and bear club

Innovative Outdoorsman

S3DA (this youth/family archery group is fantastic news for the future of archery and bowhunting)

Hoyt bows

Hammer hangers Outdoor film series did a fantastic job showing movies after dark.

Lots of food vendors

4 Dif novelty shoots

Silent and live auctions

Bucket raffles

The Adventure race (very well attended)

Bowfishing

Seminars

Tons of kid friendly stuff

Head/skull measuring

Seminars

Raised at full draw did a kids program

But he did admit there wasn't much in the 20-45 year old range as noticed earlier.

DT, those $5.00 bills must really be special to you. The above list highlights the vendors and other fun things to do there. Just how do you "support" something when you are too tight to spend $5.00? No signs? Mercy me, you are unable to communicate with others like asking a simple question? You highlight the crossbow mentality.

Oh look, the special needs child has chimed in again trying to gain attention.

Couldn't be fewer venders than last year because they didn't have it last year.

Register here to reply to this topic