Bow hunting club aims to build skill, camaraderie between Soldiers

Photo By Lt. Col. Anthony Deiss | Maj. Brian Phinney, left, and Maj. Kevin Dejong, both of the 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Dakota Army National Guard, discuss bow shooting techniques, Sept. 12, at Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan. Phinney, of Mitchell, S.D., and Dejong, of Yankton, S.D., participate in a bow hunting club with other members of the 196th, and meet several times a week to practice their skills and to share camaraderie and passion for the sport.  

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

10.01.2010

Story by Capt. Anthony Deiss 

196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan – For soldiers who are outdoor-hunting enthusiasts serving in Afghanistan, few activities are available that provide troops with an opportunity to hone their hunting skills. However, for a group of bow hunters from the 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Dakota Army National Guard, having a club to share their passion for the sport is a mission priority.

“It was a dream for many of us before we left home to be able to have some way to shoot our bows while deployed,” said Staff Sgt. Carl Lere, legal specialist for the 196th. “To me, it’s a great hobby, a great pastime and it is fun to shoot and talk with people about a sport we are passionate about.”

“Many of us were looking for something to do in our downtime that we liked and bow hunting was it,” added Maj. Kevin Dejong, Camp Phoenix deputy mayor for the 196th. “We can keep our skills fresh here and some of us will actually hunt for a couple days while we are home on leave.”

Stationed at Camp Phoenix in the nation’s capital of Kabul, more than 13 members of the Sioux Falls, S.D., based 196th, meet several times a week to practice their skills. From novice to expert, the club has a variety of experience levels and everyone has something they can learn.

“I use to work at an archery shop and have a couple years of experience shooting. I’m using that experience to help set up bows and teach people how to shoot. It’s really fun,” said Lere, of Brandon, S.D. “There is always something new to learn no matter how long you’ve been shooting. You can build your skill sets from talking to other shooters and listening to their techniques and tips.”

Setting up in an old warehouse on camp, the club members constructed an archery range and each take turns firing a quiver of arrows at foam targets ordered from the U.S. Many of the Soldiers had their bows shipped from home, but are willing to share with new members.

“I like to see new people taking an interest in the sport and we are happy to help them get started,” said Lere. “Many of them are purchasing a bow for the first time so we are helping to get them set up with the right equipment.”

It’s not just the shooting practice and knowledge the club offers, but the sense of familiar surroundings and companionship the members share.

“Practicing with our bows is a little bit of back home. It’s great to be around the same guys and gals that enjoy the same thing,” said Dejong, of Yankton, S.D. “We share camaraderie in something we enjoy and that is a big morale booster.”

“This is a very interesting group of people. Maybe it’s the bow hunter’s mentality or the military mentality, but they are willing do anything for each another,” added Lere.

Along with the camaraderie, Lere, who has worked in archery retail, and Dejong, an 18-year veteran of the sport, have seen the popularity of the sport significantly increased in the last 20 years.

“I think the sport is booming. The archery population in the state of South Dakota alone has tripled in the last 20 years. There are three times more hunting tags available and archery is being marketed harder with more products out there,” said Lere.

The club’s numbers have also tripled since the club started meeting in July, and with the increase in popularity, the club is hoping to have more games and competitions to keep it fun.

“We shoot targets, bottle caps and small objects for fun,” said Lere. “We are going to try and start a league soon, but right now people are just getting their bows and getting them tuned.”

Beyond having fun, Lere and Dejong said the skills they learn as a Soldiers go hand-in-hand with bow hunting.

“There is not a whole lot of difference between firing a bow and a rifle – the techniques are similar: position, breathing, site picture – you learn the importance of techniques and discipline when taking a shot,” said Lere.

“Our map reading and land-navigation skills also come in handy when in the field hunting,” added Dejong.

Although the archery range is different from practicing in a more realistic hunting environment, it doesn’t make a huge difference to these Soldiers.

“One thing I learned when starting out was aim small, miss small. Once you get tuned in and zeroed, you start putting arrows down range in a consistent manner,” said Lere. “We take our target shooting abilities and put it forth in a hunting situation. People think there is a big difference in target shooting and hunting, but really, you should be taking strict target shooting skills and putting it into practice in the field. It makes you that much better of a shooter.”

As the popularity of bow hunting grows with 196th members, so does their skill, and soon after they return home, it won’t be just their skills they can put into practice, but also the friendships they develop.

“This is a very unique club. It’s a great group of people who share a love for bows,” said Lere. “For some of the newer members, it’s something they will take back home with them and get involved with in their local community clubs and leagues. For me, I’ll take back the experiences and the friendships.”

• Date Taken: 10.01.2010
• Date Posted: 10.01.2010 07:19
• Story ID: 57292
• Location: KABUL, AF