Local bow hunters ready for jamboree

It’s B-Y-O-B this weekend at the 10th Annual Caprock Jamboree — as in bring your own bow.

Bow shooters and children just learning the hobby from all over the state will congregate outside Grady starting Saturday morning to celebrate their sport and try to shoot their way to several prizes.

“It’s kind of the big shoot of the year for us,” Clovis bow hunters president Steve Peacock said. “This year, we’ve got people driving in from all over the state of New Mexico and we’ve got people coming in from Texas.”

Portales Bow Hunters president Vance Dewbre says there are about 40 different 3-D targets that resemble live animals in appearance and size.

“(These targets) are more lifelike,” Dewbre said. “They represent real animals and since you get a 3-D view, it’s more like shooting at a real animal.”

Organizers hope to have more than 100 competitors.

“In the past it’s always been a really neat deal for all of us,” Peacock said. “It’s kind of a little campout session. We go out there to the caprock on a place that a guy lets us set our targets up.”

“We look forward to this shoot because it’s more of a relaxed shoot,” Dewbre said. “It’s a really good time to get out and visit with people and have some good food and fellowship.”

According to Peacock, competitors range from those who hunt with their bows, to those who just love to compete.

“There’s a lot of people that shoot it that aren’t actually bow hunters, they just do it for the competition,” Peacock said.

The event site is approximately eight miles outside of Grady, off N.M. Highway 209 and Norton Road It starts at 9 a.m. Saturday morning . Registrations will be taken then. The Jamboree finishes at 2 p.m. Sunday with awards and raffle drawings to follow.

Men and women are in separate classes, with the top money class registration fee of $80 — $50 of that fee will go back to the shooters in prizes.

Every other adult class costs $30, while youth and young adult classes cost $20. Children ages 8-11 (Cubs) will cost $5 and children 8 and under (Pee-Wees) are free.

Awards will be given out for all classes of shooters.

“We’re giving out some really classy nice mohair buckles this year,” Peacock said.

Organizers also said that these type of shoots are very common in the state during warm weather months.

“If you get on the Web sites, and you’re able to pick up these 3-D bow shoots you could probably go to one every weekend all over the state of New Mexico if you took a notion to,” Peacock said.

Dewbre explains that the Jamboree is also a family event, and non-bow hunters can enjoy the event as well.

“We promote archery in the family and we especially promote it in the kids because they are the future of this sport, so we really cater to the kids.”