Archery/Whitetail Deer Expo at Cloverdale to feature unique 3-D pop-up challenge

Monday, January 7, 2013

CLOVERDALE -- Winter Time Blues getting you down? Hunting season over? You can lose that cabin fever by visiting the inaugural Midwest Archery and Whitetail Deer Expo this Friday through Sunday, Jan. 11-13 in Cloverdale.

Times for the expo are 5-9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

Vendors will have on display quality handmade crafts, ATVs, new trucks, log cabins, taxidermy and many other vendors.

The Expo and the 3-D Archery Shoot will be held at the C Bar C Expo Center in Cloverdale. The expo center is located just south of Interstate 70 and U.S. 231 (go south to the second stoplight and west three-quarters of a mile).

Putnam County will be the first county in Indiana to welcome Team Bow Masters of Arkansas to host the initial indoor 3-D Pop-Up Shoot-Em-Up Challenge.

A challenging, fast-paced archery competition owned and developed by Jerry Boyles, Bow Masters is a family-owned business hosting 3-D pop up archery tournaments throughout the U.S. The archery shoot will have an individual as well as a two-man team competition.

Open to the public and all ages, the shoot will have winners in several skill levels, gender and age groups. Approximately $2,500 in cash and prizes will be awarded to the winners The schedule of events will include seminars from the "Whitetail Fix" TV show airing this spring on the Outdoor Pursuit channel.

Dean Zimmerman, state biologist with the Department of Natural Resources, will be discussing what caused the decline in the deer population and answer questions at the end of his seminar.

Putnam County's deer population was one of the hardest hit in the Midwest this year. Any information that the hunters, farmers and property owners can share with Zimmerman on the number of deer found dead this last year may help in determining a closer percentage of the deer lost in Putnam County and other counties in the Midwest.

Zimmerman will be appearing on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 2 p.m. only. Other seminars will be given on food plots, deer and property management.

Hunters are invited to bring in their mounted deer or racks taken to be scored by the Pope and Young, Boone and Crocket, Hoosier Record Book and Illinois Record Book certified scorers. A $15 fee will be charged to score and add your trophy to the record books, if it qualifies.

Hunters also can enter the Big Buck contest and display their big buck on the wall of trophies for a $15 entry fee and free weekend pass. There will be a Typical and Non Typical winner. To win, the buck must be a legally taken deer (firearm, bow, crossbow). Score will be total inches with no deductions.

The Indiana Midwest Archery and Whitetail Deer Expo was created and promoted by Mike Hanlon of Greencastle.

With Putnam County surrounded by four major cities, and I-70 stretching from the east to the west and going right through Cloverdale, Hanlon said he found the C Bar C Expo Center to be the perfect location to hold an outdoor sportsman expo this winter.

"Not only will this be a big event for Putnam County but an annual event that will grow year after year," Hanlon predicted.

Cloverdale already hosts the Traditional Bow Hunters National Shoot at the Cloverdale Conservation Club, and Bedford hosts the third leg of the IBO National 3-D outdoor Shoot.

Hanlon is already planning on holding the State Championship 3-D Pop-Up Shoot-Em-Up Challenge this summer at the C Bar C Expo Center.

Archery competition and 3-D archery shoots have been steadily growing in popularity, Hanlon said.

For those wanting to learn to shoot archery, there will be seminars given by Peggy and Allen Royer of Greencastle all three days of the Indiana Archery and Whitetail Deer Expo. It will be open for all ages.

State-certified and trained staff will help visitors learn more about the archery equipment and rules of the shooting range. Putnam County 4-H Archery Club members will also be on hand to mentor the new shooters.

Drawings will be held throughout the three-day event for prizes donated by sponsors.

For those who would rather watch the competition, bleachers and seating will be set up to view the action.

For more information, persons may contact Hanlon at 653-7280 or 720-0028.

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  • It mentions you can enter the contest for a free weekend pass. Is there a fee to attend the event - there isn't one listed.

    -- Posted by tljpitts on Mon, Jan 7, 2013, at 4:21 PM
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