SUMMIT STATION
Recognizing in today's political climate the importance of presenting hunting and shooting sports in a positive manner, the Pennsylvania Game Commission began a campaign this year that encourages sportsmen to share their knowledge and recruit family members and friends into the ranks.
In the case of the Schuylkill County Sportsmen's Association and Schuylkill County Conservation District, that message is akin to preaching to the choir. For decades the two organizations - as well as individual clubs - have been leading the way in teaching outdoors skills and activities. This has been done by holding major events such as youth field day, the Norm Thornberg Youth Conservation Camp, women's outdoors day, Bear Creek Festival, Family Fun Fishing Event and the countless shooting and fishing activities for both youth and adults by many clubs.
Now the organizations will have their most visible presence ever at the upcoming six-day Schuylkill County Fair, which opens Monday and continues through Saturday. Each year, the SCSA, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and other outdoors and conservation groups have had displays in its Sportsmen's Building located on the midway near the M&T Bank Stage.
"Being in the building helped make people who were unaware of what we do and what we offer aware of the sportsmen's association, but we wanted to find a way to be less passive and more active," SCSA president Gary Slutter said. "We wanted to offer more attractions such as giving away a kid's fishing outfit every day and offering chances on a shotgun and muzzleloader to raise money for our educational programs.
"This is something we've been looking at since last year's fair ended, and we've come up with some events and activities that we believe stand on their own as attractions. One of the things we came up with is having a display of taxidermy mounts of game animals from Pennsylvania that our members have donated.
"Schuylkill County Trout Unlimited will have members in attendance every day demonstrating fly tying and present a fly-tying seminar Monday night at 6:30. Thursday night at 6:30 there will be a seminar on hunting with both flintlock and inline muzzleloaders presented by Blue Ridge Rifles Muzzleloader Club and Friedensburg Fish and Game. The new Hoverball Archery Gallery will be in operation every day."
Earlier this year, Craig Morgan made a presentation to the SCAB and SCSA on the benefits to be gained by purchasing a Hoverball Archery Gallery to be used as an archery training tool and a fundraising activity. Manufactured by the Students and Families Experiencing Archery company, Hoverball Archery uses patented arrows with the exclusive Safe Nock and soft foam tip that have the same flight characteristics of a standard arrow yet are much safer, allowing opportunities to shoot indoors without special netting.
Hoverball Archery is designed to introduce both youth and adults to archery by having fun while developing eye-hand coordination, increasing upper-body strength and teaching self-discipline. Shooting is done at four plastic balls that "float" on a flow of air and are contained inside of an inflated gallery.
"From the reaction of those who shot Hoverball Archery at the Bear Creek Festival, we saw this was a wise investment," Morgan said. "We've also had it down to Cabela's in Hamburg and couldn't believe the lines of both kids and adults who wanted to shoot."
Both Slutter and Morgan said Hoverball Archery is a great way to sell archery as a wholesome, enjoyable family activity. From what they've seen, those who try it once are sold.
(Dietz is outdoors editor)