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My journey toward becoming a Master Archer did not begin with a bow in my hands. It began with a desire to understand the wilderness and the life that exists within it. Before I ever considered myself a Ranger, I spent a great deal of time wandering the wilderness, camping beneath the open sky and learning things the hard way. I learned to follow tracks, recognize landmarks, find places worth making camp and understand the signs left behind by animals. I learned trapping, foraging and how to move through the Wilderness without disturbing everything around me. With help from my instructor I learned the basics of the bow. At first it was simply something I wanted to learn for hunting, but the more I practiced, the more I realized that archery was becoming something much bigger in my life.When I began studying the Ranger Code, I started to see how all of these skills connected. Archery was never meant to stand alone. Tracking taught me how to find my target. Camouflage taught me how to get close without being noticed. Cartography taught me how to understand the land and know where I was and where my target might go. Foraging taught me how to make use of what the Wilderness provides, even down to the materials needed to make my own equipment. Trapping taught me patience and the importance of understanding patterns. Security taught me that sometimes the best shot is the one you never have to take. The more I learned, the more I realized that being a good archer wasn't just about how well I could fire an arrow. It was about knowing when to fire, where to stand, what bow to use, what kind of arrow to use and what the situation called for. One of the experiences that really changed my understanding of archery was learning to make my own bow and arrows from raw materials. I remember going into the Wilderness with Fenlong and learning how to forage the materials needed for the job. I learned how the materials around me could become the very weapon I depended on. Making my own equipment gave me a different respect for the bow. It was no longer simply something I carried. I understood where it came from, how it was made and what it took to make it useful. Then came the hunt. After a crazy journey and being attacked by a Red wolf I returned successful though now my face is permanently scarred. As I continued my training, I learned that hunting was only one small part of what an archer can do. A Master Archer needs to understand his equipment well enough to choose the right tool before the situation even begins. Strategy became just as important as skill. I learned to consider the surroundings, distance, movement, the target and what might happen after the first shot.Archery also brought me into situations where the purpose wasnt to hunt at all. I had the opportunity to host an archery tournament, and that gave me another way to appreciate the skill. There is something different about standing beside other archers and watching everyone test their ability. It isn't only about winning. It is about watching how another person handles their bow, how they control themselves and how they react when a shot doesn't go the way they wanted. Hosting the tournament made me realize that archery is something worth sharing. I didn't just want to become better myself. I wanted to help create opportunities for others to enjoy the skill as well. | |