FROM the PRESIDENT
_edited.jpg)
For me, time has been moving way too fast this year. It seems like just a few weeks ago we had snow on the ground in northern Wisconsin. Now it is already after June 20th, the longest daylight hours in a day, and I am writing an article for the WBH Fall magazine. One good thing though is that this means every day it is getting closer to the fall hunting seasons. Yippee!
Every day your WBH board members are striving and/or thinking of new and different ways to help WBH move forward in this ever-changing world. I thank each board member for their time and efforts. I also thank Julie for all she also does for WBH. And, a big thank you to our many WBH members who are working every day in support of WBH.
One of the biggest challenges the board needs to address, and put our full attention to is – “How can WBH attract new archery hunters to WBH, and especially, younger archery hunters?” And we really need your help! Not only do we need new people as members to support the WBH mission, but also in supporting us at events where we promote WBH. We also need members, both existing and new, who are willing to become board members. As I stated in my opening paragraph, time is moving way too fast. This fall I will be 68 years young! As I was looking through the roster for the WBH board, I realized that all but possibly 1 director is over the age of 60, with the oldest being over 80. With several vacancies on the board, WBH needs new blood, with new perspectives, to help WBH remain a strong supporter and protector of bowhunting here in Wisconsin.
The next big event that WBH sponsors is the WBH Annual State Broadhead Shoot, which will be held at Kennedy Park in New Lisbon. The shoot this year will be held September 6, 7 and 8. The shoot has 29 targets with stakes set for 3 different categories of shooters. One stake is set for junior and adult shooters. The other 2 stakes are set up for traditional and cadet shooters. As in other years, WBH will have some type of challenge shoot for shooters to see how good they really are at a longer, unknown distance. For the past few years, the attendance of shooters has been continually declining. Let’s all make an effort to attend the 2024 broadhead shoot and start a new trend of having more shooters than the previous year! This shoot is strategically set to be on the weekend before the archery season opener, which means you get to practice at unknown yards with broadheads before the hunt. As a bonus, you get another chance to tell tales of old hunts and relive those experiences with fellow hunters. And, the additional practice will help you to be successful in making new memories which can be told at the broadhead shoot next year! Invite some of your hunting buddies and start your own little competition amongst yourselves. Let’s make this a memorable shoot this year.
The WBH 50/50 raffle winer was drawn on June 8 at the WBH office in Clintonville. The winner, Adam Stecker from Menasha, received $6,467.00, as did WBH. While we were not able to sell out the raffle, this is still a pretty good haul! Thanks to all of those who purchased tickets to support WBH.
Speaking of raffles, WBH 2024 Big Bucks and More in December Calander Raffle tickets are now available through the WBH office, or from your WBH directors. The raffle will only have 1,000 tickets available again this year, at a cost of $20.00 each. Last year, if I remember right, we sold all the tickets. Each day in December $250.00 will be given to the winning ticket holder, except for December 25th when the winner will receive $500.00. And remember, the winning ticket for each day is put right back in the bucket for all remaining daily drawings! Who couldn’t use an extra $250.00 or even $500.00 in the month of December? Plus, a Big Bucks and More raffle ticket makes a great early Christmas present for those hard to buy for folks! So, please consider buying your raffle ticket today and support WBH’s efforts to Preserve, Promote and Protect bowhunting.
Coming in March of 2025 WBH will be holding its 84th annual membership convention. The convention will be held at the Holiday Inn in Stevens Point and is scheduled to be a one-day event. The convention committee is always looking for different ways to attract members and non-members alike to our convention. WBH will again be hosting a NASP tournament in conjunction with the convention. This tournament gives these youth shooters and their families a chance to see what WBH is all about. As a bonus, these folks generally visit the convention floor as well, which helps support WBH.
The biggest change for convention this year will be moving up the time when the annual membership meeting will be held. As of this writing, the meeting is scheduled to start at 8:00 a.m. The reason for this change is to improve the overall experience for all attendees. The afternoon meeting meant that for all practical purposes, activity on the convention floor ended at 1:30 p.m. Shifting the meeting to the front of the day will give attendees an uninterrupted vendor hall experience, as well as providing our vendors with more time to interact with attendees. This does mean some WBH members are going to have to get up early to travel and get to this very important meeting. The committee is looking into breakfast options and other things as well to make it worth your time to attend.
Our convention guest speaker for the 84th convention will be Dan Evenson. For those of you who don’t know him, Dan was the first person to harvest an elk using archery equipment in Wisconsin’s modern elk hunting history. Also, by the time of our convention, Dan will have likely completed his goal of harvesting all 28 North American big game animals, assuming all the pieces come together for him. Dan is a very interesting man to talk to and he can and will tell everyone present at the annual awards banquet about his hunting adventures. Invite some of your friends to come with you. This will be a very good and interesting convention to attend in 2025.
I pray all of you bowhunters have the best of luck in the upcoming fall hunting season. Hunt safe. Take a new person out into God’s great outdoors and show them what they have been missing!