Lexington Sportsman's Club - April 2009

Another spring day, and another 3-D shoot. Today we shot at Lexington Sportsman's Club in Lexington, Illinois. For purposes of full disclosure, I am a member of this club. 

Lexington's clubhouse is not very large, but the members are all friendly and helpful. They do serve hot food and cold soft drinks, which are very welcome after or during the shoot. The clubhouse is situated so that you pass by the clubhouse at just over half way through the shoot, so you can stop and top off, or empty, any pouches that might need it. They have a practice range, including a raised platform with targets out to fifty yards.
 
It was overcast as we got to the club, but the shoot was already in full swing. The temperature was a comfortable mid sixties. Lexington's shoot is set up with three targets on each of ten stations. Typically, many are in the fifteen to thirty yard range. What was interesting about this shoot was the number of targets that were set up with only a portion of the target visible. I had to shoot between trees a number of times, and often feared for my arrows. Even so, there was a clear shot to each and every target, albeit a tight shot at some. 

Lexington uses Rinehart targets, so the arrows are easily removed. The club borders on the north side to the Mackinaw river. The first six stations where located near and along the river. It was spring, and you could tell that this part of the club was within the flood plain of the river. It was a bit soft and gooey, but not terribly so. I would recommend boots, however. An elevated stand is used for 6 of the first 18 targets, one of them being a running deer. Most of these targets were smaller close range targets, like turkey, raccoon, and wolf, although there was a deer or two thrown in for good measure.
 
But it was the last twelve targets that caught my attention. These where all deer sized or bigger and were positioned not less than 30 yards. The longest shot was a fifty seven yard Mule Deer, which I overshot. I like these longer shots, because I am addicted to Elk hunting, and I need to practice out to sixty yards or so, as you can tell from my shot at fifty seven yards. There were deer, sheep, antelope and bear targets on the later part of the shoot.
 
Lexington had a special contest for a shot at an elk at about seventy yards. What's that.., did I try? Are you kidding me? I am not going to make a fool out of myself at seventy yards! When I miss an elk, they just run away - they don't laugh!
 
Lexington also had a unique attraction at this shoot, one I hadn't seen before. A local Archery Shop, Select Archery, brought out a portable bow shop. Jim Rupps, the owner was there working on bows, and making his goods and services available to the 3-Shooters. I really liked this. How many times have I wished I hadn't forgotten something when at a shoot. This gave me, and others, the opportunity to get things fixed, try out a new bow, get some new arrows, at that same time lose arrows at a 3-D Shoot. Heck, I could replace my lost arrows on the spot and my wife would never know I lost another ten dollar arrow. What a concept! 

You can visit Lexington's Sportsman's Club at their Website