A reminder to keep a promise

Newspaper advertisements serve valuable functions. First, they let the reader know what’s available in the marketplace in the way of services and commodities. Second, if well written, they can be entertaining to read. And third, they can remind a forgetful person about something they promised to do.

That last item relates directly to me. A couple of months ago, I mentioned in this space that Bearpaw Archery was reopening in Wasilla and I said I would soon be visiting the shop to see the new setup with indoor range and pro shop and note items available to today’s archery enthusiast.

With several other things happening over time, I managed to space that promise until this past weekend. I was reading the Sunday Frontiersman and noticed an ad about benefits from advertising in the paper. The ad included a letter from Bearpaw Archery. The light bulb blinked on and I realized I needed to visit the shop.

Bearpaw Archery is located on Melanie Avenue, off Lucas Road, about a half-mile north of the Parks Highway. Right after you turn left onto Melanie, you’ll notice six Quonset-type buildings in a row on the north side of the road. Bearpaw is located on the left, the second building from the end. They open at 11, except Sundays, when they open at noon. Bearpaw is open until 7 on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; until 8 on Tuesdays and Saturdays; and until 5 on Sunday afternoon. They are closed on Mondays.

I stopped by this past Tuesday and visited with Judy, the store manager. She explained that league shooting was currently ongoing, with a hunter 3-D league on Wednesday evenings, a target league on Friday evening, youth archery Saturday morning, and a traditional shooters’ league on Sunday evening. Call Bearpaw Archery at 373-7770 for more information.

The indoor range can accommodate distances up to 30 yards and shooting all day costs only $10. If you’re not interested in league shooting, or need to get in some extra practice to improve your league standing, or are just interested in dropping by to get in some shooting to prepare for the spring bear season, this indoor range is open year-round!

The store location is new and the business is building inventory slowly. However, Judy told me they can get about anything you might be looking for if you’re willing to wait a few days. Bearpaw Archery has a selection of arrows which can be customized for your draw length and tip requirements right in the shop. Judy does the fletching work also.

The shop is working on getting back both the Hoyt and Matthews bow dealerships which were originally held by Fletcher’s Archery before the business was sold to Bearpaw. In the meantime, Judy can get PSE brand bows as well as Limbsaver bows.

I knew the Limbsaver brand from all the various sound dampening accessories for bows which are available. I have several on my Hoyt hunting bow to quiet the vibrational sounds that are inevitable from a compound bow shooting an arrow. Between the bow string and cables, limb movement after the release, and sights and bow quiver attachments all vibrating from the shot, reducing the vibration noise becomes a real necessity on a hunting bow.

What I didn’t know was that Limbsaver was manufacturing and marketing their own line of compound bows. Bearpaw has a 32-inch, parallel-limb compound bow in stock and has plans to add a couple more models to their inventory in the not-too-distant future. I’ve been looking at the parallel-limb design compounds as a potential new bow down the road because that particular design has very little vibration in comparison to a “regular style” compound and propels an arrow a lot faster too.

Judy explained some of the expansion work planned for the range area. Bearpaw hopes to add a separate 10-yard indoor range for youth shooting, beginning archers, instruction and bow tuning activities. This same area could also be converted into a classroom for hunter education or other classes. A sliding wall would also be added to segregate the pro shop from the shooting range when the 30-yard line was being used.

The upstairs office, when finished, would provide access to an elevated shooting position for practice simulating shooting from an elevated tree stand and would provide a new wrinkle for the hunter 3-D league shoots. The coffee/snacks area could be expanded and perhaps sandwiches or some other “lunchables” might become a feature for those archers spending the day at the shop or stopping in after work to shoot in a league.

I asked if Bearpaw might eventually have some crossbows and accessories. Judy replied that she and the owners, Scott and Jill Crinklaw, were talking about that option. She also said that another option being discussed was having a muzzleloading firearms section, since nobody locally had specialized in that type of firearm.

Bearpaw Archery is new and growing. When the business reaches its final stages of development, it will be a great addition to the valley’s assortment of outdoor sports related companies. Stop by and shoot an arrow or two and let Judy know what your interests are.

Howard Delo is a retired fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. You can leave him a message by e-mailing sports@frontiersman.com.