By Chris Quartarone

If you think hitting a bull’s-eye is mere child’s play, work your way to Dunbarton and leave those notions behind.

Pioneer Sportsmen, Inc., is a hidden escape for those who love archery, but without the freezing winter temperatures, said Phil Yeaton, co-director of archery at the club.

The Leon Gilman Archery Center is a 32 X 100-foot heated building on a portion of the facility’s 65 mostly wooded acres, providing up to 12 archers a maximum shooting range of 25 meters.

Yeaton said Pioneer Sportsmen has one of the only indoor archery ranges around.

This year he seeks to expand the archery program at Pioneer Sportsmen and said he hopes the archery center bustles with enthusiastic marksmen.

“Archery is a relaxing, friendly sport that is fun for anyone at any skill level,” said co-director Jack O’Neil.

The club offers open shooting times to non-members. Beginning the second week of January and continuing every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. through March, archers and would-be archers can take advantage of the program for $5 per visit. You will need to bring your own equipment.

Both Yeaton and O’Neil became interested in archery after their sons were hooked, and they’re trying to ensure that sort of sporting, intergenerational exchange works in reverse as well.

“We’d like to have more kids become interested in archery,” said Yeaton, “That is the future in any sport. If you don’t have kids, it’s hard to grow the sport.”

John Mims of Bow and his daughter Katie have spent many hours at the club, where they have been members for six years.

Katie, 16, is currently ranked second in the nation for Olympic archery by the National Archery Association.

John said the club really helped Katie get her start in the sport.

“Archery is a sport you have to spend a lot of time developing muscle memory and the club is the type of resource you need to compete at that level,” said the senior Mims, who added the indoor facility is especially helpful because many archery tournaments are indoors and the Leon Gilman Archery Center is one of the only centers in the area that has a 60 foot range, which is standard in competitions.

“They do a great job getting kids to have fun with archery and that’s important,” said John.

The club also has an archery meeting the last Sunday of every month.

Once spring arrives, practice targets are set up outdoors near the club’s main entrance, with shooting distances from 20 to 55 yards.

There is also a tree stand for avid hunters to sight two targets placed at different distances.

But Yeaton said most people love shooting at one of the many 3D targets – foam formations including deer, mountain lion, bear and even alligators. 

The club also has pistol leagues and hosts numerous competitions throughout the year.

Yeaton said no matter what kind of shooting you enjoy, from archery to International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) events, you’ll encounter a safe atmosphere to hone your skills at Pioneer Sportsmen.

For more information about the archery program, call Jack O’Neil at 491-8577 or e-mail pioneerarchery@aol.com.