READY, AIM — Members of Sherwood Archery Club in Steubenville aimed their compound bows during a shoot event at the club’s indoor facility on Nov. 10. From left are Wyatt Channels, Tim David and Rickey Flinn. -- Christopher Dacanay

A noble and historied practice, archery isn’t just a relic of the past. A 2020 nationwide survey commissioned by the Archery Trade Association found that the U.S. is home to 5.4 million competitive archers, 9.9 million bowhunters and 17.6 million recreational archers.

Ohio Valley and Steubenville area residents have a part in preserving the practice of archery. One place local archers go to hone their skills is Sherwood Archery Club — aptly named after Sherwood Forest, the home of Robin Hood and his band of merry men.

Located at 910 township Road 384 and surrounded by woods, the club’s 50-acre property is home to an outdoor area and a quaint indoor facility, which fits two lanes of 13 individuals who can shoot up to 35 yards. Sherwood is a rare find, being the only archery club in Jefferson County with an indoor range, said club member Chris Lash.

“This is primarily an opportunity for guys who like to shoot a bow to practice, whether they’re bowhunters or tournament archers,” said Lash, who is from Richmond.

DRAWN IN — Mason Dowell, left, a professional archer for Matthews Archery, and Shane Walters, an Army veteran and recreational archer, participated in a shoot event on Nov. 10 at Sherwood Archery Club in Steubenville, where they are members. -- Christopher Dacanay

Sherwood’s indoor facility provides a warm space for members of any age or skill level to shoot during the winter. Members participate in various organized shoot formats, shooting on the night of Nov. 10 a 600 Round, which Lash said is 20 rounds shot with three arrows each, the highest possible score being 600.

Sherwood is a private club, Lash said, with members paying a $100 annual membership fee — plus work hours — for 24/7 access to the indoor facility and its bow maintenance tool. However, Sherwood’s indoor shoots at 5:30 p.m. on Fridays from now until the end of March are open to non-members, who need to bring their own gear.

Lash said the open shoots allow the 26-member club to advertise itself to the Ohio Valley area, where the practice of archery has “contracted.” Prospective members can attend an open shoot to receive an application. If voted into the club, new members will be permitted access from then until the end of 2024.

Other shoot events Sherwood hosts include an outdoor 3D shoot in the summer. In that event, archers set their sights on three-dimensional, animal-shaped targets labeled with targeted “vital zones,” positioned on the club’s cleared field that allows for up to 70 yards of shooting.

On Saturdays in January through February, the club will host indoor 3D shoots with the same targets, challenging archers to shoot from various distances. Individuals can visit the Sherwood Archery Facebook page to view the club’s open shoot schedule.

Having been chartered as an Ohio affiliate of the National Field Archery Association, Sherwood will host shoots at its facility for association members, who can shoot at the facility and mail their scores into a statewide competition.

Lash noted that certain club members are practicing in preparation for the 2024 Lancaster Classic, the largest indoor archery competition on the East Coast.

Participating at that competition will be club member Mason Dowell of New Martinsville, who recently won the International Bowhunting Organization’s National Triple Crown competition in the semi-pro division. Dowell, who has won two world championships and 15 national events, is a paid professional archer this year for the sporting goods company Matthews Archery.

Having started shooting in 2015 because it seemed interesting, Dowell said he considers archery “a calling” for him, adding that his favorite part is “the competition itself — the work you have to put in to be successful.”

Dowell added that Sherwood is “one of the few good clubs” for practicing archery in the area.

The club’s president is Lash’s father, Dave Campbell, who makes use of the facility as part of Sherwood’s other arm, the Sherwood Airgunners.

Lash said the air gun club, which holds widely-attended shoots at the facility, is a good activity for older archers who can no longer draw the bow back.

Campbell, a club member for 50 years, said he began shooting at the now-defunct Steubenville Armory. He became a member of Sherwood, which was hosting its shoots at the armory for a time. Campbell said Sherwood acquired its current property and constructed the facility 25 years ago, using money gained from timbering the land.

Although not a current member, 92-year-old Sam DeLavo joined the club in 1955, when it was based on Coal Hill in Steubenville.

DeLavo, who stopped shooting around 1962, recalled how the club purchased its current property from his cousin.

Drawn into archery by his desire to try hunting, DeLavo said his first bow was a wooden longbow, adding, “When I shot, the best bow you could buy cost you $75” — a longshot in price from today’s more complex compound bows.

At the other end of the age spectrum is Lash’s grandson, 8-year-old Wyatt Channels. Having shot since he was six, Channels has won the Ohio Archers Pee Wee tournament and a competition at Bass and Bucks Inc. in Wabash, Ind. Owner of three bows, Channels said his favorite part about archery is “having a high score.”

Channels’ grandmother, Mickey Lash, commented that his nickname at the club is “Mr. Bullseye” because “he got mad when he didn’t get a bullseye.” Lash said she has two other grandchildren she and her husband are trying to get interested in archery.

Club member Shane Walters, who served in the Army from 2008 to 2016, said he enjoys the facility’s 24/7 access, adding that archery for him is a good way to relieve stress.

Rickey Flinn, who started with bowhunting, said he enjoys the exercise archery provides. However, he lamented how the ease and popularity of the crossbow has hindered archery’s spread.

Tim David of Bloomingdale has been a member for a year and said archery is a good way to “blow off steam.”

Chris Lash said that archery is a challenge in self-discipline mentally and physically, and individuals get out of it what they put into it.

“The good part about archery is that everybody’s really friendly,” Lash said. “Everybody’s really helpful; if you’re brand new to it, you can come into a spot like this, and we’ll help you get set up the first time.”