The archery and hunting club is a new addition to the list of clubs and teams that students at Stillwater Area High School are able to participate in.

The Archery team was started last year. The team consists of around 30 students that share a common interest in archery and hunting.  They have two main focuses, target shooting and deer hunting archery. The club meets on Mondays and Tuesdays at High Five Archery in Oak Park Heights

Students involved in the club are in it because they enjoy what they do and have a passion for archery.

“I really like the participation and the amount of people who joined,” said senior Michael Seifert.

Not everyone in the club likes both parts of it equally. Some like target archery more than hunting archery. Seifert prefers target archery. For each part, there is something different to do. In target archery, they try to shoot a good score on the target.

“It’s really difficult to get a good score, but you can keep trying. The highest score possible is 300, but I have never gotten that yet,” said Seifert.

If students choose, they can go to compete at a state competition.  Many have done so and have done quite well.

“I got seventh place in the sophomore division and 14th place in the boys division,” said Seifert. “I have competed at the state championship and at nationals in Kentucky,” he explained. He also added, “It is both a team and a club, so you don’t have to compete.”

Teachers like the club as well. They think that it is another activity for kids to do something they are interested in

“Mr. Weaver and I both started it because kids spend too much time in front of a computer, and this allows them to spend some time in the outdoors being good stewards.  Getting kids outside and introduces them to archery and hunting and exposes them to nature,” said Todd Kapsner, archery club advisor and industrial tech teacher. “It is just another activity to introduce students to archery and give a possible lifelong activity. I hope to see more kids involved in it and continue to do stewardship projects for the environment,” he added.

In just one year, the club has managed to become a group of people who get together to have fun and get started or learn more about archery.