The Elijah Clark State Park near Lincolnton, GA has an archery range. We have a range of our own in Tignal, but I was curious to see what they offered at the State Park. I took a drive over with my archery gear to take a look.
Twenty-five years ago we rented cabins at the Elijah Clark State Park for vacations. We upgraded, buying our own small house that we used often enough to offset the cost of the purchase versus a rental. Those were the days when I shot a recurve and practiced on bales of hay. I didn’t know there’d ever been a range at the park.
At the park gate I spoke with the ranger on duty. He was a helpful talkative fellow that let me pass at no charge since I’d only be able to see the range. He explained the range was a small area where the rangers teach people basics of archery. It was not a place for a compound bow.
The drive through the park reminded me of all the swimming, cycling and running I’d done at Clark Hill. River, my dog, and I had run early in the day. The daily temperature here has been near 100°F so running early in best. ‘Early’ means getting to chase deer on the trails. We never catch them, but it is fun for a second. Before I head back to North Carolina I’ll try to get a quick bike ride through the park.
There’d be no archery practice at the park so, passing our old ‘Lake House,’ I headed back to Tignal. We’ve set up a nice range and can shoot up to 70 yards or more if we want. For this day my practice would be limited to 40 yards.
We set the block target against a mound of dirt. The block is positioned at the foot of the mound or on a board resting at the top. There aren’t any 3D targets here. Actually, if I had any I’d move them to our hunting property (679 acres) and set up a proper course. Still, paper targets on block targets are fun.
It was nice to see Elijah Clark State Park and a bit nostalgic. The days when we rented a cabin for family vacation are behind us, but the great memories remain.