Bull’s-Eye

SHELBY COUNTY, Iowa — Shelby County has received a donation of official archery targets from the Iowa Archery in the Schools Program to support local archers, hunters, youth and outdoor enthusiasts. The targets are part of a new public archery range at Nishna Bend Recreation Area, providing residents with a designated place to practice their skills and encouraging greater participation in archery throughout southwest Iowa.
Located in the northeast corner of Nishna Bend Recreation Area, the range is open to the public and features targets at distances of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 yards. The layout was designed to give recreational archers and bowhunters opportunities to practice at realistic field distances, improve accuracy and sight in their equipment.
Christina Roelofs, a naturalist with the Shelby County Conservation Board and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said the project has been in development for several years. The original plan was to locate the range at Prairie Rose, but the site was later changed to Nishna Bend.
Part of Roelofs’ current position with the DNR is funded through the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP). She recently became certified as a coach trainer, allowing her to train new coaches and help schools establish archery programs.
The program has grown throughout Iowa, but participation in southwest Iowa has been more limited. Roelofs hopes the new facility will encourage local schools to get involved.
“We are hoping that having this range will spark our local schools to start this program,” Roelofs said.
The range will provide a place for students to practice, while also allowing Roelofs to train coaches and help schools get their programs underway. Local teams are welcome to use the facility for practice, and educational programs and introductory archery classes may be offered in the future.
Promoting Safe and Responsible Archery
The range offers archers and hunters an accessible place to build confidence, improve their shooting skills and develop responsible marksmanship. Practicing at different distances can help users better understand their equipment and improve accuracy before heading into the field.
“The more practice hunters get, the better they will be at taking an effective shot when hunting,” Roelofs said.
Bowhunters should note that broadheads are not permitted at the range.
The facility will also support existing Shelby County Conservation Board programming, including summer camps, field trips and hunter education activities. Roelofs said archery is already part of these programs, and the new range will provide a designated location for participants to learn and practice.
The range will be especially beneficial to people who do not have access to their own targets or a suitable place to shoot. Its 60-yard distance also gives experienced archers an opportunity to practice at longer ranges.
Beyond recreational use, the project is intended to introduce more young people to archery and encourage school participation in NASP.
Roelofs said the program offers students of varying abilities an opportunity to learn a new skill and may provide pathways to college scholarships.
“Other shooting sports have really taken off in local schools,” Roelofs said. “We hope that archery will do the same.”
With the new range available to the public, local schools and teams have an opportunity to develop archery programs without having to establish a separate practice facility. The conservation board also hopes to offer introductory classes to help newcomers become familiar with the sport.
The project was made possible through the efforts of the Shelby County Conservation Board, the Iowa Archery in the Schools Program, the Iowa Hunter Education Instructor Association and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
The new facility adds another outdoor recreation opportunity in Shelby County while supporting archery education, hunting preparation and safe shooting practices for community members of all experience levels.