What better way to challenge one’s outdoor skills than an archery, trap shooting and pole casting competition?
Nevada Outdoor School (NOS) is hosting the first annual Outdoor Skills Challenge, a recreational triathlon of sorts, on April 6 at the Winnemucca Trap Range.
“This is another family-friendly Nevada Outdoor School event. It’s another healthy outdoor activity,” said NOS Executive Director Melanie Erquiaga.
Teams of four, made up of kids, teens, or adults of any skill level, will compete for a cash prize, a medal and a special traveling trophy. Lunch will be provided by Back Burner Smoke Haus and it’s just $100 per team to enter. Both experienced and inexperienced teams are welcome.
The competition opens up at 8:30 a.m. and teams will begin their warm-up practice from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and then the competition will begin shortly afterwards, lasting a few hours.
Erquiaga said that the event is for everyone—families, groups of buddies— or anyone that enjoys some outdoor competition.
Teams with youth participants will receive an extra 20 points for every child or teen that is under 16, with the minimum age for participation cut off at seven years old.
“A team could potentially get an extra 80 points at the end of the competition if they have four youths,” explained Erquiaga.
Registration for the event closes on April 5 and NOS is also providing all of the necessary equipment—bows and arrows, casting poles, and shotguns—although teams are welcome to use their own shotguns.
Erquiaga explained that, in true NOS tradition, there will be short educational instructions, some from local law enforcement, including gun safety measures as well.
NOS Communications and Marketing Specialist Jacklynn Orr said that the Outdoor Recreation Challenge is essentially a “passing down of information.” It’s a culmination of all of the skills and workshops that NOS hosts and organizes for outdoor education lessons for youth and adults.
It’s also an opportunity for kids to learn these skills alongside their parents or other loved ones.
Each team will be able to purchase mulligans, or a second chance, at any of the competitions for $20 and they must be purchased before each individual event.
During the archery portion of the competition, archers will shoot eight shots total at targets staged at different yardages, taking the best out of two shots four times.
Special bobbers will be used for the pole casting competition that have Velcro on them to help them stick in place so judges can measure the distance.
Shooters will shoot 10 clay pigeons, hit or miss.
Erquiaga said that NOS hopes to make this an event that takes place every year and they are still currently looking for sponsors and teams looking to enter the competition or sponsor some of the expenses can call the NOS office at 775- 623-5656 for more information.