In the early 1950's, a group of friends would gather
on Sundays in Huntington Beach which is located in Orange County, Southern
California. They met to shoot their bows and enjoy good company.
To promote the sport of archery and bow hunting, this group formed Oranco
Bowmen and incorporated in 1952. Their great hope was to obtain
an archery range of their own and around 1955 they made it. Through
the years, on different ranges and with many new friends, the sportsmanship
and spirit of Oranco has continued to grow. Oranco Bowmen has
settled into it's current home where it has resided since 1980.
Today...
Oranco's members have had great success in both tournaments
and on the hunting trails. Members have won national and state
championships and Oranco's master bowhunters include internationally
recognized hunters. Members have also contributed to archery by
holding regional, state or national office and some with professional
careers in the archery industry.
A few of the services Oranco has provided to the community
include:
Archery demonstrations for local boy and girl scout troops, and cub packs
Providing volunteers for the Wounded Warriors and Special Olympics.
Contributing to the NFAA Scholarship Fund.
Presenting beginning archery seminars, Hunter Education classes (required for a hunting license) and International Bowhunter Education Program (IBEP) classes.
Our annual Christmas Charity Shoot with toy donations to needy children in the community.
Assisting in a wild turkey repopulation program in conjunction with two other clubs and the Department of Fish & Game.
Contributes to the California State Legislative Defense Fund.
Affiliations
Oranco is chartered by the National Field Archery Association
(NFAA) and California Bowmen Hunters-State Archery Association (CBH-SAA).
We are also members of our regional organization, Orange Belt Field
Archers (OBFA). The range property is leased through the San Bernardino
County Regional Parks Department.
Regular Club Shoot - These shoots are held on
the first Sunday of each month. Official field or hunter
round scores are entered on handicap cards and used to establish an
archer's tournament classification.
Our 3-D tournaments consist of 42 life-sized animal
targets (mainly Rhinehart & McKenzie) set at unmarked distances
with one arrow per target. Judging proper distance is not the
only skill needed to score well. Arrow placement is also a valuable
asset to the shot. Regardless of skill level these shoots are
fun for all ages.
Tournament Archery Program - We have a club points
system that recognizes and encourages participation in tournament archery.
Awards are presented annually.
Big and Small Game Program - We have a points
system for recognizing and encouraging Oranco's hunters in both big
and small game categories. Awards are presented annually.
Annual Banquet - Once a year Oranco club members
get together for a special evening of companionship, good food, and
lots of laughs. Everyone has a story to share of archery hits
and "reasons" for misses, triumphs and follies, tall accomplishments
or maybe just a "tall tale." But always with good humor and recognition
for the year's activities. we recognize our outstanding hunters,
tournament archers, and members who have made exceptional efforts for
the club. We greet new board officers and Oranco starts the new
year.
Whether you are an experienced archer or a beginner, come out and shoot
a round and enjoy the day. Fine tune your equipment and sharpen your skills at the practice
targets or take a walk and shoot a field round or both.
If you are a beginning archer, or someone interested
in learning more about our sport, give us a call or come out to the
range on a Public Sunday, and talk to some of the archers. They'll
be glad to share information. We look forward to meeting you.
We mean it when we say, "The only strangers to us are friends we haven't
met."
