A Little Bownanza History

The picture below is of the 3D animal targets Bill Egner built in early 1970's. 

HOW IT ALL STARTED

   Bownanza’s inaugural beginning was in 1973. Back then it was CRB’s first major 3D shoot. 3D targets were in their infancy then. Bill Egner (Club Life Member) joined CRB in 1967. Bill was a taxidermist in North Bend, WA. He was on his way back from New York and stopped at the Northern Illinois 3D shoot. Members there were given several blocks of foam to carve animals out of. That gave Bill the idea to make CRB’s first 3D targets using full size animal taxidermy molds (See picture above). Some of those targets are still around today: 11’ Polar Bear, Sasquatch, Black Leopard, Standing Spike Elk, 2 Bedded Cow Elk, Walking Black Bear, Walking Brown Bear, 2 Black Bear Cubs, Coyote, Wild Boar, Raccoon, and Standing Deer. From that day on, Bownanza has been an annual event put on by Cedar River Bowmen. When the Club was in Issaquah and in its’ hay day, Bownanza had around 500 shooters show up for this shoot. But over the years and the increase of 3D shoots in Washington and surrounding states, Bownanza dropped to what allot of shoots of the day saw for attendance, around 125 shooters. 

Bownanza’s Polar Bear

   The 11’ Polar Bear was a regular at Bownanza for 44 years and became a Bownanza icon. It was nearly destroyed and conversation by some members destined it to the fire pit.

   However, the first year that the Polar Bear was not at Bownanza, so many shooters asked about it; where it was, and why it wasn’t at Bownanza. From that, the decision was made to rebuild the icon. Rebuilt by Galen Mauden (Club Life Member), Jim Walker (Club Life Member), Jason Coleman, and Gerald Fall. The rebuilding took much effort but was successful and once again the Polar Bear sees its’ rightful place at Bownanza each year

Jim Walker and Galen Mauden            Grays Harbor Bowmen                        Jason Coleman

    Below with Polar Bear                   Ladies Having Some Fun                    Below with Polar Bear

ONE OF THE DOOR PRIZE TABLES

CURRENT BOWNANZA

   CRB has thousands of dollars in "door prizes" each year to give out to shooters via "luck of the draw" through door prize tickets given to the shooters when they register for Bownanza. With all of the door prizes, raffle items, novelty shoots, target scenes, and great food; Bownanza has grown to well over 300 shooters each year and has become a destination event!

TARGET SCENES ON COURSES