The following information has been gleaned from various documents in the office of the Corresponding Secretary, as well as from information recorded by former VBA President, R. C. (Bob) Thompson, and from the writer’s personal records. It is being written for the benefit of the many individuals who are members of the Association who are not aware as to just what has taken place in the past that has brought the Association to where it is today. There are many blank spots in VBA’s history; however, the individuals who could have filled in those blanks are, unfortunately, now deceased. It is hoped that the preserving of this much of the Association’s history will inspire future members to keep the information updated for posterity.
IN THE BEGINNING
The idea of a state-wide archery association in Virginia began in January, 1941, when members of the Richmond Archers formed the Virginia Archery Association. The purpose of the V.A.A. was to promote hunting with the bow and arrow with the possibility of encouraging the Game Commission to permit bow hunting on some of the State Game refuges. The Virginia Archery Association was concerned only with the bow hunting aspect of archery and since the office of the Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries was located in Richmond, the local group felt they could keep bow hunting before the Commissioners at all their meetings. Needless to say, the V.A.A. met with some opposition to shooting feathered sticks at game! The Commission members warmed to the idea after that had tested the pull of some heavy bows and run their fingers along the edges of a keen broadhead. It is important to remember that many bows were handmade of wood such as hickory, Osage orange (mock orange) lemonwood, etc. In those early days, there were no sights or release aids. In fact, there were no arrow rests. Care had to be taken to insure that the leading edge of the fletching (barred turkey feathers) was glued down tight to prevent having a piece of the quill enter your ginger as the arrow was shot.
On June 17, 1941, delegation of V.A.A. members met and was interviewed by Talbot E. Clarke, Wildlife Technician, George Washington National Forest, at Murphy’s Hotel in Richmond. The purpose of the meeting was to consider the possibilities of a game refuge for bow and arrow hunting. The area most likely to be considered was known as the “Big Levels” located near Stuarts Draft in Augusta County. The area abounded in game of all kinds and, as bow hunting was considered as “excellent conservation”, Mr. Clarke promised to give the archers every consideration. Mr. Clarke was later to become the Commissioner of the Virginia Game Commission, in which capacity he continued to work for the archers. After a very short term of office in Richmond, he transferred to Golden Pond, Kentucky, and the local archers received an invitation from him to “come down and shoot some English Fallow deer.”
It was twelve years later when “Big Levels” was opened to bow and arrow hunting, November, 1953, and the townspeople of Stuarts Draft and Waynesboro, although a little skeptical, received “that crazy bunch of hunters” warmly. (As far as can be determined there were two deer harvested in Virginia with bow and arrow in the following year, 1954. Your author, while hunting with his wife, was lucky enough to have taken one of the two in the Big Levels area that year).
The years passed and field archery was beginning to move eastward from California. With field ranges being considered by the Chesapeake Bowmen and the Richmond Archery, the idea of organizing a new State Association to include both hunting and field shooting prompted the meeting of these two clubs on August 3, 1947, and the Virginia Field Archery Association was born.
Fourteen archers paid their dues and became Charter members of the V.F.A.A.
1. William Braswell
2. Raymond Braswell
3. Dan Cherry
4. George P. Diacont
5. H. T. Harland
6. Percy L. O’Berry
7. Preston B. Ozmar
8. Wallace E. Ozmar
9. Joseph A. Parker (President)
10. Lilllian Parker (Lady Paramount)
11. Stan C. Sonason
12. John C. Stone (Secretary-Treasurer)
13. Robert C. Thompson (Vice-President)
14. Morris Walker (Field Captain)
OTHER CLUB FACTS
- On October 5, 1947, the first State Championship Field Archery Tournament was held on the range of the Chesapeake Bowmen and resulted in the championship being won by John C. Stone, Lillian Parker, and Bud Smith for the juniors. The total paid membership at the end of 1947 was forty-one.
- The Virginia Field Archery Association was beginning to grow in strength as new clubs were being formed throughout the State. Continued meetings with the Game Commission were bearing fruit and in November, 1949, North River (George Washington National Forest) Game and Wildlife Refuge was opened to bow and arrow hunting. This was a separate area, consisting of roughly 16 square miles, with hunting with gun all around the archery area but not allowed within the area. Technicians and Directors from the National Forest service headquarters at Harrisonburg visited the bow hunters at North River (an old Civilian Conservation Corps campsite) to see how it was done. Their reaction to bow hunting was very favorable and they promised full cooperation.
- In October, 1949, at the business meeting and banquet preceding the State shoot at Hampton, the name of the association was changed to the Virginia Bowhunters Association.
- A called meeting was held at Richmond on January 29, 1955, for the purpose of incorporation, and on October 7, 1956, also in Richmond, the Virginia Bowhunters Association, Inc., was reorganized.
- Here are some of the “firsts” that can be attributed directly to the perseverance and hard work of your V.B.A. officers and fellow members:
- North River - First opened to bow and arrow hunting in November, 1949.
- Hog Island - The V.B.A. first learned of Hog Island in August, 1953, when Mr. Charles Gilchrist, Game Technician, made it known that the island was overcrowded with deer. He was highly in favor of archers using it as a hunting area since there would be a minimum of disturbance to the wildfowl. (Letter from Joe Vrabel to R. P. Monteith, August 4, 1953).
- Big Levels - First opened to bow and arrow hunting in November, 1953.
- Hog Island - First opened to bow and arrow hunting in October, 1954.
- Special Season - The proposal for bow and arrow hunting was published as follows:
To amend Regulation No. 99, BOW AND ARROW HUNTING, to read as follows:
"That it shall be lawful to hunt bear and deer with bow and arrow from November 1 to November 10, dates inclusive, except where there is a closed general hunting season on either or both species. Provided, however, it shall be unlawful to use a crossbow or poison arrows at any time, statewide, for the purpose of hunting wild birds and wild animals.” - Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries, Beverly W. Stras, Chairman. (May, 1954)
- Pre-season - First granted to bow and arrow hunters in 1956.
- The Virginia Bowhunters Association was instrumental in reorganization of the National Field Archery Association along its present lines. The reorganization effort became knows as “The Virginia Plan” and was completed in 1966 after many years of negotiation with the various States and NFAA officers.