By: Kyle Grammatica
One Florida organization is sharing moves you can’t learn via TikTok. Florida Frontiersmen Inc. (FFI) was founded in 1972 with the mission of preserving the skills of early American settlers. It began as a black powder gun club, but quickly expanded to include traditional archery and hawk and knife throwing. The Foundation recently awarded a $3,427 grant to purchase new arrow shafts, feathers, field points, spine tester, and nine 3D targets for their archery program. FFI hopes the new equipment and targets will help create a new generation of Florida sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts.
FFI’s archery program emphasizes primitive archery and the use of natural materials like wood, sinew, feathers, horns, and river cane, materials used by early Americans and Native Americans for hunting. “It was a blessing to buy new targets for our range,” said Scott Hofmeister, Archery Chief at FFI. “The new equipment made our Florida Wooden Bow Championship a stellar event.” FFI hosts the family-friendly event at the Alafia River Rendezvous in Homeland, FL. Over 240 archers have competed, many of them women and youth. All archers participate together and shoot at different distances to keep the competition fair and fun for everyone. If you don’t have archery experience, the experts at FFI are happy to provide instruction. Check out FFI’s website for more information.
To support programs like FFI, purchase our “Wildlife Foundation of Florida” license plate from your local tax collector’s office.
