The reason is simple. Every year lots of people contact me asking for lessons and I have to figure out which people are worth teaching, often by interviewing them a bit via emails.
Then once I have filled my quota of students, I basically tell everyone else to go find a different archery instructor.
Having turned many people away (through no fault of their own) I have decided that maybe what I should be doing is just charging more money. After all, I have kids to feed and send to college, so why not? Supply and Demand.
For those interested in archery lessons please be reminded that I only teach compound bows and crossbows, and there is a heavy focus on hunting skills.
Also please be advised that I don't teach kids. I also don't teach people who are not interested in hunting.
I have no problem with teaching ladies. The fairer sex is always welcome on the proverbial bowhunting trail in my opinion. I have lost track how many braindead male hunters I have seen doing stupid and foolish things, I am very happy to see the ladies have a more solid brain on their shoulders.
Also I give a 10% discount to people in wheelchairs or suffering from some form of disability.
On a different topic...
My answer? ALL OF THEM.
I also teach people who prefer to use finger gloves and an "antique compound bow", like the antique shown here on the right, which is a 45 lb Black Hawk Chief Scout compound bow.
I have a fondness for the older style compounds from the 1970s and 1980s.
Older compounds are definitely simpler, easier to fix, and require more skill to know how to use properly. They are also (depending on the make and model) quite beautiful to look at. Modern compounds have a tendency to look like Apache helicopters in comparison, extremely technical with no beauty.
The bow on the right for example may not be extremely powerful, only 45 lbs, but that is more than enough for deerhunting and small game. It is also extremely beautiful.
Thus if a student comes to me with a beautiful old compound from the 1970s or 1980s (or older), my response will still be that I am willing to teach them how to get the most out of that bow.
And the same goes with whatever style of mechanical release they want to use, or even if they prefer a finger release.
I am also a firm believer in being prepared for the unexpected. Many times I have heard of people breaking their mechanical release, losing it, forgetting it at home, etc, and then not knowing what to do. Fortunately I teach my students how to be versatile. So they can shoot with or without a release, the differences between the many different styles of releases, and even how to make your own "survival release".
So if you are serious about learning, let me know. 10 lessons and you will be well prepared to go on your first hunt, or if you already bowhunt, you will be a much more effective bowhunter.
Below: Examples of Mechanical Releases
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