Someone contacted me asking for archery lessons...

So I got an email over a week ago from someone asking for archery lessons (compound bow, of course).

I had to turn them away and recommend a different archery instructor who also teaches compound (if you are reading this and want to know who I recommended then shoot me an email).

Why did I turn them away?

Because I am not teaching currently. Due to the COVID pandemic it just isn't worth it right now.

In fact, I am very tempted to just retire from teaching archery / compound bows.

I have had a lot of fun teaching archery during the past 7 years. (Although 2020 doesn't really count, am I right?) So six years realistically. I barely taught at all last year.

My biggest problem from the beginning has been finding the kind of students that I WANT TO TEACH. The kind of students who are enjoyable to teach. People who are serious about the sport of bowhunting. That has been very important to me.

When I first started teaching in 2014 it was around the time that the Hunger Games/Katniss films were in theatres, but I wanted to differentiate myself from the other archery instructors out there who were willing to teach anyone.

I wanted Hunters. Real hunters.

People who were serious about bowhunting, and they weren't just getting archery because it was a fad or because of movies.

I also wanted people who were looking for 10 lessons. No more, no less. Ten.

Signing up for 10 archery lessons means that you are serious about the sport and want to learn. Shelling out $900 for archery lessons means a person is serious.

Someone who wants "1 or 2 lessons"... Or someone who wants to sign their kid up for archery lessons...

I am not interested.

Honestly, half of the emails I get are from people who apparently do not read my website.

• They're looking for "beginner" lessons.
• They're looking for recurve lessons.
• They're looking for 1 lesson.
• They're looking for lessons for their kid.
• They're looking for lessons for their wife or their husband. (How do I know the wife or husband is serious however?)

Etc.

You get the general idea.

They didn't even read my website. Most of the time I don't even answer their emails, or sometimes (due to my overwhelming sense of Canadian politeness) I recommend a different instructor. A fellow instructor in Toronto who I know and trust will do a good job teaching.

And like I said, I am very tempted to just quit teaching. Do something else on my weekends. I wouldn't have to answer silly emails then.

But in the meantime if anyone does want to email me, fine, but I will just recommend a different instructor who teaches compound bows. I know he won't mind the extra business.

HAPPY HUNTING!