# Pick one....



## Brad HT (Dec 9, 2006)

So, I am planning our summer vacation already... and I wanted to do something archery related, while my wife can shop and do touristy things. My thought is to either do the 2012 Outdoor Field Championships in Mechanicsburg, or the First Dakota Bank Classic in Yankton.
Does anyone have any opinions on which place I should go? Which shoot would be better, and maybe a more challenging course? Does one have a better area around it for shopping and touristy things to do? I like the idea of going to SD,.. Ive never been there, but I LOVE the rolling hills of PA....

Anyone have any thoughts?

B~ :darkbeer:


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## field14 (May 21, 2002)

Two completely different animals.

If you like FIELD shooting, then no doubt, Mechanicsburg would be the better choice!

The Dakota Classic is a different set of outdoor rounds, fewer arrows per day and at a completely different target face.

If I personally was going to choose...I'd opt for the Mechanicsburg event, and frankly wouldn't consider the Dakota Classic! But...that is ME, and I'm a devout FIELD shooter. Love those Field and Hunter Rounds outdoors. 

field14 (Tom D.)


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## rock monkey (Dec 28, 2002)

Mechanicsburg.

there's more history in the area of Mechanicsburg and with that history comes the toursity niche shops. i'm sure that Yankton has a decent history link to the rise of the west, but Mechanicsburg has a link to the Revolutionary, 1812 and Civil Wars. throw in the Whiskey Rebellion and some other skirmishes relevant to American history and you have a large tourist draw and cottage industry. Mechanicsburg shouldnt be more than a 2hr drive with traffic to Valley Forge.

google and wiki each city and see what the results show.


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## wa-prez (Sep 9, 2006)

Mechanicsburg is a GREAT location. Close to the airport and lots of things to see and do.

Last time, I stayed in the HQ hotel which was great. I've never seen a hotel that had (in addition to a good restaurant and bar) the following amenities:

TWO pools, one indoor and one outdoor. And the outdoor pool is huge.

Softball field, picnic area, "beach" volleyball court and miniature golf.

Car rental agency onsite too - so next time I'll get a shuttle from the airport and rent from them and save the (short) drive.

Lots of restaurants in the area such as Red Lobster, TGI Fridays .... I don't remember them all but we ate somewhere different every day.

The range is great too. FIVE 28-target field courses, and you should shoot each one once in the five days. Courses are relatively gentle terrain, cleared wide enough for four archers to shoot at once on most lanes.

Friendly people and lots of locat tournament support. The Range Captains even helped us find our arrows if we missed a target.


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## itsme (Nov 6, 2007)

Lancaster Archery is less than an hour away from Mechanicsburg, always a fun place to visit.


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## Brad HT (Dec 9, 2006)

This is awesome... Thanks fellas. What club is the shoot held at?

B~


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## carlosii (Feb 25, 2007)

rock monkey said:


> Mechanicsburg.
> 
> there's more history in the area of Mechanicsburg and with that history comes the toursity niche shops. i'm sure that Yankton has a decent history link to the rise of the west, but Mechanicsburg has a link to the Revolutionary, 1812 and Civil Wars. throw in the Whiskey Rebellion and some other skirmishes relevant to American history and you have a large tourist draw and cottage industry. Mechanicsburg shouldnt be more than a 2hr drive with traffic to Valley Forge.
> 
> google and wiki each city and see what the results show.


sounds like a pretty violent place. :wink:


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## JF from VA (Dec 5, 2002)

The host club is Mechanicsburg Sportsmen's Association, http://www.msa-pa.org/. If you are a history buff, the Gettysburg Battlefield National Park is only about 30 minutes away. There is also a large outlet mall in Gettysburg if your wife likes to shop.


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## Kade (Jan 11, 2011)

Not even close in comparison. Mechanicsburg for sure. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## CHPro (May 21, 2002)

Plus Hershey, PA is a reasonably short drive from Mechanicsburg as well so you can check out the chocolate tour. 

>>------->


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## soonerboy (Sep 6, 2004)

Now guys. Both stores in Yankton are very nice and the worlds largest ball of twine is only 7 hours away. I still for the life of me can't figure out why NFAA let Yankton be the new center. Lots of other posibilities that would have been better. Yea, I know politics.


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## Brad HT (Dec 9, 2006)

Wow fellas.. Didnt think it would be so overwhelmingly one sided....

I loved pennsylvania when I was through there once before... Ill have to stay a while this time.

Looking forward to the summer...

Any other suggestions of things to do while in town?

B~


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## itsme (Nov 6, 2007)

if you wanted a day trip, the nation's capital is about 2.5 hrs away, a pretty easy drive, interesting sites



Brad HT said:


> Wow fellas.. Didnt think it would be so overwhelmingly one sided....
> 
> I loved pennsylvania when I was through there once before... Ill have to stay a while this time.
> 
> ...


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## carlosii (Feb 25, 2007)

so, when is the Mechanicsburg shoot? i couldn't find it on the NFAA web site.


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## JF from VA (Dec 5, 2002)

It is July 25-29. Go to the NFAA page, click Schedule > full listing: http://www.nfaa-archery.org/tournaments/index.cfm


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## carlosii (Feb 25, 2007)

yeah...i found it after i wrote that. just might try it even though its awful close to the ASA classic.


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## Unclegus (May 27, 2003)

I've been both places, and Mechanicsburg wins by a very large margin in my mind, although I do enjoy going to Yankton, besides it's a five day shoot on the best range in America. Definitely the Augusta of Archery Ranges.....


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## carlosii (Feb 25, 2007)

soonerboy said:


> Now guys. Both stores in Yankton are very nice and the worlds largest ball of twine is only 7 hours away. I still for the life of me can't figure out why NFAA let Yankton be the new center. Lots of other posibilities that would have been better. Yea, I know politics.


see, you did figure it out. politics. what i don't understand is how the big dog in the arrow business got sucked into going along with this. they've sunk a lot of dough into yank town center. maybe it makes a shorter commuter ride for some folks. one thing it does do is keep field archery out of the view of the rest of the archery world. keeps the clique together, so to speak, without having to deal with pesky rabble rousers.

i knew you'd get me started on this...dang it.


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## Unclegus (May 27, 2003)

How? Bruce for all his is or isn't is one hell of a politician and would make a great used car salesman. The reality is, NFAA needed a place they could depend on and call their own after Watkins Glen kind of faded into the past, and Yankton was what he knew and had contacts, so there it is. The city of Yankton has given the NFAA a lot, so I'll not question it. A little hard to get to, but I have no problems with it myself... it would be nice if it were in Rupert, West Virginia, but it ain't...... It's there and it ain't going to be moved, so when it's time to go shoot there, I'll go... Never look a gift horse in the mouth, and any port in a storm.....


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## hoyt-tec2011 (Feb 11, 2006)

i live about 15 mins away from mechanicsburg. Area around here is great couple great hiking spots, restaurants, plenty of stores and shopping for the wife and many other tourist/just plain fun places to go in the near by area.


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## hoyt-tec2011 (Feb 11, 2006)

and i saw you asked about things to do. If you have the time a park called pine grove state park is close by. A near by lake laurel has a great hiking trail called pole steeple. It is probably one of the best views around either that or on top of wagners gap has a great view of the whole Cumberland valley pretty cool if you want to kill an hour or two with a hike. lets see what else can you do well the capital city mall is near by some museums in Harrisburg and come on into little old Carlisle. That's my home town about 15 mins away from mechanicsburg and its loaded with history. Looking for a place to eat? Georges pizza i promise you some of the best pizza you will ever have. kinda interested in this shoot. I just made the college team and they shoot a lot of field i was always a 3d man myself but hey got to shoot what they have haha might just have to look into this shoot


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## field14 (May 21, 2002)

If I had the chances to attend an ASA Classic (40 total arrows) and the NFAA Nationals, I would opt for the tournament where I get to SHOOT MY BOW and shoot a LOT of arrows. But then, I"m a devout field shooter, and 112 arrows per day as opposed to 20-40 arrows per day is obivously, for ME, the better choice. More time spent shooting arrows, out in the woods, with good folks is better for ME that only shooting a few arrows and spending more time either sitting around or standing around jawing.
By the way, I AM a paid member of the ASA AND the NFAA.
field14 (Tom D.)


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## Spoon13 (Feb 20, 2007)

Mechanicsburg all the way. Lots of stuff to do around there. As has been said, Lancaster isn't far away. Hershey and Gettysburg are close by. And the Harrisburg Senators (AA club for the Nationals) will be in town Mon-Wed. The ballpark sits on an island in the middle of the Susquahana River between the West Shore and Harrisburg. Pretty cool place to see a game.


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## redman (Feb 22, 2003)

Mechanicsburg


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## tabarch (Sep 20, 2006)

Spoon13 said:


> Mechanicsburg all the way. Lots of stuff to do around there. As has been said, Lancaster isn't far away. Hershey and Gettysburg are close by. And the Harrisburg Senators (AA club for the Nationals) will be in town Mon-Wed. The ballpark sits on an island in the middle of the Susquahana River between the West Shore and Harrisburg. Pretty cool place to see a game.


 That island wouldn't be called THREE MILE ISLAND would it?


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## Spoon13 (Feb 20, 2007)

tabarch said:


> That island wouldn't be called THREE MILE ISLAND would it?


No, that's farther down the river, but can be easily reached if you wish to go visit. Just don't drink the water or go fishing. 

The ballpark is located on City Island.


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