A full day of hands-on archery instruction is coming to Great Ape Empire in Wiarton on Sunday, September 13, 2026.
Barefoot Bushcraft’s Archery Intensive is designed for people who want more than a brief recreational introduction. Participants will have the time and individual instruction needed to improve their technique, correct persistent problems and become more confident and consistent with a traditional bow.
Archery Intensive at Great Ape Empire
Date: Sunday, September 13, 2026
Location: Great Ape Empire, 267 Highway 6, Wiarton, Ontario
Cost: $120 per person
Deposit: $10, fully refundable if the minimum enrolment is not reached
Equipment: Provided; suitable personal equipment may also be brought for instructor inspection
More Than an Hour on the Range
This is an intensive training day rather than a casual shooting session. Participants will move through progressive exercises covering the complete shot process, including:
- Shooting stance, posture and alignment
- Consistent grip and bow control
- Drawing and anchoring
- Release and follow-through
- Understanding arrow flight
- Recognizing and correcting common problems
- Building consistency and accuracy
- Shooting at changing distances
- Shooting from different practical positions
- Traditional and instinctive shooting techniques
- Individual coaching and form correction
The objective is not simply to send more arrows downrange. Participants will learn how body mechanics, equipment and shot execution work together—and how to identify the cause when an arrow does not land where expected.
Instruction That Meets You Where You Are
The Archery Intensive is suitable for those with limited experience as well as archers who have already been shooting and want to improve. The class size will be limited so participants can receive meaningful individual coaching rather than spending the day standing in a long shooting line.
The program will be instructed by Wolf Starchild of Barefoot Bushcraft, an experienced outdoor educator and Ontario Archery Association coach. Barefoot Bushcraft has provided archery, bushcraft, wilderness-skills and outdoor-education programming in Ontario since 2013.
Why Archery Belongs in the Self-Reliance Conversation
Archery rewards many of the same qualities that matter throughout preparedness: concentration, repeatable technique, equipment knowledge, patience and the ability to recognize and correct small errors.
It is also a skill that cannot simply be purchased and stored on a shelf. Confidence comes from knowledgeable instruction followed by deliberate practice. A full training day provides the opportunity to establish a solid foundation that can be developed long after the course ends.
Whether your interest is recreational target shooting, traditional archery, field practice or eventually obtaining the appropriate qualifications for bowhunting, understanding the fundamentals will make future practice more productive.
Make a Weekend of It
The Archery Intensive is part of a larger weekend of practical outdoor training at Great Ape Empire.
On Saturday, September 12, the property will host Plinkin’ in the Woods with Frugal Gunnie, a separate full-day practical rimfire marksmanship course.
Participants may register for either event independently. Weekend camping is available through Great Ape Empire for $20 per person, allowing those travelling to Wiarton to attend both days without arranging separate accommodations. Camping arrangements and payment are handled directly through Great Ape Empire.
The Archery Intensive is presented by Barefoot Bushcraft in partnership with Canadian Preppers Network, Preppers Meet, Great Ape Empire and Off-Grid School.
Learn the Bow. Understand the Shot.
Advance registration is required. A minimum of eight registered participants is needed for the course to proceed, and space is limited to preserve the hands-on nature of the instruction.
