While the Pine Belt is often known for its athletes in baseball, football and basketball, the area can stake a claim in another area of competition: the 4-H shooting competition.
Petal’s Hunter Crawford will be representing the state of Mississippi in the 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships held in Nebraska. Crawford, who will represent Forrest County, is part of a four-person team that will compete in the archery competition.
As a sophomore in high school, Crawford finished in fourth place out of 70 archers at the state competition after shooting a score of 702 in two rounds.
The Forrest County Board of Supervisors even invested in Crawford as the board payed him $2,500 from the District 1 and 3 Recreation Fund to cover his expenses to the national tournament.
Crawford discovered his love for archery when he was around 11 years old after attending the Tara Wildlife Camp.
“When I was little I went to the (Tara Wildlife Camp),” Crawford said. “It was mainly about hunting and fishing and everything. They had these little Genesis bows, and they weren’t very much. They were little bows, nothing special about them. I picked up one, and they showed me how to use it. I kind of fell and fell in love with it. My mom picked me up, and I couldn’t wait to tell her.
“I (told her) that I want to get a bow and learn how to shoot a bow. I was really good at shooting guns and everything, but I never shot a bow. She got me a bow, and I started out with a Genesis. I shot well with it, and I went to 4-H in shooting competitions.”
Crawford has mostly taught himself and practices every day by shooting 100 arrows to home in his skills and create muscle memory.
“I practiced every day with that little bow,” Crawford said. “It could be raining, and I was practicing with it. My mom would have to tell me to come inside.”
Crawford also creates scenarios when he is shooting in order to prepare for high-pressure situations.
“When I look at my target and shoot, I pretend that I’m in nationals already,” Crawford said. “I look at my target and pretend it’s the last round, and Mississippi needs 10 more points to be in the lead. I try to make sure my release form is correct, my hold the bow form is correct and that everything is perfect when I let that arrow go.”
Now Crawford has since upgraded to a Hoyt Prevail bow, which is the same bow that competitive archers use.
“It’s 40 inches from limb to limb, it has a big stabilizer in the front and a 12-inch stabilizer in the back,” Crawford said. “When you are in bigger competitions, (they) help you be more accurate, and the stabilizers help you keep it steadier in your hand when you’re aiming at the bullseye.”
Most recently, Crawford began attending practices with the Southern Draw club which is associated with the Junior Olympic Archery Development Program. Crawford credits the club with helping his form and developing his shooting.
“They taught me a bunch,” Crawford said. “I shoot at different distances for 4-H. I’d shoot from 50 or 60 yards, and they would help me with my mistakes. Every Friday after school my mom would drive me to the coast and shoot and practice with them.”
In the 4-H competitions, archers compete in three different disciplines. First, there is FITA, which is target shooting from 30, 40, 50 and 60 meters. Then there is Field, which is target shooting from five to 60 yards and includes varying terrains. Lastly, there is the 3D discipline, which is similar to general hunting. 3D targets are between five to 50 yards, with the exact distance having to be estimated and the targets being life-size models of game.
As of now, Crawford hopes that competing on a national level will help create interest from colleges so that he can eventually shoot on the college level.
“I think if I’m able to do well in this competition, if I do my best and practice like I should when I go up there and shoot well, then it shouldn’t be too hard since colleges are up there watching,” Crawford said. “But right now, I just think about today and tomorrow. All I think about is doing what I have to do to make myself better for this competition coming up. Plus, I want to do what I have to do for Mississippi and make us look good, hopefully.”
The 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships starting on June 21.
