After an unexpected postponement in June due to severe weather, the Meadows Valley Traditional Rendezvous was finally back and while Mother Nature traded rain for sunshine and almost triple-digit temperatures, it didn’t stop traditional archers from coming together for an unforgettable weekend.
The work began long before the first arrow was ever loosed.
On Wednesday, Adam Floyd led the charge with the first setup crew, joined by Ralph Grieninger, Jack Wassard, Milt Berggren, and Kyle Maki. Together they tackled the difficult job of getting the courses started, working through the summer heat to bring the Rendezvous back to life. A special thank you goes to Kyle, Sporting Partnership & Policy Manager for the Idaho Wildlife Federation. Kyle wasn’t planning to shoot at the event, he simply happened to be passing through and volunteered his time to help the club. That kind of generosity speaks volumes about the outdoor community we share. Kyle, thank you for lending a hand, and know that you’re welcome back anytime.
By Thursday, more volunteers had arrived, and the pace only intensified. Together they transformed the forest into two incredible 20-target courses, carefully placing 40+ targets across the mountainside. It was no small task. Hours of hiking, hauling targets, clearing shooting lanes, and setting stakes stretched well into Friday morning before the final preparations were complete. Thankfully, the cool creek running alongside camp offered the perfect place to take a break, cool off, and share a few laughs before getting back to work.
As Friday afternoon arrived, campers and shooters began filling the meadow. Although the event had to be rescheduled from its original June date and despite temperatures that tested everyone’s endurance, more than 50+ traditional archers made the trip to Meadows Valley. While attendance was smaller than the event has traditionally drawn, the enthusiasm and camaraderie never skipped a beat.
One of the greatest things about the Meadows Valley Traditional Rendezvous has never been the number of people who attend, it’s the people themselves. Friends reunited, new friendships were formed, stories were shared around camp, and laughter echoed through the trees. Whether it was your first Rendezvous or your fifteenth, it was impossible not to leave with memories that will last long after the weekend ended.
As the sun disappeared behind the mountains Friday evening, the fun was just getting started.
Armed with flashlights and a sense of adventure, shooters headed into the woods for the always popular Flashlight Shoot. Twelve targets, each marked with glowing rings, guided competitors through the forest as they tested their skills under the cover of darkness. The course kept everyone guessing well into the night, with arrows flying until nearly midnight.
When the final scores were tallied, Nate Steen once again proved why he’s the one to beat. Scoring on every target, including the infamous black crow target, he successfully defended his title after also winning the Flashlight Shoot in 2025. The question now is: Who will step up and challenge Nate in 2027? Thank you to Scheels in Meridian for sponsoring the winning prize.
Saturday morning kicked off with one of the weekend’s favorite traditions, BowBirds. As arrows filled the air, birds began tumbling from the sky while shooters shook off the rust and found their rhythm. It didn’t take long before everyone was smiling, laughing, and cheering each other on as the competition heated up.
Once BowBirds wrapped up, it was time to unveil the new and improved Great Idaho Potato Shoot: Zombie Edition.
The rules were simple, but surviving the zombie invasion was anything but. Competitors could earn three points by hitting the potato balanced on top of a zombie’s head or one point by hitting the zombie itself. Potatoes exploded, zombies took a beating, and the crowd had just as much fun watching as the shooters did competing.
After an epic battle, only one archer could claim the title of Savior of the Rendezvous. Congratulations to Dave Hall of Washington for saving the day and proving that when zombies invade, a traditional bow is still the best weapon of choice! Thank you to our sponsor Cabela’s, for helping make this event possible!
Saturday afternoon also brought one of the most rewarding moments of the weekend the Youth Awards Ceremony.
With two full classes of young archers competing throughout the weekend, the competition was impressive from start to finish. The scores were incredibly close, with only a handful of points separating first, second, and third place. Every young archer gave it their all, and it showed.
While not every participant went home with a medal, every child left a winner. Thanks to our youth door prize bucket, each participant was able to choose two prizes to take home, ensuring everyone left with a smile and something to remember the weekend by.
Watching the next generation of traditional archers grow in confidence, encourage one another, and celebrate each other’s successes was a reminder of what the Idaho Traditional Bowhunters are all about. The future of traditional archery is bright, and these young shooters are leading the way.
The action continued Saturday afternoon with the always exciting Speed Competition.
Shooters faced off in a bracket-style tournament, four at a time, racing against the clock to fire as many accurate arrows as possible in just 30 seconds. Each round was fast, intense, and full of excitement as competitors battled to earn a spot in the next bracket. After several hard-fought rounds, one archer separated himself from the pack. Scoring an impressive 9 points in the championship round, Luke claimed the title of the fastest bow at the Rendezvous. Congratulations, Luke! Enjoy your Scheels gift card!
One of the biggest additions to this year’s Rendezvous was the debut of the Youth T.R.A.D. Camp (Teaching Readiness & Discovery) and it exceeded every expectation.
As the kids gathered at the barn, eager to learn, parents were able to head out onto the courses or return to camp to prepare dinner, knowing their children were in good hands. Over the next hour and a half, the young adventurers learned practical outdoor skills that they’ll carry with them long after the weekend ended.
They practiced essential knots like the square knot and slip knot, learned how to make Flemish twist cordage, and became more confident navigating with landmarks and the cardinal directions. Then came the ultimate challenge: working together in teams to build survival shelters using the skills they had just learned. The teamwork on display was incredible, with every child contributing to their group’s success.
For many of the kids, the T.R.A.D. Camp became the highlight of the entire weekend. In fact, as it wrapped up, nearly every one of them asked the same question: “Are we doing it again tomorrow?” That’s about the best review we could have hoped for.
Each participant also went home with their own survival pack, generously provided by ShadowBuck Territory. The packs included a compass, paracord, compressed towels, a headlamp, whistle, glow sticks, carabiners, and other useful outdoor essentials, giving every child the opportunity to continue practicing their new skills at home.
As dinner wrapped up, shooters made their way back to the meadow for one of the Rendezvous’ most anticipated challenges, the Long Distance Shoot.
With the target set at an impressive 94 yards, it pushed the limits of many shooters’ effective range. One by one, archers took aim, released their arrows, and watched them soar high across the meadow toward the distant deer target. Every shot drew anticipation from the crowd as arrows landed just inches away, each one proving how difficult the challenge truly was.
After several rounds of competition, only one archer found the mark.
Congratulations to Lee Sager, who was the only shooter to stick the deer and earn the title of Long Distance Champion! We want to thank Cabela’s for the generous donation for the winner of this event!
As the sun dipped behind the mountains and another incredible day came to a close, everyone gathered around the barn for a relaxing evening of storytelling through film.
The night began with Drawn to Traditional a film created by ITB member Quinn that beautifully captures the spirit, values, and community surrounding traditional archery. It was a fitting reminder of why so many of us continue to pick up a traditional bow year after year.
The feature presentation followed with Sitka’s acclaimed short film, The Hard Way, featuring Paul Forward. More than just a hunting film, it explores the reasons we choose to pursue difficult paths, embrace challenges, and find fulfillment in experiences that demand patience, persistence, and dedication.
As the sun rose on the final day of the Rendezvous, there were still a few exciting events left before another unforgettable weekend came to a close.
First up was crowning the winners of the BowHunter Challenge.
There really isn’t another event quite like it. The BowHunter Challenge isn’t just about hitting targets, it’s about knowing your abilities, making smart decisions, and executing each shot as if it were a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Every arrow counts, and by the end of the course, your score tells the story of the kind of hunter you are, not just the kind you hope to be.
This year’s champions each earned a $150 gift card generously donated by Get Your Meats LLC, perfect for wild game processing or stocking the freezer with some incredible cuts of meat. (If you’re looking for a recommendation, the cheddar jalapeño brats are hard to beat!)
Congratulations to this year’s champions, Adam Floyd and Janet Houlihan, for taking top honors in the Men’s and Women’s divisions!
As an added bonus, Jack Wassard handcrafted a stunning custom arrow for the highest overall scorer. That honor went to Adam, who proved he was more than ready for the upcoming hunting season. Congratulations, Adam!
With the champions crowned, it was time for one of the Rendezvous’ favorite traditions, the Blanket Shoot.
Shooters gathered around the prize blanket, each hoping to take home something special. Broadheads, armguards, hats, and plenty of other great gear found new homes as arrows flew and names were called. The Blanket Shoot has always been one of those events where everyone leaves smiling, making it a perfect way to wrap up the weekend’s competitions.
Of course, no Meadows Valley Traditional Rendezvous would be complete without the raffle, and this year’s prize table may have been one of the best yet.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our sponsors and members, the raffle featured an outstanding collection of prizes. Donations came from Traditional Bowhunter Magazine, Single String Sniper, Archery Central, Slayer Calls, Argali, and onX Hunt, along with handmade items generously donated by ITB members.
Among the standout prizes were a dozen handcrafted wood arrows from War Eagle Bows, a beautifully forged dinner bell created by Cervidae Forge, a stunning quiver and armguard combo made by Nate Steen, and once again, Jack Wassard showcased his incredible craftsmanship with a handmade wood-and-obsidian hatchet and his highly sought-after obsidian spear. Every prize on the table felt worthy of being the grand prize.
But one item stood above the rest.
Generously donated by EXO MTN Gear, a $500 gift card had everyone’s attention. As the ticket bucket filled to overflowing, anticipation grew with every passing moment. When the final ticket was drawn, the lucky winner was… Janet Houlihan!
After already claiming the Women’s BowHunter Challenge title earlier that morning, Janet could hardly believe her luck. It felt like an early birthday present as she realized she’d be heading home with a brand-new pack for future hunting adventures. Congratulations, Janet!
One of the most meaningful moments of the weekend wasn’t a competition at all, it was taking a moment to recognize someone who has given so much to the Idaho Traditional Bowhunters and our community.
During the Rendezvous, we had the honor of presenting Past President Janet Houlihan with a beautifully handcrafted custom arrow, created by Jack Wassard and organized by ITB Vice President John Warford.
Janet served as President of the Idaho Traditional Bowhunters from 2022 through 2025, helping guide the club through years of growth while strengthening the community that makes ITB so special. Even after passing the torch, she hasn’t slowed down. Janet has started a youth archery clinic in Cascade, earned her Level 2 Archery Instructor certification, and has volunteered her time teaching young archers at several Backcountry Hunters & Anglers events.
Her dedication to introducing new people, especially youth, to traditional archery and the outdoors embodies everything the Idaho Traditional Bowhunters strive to represent. She leads not only through her accomplishments, but through her willingness to serve, mentor, and give back.
It was our privilege to recognize Janet with this special award. Thank you, Janet, for everything you have done for ITB, and for everything you continue to do. Your passion, leadership, and commitment to our community have left a lasting impact, and you continue to set an example for all of us.
As the final prizes were claimed and camp slowly began to pack up, one thing became clear, the Meadows Valley Traditional Rendezvous isn’t remembered because of the scores, the trophies, or even the prizes. It’s remembered because of the people.
It’s the volunteers who spend days setting up courses before anyone arrives. It’s the families who make the drive year after year. It’s the laughter around camp, the friendships that grow stronger with every Rendezvous, and the shared passion for traditional archery that brings us all together.
To everyone who volunteered, donated prizes, sponsored the event, helped with setup and teardown, or simply came to shoot and enjoy the weekend—THANK YOU. You are the reason this event continues to thrive.
If you weren’t able to make it this year, we hope you’ll join us at the next Meadows Valley Traditional Rendezvous. We promise it’s more than just a weekend of shooting bows, it’s an experience, a community, and a tradition that’s worth being part of.
