Est. May 21, 1992 Traditional Archers of New Jersey, Inc. TANJ Executive Board TANJ Council Off the Shelf President Gerry F. DeCaro Brian Peters The Traditional Archers of New Jersey, Inc. 20 Spruce Drive 5 Mint Leaf Drive “Off the Shelf” is published four times each year Middletown, NJ 07748 Hamilton Square, NJ 08690 and distributed to its membership, friends and (732) 957-1960 (609) -586-3680 [email protected] [email protected] supporters. This printed material may not be Frank Zsenak used without written permission. Vice President 75 Valley Rd. Ron Ellison Lambertville, NJ 08530 To receive your subscription, fill out your mem- 539 Oaktree Lane (609) 737-7340 Jackson, NJ 08527 f.zsenak@zsenakelectric bership application on the back and mail to the (732) -928-7074 Terry Gaudlip address on the bottom left of the application. [email protected] 732 7th Ave Toms River, NJ 08757 Secretary (732) 928-2668 Members are invited to submit news items, pho- Dr. Ryan Hrehowsik [email protected] tos, articles, comments, etc. to the editor of 46 Jefferson Ave. Al Klenk Traditional Archers of New Jersey, Inc.: Edison N.J. 08837 2 Skunktown Lane 732 261 9771 Blairstown, NJ 07825 [email protected] warhead@centurylink Kevin Grella Treasurer 1880 Whitesville Rd. George Sappah Toms River, NJU 08755 Traditional Archers of New Jersey, Inc 5438 Deerfield Drive, (908) 623-6882 Jorge L. Coppen, Editor East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 [email protected] (570) 245-3950 6208 Honeycomb Ct. Jim Farley Sykesville, MD 21784 [email protected] 2334 Holly Rd. (410) 842-5991 Membership Director Forked River, NJ 08731 E-mail: [email protected] (609) 693-7212 Ron Ellison Smoke Signals Only! 539 Oaktree Lane Jackson, NJ 08527 Mike Tully 601 Winchester Ave (732) -928-7074 Union, N.J. 07083 [email protected] (908) 964 8459 TANJ Webmaster [email protected] Rob DiStefano Merchandise Coordinator Vacant John Fields e-mail: [email protected] 4 Laurel Court Ad- Wrightstown N.J. 08562 (609) 902 7642 [email protected] vertising Rates [per issue]: Jorge L. Coppen, Editor 6208 Honeycomb Ct. 1/8 page…………………….$15.00 Eldersburg, MD 21784 1/4 page…………………….$20.00 (410) 842-5991 [email protected] ½ page……………………...$40.00 Jon Scharff Full page……………………$80.00 3 Walden Pond Way Service Honor Roll Monmouth Junction NJ 08852 And...Advertisement in a fifth issue FREE with [email protected] Joel Riotto Pres. 1992 - 2002 one year (4 issues) prepaid! (732) 232-6867 Phil Muller VP 200 - 2002 Santo A. Armano Phil Muller Pres. 2003 - 2006 3850 River Road Lumberville, PA 18933 [email protected] Brian Peters VP 2003 - 2006 PUBLICATION DEADLINES (267) 566-1229 Gerry DeCaro Pres. 2007- present Spring Issue February 1 Jorge Coppen VP 2007—2010 Summer Issue May 1 Fall Issue August 1 Ron Ellison VP 2011--present Winter Issue November 1 2 There will be an email and possibly a membership mailing sent out in November for your vote. If anyone else would like throw their hat in the ring please send an email to Ron Ellison with a short biography and your qualifications no Hi Everyone, later than November 15th . Ron's contact information is on The TANJ council had 3 meetings over the past year. At the the inside cover of this magazine. April meeting we spoke about both Ron Ellison (Vice Presi- In July, at Black Knight Big Foot, we held our annual "Last dent) stepping down as membership director, in addition to Man Standing" shoot. It was a huge success with over 42 myself as President. This is going to happen by Dec. 31st, traditional shooters. I'd like to congratulate the top 3 fin- 2017. I am proud to say that some of the council members ishers - Mike Orlick, Ray Iglesias, and Joe Grandone - what will be stepping up to cover Ron's duties, as well as the vari- outstanding shooters that competed during the entire ous jobs that I have done over the last 13 years. event for the custom Silver Stag 1st place knife designed by Kevin Grella will be stepping up as Merchandise Director, TANJ member Irene Bowers. (You can see her work at John Fields as Secretary, George Sappah will remain as www.Bowerswildlifestudio.com. Treasurer. Santo Armano and Jon Scharff will share Mem- Then on September 10th we held our 3rd Annual St Jude bership Director duties. Santo will also take over as 3D Childrens Hospital 3-D classic. I am proud to announce that Shoot Coordinator setting up our shoots with various clubs we donated over $2,500 to St. Jude. I'd like to thank TANJ through the year. WaXoBe member Tony Sansone who did an outstanding job Jon Schraff has been showing interest in stepping into my co-chairing the event with me. Let’s not forget Horace Eck- shoes as President and Santo Armano as Vice President. man who as always manned the registration booth. I've known Jon for the past 3 years, and we’d spoken at Goyacle owner and bowyer of Warpath Archery donated various 3D events about him possibly becoming a council one of his beautiful custom made Indian bows and match- member. Jon has been on council for the past 16 months. ing arrows. It was won by TANJ & Floyd Bennett Archers We will all support him if he becomes the next President. member Pat Donnelan. This bow along with many other Here is a short message from Jon Scharff: donated items helped to raise money for the event. “I started shooting a bow when I was very young, with my Grandfather teaching me how to shoot. He is a die-hard In closing I am very proud to have served as your TANJ traditional archer and is one of the best traditional shooters President. I am just stepping aside and will help the newly you could ever shoot with. We still both compete at various elected President & Vice President and upcoming TANJ council members in the upcoming years. 3D events in NJ and PA. I've continued to shoot since then and was a member of Wa-Xo-Be for many years. I joined the Save the Date now - for Cabin Fever - Sunday February 25th archery club in college where I was the only traditional arch- 2018. er, then once I graduated I stopped shooting for a few Have you seen the Garden State Archers new Indoor years. I then rejoined Wa-Xo-Be the club. Range? They are now looking for new members. It's an I am currently a Trustee at Wa-Xo-Be and have been a proud incredible 7,500 sq ft. state-of-the-art facility. We tip our member of TANJ for several years. Over the last few years I quivers to their President, Mark Machulsky and Vice Presi- started shooting some competitions and won the Tradition- dent, RJ Krajcsov, for their non-stop effort in getting this al Archery Society Championship for the Hill bow class. I building completed in record time. We would like to thank also shot in the NFAA Mid-Atlantic indoor shoot a few years TANJ member Horace Eckman for the kind donation that ago and took home another win. I find that shooting 3D is made his dream possi- really my passion and enjoy shooting as many shoots each ble - especially teaching year as possible. our youth archery and keeping the flame burn- You can always find me at Whittingham and at the Eastern ing brightly in New Jer- Traditional Archery Rendezvous. I recently started hunting sey. two years ago and was able to take my first deer with my God bless everyone and Howard Hill Big 5 which was an awesome accomplishment. Good Hunting, I know there are some big shoes to fill with Doc leaving but I am hoping to bring some young blood and new ideas to Gerry "Doc DeCaro TANJ in the upcoming years. Hope you cast your vote. El Presidente 3 4 5 Archery Archives The legendary… Henry Bitzenberger ack in the early 1940s Henry Bitzenberger, de- The Legend….He had 17 points and over 200 inch- B es of antler. I was told to go past the old treestand signed and invented a device and hunt the new one just 30 yards past the old for fletching arrows. Once he stand. Later I wished I had hunted the old stand. had tinkered with it just There was no question he was the one in the trail enough, he patented his cam when I looked over my right shoulder and saw fletching jig under the name him saunter in to check the scrape right under the “Professional Fletchmaster.” old stand! I shot just over this buck's back at 35 yards in November 2012. I was not even upset but His Fletchmaster became a popular device and it only thankful to have encountered such a majestic sold to many fletchers ranging from your everyday buck. household bowhunters, to Mom and Pop shop After I missed, he trotted up 10 yards and went back owners and even to the largest arrow manufactur- to a relaxed walk. Then he went to sniff out two ers of arrows all over the world to include faraway does some 45 yards out like it never happened! lands like India, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Africa, Sweden Next day, another hunter wounded him but appar- and others. ently he survived a non-lethal shot. I wondered if he really survived that shot or an infection and was ev- Born in 1899, Henry Bitzenberger was an avid trav- er seen again... I was almost happy for him to sur- eler and enjoyed teaching people all over the world vive the blade.