Arhcery club shoots to find new members Published July 2, 2008 By Tech. Sgt. Matthew Sutton 341st Operations Group MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Malmstrom AFB has a hidden jewel located on the southwest side of the runway that can help hunters hone their skills and provide a means to offer excellent bow and arrow shooting opportunities. To be a good bow hunter, constant practice is required, by most. You can't pick up your bow a week before the season and expect to be proficient. The Eastside Archery Club's mission is to provide a safe, clean and affordable shooting range for all personnel who have access to Malmstrom. The Eastside Archery Club is convenient. Members can use it to shoot before work, during their lunch hour, after work or on the weekends. It offers comparable outdoor conditions to what Montana bow hunting has to offer. Most indoor archery ranges have no environmental factors such as the wind and rain, and the distance is limited as to how far you can shoot. The Eastside Archery Club has targets set at 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 yards. You will unlikely be able to find a large archery range available with 24/7 access this close to Malmstrom. The membership fee is $15 per year per person or $20 per family per year. Since local archery shops charge $5 to $30 a day, this is an incredible value. The money for a membership is used for the liability insurance required to run the range and upkeep of the targets. Board members also volunteer to cut the grass and do periodic maintenance on the equipment. Every member will receive a membership card with a combination to all the locks at the club. For more information about the club, contact Tech.Sgt. Matthew Sutton at 731-6529 or Darrel Beach at 761-5388. For more information about bow hunting in Montana, visit the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Web site at http://fwo.mt.gov and click on the hunting link.