Back to the basics with a bow, arrow

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Collin Schmidt
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Kirk Clark, 341st Medical Operations Squadron exercise physiologist, has a love for the sport of bow hunting that goes above and beyond many others. From a very young age he has been honing his craft in almost every type of terrain imaginable - from the back woods of Montana to the savannahs of Africa.

Along with his passion for hunting, Clark also has a passion for teaching others about the sport of bow hunting and helping them develop their skills. When he is not putting his skills to the test, Clark is working on setting up seminars for people of all ages to attend and learn from.

"People from all walks of life can be a part of this sport and have fun at it," said Clark. "You don't have to spend a lot of money to start, and it's something you can learn and grow with. For me it is also a stress reliever, it's a way to leave the problems of the day behind and do something I enjoy."

Anyone with an interest in hunting can approach him with a question and he will do his best to answer it. Within the past two weeks he has hosted two seminars at the Outdoor Recreation Center in hopes of getting Team Malmstrom members involved in the sport he has come to love.
"Bow hunting can touch all aspects of our lives," Clark said. "From a family, to a health and wellness standpoint it provides an avenue for people to come together and enjoy life."

Clark's profession as an exercise physiologist also drives him to help younger Airmen find an outlet that involves the outdoors rather than a cramped dorm with a gaming console. As young Airmen new to the military and its pressures there needs to be as many creative and outdoor related outlets as possible, says Clark.

"My goal when I look at this younger generation is to provide them with a way to get up and be active rather than spending the little spare time they have behind a television set," Clark said. "Archery doesn't require a lot of functional ability, it doesn't require a tremendous amount of talent to be good, and it doesn't take lots and lots of money. If this can provide an avenue for our young men and women to achieve these goals then I will let archery be a start for it, and then if that grows people into becoming more outdoor men and women and healthier men and women that's great, we're winning. For me this is a win, win situation."

Clark has traveled to almost every state in the U.S. and three countries in Africa because of his love for bow hunting. He has achieved his goals of becoming a big game hunter and is still passionate about helping others experience the success he's achieved with a bow and arrow.

"I've been able to see things and hunt things that I could have never fathomed," Clark said. "There is just story after story of incredible experiences. Where else do you get that? How else could you experience that? It's just incredible. The bow has truly given me many fun life experiences. If it all ended today it's been incredible."