The territory's archers strung their bows, quivered their arrows and headed outside for the Yukon Outdoor 3D Championship last Sunday at the Biathlon Range.

Unlike an indoor, and some outdoor, tournaments, the archers followed a course with 20 unique targets – all different types of animals. The participating archers did the course twice and only fired one arrow per round.

Alan Hansen, who is the co-chair for archery sport for the upcoming 2020 Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse, said 3D tournaments mimic hunting and allow the archers an opportunity to practise a hunt.

The targets were placed in the woods, adding to the difficulty of the shot. Hansen said the most difficult part about 3D tournaments is judging the distance.

"It is the estimation of distance," said Hansen. "It's the biggest key and the biggest variance."

In mimicking hunting, the targets are also set to challenge the archer.

"All the targets have a line but some are tight lines with trees around," said Hansen. "It messes with the archer's mind. The courses are designed to make it difficult."

The tournament also saw five new archery officials become certified after a course spanning the weekend.

Hansen, who's co-chair, archery position, with the Arctic Winter Games, which means he is responsible for making sure the competition is put on properly, said it is important to have local judges.

"It is important to have people in the know-how at the local level," said Hansen. "It can take the sport up a level."

Hansen said the AWG will also bring in more experienced archery officials to the Games, but having local officials will benefit the Yukon athletes in future competitions.

"It is good to learn locally as much as possible," said Hansen. "Competitions can be intimidating. You want to be focused on what you are doing."

Having the local officials means the athletes can get the experience of a large competition in the territory. It will allow them to know the requirements needed beforehand to shoot so they can focus on the competition instead.

The officials in training at the 3D tournament measured bows, checked the strings, and made sure technical equipment added on par with regulations.

The highest score an archer could achieve on each animal was 11, which Hansen said included a bonus point. The targets on the animal reflected the would-be kill-zone. Five points were scored for just hitting the target.

With a possible 440 points available across the two rounds pre-cub, Grayson Holmberg, the day's youngest archer, shot 189 with a recurve barebow.

A barebow, in its simplest definition, is considered to be any bow without a sight.

The cub, cadet barebow winner was Mitchell Ruldoph, who scored 264. David Stoneman hit the mark for 185 to come second, and Hayden Wallace, 161, came second.

The cub, cadet winner, using a sighted compound, was Emmet Kapaniuk, who shot 273. He outshot the runner-up, Sofija Jewell, by four.

Adam Easton found the mark to the tune of 231 points to win the senior barebow category. Philip Christoff shot a 192 to come second and Emily Hume was third.

It was a tight finish for the one, two spots in the master barebow class. Rob Ingram shot 190 to edge past Marie Boylan by two points.

Hansen, using a sighted compound, had the highest score of the day in the master compound class. He shot 351. Hans Steins came second, with 315 of a possible 440.