Sixteen archers from across the territory gathered to test their outdoor skills Saturday.

The Yukon Outdoor 3D Archery Championship saw competitors take aim at 16 life-size targets, featuring animals of all shapes and sizes.

Traditional cub archer Levi Stoneman had the top score on the day at 202, followed by master over-60 traditional shooter Rob Ingram (200) and senior men’s traditional Graeme Brighton (151).

Each shooter went through the 16 targets two times. The event was hosted by the Yukon Aboriginal Sports Circle at the biathlon range on Grey Mountain Road.

The amount of archers was more than double of last year’s outdoor championship total, when only seven competed.

The event also featured athletes from Carcross, Teslin and Ross River.

Organizer Colin Hickman said participants got one shot per target, per round. Points were tallied by bull’s-eye (11), inner circle (10), outer circle (eight), and general target (five).

A perfect score would have been 352, Hickman said.

“Everyone was on par with where they’re at,” said Hickman of Saturday’s performances. “We want to develop archery and make it a stronger program within the territory. And the only way to do that is to allow archers an opportunity to perform.”

Some of the archers present Saturday represented the territory at the North American Indigenous Games this summer, and are now attempting to earn a spot on the Canada Winter Games team.

“We’re going to be having tryouts soon,” said Hickman.

Prior to the weekend event, organizers readjusted the 3D targets, moving them to within a range of five to slightly more than 30 metres.

“We wanted to change it up so it was the same for everyone,” said Hickman. “No one had an advantage.”

The sports circle will continue to offer archery programs for youth age 11 and up on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the winter.