SPOONER, WISCONSIN- It has the look and feel of an interstate highway tunnel, but those concentric rings staring back at you aren’t oncoming headlights, they’re archery targets, and you’re holding the bow.  That’s the purpose behind a gleaming new building located just three miles east of Spooner on Highway 70.  At 40’ x 344’ it’s the largest indoor archery range in the world and is the brainchild of world-class shooter Gene Moe.
    Moe, who led the U.S. team to the gold medal at last year’s IPC World Championships in Madrid, Spain, built the range to give other shooters an opportunity to hone their skills as well as to provide a new generation of archers with a place to learn.
    The Grand Opening will be held on Friday and Saturday, June 25 and 26 on the grounds of Gene’s Custom Strings, the archery business owned by Moe’s wife, Pat.  Visitors will be able to tour the facility that, in addition to the shooting range, features five bedrooms, a shower room, bathrooms, and a full-service bow tuning shop.  Obviously, Moe has plans for group involvement.  “We anticipate the range being used for archery camps as well as by individuals of all ages and interests,” he said.  “We can have folks shooting at spot targets from 90 meters back to 30 meters or we can set up a 3-D range with targets varying from five feet to 50 yards.  We designed it for maximum flexibility.”
    Visitors can enjoy free coffee and cookies from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day of the Grand Opening with brats, hot dogs, and burgers also available.  The official ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at noon on Saturday, the 26th.  “We’re hoping people will make the drive to check this place out,” Moe added.  “There isn’t another building quite like it on the planet.  We especially hope it will encourage more young people to get involved in archery.  It’s a great life-time sport.”
     For more information contact Gene Moe at 715-635-3874.     Check out the website at http://www.genescustombowstrings.com/