About MFA

Welcome to the homepage of the Madera Field Archers. 

     Established in 1958, the Madera Field Archers strive to provide archers across the San Joaquin Valley with an archery club to foster communication of information and share ideas as well as offer access to a full functioning outdoor range in the beautiful Sierra Nevada foothills.  

     Our outdoor range is located off highway 41 at Road 207, just past the North Fork turn off, about 25 miles from Madera.  It is NFAA approved hosting 42 multi-distance staged targets with 8 shaded practice butts from 10-80 yards.  The range is currently open for scheduled tournaments and special events sponsored by the Madera Field Archers.

Brief history of the Madera Field Archery Range

By Gary Hoffer and Gary Brown, Honorary Members

     Originally the club was located on road 417 on the west side of highway 41.  It was built on the property of the Wilcox family about 1955 or 1956. When the Wilcox’s brought the property by Indian Lakes they dedicated 20 acres to the Madera Field Archers and Bow Hunters Archery Range.  The club only had to pay taxes on the property.  This took place approximately 1960-1962.  Gary Hoffer helped build the pole barn club house when he joined in 1965.  Dr. Wilcox loved target archery and was proficient with both a long bow and recurve bow.  After his death, his ashes were spread on the range that he loved.  He is the reason and the founder of Madera Field Archers and Bow Hunters. 

     This is the third location for the Madera Field Archers and Bow Hunters in its approximately 60 years of archery enjoyment.  We purchased and built this range in 2007-08 with our first Bounty Hunt here in 2009.

Brief Compound Bow History

     The first compound bow patent was in 1969 by W. Allen.  In 1972 only two companies made compound bows, by 1974, there were eight.  Gary Hoffer opened his shop, Central Valley Archery and Taxidermy, in 1970 in Fresno.  The first compound bow he saw at the range was in approximately 1973 or 1974.  Until then, all archers were either recurve or long bow shooters.  These early, dedicated shooters also designed and engineered our Field, Hunter and Animal courses that we still shoot today.  A salute to our Archers of the past and present.

Madera Field Archers Club Mission Statement

"To provide a welcoming place for all archers and their families to practice and promote  
the art and sport of archery regardless of their skills or challenges."