For Ryan Devine, bowfishing is an odd juxtaposition of a combination of things that might seem contrary.
“Bowfishing uniquely blends the best of both hunting and fishing,” he says.
“It is a competitive sport, but when you are out on the smooth, glass-like water, late at night with just the moon lighting your way, it can be therapeutic.”
“It’s for the young and for the old.”
In fact, Ryan and his brother Tyler learned the sport from their grandpa when they were young kids. They learned the craft behind their grandparents’ house in Sledd Creek.
“We fished in the spring and early summer and it was something we looked forward to year after year,” he says.
Ryan fell so in love with the sport that when he grew a bit older, he and Tyler started looking for bowfishing opportunities outside of Sledd Creek.
In 2010, Team Descalin’ was formed. Today, Ryan and Tyler are joined by two of their good friends Travis Spiceland and Sawyer York.
For the past decade, Team Descalin’ has made quite a name for themselves in the bowfishing world. They are sponsored by AMS Bowfishing, which Ryan calls the “pioneer company and global fixture in the bowfishing industry.”
Traveling across the Eastern United States, the team competes in about 10 tournaments each year.
“We have had the extraordinary opportunity to compete, place and win in some nationally-recognized tournaments,” Ryan says.
Next year, Ryan says they hope to compete in the AMS Bowfishing Big 20 National Tournament.
The bowfishing circuit tournaments hold a special place for Team Descalin’, bringing notoriety to our area and the sport they love, but Ryan says the team will always have a special place for tournaments that benefit charities, both local and national.
He says the team has competed in a variety of charity tournaments, such as the annual Rosiclare’s Fire and Rescue Benefit Tournament.
In 2020, however, Team Descalin’ took their charity tournament work to the next level with a huge first place finish in the Home for our Troops Freedom Shoot Charity Bowfishing Tournament.
Home for our Troops is a top-rated military and veterans nonprofit organization dedicated to providing post 9-11 veterans a specially-adapted custom home and support so that they can more truly focus on their recovery.
Since 2004, Home for our Troops has built 295 new homes nationwide for veterans and their families.
For Ryan, the team’s decision to support the charity was simple.
“We love our troops and we know we only have the freedoms we do because of their hard work and sacrifice,” says Ryan.
“We need to take care of our troops and veterans.”
And support they did, bringing home first place with the 10 biggest fish of the tournament and first place with the largest fish of the tournament.
“As a team, we felt very strongly about supporting Homes for our Troops and so we decided to donate a portion of our tournament winnings back to the charity,” Ryan says.
“It was an honor to compete for the cause and we were humbled by the win,” Ryan says.
Ryan says the team will continue searching for ways to use the sport they love to benefit others who need it.
“Bowfishing is a wonderful thing when you know the proceeds are going to a good cause.”
