When Emily McCarthy steps up to the target she only has a minute to assess her shot before pulling back on her bow and firing.  

During those 60 seconds, she’s processing a multitude of information including judging the distance to the target, how the wind might impact the path of the arrow and how much risk to take in her shot placement. McCarthy, a Flathead High School graduate who lives in Wisconsin, is a professional archer who competes for the Mathews Archery team.  

A top competitor in unknown-distance 3D archery, which requires her to not only shoot her bow well but to accurately judge the distance to the targets. She says 3D archery is a lot about making the right decisions at the right moment while playing out the different scenarios in her head.  

“With 3D you’re guessing the distance to the target,” she said. “You’re setting a strategy to pick the spot to aim your arrow. I’m thinking where should I aim – do I be more aggressive or play it conservative when it comes to points. I have to pay attention to what my competitors are doing to figure out where I want to place my shot. You have to make a lot [of] decisions super-fast.” 

Early rounds of competition are often held outdoors which means adjusting for weather conditions but also can provide a mental break as competitors walk between different targets. While the final round is likely held indoors because it’s televised has its own distractions as archers are close together.  

“I have severe ADHD and so my competitors are often telling me to focus,” McCarthy says with a laugh. “So much is based on the decisions you make so I’m thinking constantly.”  

Returning to Flathead Valley recently to visit family, McCarthy was fresh off winning the International Bowhunting Organization world championship in West Virginia. A win at the competition had eluded her for 17 years since she won it first as an amateur in the hunter class in 2007.  

“It feels like a weight had finally been lifted,” she said of winning the competition for a second time. “I had led at that competition many times, but never won again until this year.”  

The competition started her obsession with archery.  

Growing up in the Bigfork and Ferndale area, McCarthy struggled with learning disabilities in school. In fourth grade she began attending what was then Flathead Valley Christian School where she learned to read and write – she credits teacher Hope Weber with telling her she could do whatever she wanted.  

After graduating from high school, McCarthy was working multiple jobs, snowboarding and competing several nights per week in archery leagues.  During an event at Spirit Quest Archery, she won a Mathews bow. 

She would travel to weekend competitions with friends and started watching videos online learning to improve. Her first big tournament was the International Bowhunting Organization, which she raised $6,000, mostly from friends of her father who works in construction, to attend.  

“It was my dream to become a pro shooter,” she said. “It started with the leagues and winning competitions. I was practicing all the time and I was winning. I had a natural knack for it.”  

She’s been competing professionally since 2012 and in 2014 she signed with Mathews Archery. Her husband Dan is also a professional archer with Mathews.  

They train at their home in Wisconsin in the off-season which can mean practicing in the snow. They travel much of the year competing in the South from January to April. 

“When you put so much time and effort into something it’s rewarding,” she said.  

It’s a demanding schedule that has meant missing friends' weddings and family celebrations, but McCarthy plans to keep competing. She’s still chasing a few titles like the Archery Shooters Association Shooter of the Year and the USA Archery Triple Crown. 

“I love the game, and I love the people,” she said. “From 25 people to 3,000 people at a competition, they’re like your family. I’m so excited to meet all the little kids at competitions and the younger generations who are interested in the sport.”  

Deputy Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or [email protected].