Merlin Archery Adventures Podcast | Episode 009 Archery Media Darling - Sophie Meering

This week on the Merlin Archery Adventures Podcast, Grizzly sits down with one of the most recognisable people in modern archery media - recurve archer, professional content creator and all-round archery legend, Sophie Meering.

In a wide-ranging and wonderfully organic conversation, Jim and Sophie dive into the world of archery social media, content creation and the modern archery community, exploring everything from Sophie’s journey and struggles as a competitive recurve archer, her love of field archery, and the challenges and frustrations that come with the pursuit of success in target archery.

They chat about what it’s really like creating archery content online professional, the highs and lows of representing a sport on social media, the darker side of online engagement, and the pressure that comes with competing at the highest level and representing your country on the world stage.

Sophie also shares her experiences around the archery world, including her engagement to Olympian Alex Wise, the expectations placed on elite athletes, and the reality behind the moments people see on the outside.

As always, this isn’t just a podcast about Archery… it’s a conversation about the people, stories and adventures that make archery such an incredible community.

Now if you know Jim and you know Sophie… you’ll know exactly how off the rails this episode will go.

So sit back and enjoy the chaos that is a very laid-back conversation between two archers that is only sometimes related to archery.

Will be a little more serious next episode, we promise 😅

So grab a coffee, settle in, and enjoy Jim and Sophie’s chat, a conversation only loosely connected to archery… but somehow exactly about archery.

#Archery #ArcheryPodcast #MerlinArcheryAdventures #RecurveArchery #FieldArchery #ArcheryCommunity #ArcheryMedia #ArcheryContentCreator #OlympicArchery #TargetArchery #TraditionalArchery

The Merlin Archery Adventure Podcast: With Grizzly Jim Archery - Episode 008

“Who the F* is Anastasia Wilson?”

This week Jim sits down with one of the rising stars of the barebow archery world - Anastasia Wilson.

From picking up a bow as a complete beginner at university, to representing Great Britain on the international stage in just a few short years… Anastasia’s journey has been nothing short of incredible.

In this wonderfully organic conversation, Jim and Anastasia chat about her meteoric rise through the barebow archery circuit, a shared love of field archery, passion for military history, and the experiences that have shaped her as an archer.

We also dive into Anastasia’s refreshingly simple approach to barebow shooting, what it’s like competing at the highest level, representing your country, and being part of one of the fastest growing brands in archery - Mybo Archery.

No script. No agenda. Just two archers talking about bows, competition, and everything in between.

So grab a coffee, settle in, and enjoy this casual chat with one of the most exciting talents and one of the nicest archers on the scene.

This week on the Merlin Archery Adventure Podcast, Grizzly Jim is doing something a little different...

Instead of sitting down with a guest, Jim takes a (Smaller) deep dive into the life and legacy of one of the most influential figures in the history of traditional archery, the legendary Fred Bear.

From the origins of Bear Archery to Fred Bear's impact on modern bowhunting, instinctive archery, and traditional archery as a whole, we explore the story of a man whose influence can still be felt across the archery world today.

For Jim, Fred Bear was more than just an archery icon. He was a huge inspiration during his early years as an archer and played a significant role in shaping the passion for traditional and instinctive archery that he and many others he still have today.

This episode is also a slight departure from our usual interview format, and we'd love to hear what you think. If you enjoy these deep-dive episodes exploring legendary archers, iconic bowyers, and the history of traditional archery, let us know and we'll make more.

So grab a coffee, sit back, and join us as we step into the fascinating world of Fred Bear, traditional and instinctive archery , as well a a little look at bowhunting history.

#FredBear #BearArchery #TraditionalArchery #InstinctiveArchery #Bowhunting #ArcheryPodcast #MerlinArchery #GrizzlyJim #ArcheryLife #TraditionalBowhunting #Longbow #RecurveBow #ArcheryHistory #FieldArchery

You can find Grizzly Jim and Merlin here on Instagram:

Grizzly Jim:

https://www.instagram.com/thatgrizzlyjim

And Merlin:

https://www.instagram.com/merlin_archery

Welcome to Episode 5 of the Merlin Archery Adventure Podcast.

This week Grizzly Jim sits down with Mybo pro archer Adam Ravenscroft for a relaxed and honest conversation about the good old days of archery, what the sport was really like back in the 90s, and Adam’s experiences competing at the highest level of compound archery.

From tournament shooting, archery equipment, and the evolution of compound bows and release aids, to the competition mindset, and what it’s like getting older in the sport, the conversation naturally meanders through all corners of the archery world.

Packed with stories, laughs, and real insight from two lifelong archers, this is a proper laid-back archery chat, so stick the kettle on and enjoy a couple of middle-aged dudes talking all things archery.

You can find Adam here on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ravo_archery

Grizzly Jim:

https://www.instagram.com/thatgrizzlyjim

And Merlin:

https://www.instagram.com/merlin_archery

Welcome to Episode 5 of the Merlin Archery Adventure Podcast.

This week Jim sits down with barebow archer Phil Lawrence to dive deep into barebow archery, bow setup and tuning, arrow selection, and the archery equipment that really makes a difference.

They also explore the mental game of archery, coaching, competition mindset, and what it’s like getting older in the sport while still staying consistent and competitive.

From compound and recurve to barebow, Phil shares his journey through archery, alongside insights into technique, training, and the rapidly growing barebow scene in the UK.

As always, the conversation meanders through all corners of the archery world, packed with practical advice, gear talk, and real-world experience, so stick the kettle on and enjoy the Conversation.

You can find Phil here on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/phillawrencearchery

Grizzly Jim:

https://www.instagram.com/thatgrizzlyjim

And Merlin:

https://www.instagram.com/merlin_archery

In Episode 4 of the Merlin Archery Adventures Podcast, Grizzly Jim sits down with one of the hardest-working guys in the sport, compound archer Chris Horan.

Chris has built his life around archery, travelling to events, working on some of the biggest stages in the world, and representing multiple archery brands through pro staff and factory team roles. In this episode, we get into what that actually looks like day-to-day, and what it really means to be a sponsored archer at a high level.

Chris and Jim chat about how to represent brands properly, what companies are looking for when they choose their sponsored archers, and how to stand out in the world of competitive archery, especially if you’re trying to break into pro staff or land sponsorships.

Chris also shares some great behind-the-scenes insight from major events, including his experience working at elite competitions and events around the world, even the Olympics, helping keep things running smoothly when it matters most.

It’s a relaxed, honest conversation with loads of insight into compound archery, archery sponsorship, and the industry side of the sport, with a few good stories thrown in along the way.

Sit back, grab a coffee, and enjoy the episode.

You can find Chris here on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/chrishoran1400

Grizzly Jim:

https://www.instagram.com/thatgrizzlyjim

And Merlin:

https://www.instagram.com/merlin_archery

Episode 3 is live! 🏹

In this episode, Grizzly Jim sits down with Ilaria Knibb, one of the most exciting names in barebow archery right now, fresh off her incredible performance and medal win at the European Indoor Archery Championships earlier this year.

Right from the start, the conversation dives into why barebow archery is growing so quickly, what’s drawing more archers into the discipline, and how the competitive European archery scene is evolving. Ilaria also talks about just starting her field archery journey and how excited she is to see where it might take her.

As always on the podcast, things wander a little in the best way. Alongside plenty of archery chat, Jim and Ilaria discover a shared love for Gilmore Girls, which somehow fits perfectly into a cosy conversation between competitions and training stories.

So pop the kettle on, get comfy, and settle in for a relaxed chat about barebow archery, competitive archery, field archery, and life around the sport with one of the rising talents in the archery world.

You can find Illaria here on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/knibb_goingthedistance

Grizzly Jim:

https://www.instagram.com/thatgrizzlyjim

And Merlin:

https://www.instagram.com/merlin_archery

Episode 2 – Trad Sniper, the English Longbow & Getting Properly Nerdy

In this episode second episode (despite Jim saying its the first!) of the Merlin Archery Adventures Podcast, Grizzly Jim sits down with Instagram sensation Trad Sniper (Lee) for a deep dive into the world of the English longbow, traditional archery, and historic bow style as well a Archery's portrayal in popular culture.

If you love traditional archery, longbows, historical archery equipment, and the culture surrounding the English longbow, this one’s for you. Lee shares his refreshing take on shooting the English longbow, why traditional archery still captures people’s imagination, and what makes this ancient style of shooting so special today.

Along the way, things get kinda geeky as the conversation drifts into archery in popular culture, from video games and fantasy films to the influence of titles like Dark Souls and The Lord of the Rings. Expect plenty of discussion about how archery is portrayed in movies, games, and modern media and how that shapes the way people discover the sport.

This is a long one, and we don’t apologise for it. So put the kettle on, grab a brew, settle in, and enjoy a proper deep dive into longbows, traditional archery, archery history, and the passion behind shooting the English longbow.

Join Grizzly Jim as he chats with the man many see as part of the future of English longbow shooting - Trad Sniper.

You can find Trad Sniper here on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/trad_sniper

Grizzly Jim:

https://www.instagram.com/thatgrizzlyjim

And Merlin:

https://www.instagram.com/merlin_archery