60X Staff Shooter Bill Burns

Bill Burns - Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania

Bill is a kitchen & bathroom contractor by profession and has worked in this profession since 1972. He finds this work very beneficial, as it keeps his bow arm strong and his body in shape for archery. We sat down with him to talk about his archery experience. Read on to learn more.

How did you get involved in archery?

• When I rifle hunted in the 1970s, I noticed that bucks were beat up. I decided to get a recurve bow to start hunting archery so that all of the deer that I would be harvesting would have a full set of antlers. 

How long have you been shooting?

• 1970 - first recurve.
• 1988 - first compound.

What do you like to do when you're not shooting?

• Fish for bass.

Indoor or outdoor archery?

• Outdoor.

3D or target?

• 3D - to prepare for the upcoming hunting season.

What is your favorite 3D target?

• Monster Buck.

What is your least favorite 3D target?

• Alligator.

Who is your favorite competitor?

• Glenn Talley.

What is your funniest travel story?

• I booked a motel room in 1999 for the World Championships in Peek n Peek, New York. We had never been there before so I didn't know what to expect. We went to the motel room and the door was open. I asked the attendant why. She said to air it out. We opened up the bathroom door and there was a frog in the tub! It was hilarious! My buddies didn't let me live it down!

What is your favorite place to eat while traveling?

• Breakfast at The Cracker Barrel.

What is your favorite archery moment of all time?

• When I won the best of the best shootoff in 2019 at Showshoe Mountain, West Virginia. It was a $1,000 day!

What is your favorite sport other than archery?

• Fishing.

What is your favorite sports team?

• Pittsburgh Penguins

What is your greatest accomplishment?

• Winning the Triple Crown, Shooter of the Year in 2019, 6 World IBO Championships.

Who was your childhood hero?

• Jackie Caudle.

What is your hidden talent?

• I make the best cheesecake in the world - from scratch - from my grandma's secret recipe!

What is your proudest moment?

• Winning my first world championship and sharing it with with my father, letting him know that all of his teaching didn't go in vain.

What is your favorite kind of music?

• Country.

What are your words to live by?

• Always treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. Take the time to show others what you have learned in your years of experience.

What is the coolest thing about competing in archery tournaments?

• Spending time with friends.
• All the different places you travel.
• Trying to outsmart the guy who set up these very difficult ranges.

What is your favorite tournament venue?

• IBO World Championships.

What is your advice for someone just getting started in archery?

• Try to find someone who's very experienced with archery equipment so that it can keep you from making many mistakes. They can help you to learn the correct form and use the archery equipment that best suits you for your level of experience.

What are your current equipment choices?

• 60X Custom Strings.
• Bowtech Bows.
• Bohning Vanes
• Doinker Stabilizers.
• Shrewd Nomad Sights.
• Specialty Archery Peep Sights.
• Carbon Express Arrows.

What competitions have you won?

• 6 World Championships - IBO.
• 2 Shooters of the Year.
• 2 Triple Crown Championships.
• Multiple other tournaments for the 3 legs of the Triple Crown.

I would like to see this sport of archery, which I love very much, continue into the future, and hopefully pass this down to the next generation so that they can enjoy this as much as we do now.

Want to learn more about 60X's Pro Staff? Check this out.