Hunger Games, Brave fuel huge archery boom in U.S.

Whatever you do this weekend, do not anger your daughter: chances are she’s armed. Brave debuts in theaters today — the story of a Scottish princess who is quite proficient with a bow. The film comes on the heels of The Hunger Games (featuring girl with bow and arrow), Snow White and the Huntsman (Kristen Stewart wields a bow, I hear) and The Avengers (three words: Hawkeye arrow bombs). And with the U.S. fielding two complete teams in Olympic archery competition in London, it’s as if we all live in freakin’ Sherwood Forest this year.
Never ones to succumb to trends, Americans — especially girls — are flocking to archery ranges in record numbers. Individual memberships to USA Archery have increased nearly 20 percent, according to the New York Post. I’m staying indoors until fall.