LAURELTON -- For a real mountain man, archery and fire starting were ways of life.

For the participants in Sunday's Mountain Man contest at the Union County West End Fair, they're just fun.

"This is very casual," said Duane Miller, the superintendent for the event since its inception in 1976. "We're just trying to find enough guys to do this."

Some of the participants came dressed in traditional mountain man garb, while others showed up in T-shirts and shorts.

The contest consists of four events: the tomahawk throw, archery, muzzle loader shoot and fire starting with flint and steel.

Nine men took part in the contest Sunday. For the archery competition, they fired at a wooden effigy of a bear placed several yards away, using both primitive and compound bows.

Some shots hit the bear dead center in the chest, others completely missed and went flying into the woods. One contestant, a 14-year-old boy, hit the bear twice in the crotch, prompting chuckles from his fellow competitors.

Brian Bilger, of Kreamer, did well in the archery competition, but wasn't as confident about his performance in the tomahawk throw.

"I didn't pick that thing up in two years," he said, laughing through a very mountain man-esque beard. "I probably should practice."

But mainly, he saw it as a way to get outside for the day and spend some quality time with his son, Aaron, who he talked into competing for the first time.

"I'm just having fun," the elder Bilger said.

The contest kicked off the fair, which runs all this week and ends on Saturday.

Tonight, there will be a Kiddie Tractor Pull at 6 p.m. and tryouts for the talent show will be held at 7 p.m.

The Miss Union County Pageant will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, followed by the talent show finalists. There will also be musical performances throughout the week.

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