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32 Power of Participation
George Britton, Brittons Archery Ronnie Groom, C & G Sporting Goods
Dave Marchio, Marchio’s Sport Hut Craig Warmington, Vital Gear Rich Packer, Easton Technical Products Brandon Johnson, Zebra Publishing Inc.
36 Cover Story: Sportsman’s Outdoor Products Bill and Sherry Krenz
Today, 21 years after John Tilby and Ed Brewer first began producing a limited number of archery accessories in John’s apartment, Sportsman’s Outdoor Products now offers no less than five distinct, branded product lines with a sixth brand on the way.
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24 New and Notable Archery products with strong sales potential.
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30 Bow Report: APA Black Mamba 6.5 54
34 Special Section: 2010 Inside Archery Best Buy Voting 44 Selection Sells More Releases Jace Bauserman Bowhunters on the prowl for a new release yearn for the opportunity to feel, handle and try a fairly broad selection of hunting releases.
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52 Field Test: Spot-Hogg Wiseguy Release 54 Bow Report: Diamond IceMan FLX 56 Today’s Most Exciting Archery Targets! Bill Krenz Today’s best archery targets truly are exciting. To sell more archery targets, what you need to do is transfer the notion of that excitement to your customers.
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8 Inside Track Bowhunters Shop Like They Drive
12 Industry News Information that will keep you up to speed on the latest news, events and people in the archery industry.
16 Inside Archery Dealer School 56 What’s Your Promotional Strategy?
20 ATA Action
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Industry “Statesmen”: A Decade in Review
51 Archery Industry Calendar 65 Marketplace 66 Solutions Greg Staggs Consultative Selling
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Inside Archery ( Vol.13, No. 5) USPS #024-412 is published ten times per year by Zebra Publishing Inc., 2960 N. Academy Blvd, Ste. 101, Colorado Springs, CO 80917. Periodicals postage paid at Colorado Springs, CO 80917 and at additional offices. Postmaster please send address changes to: Inside Archery, P.O. Box 9010, Maple Shade, NJ 08052.
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Inside Archery 7 March 2009
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Inside Track
Bowhunters Shop Like They Drive
Bowhunters are overwhelmingly men. Sorry, gals. That’s just the way it is. So it behooves any archery shop or archery department to cater to what men want and how they shop. Retail experts have long observed that men shop like they drive—they tend to move fast, spend little time looking at anything that doesn’t initially interest them and generally dislike asking where things are, or any other questions for that matter. Fortunately, tailoring a shop or department to how bowhunting males shop is fairly straightforward. As with a busy urban intersection, organization is the key. Everything is best arranged for simple, easy-to-understand navigation. Merchandise should be clearly arranged by distinct product categories. For example, all the broadheads should be in one simpleto-find place. As should all the sights, rests, treestands and treestand accessories and everything else that falls into logical product categories. In addition, signs should be big, bold and prominent. Don’t make bowhunters ask where things are. Instead, make it simple for them to recognize where everything resides. Studies also show that male shoppers like to get their product information firsthand. Rather than ask a clerk, most men prefer written materials, catalogs, descriptive signage, posters or magazine reports for gleaning information. One dealer we know talks of stellar results from reprints of Inside Archery Bow Reports placed next to his bow racks. Men also gravitate toward instructional videos and self-help computer screens. It’s often said that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. But it could just as easily be said––when talking about shopping preferences––that men are from the highways while women are from a more unhurried thoroughfare. Tailor your archery shop for speed, order and trouble-free navigation and you’ll likely satisfy more bowhunters.
Bill and Sherry Krenz Editor and Publisher Inside Archery 8 June 2010
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Sherry Krenz • sherry@insidearchery.com
Editor & Founder
Bill Krenz • bill@insidearchery.com
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Inside Archery® / Zebra Publishing Inc. 2960 N. Academy Boulevard, Suite 101 Colorado Springs, CO 80917 Phone: (719) 495-9999 • Fax: (719) 495-8899 info@insidearchery.com www.insidearchery.com Inside Archery® Copyright © 2010. All Rights Reserved by Zebra Publishing Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. Zebra Publishing Inc. is not responsible for researching and investigating the accuracy of the contents of stories published in Inside Archery® magazine. Readers are advised that use of the information contained in Inside Archery® magazine is with the understanding that it is at their own risk. Zebra Publishing Inc. assumes no liability for this information or its use. Zebra Publishing Inc. and Inside Archery® magazine assume no responsibility for unsolicited editorial, photography, or art submissions. In addition, no Terms and Conditions agreements for either unsolicited or solicited photography submissions are recognized by Zebra Publishing Inc. without being signed and returned by the Editor.
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Industry News Sitka Gear Will Launch Line of Whitetail Apparel with Help of Prominent Agencies
Sitka Gear, manufacturer of highperformance hunting apparel, has retained the services of Out of Bounds Creative and Providence Marketing Group to assist in the launching of its newest line of performance apparel targeting the whitetail hunter.
Providence Marketing Group will handle all of the marketing, media and public relations tasks for Sitka. “To be aligned with such a great company that produces such a high level of products is a true honor,” said Jeff Bergmann, president of Providence Marketing Group. The creative development for Sitka Gear’s new advertising campaign will be placed in the hands of Out of Bounds Creative. “Sitka Gear is an incredible brand and industry leader in performance hunting apparel. We are thrilled to be involved in the creative process,” said Shane Osguthorpe, creative director at Out of Bounds Creative. Sitka Gear has appealed greatly to serious western hunters. With the philosophy that clothing should be an integral part of any hunter’s equipment list, Sitka has quickly gained a following amongst those who venture into the roughest terrain the West has to offer. “While Sitka Gear has done well in the western hunting market, those hunters that live in the Midwest and east have had little opportunity to utilize our products,” stated Kevin King of Sitka Gear. “With the help and years of knowledge that our
partners at Out of Bounds and Providence Marketing Group bring, we look forward to entering the whitetail market.” For more information, log onto sitkagear.com.
Muzzy Launches Upgraded Website
Muzzy has launched a newly designed website promoting its well-known line of bowhunting products. The site has many new features that will aid dealers in carrying and selling Muzzy products. Customers can easily find a Muzzy dealer by utilizing a dealer-locator option, so bowhunting consumers will know where to go to purchase Muzzy products and get technical support. The website allows new dealers to simply fill out an online application if they are interested in carrying Muzzy lines.
Technical support videos to help consumers with common Muzzy questions, pro-staff bios, Muzzy Moment videos and Muzzy news are all part of the overhauled site, along with numerous other features. For more information, log onto muzzy.com.
Pink Arrow Project Offers New Products
The Pink Arrow Project attended the 2010 Archery ATA Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio, to promote pink products that are raising money to support the National Breast Cancer Foundation and local causes. Four new products came aboard this year. Viper Archery Products now offers all of its sights in pink to match the Mathews Passion bow. ACU
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Lok, Scott’s Strings and Stink Stick are also all producing new pink offerings to help raise money for the cause. The Pink Arrow Project will be featured at all 15 of the Living Heritage Events that are being held in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Organizers of the Pink Arrow Project encourage companies that have a pink product to join them in their quest to make life’s everyday challenges easier for those affected by breast cancer.
In 2010 the Pink Arrow Project plans to bring its website up to speed, making it interactive so clubs that hold events using the name Pink Arrow Project can post the date of the event and, afterwards, how much money the event raised. The website will also have a place for retailers to post all of the pink products they are selling. Manufacturers will have space to show their products and supporters of the project will be able to show how they are promoting the Pink Arrow Project. Pink Arrow Project organizer Mary Hale will also be more accessible with all of her contact information on the website. Hale is a cancer survivor of 9 years and longtime 3D archer offering both her experience and support to the Pink Arrow Project. For more information, log onto the pinkarrowproject.com.
Family Tradition Treestands Hires New Representatives
Family Tradition Treestands, a manufacturer of treestands for 17 years, has decided to push its market presence to a higher level. Family Tradition Treestands has recently announced that it has made a Continued on page 14
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deal to have Mitch Beene and Associates as well as Kevin Polish representing its line of treestands. “When we purchased Family Tradition Treestands a few years ago our intention was always to take it from a regional power in the southeast and give it a much larger national presence,” said Jack Turner, owner of Family Tradition Treestands. “First we needed to get our production processes in place, gain industry certification and get some major endorsements such as Jeff Foxworthy, Travis Turner and Tom Nelson among others. Family Tradition is now in a great position to take our product line to the next level of success. Mitch Beene and his crew are very professional, and watching Kevin work is a thing to behold—he’s
got a fire that is rare indeed. Their work ethic is second to none and we’re thrilled to be able to partner with them. We’re looking forward to a highly successful partnership well into the future.” Family Tradition Treestands offers heavy-duty ladder-style stands, tripods, portable stands and portable ladders. For more information, log onto familytraditiontreestands.com.
Paul Meeks Inducted Into TMA Hall of Fame
At the annual meeting of the Treestand Manufacturers Association (TMA) on April 29, 2010, in Chapel Hill, Tennessee, veteran treestand manufacturer Paul Meeks was inducted into the TMA Hall of Fame. Meeks was recognized as one of the founders of the TMA and commended for his contributions to the treestand industry, especially in helping to develop safety practices and standards. His career in the treestand industry
Inside Archery 14 June 2010
Paul Meeks
began in 1978 and, in 1986, he founded API Outdoors and introduced the first all-aluminum line of treestands. API was one of the first manufacturers to include a full-body safety harness with its products. Paul Meeks currently serves as secretary on the TMA Board of Directors and is the longest-standing board member. He has served the board in various capacities including president and vice president.
Hot Shot Manufacturing’s New Website Goes Live
Popular archery release producer Hot Shot Manufacturing has just launched a new website with a variety of useful elements for consumers and dealers. Consumers can find a directory of Hot Shot dealers across the country and read in-depth descriptions of all of the products the company offers. The site features a detailed listing of Hot Shot releases with large and colorful photos in an online store. The whole site was revamped with a more visually striking layout.
Hot Shot’s site also has blogs, news, videos and more to keep consumers and dealers informed. For more information, log onto hotshotmanufacturing.com.
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Dealer School P.T. Barnum, 19th-century showman and circus magnate, once quipped, “Without promotion, something terrible happens…Nothing!” While most people are familiar with Barnum’s circus, many don’t know that he was an incredibly successful entrepreneur who was involved in a number of industries, including retail. Even when faced with financial setbacks, Barnum was consistently able to start over and rebuild his fortune.
What’s Your Promotional Strategy?
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A thoughtful
promotional strategy— composed of advertising, public relations and sales promotion—will increase awareness of your shop and drive sales.
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What was his secret to success? Barnum was a genius at promotion. While there’s a world of difference between selling archery equipment and peddling tickets to see curiosities like the Feejee Mermaid, proper promotion is as critical to your business’ success as it was to Barnum’s. A thoughtful promotional strategy—composed of advertising, public relations and sales promotion—will increase awareness of your shop and drive sales.
Advertising
Advertising is any paid promotional efforts made through media channels such as newspapers, television, radio and the Internet, as well as through the Yellow Pages, roadside signs and direct mail campaigns. The advantage of advertising is that since you pay for it, you have control over the content and when and where your message appears. You also have the ability to target the people most likely to respond to your message, although that ability varies depending on the medium you choose to use.
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A newspaper or circular ad will reach people in a given geographic area, while Internet ads can be targeted to reach people who have certain interests or visit specific websites. The trick to a successful advertising campaign is frequency. Too many people assume that a single ad in the paper or a single radio commercial is enough. Studies show, however, that people need to see an ad multiple times before it will prompt them to take action, so don’t expect to get much response from an ad you run just once or twice. When it comes to advertisements, bigger is often better, but not if it comes at the expense of frequency. Instead of taking out a single large ad in the newspaper that eats up your entire advertising budget, place a smaller, more affordable ad multiple times. If the costs of producing and running a radio or television commercial keep you from being able to run it regularly, you might want to consider switching to a different medium, such as the Internet. If your budget is too tight for the advertising campaign you’d like to run, consider joining forces with another business and running joint ads. If your shop is located in a shopping center, you may find nearby businesses that would like to pool their resources to drive people to the shopping center. Or you could approach another small specialty store about developing a joint ad for a special occasion like Father’s Day.
to promote your business. Public relations is unpaid communication that increases consumer awareness of your business. Because consumers tend to view editorial items as more credible than paid advertisements, public relations is a highly effective component of a promotional strategy. Make sure that you communicate with local newspapers,
radio stations and television stations. Learn to write clear, straight-to-thepoint press releases and use them to communicate information about archery shoots, grand opening celebrations, anniversary events, new store locations, renovations or any other newsworthy happenings. You can also approach your local media about writing a newspaper column or creating a brief radio spot about archery and bowhunting. One
Dealer Survey Questions Archery dealer input is sought for the next Inside
Archery Dealer School. Your comments are invited on a variety of specific Dealer School topics. All you need to do is fill out and send in the easy-to-use Dealer School Response Card found between pages 18 & 19. Selected comments will be published in an upcoming issue of Inside Archery’s Dealer School. Your shop and location will be listed. In every issue a participating dealer will win a new Hoyt bow! To have a chance at this bow, all you have to do is participate.
Win!
a MAXXIS bow from
Public Relations
Paid advertising isn’t the only way
Inside Archery 17 June 2010
Th Montis Winn h’s Darro er!
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J’s Archery cDougal Pr Antigo, WoI Shop
What types of outside-the-store advertising seem to be most effective for you in terms of attracting customers to your store, and why? Dealer (Yellow Pages, local newspapers, direct mailComment ings, radio, TV, billboards, printed flyers, etc.) The following are selected responses from the Inside Archery Dealer School Survey presented in our March 2010 issue. Are you interested in participating and possibly winning a FREE 2010 Hoyt bow in the process? See page 17 of this issue for more information.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We have a free bargain hunter weekly newspaper where people sell new and used items (cars, boats, guns, computers, etc.). It comes out weekly and has a circulation of 28,000. We also use radio ads.
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Jim Heebner • The Owl’s Nest Gun & Bow - Phillipsburg, NJ
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We have signs on the highway. People driving by see the signs and often come back to look around.
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William Fischer • Fischer’s Outback - Graceville, MN
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––We do what we want our customers to do—shop locally. We use our local newspaper. They even design our ads for us so they really pop out of the page.
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Eugene DelGallo • G&S Wild Country Outfitters - Woodstock, VA
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We have our best results with the newspaper, TV, local outdoor shows and direct
“” mailings.
Randy Riggs • Girts Archery East - Straughn, IN
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We use the Yellow Pages because here in rural Western Kansas, people let their fingers do the walking.
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Tom Selby • TVS Archery - Garden City, KS
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– I write a weekly article called ‘Archery News’ for the local newspaper. I include league scores, archery lessons and 3D shoots, as well as photos of bowhunters with their trophies. This brings a lot of people into the shop to see the equipment we offer.
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Thomas B. May • Top Pin Archery - Custer, SD
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We use mailings. We’ve tried the radio, but it seems everyone is listening to satellite radio these days. Mailings give us the chance to promote specials.
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Neal Kiehne • Archery Unlimited - Etna, WY
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newspaper I read has a regular advice column written by a local dog trainer. Not only does this column give his business a lot of exposure, it also sets him up as an expert in the minds of his readers. If you have trouble getting a spot in the newspaper or on the radio, you can always write an Internet blog. Like the dog trainer’s newspaper column, this will set you up as an expert in your field. Try to tie the blog in with events at your store. For example, you might write a blog entry on proper form and mention at the end of the entry that your shop is hosting a shooting clinic on a certain day. Charity events and donations are another way to gain publicity for your shop. If a local youth group needs money for a trip or a burst pipe damages a local church, offer to host a fundraiser and make sure it’s well publicized. Both your shop and your community will benefit.
Sales Promotion
Sales promotion is the final piece of a strong promotional strategy. Sales promotions encompass displays, contests, coupons, giveaways, product demonstrations and any other in-store promotions. If advertising and public relations are used to inform and remind consumers about your shop, sales promotions are used to stimulate sales and improve customer loyalty. Many stores use special store
cards to provide customers with an incentive to patronize a particular establishment. Large grocery stores offer exclusive discounts to cardholders, while other stores pass out punch cards with the opportunity to earn a free product after customers accumulate a certain number of punches. I pass several coffee shops on my way to work every morning, but I always stop at the one that offers a free coffee for every 20 coffees I buy. Another store I frequent awards points for every dollar I spend there. When I have 250 points, I can exchange them for a $10 gift certificate. Five hundred points gets me a $30 gift certificate, and 750 points is worth a $50 gift certificate. (I’ll admit that I have justified spending a little extra money just to move to the next point bracket.) Hats, T-shirts and pens with your shop’s logo on them given out with purchases are a great way to show your appreciation to customers and to increase awareness of your shop.
The Right Mix
A successful promotional strategy incorporates all three elements—advertising, public relations and sales promotions. What works best for your shop will depend on your budget and what your customers respond best to. The key is to be creative and stay on the lookout for promotional opportunities.
What types of inside-the-store sales promotional efforts work best for you, and why? (Special merchandise displays, colorful posters, counter mats, special signage, looped D e a l e r instructional video tapes or DVDs shown on Comment in-store monitors, contests, coupons, etc.) The following are selected responses from the Inside Archery Dealer School Survey presented in our March 2010 issue. Are you interested in participating and possibly winning a FREE 2010 Hoyt bow in the process? See page 17 of this issue for more information. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In-store seminars work really well for us. It engages our employees, and customers get to learn new tricks and techniques.
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Josh Roetemeyer • Cabela’s - Hazelwood, MO
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– I have had good results with DVDs shown in the store. Special signage works well to direct attention to a particular product.
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Wendell Adkins • Adkins Archery - Huntington, WV
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We use new product displays, contests and looped DVDs. We also find that having a rackscoring and taxidermy show in June or July works well for driving off-season sales.
Dale Edwards • Southwestern Archery - Shipman, IL
” ”
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Although we have had good success using looped videos, more recently we’ve experienced a good influx of sales by using point-of-purchase displays provided by manufacturers.
Darron McDougal • J’s Archery Pro Shop - Antigo, WI
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-– We like to use DVD giveaways and magazine giveaways.
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Richard Sanderson • BCC Archery - Black Canyon City, AZ
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– When a manufacturer offers a consumer rebate, I print several copies of the rebate form and place the item with the rebate close to the front. I also grow mealworms and wax worms to sell as bait, and I keep the growing trays near the checkout counter. Both kids and adults are fascinated by them, and people tend to hang out longer and spend more money.
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Maggi Gifford • Burr Oak Outfitters - Glouster, OH
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We give away a free shirt with our shop’s logo embroidered on it with any purchase. We also get people to provide information about their current setup and products they’d like to purchase in the future by using coupons.
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Claudio Foiera • CesenArco - Cesena, Italy
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Action Industry “Statesmen”: A Decade in Review The statesmen who serve on the ATA Board of Directors must put aside their own self-interests to ensure the success of the industry as a whole. After the Archery Trade Association’s (ATA) annual Products, chair; and Greg Easton of Jas. D. Easton, Griffith elections in March, CEO/President Jay McAninch disand Summers, vice-chairs. cussed the roster of the 2010 ATA Board of Directors and Board service requires vision and consensus-building. their Executive Committee and frequently described the Board members must continually look ahead three, five and 16 industry leaders with one word: “statesmen.” even ten years to identify goals for archery and bowhunting’s When the Executive Committee’s growth and then define which strategies elections ended in a tie for the second will best achieve those goals. Board service “The essence of vice-chair position, the Board followed requires all 16 members to occasionally statesmanship is not suppress self-interests inherent to their own its bylaws and allowed Larry Griffith of Bohning and Ben Summers of T.R.U. while elevating their shared intera rigid adherence to business Ball to share the job. “The tie is highly ests in the industry’s long-term health and unusual,” McAninch said. “But it’s a the past, but a prudent growth. unique opportunity for ATA to benefit “In many ways, serving on the ATA and probing concern Board requires the same ideals and commitfrom two highly qualified statesmen.” This marks the first time the Board ment people expect from their lawmakers,” for the future.” has seated a four-person Executive McAninch said. “Senators and congressCommittee: Michele Eichler of Muzzy men in Washington compete with each -Hubert H. Humphrey-
Members of the 2009-2010 ATA Board of Directors. Front row (from left): Randy Phillips of Archery Headquarters, Michele Eichler of Muzzy Products Corp., Greg Easton of Easton Technical Products, Greg Breeden of Primos Hunting Calls, Peter Gussie of Midwest Cimmarron Archery, Kurt Bassuener of Mike Wieck Sales Inc., Paul Vaicunas of Parker Compound Bows, Ben Summers of T.R.U. Ball Release Products. Back row (from left): Jay McAninch of the ATA, Burke Perrett of Gold Tip, Mike Walston of Lone Wolf Portable Treestands, David White of Cajun Archery, Doug Springer of Copper John, Gregory Jenkins of Apple Archery Products LLC, Larry Griffith of Bohning Co.
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leadership of the ATA throughout this decade and beyond, with service recorded for the majority of the years the ATA has been established. Greg Easton is not the first from his family to serve the archery industry and its sports. His father, James Easton, has likely done more than anyone for “Honest statesmanship OlympicarcheryandtheInternationalArchery Federation (FITA). “My father has always Agendas and Vision Board service requires members to leave their is the wise employment had a deep love for archery and was able to do some great things for archery to keep it mov“company hat” at the door. “We need to monof individual manners ing forward,” Greg said. “I think that’s part of itor and stay on top of current programs, but my interest in serving on the ATA Board. It’s we need to always stay focused on the road for the public good.” one way to give something back.” ahead, not just the here and now,” Eichler A Board member and longtime Dealer said. “Jay McAninch helped bring us very far -Abraham LincolnCouncil member since 1995, Randy Phillips over the past 10 years, but now we have to of Archery Headquarters and Arizona Rim Country Products, decide where we want to be in 2015 and 2020 and how we can also cited passion for the sport as a strong motivator for Board build on the ATA’s success stories. The best Board members always think about the big picture. Those who can’t will struggle service. “The people who are really great Board leaders are the ones who have a natural ability to leave their company out of to contribute.” the formula and follow their love of archery,” he said. “I think “As a Board member, and especially a Board officer, the that’s where they find their vision, commitment and strategic industry must be your priority when you’re conducting ATA thinking.” business,” Griffith said. “I’m not sure anyone fully appreciates that duty until they’ve been Board chair. You don’t know what’s Harnessing the Passion being asked of you and your company until you make decisions This pervasive passion for archery has long fueled the sport’s on behalf of the entire industry.” trade association. The ATA is now almost 60 years old, and its The Jas. D. Easton company has continued its support and other for their states’ piece of the pie, but they also must work with each other to grow the pie itself by putting the country’s interests ahead of their individual states’ self-interest. Effective statesmen are strategic thinkers. The ATA is fortunate to have people like that on our Board of Directors.”
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Action goal has always been to do what no single company can do by itself for the sake of everyone in the industry. “A lot of great companies have had innovations that helped drive the sports forward for several years or decades, but no single company has done that by itself the entire time,” said McAninch. “This is a diverse, talented industry. Companies large and small have always had significant impacts when they’re led by statesmen who find ways to work with others who share their passion.” Nowhere is that more obvious than on the ATA Board. There are no “corporate suits” indifferent to the larger scope of the industry, which is not an uncommon scenario among industries where mergers and acquisitions have left only a few “giant” entities in the game. “Most people in this industry can’t imagine working anywhere else,” McAninch said. “They’re so committed to this that they have their whole family involved. You see that not only in archery retailing,
but in manufacturing too. It’s no exaggeration to say these folks represent the American fabric, the small businesses that really built our economy.” With passion comes emotion, yet the ATA Board has dealt with tough issues such as those involving the federal excise tax. Since McAninch arrived in August 2000, the Board has bent but has not broken during potentially divisive discussions. The Board has demonstrated an ability to harness its passion and use it constructively. There’s a lot of give and take, but each member listens to the ideas of others, makes ideas known and finds consensus when possible. “This Board takes pride in the ATA and what it’s doing,” Phillips said. “They’re fully engaged and willing to speak up and give heartfelt opinions. We have some pretty strong disagreements among us, but that’s the way it should be. That doesn’t mean we can’t work together. If we couldn’t do that, our work and the ATA programs would be short-lived.”
Companies Represented on the ATA Board of Directors, 2000-2010
• API Outdoors –Div. of Outland Sports • Apple Archery Products, LLC • Archery Headquarters • Arizona Archery • Bear Archery • Bohning Company • Brian’s Archery • Bwana Archery • Cajun Archery • Copper John Corp. • Dart International • Delta Industries • Eastman Outdoors • Easton Technical Products • Easton Tru-Flite, LLC • Easton-Hoyt, LLC • Escalade Sports • G5 Outdoors • Gateway Feathers • Gold Tip • Gordon Composites, Inc.
• Gran Pa Specialty Co. • Horton Manufacturing Inc. • Hoyt Inc. • Hoyt USA • Hudalla Associates • Jay’s Sporting Goods, Inc. • Lone Wolf Portable Treestands • Midwest Cimmarron Archery • Mike Wieck Sales • Muzzy Products • Nelsons Arrows • North American Archery Group • Pape’s Archery • Parker Compound Bows • Precision Shooting Equipment • Primos Hunting Calls • Sims Vibration Laboratory • Sportco Marketing • T.R.U. Ball Release Products • Tru-Flite Arrow Company • Viking Archery
Inside Archery 22 June 2010
Respect and Teamwork
The Board’s make-up helps ensure all ideas receive review and discussion. At its core are 12 representatives of manufacturing companies, each elected by the membership. In addition, the Board includes three seats for the Dealer Council’s officers: the chair and both vicechairs. The ATA’s Sales Representative Committee also elects or designates a Board representative. “I got on the Board years ago with the first Dealers’ Council when it was still the AMO (Archery Manufacturers and Merchants Organization),” Phillips said. “In those days, everyone joked that the only people on the Board were the ones who couldn’t run fast enough to get out of serving. Now, it’s an honor to be on the Board. Even though the manufacturers hold 12 of the 16 seats, they listen to dealers and respect us. Our three Board seats guarantee a strong dealer presence.” Eichler believes it’s important for companies of all sizes to serve on the Board. “The people I’ve been working with on the Board the past few years bring many different dynamics to the table,” she said. “There are new companies, small companies, established companies and large companies.” McAninch said the Board further ensures its depth, strength and diversity by representing not only the archery industry, but the diverse bowhunting industry. “In recent years the Board decided that any company supporting the ATA’s missions should be allowed to run for the Board of Directors,” he said. “They don’t have to manufacture archery-specific gear. Companies that make treestands or game calls are just as active on the Board as companies that make compounds, crossbows, arrows or releases. Their opinions and perspectives help broaden our base.” To further ensure fresh ideas, Board members serve three-year staggered terms, and Board officers serve one-year terms. Even though some Board companies like Muzzy Products Corp., Jas. D. Easton Inc. and Bohning Co. have served several years, they’re not the norm. During the past ten years, the average ATA Board member served three-and-a-half
years and the average company served about four years. When Board members leave a business, the company appoints their Board replacement, although there have been seats lost when a company is purchased by another or when a company feels it has to resign its seat. One restriction of the bylaws is that only one Board seat can be held by any one company of a group of jointly owned companies. While this provision is important when issues arise that might give a group of jointly owned companies more votes, on many noncontroversial topics the ATA loses the diversity of opinions and experiences that come with the involvement of companies who can offer talented leaders. Griffith thinks regular turnover can benefit the Board’s Executive Committee, especially its top post. “I firmly believe it’s good to not serve more than one year at a time as Board chair,” Griffith said. “We should always look for new ideas from the Chair, and one way to do that is through our annual Board elections. It’s important for the Chair to put the industry first, and that requires taking a lot of time away from your own company.”
The Relay Race
At the same time, these statesmen understand the importance of continuity, consensus-building and embracing past accomplishments. “It’s like a relay race,” McAninch said. “As one group finishes their leg of the race, they hand off the baton to the next group. Everyone expects them to hang onto the baton and carry it through to the finish of their leg. They inherit goals, programs and agendas they might know little about. But if every new Board member or Board chair launched his or her own agenda without honoring what was done before, there would be chaos. Organizations that do that are always zigzagging instead of moving forward with continuity.” Phillips said commitment and consensus-building require new Board members to quickly get up to speed on ATA programs. “A lot of wonderful things are happening,” he said. “We now have state and federal agencies coming to the ATA, asking our advice and wanting to work with us to build archery and bowhunting programs. Just five years ago, that would have been unthinkable.” Board members also share a commitment of time and money. Actual costs in terms of time, travel, food and lodging are a huge investment by each company on the Board. “I think I get as much out of being on the Board as I contribute because I’m working with so many talented people with different ideas,” Eichler said. “Hearing those different perspectives creates a dynamic you’ll seldom find elsewhere.” Greg Easton said he is always impressed by the Board’s focus on the industry. “I’ve never had an inclination that anyone is looking out only for his or her own benefit,” he said. “It’s not purely community service, though. When it’s done right, it benefits everyone in the industry, including the Board members and their companies.”
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Inside Archery 23 June 2010
New&Notable New & Innovative Products to Watch
Fulton Precision Archery Ramcat 1
The hybrid chisel-point Ramcat from Fulton Precision Archery offers a one-piece, stainless-steel ferrule that delivers an impressive 1.4 inches of cutting devastation. Its patented deep lobes in the cutting tip prevent wind planing and allow for solid field-point accuracy. Once delivered into flesh and bone, the lobes create a hydrofoil which in turn reduces friction. And unlike other broadheads, the Ramcat’s blades are razor sharp on both sides, which means the Ramcat will efficiently cut its way back out in the event the arrow does not fully penetrate through your target. The unique design of the Ramcat delivers. For more information, log onto smokebroadheads.com.
2 VaneTec VT-1000 Vane and Component Adhesive
It can be quite irksome when you are getting ready to draw and you realize the fletching has begun to peel off of an arrow, and it’s even more irksome when that happens as you are drawing on an animal. Fletching adhesive can sometimes be overlooked, but it is intrinsic to hunting success. VaneTec’s VT-1000 Vane and Component Adhesive ensures that the bond will outlast the arrow’s fletching, and even the arrow’s life. Thanks to the moisture-absorbing qualities of permabond cyanoacrylate, VT-1000 leads to quick and ultra-strong adhesion. You don’t want to get VT-1000 on anything you don’t want stuck together forever. The 4 to 8 second fixture time reduces time spent fletching, and VT-1000 comes in a convenient 20-gram soft bottle for manual application and 1-pound bottles for hand fletching refills. For more information, log onto vanetec.com.
Firenock Aerovane 1
Sometimes an archery product comes along that truly raises eyebrows. Firenock Aerovanes do just that—in a good way. The owl is the only bird capable of silent flight. That’s why the owl’s unique wing structure was the inspiration for the Firenock Aerovane. The radically different design of Aerovanes creates silent and accurate arrow flight. This is partly due to the Aerovane’s whole-piece airfoil with a continuous thickness change and curved surface, which also increases arrow speed. The built-in wind channel allows for a durable connection when adhering to a variety of arrow diameters. Aerovanes are truly a silent and deadly killer. Firenock also offers a full line of highly advanced lighted nocks. For more information, log onto firenock.com.
2 ScentBlocker Dream Season Wooly Mammoth
ScentBlocker has an uncanny ability to create clothing that not only keeps you scent free, but also keeps you comfortable. Their new Wooly Mammoth boots follow suit in the ScentBlocker tradition. Designed with extreme temperatures in mind, the 13mm-thick removable wool liner insulation and heat reflecting tape found in the Wooly Mammoths will keep toes toasty. They are perfect for those late-season hunts, and scent control was engineered into the boot’s design. Wooly Mammoths will amount to more time in your stand and less animals smelling you while you are there. For more information, log onto scentblocker.com.
Inside Archery 24 June 2010
LimbSaver UltraMax 1
To cut down on those string-jumping bucks, you need to cut down on shot noise, and LimbSaver has done just that. By using newly formulated Next Generation NAVCOM material, the LimbSaver Ultramax stops bow vibration and silences the shot. By using six independent sections, the UltraMax dampens the energy wave sent out when the arrow is released. It is also a snap to install. The low-profile and lightweight UltraMax is a must-have for any bowhunter that demands a silent shot. It comes in both split- and solid-limb models. For more information, log onto limbsaver.com.
2 Elk Mountain Slip System
Some hunters don’t like to sit still and get antsy when hunkered in a ground blind for long periods. But certain situations require the use of a blind for success. The Elk Mountain Slip System addresses this quandary by combining complete concealment with incredible transportability. Designed for hunters and photographers alike, the Elk Mountain Slip System weighs only 1.9 pounds and features 60 inches of black canopy to block the sightline of any game. When you are ready to keep moving, the blind quickly collapses and transforms into a trekking pole that will actually aid your travel or attach easily to a pack. This is the perfect blind for hunters who prefer run-and-gun style pursuits. The Elk Mountain Slip System can even utilize the numerous decoy and camo slip covers that Elk Mountain offers. For more information, log onto elkmtngear.com.
Morrell Targets Yellow Jacket Crossbow B/H 1
The popular Yellow Jacket series from Morrell Targets can help whip any archer into an arrow-stacking machine. Now Morrell Targets is offering a beefed-up crossbow target. A unique and specialized layering technique allows crossbow users to launch speeding crossbow bolts into this rugged target over and over again. The foam Yellow Jacket Crossbow B/H offers four shooting surfaces that can take an extraordinary number of shots and keep on ticking. The trademark yellow, black and red coloring that Yellow Jackets are known for means sighting-in on the Crossbow B/H is an absolute pleasure. The E-Z Tote carrying handle makes transporting the Yellow Jacket Crossbow B/H easy. For more information, log onto morrelltargets.com.
2 Wildgame Innovations IR4
The IR4 Infrared Digital from Wildgame Innovations is an easy-to-operate scouting camera that won’t break the bank. The IR4 takes 4.0-megapixel still photos and offers a 30-second, one-minute or 2-minute delay between pictures. The IR4 will also record high-quality videos during the daytime. Rapid trigger speed and high-intensity, nonspooking LEDs capture everything that walks by, and 16 MB of on-board memory mean you have plenty of storage space for all your photos. A secondary on-board battery supply retains date and time settings when the camera is turned off. The IR4 features an extra-large LCD viewing screen and comes standard with a USB cable and bungee cords for easy mounting. For more information, log onto wildgameinnovations.com.
Inside Archery 25 June 2010
New&Notable Apple Archery Eliminator Pro-Line Bow Press 1
Apple Archery delivers top-of-the-line quality at an easyto-handle price with the Eliminator Pro-Line Bow Press. The Eliminator can handle any job an archery shop can dish out—it services all bow types without requiring adapters. The synchronous arm movement provides for even compression as well as limb-tip and limb-post compression. The Eliminator can be easily mounted on a stand or bench so it can fit any sized room or setup. A multitude of great features are packed into the Eliminator’s moderate price tag. For more information, log onto applearchery.com.
2 Bohning Ruff-Neck Ultra
The summer is heating up, and the lakes and rivers beckon. Bohning, in time for bowfishing season, has introduced the Ruff-Neck Ultra bowfishing point. The Ruff-Neck’s leading barb edges are razor sharp and reverse with just one turn. The reverse-angle configuration of the barbs creates a bowfishing point wellsuited to carp and other soft-body fish. Longevity is assured because the Ruff-Neck is composed of stainless steel, so rust is no threat, and the precision chisel point penetrates with ease. For more information, log onto bohning.com.
Inside Archery 26 June 2010
Shadow Hunter Bone Pile 1
The innovative blinds created by Shadow Hunter are now being offered in a new pattern under the sponsorship of Deer City USA’s Steve Gruber. The blinds, which feature all aluminum construction, can now be had in Gruber’s Bone Pile pattern. The Bone Pile looks roughly like a small mountain of antlers around the exterior of the blind. Shadow Hunter standard features include insulation, rodent protection, carpeted floor, scent containment and Silent Shadow Window Systems. The Bone Pile has a truly unique look among blinds. For more information, log onto shadowhunterllc.com.
2 HooyMan 10 Foot Saw
Few things are as obnoxious as hauling a pole saw through thick forest to cut shooting lanes, except perhaps that deer that won’t step out from behind the one branch you couldn’t reach with that pole saw you painstakingly dragged in. The Hooyman 10 Foot saw makes sure you don’t fall victim to that situation ever again. The collapsible saw shrinks to a miniscule 28 inches for easy and pleasurable transport, but still manages to provide a remarkable 10 feet of sawing distance. You can reach the farthest branches when prepping your stand with the Hooyman 10 Foot, but you won’t even notice it on your back since it weighs less than 3 pounds and comes with an ultra-comfortable sling. The Hooyman 10 Foot makes stand preparation seem almost too easy. For more information, log onto hooymansaws.com.
Inside Archery 27 June 2010
P E OP L E
Archery Industry Members Participating in the Sport SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO: Email a color image with your name, address, where animal was taken and archery gear used to popphoto@insidearchery.com or mail to Inside Archery Power of Participation, 2960 N. Academy Blvd., Suite 101, Colorado Springs, CO 80917.
George Britton • Florida Whitetail Owner—Brittons Archery Bow: Mathews Z7 Arrow: Gold Tip
Broadhead: Vortex Rest: NAP QuikTune
Brandon Johnson • Utah Elk Sales Representative—Zebra Publishing Inc. Bow: Diamond IceMan Arrow: Gold Tip Sight: Axcel ArmorTech
Inside Archery 32 June 2010
Release: Scott Harness: Hunter Safety System Vest Pack: Badlands 2200
Craig Warmington • Illinois Whitetail Director of Marketing—Vital Gear Bow: Mathews Apex 7 Arrow: Easton Full Metal Jacket Broadhead: Steel Force PhatHead
Sight: Vital Gear QuadANGLE Rest: Vital Gear MVP Release: Scott Sabertooth
Dave Marchio • Missouri Whitetail Owner—Marchio’s Sport Hut Bow: Hoyt Maxxis 35 Arrow: Carbon Express Aramid Broadhead: NAP Thunderhead
Ronnie Groom • Florida Gator Owner—C & G Sporting Goods Bow: Browning Arrow: Cajun Archery Broadhead: Muzzy
Sight: Fine-Line Rest: NAP Flipper Release: T.R.U. Ball
Sight: Fuse Clothing: ScentBlocker Quiver: Bohning Lynx
Rich Packer • Texas Hog Marketing Coordinator—Easton Technical Products Bow: Hoyt Katera Arrow: Easton Broadhead: NAP
Inside Archery 33 June 2010
Rest: Reflex Sight: Apex Nock: Tracer
Each year, dealers, buyers and retailers from all across the archery industry vote for the best archery products of the year.
VOTING is EASY! Simply fill out the attached card, indicating your selections for best-selling products in the variety of categories. Feel free to explain or elaborate on your answers. Return the completed card to Inside Archery for tabulation.
WHY You Should VOTE! Taking the time to vote in Inside Archery’s “Best Buy” Program works to your benefit. First, your votes help build a database of what is selling best all across the archery world. The results of that widespread voting will be published in the September issue of Inside Archery and can be an invaluable resource for you as you plan your future merchandise purchases. Second, your votes and comments send a clear message to manufacturers about what you would like to see more of next year. The Inside Archery “Best Buy” Program is all about helping you access a better and broader database of what’s selling everywhere, while delivering your product comments and suggestions to waiting manufacturers. Make your opinions heard by casting your votes in Inside Archery’s “Best Buy” Program!
2010 Best Buy Awards Product Categories ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Bows • Compound Bows Retailing Over $600 • Compound Bows Retailing Under $600 • Kids’ Compound Bows • Traditional Bows • Crossbows ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Arrow Rests • Total-Containment Arrow Rests • Open Fall-Away Arrow Rests • Containment Fall-Away Arrow Rests ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Broadheads • Rear-Deployment Expandable Broadheads • Front-Pivot Expandable Broadheads • Blade-Point Fixed-Blade Broadheads • Chisel-Point Fixed-Blade Broadheads ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Targets • Bag Targets • Foam Targets • 3D Targets ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Sights • Multiple-Pin Hunting Sights • Single-Pin Hunting Sights • Competition/Target Sights –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hunting Scents • Attractants • Scent Eliminators ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hunting Arrows ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hunting Quivers ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hunting Releases ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hunting Stabilizers ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hunting Silencers ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Fletching (Vanes and Feathers) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Treestands ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Ground Blinds ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Bowhunting Clothing ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Scouting Cameras ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Bowhunting Binoculars ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Bowhunting Rangefinders ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Bowhunting Packs ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Bow Cases –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Inside Archery 35 June 2010
In business there are two worlds. First is the world of sales figures and profit and loss. It’s a world we can measure six ways to Sunday from the very top to the bottom line. The second world, however, is one we can only feel.
It’s the excitement of business, the innovation and often the resourcefulness of it all. Only when the two worlds combine does something truly special happen. “I was going to college at BYU during the day,” says John Tilby, “and working in a local archery shop in the evenings and on weekends. One day the archery shop ran out of a popular item––leather wrist slings. Having long been the resourceful type, I told the shop manager not to worry. I went home that night, rounded up some scrap leather and my old leather-working tools from scouts and made up several samples. The next day I presented those samples to the shop owner. He liked what he saw, bought my samples and committed to more. I went to a Tandy Leather Factory store, bought more leather and better tools and quite suddenly I was in the wrist-sling business. “Within weeks I began thinking about armguards. I bought some heavy-duty Cordura fabric, and designed and managed to sew up an innovative Cordura armguard. The shop owner liked that as well and my product line suddenly doubled. So did my work load. I needed help. “Tapping the free time, hands and talents of my friend and brother-in-law Ed Brewer, the two of us set up shop making slings and armguards in the tiny kitchen of my apartment. Ed was also attending BYU at the time and majoring in business. I called our enterprise Tilco Archery. The year was 1988.” What else did the local archery shops need? The two partners asked the question. and the answer was a quality, affordable polar-fleece fanny pack. “We can do that,” the partners said in unison. “We’ll have samples for you in two weeks.” “We rushed out and bought polar-fleece material from a local fabric shop,” remembers Ed. “Then we pooled our funds and splurged on a used sewing machine, and just like that we were in the pack business.” Their next evolutionary step, almost something of an accident, would influence their lives for years to come. John explains. “Every time we cut up a new batch of polar fleece for fanny packs, we ended up with small scraps of the material. Late one night––in between college books, cold pizza and a rattling sewing machine––we got an idea. If we took those small scraps, trimmed them into rectangles two inches wide, put multiple
Inside Archery 36 June 2010
slits in the ends and tied them on a bowstring, we’d have great bowhunting silencers. “We made up a few, tied them on our own bows and they looked, well, like big hairy tarantulas sitting on the bowstring. The very next day we took sample sets in to the local archery shop where I worked and let the owners, the manager and customers try them. Everyone loved them. They were soft and weatherproof, and they worked very well to dampen noise from string vibration. The name Tarantulas instantly stuck.” “At the time,” adds Ed, “rubber Catwhiskers and yarn Puffs were the leading bowstring silencers for compound bows. Our Tarantula Fleece Silencers were lighter in weight so they had less effect on bow performance, and yet they seemed just as effective at reducing shot noise, a fact we confirmed with decibel-testing equipment on the BYU campus.” Timing is crucial in any business venture, and it seemed that right then the archery industry was looking for a new, faster and more water-repellant bowstring silencer. “Being located in the Salt Lake Valley in Utah, we knew plenty of the key people that worked at both Hoyt and Browning Archery at the time,” says John. “Many of those bow-company employees shot in leagues at the archery shop where I worked. We made sure they all got Tarantula samples. One thing led to another, and in no time Hoyt had generously agreed that if we would supply the Tarantula Silencers, they would send out free samples to every one of their far-flung dealers with their letter of recommendation. That sample program almost instantly put us on the nationwide archery map. And no matter what additional products we were to create in at least the next ten years, it effectively branded us as the Tarantula company.” With an expanding, creative, quality product line, the company began to grow. “Fairly quickly we went from cutting and sewing in the kitchen of my apartment to working out of my mother’s basement to taking over my grandmother’s garage to landing in leased business space. With every move we quickly outgrew the space available. Early on we also changed the name of the company to Sportsman’s Outdoor Products to better reflect our expanding interests and product line.” “Both John and I grew up in hunting families,” declares Ed. “John was bowhunting deer and elk by the time he was in high school and I started shortly after that. We also thoroughly enjoyed rifle hunting, waterfowl hunting, predator hunting and, more recently, turkey hunting. That longstanding passion for and experience with hunting of all sorts has served us well in the context of growing Sportsman’s Outdoor Products over the years. We seem to have a knack for seeing what hunters and our wholesale and retail partners need, and then designing innovative outdoor products to meet those needs. We’ve also been good at identifying emerging trends and visualizing what products will sell within those trends. Both of those things have led to a planned diversification of our product line.” Today, 21 years after John and Ed first began producing a limited number of archery accessories in John’s apartment, Sportsman’s Outdoor Products now offers no less than five distinct, branded product lines with a sixth brand on the way. Since the mid-1990s, the company has also been housed in its own 14,000-square-foot building, complete with offices, conference room, showroom and manufacturing, warehousing and shipping facilities. The five current product brands under the Sportsman’s Outdoor Products umbrella are Tarantula Archery Products, Horn Hunter packs, Beard Buster turkey gear, Splash Waterfowl equipment and Snug-Fit custom-molded cases.
Inside Archery 37 June 2010
In the works, and scheduled for a 2011 release, is Sly Dog predatorhunting gear. Tarantula Archery Products includes quality bowstring silencers, bow slings, armguards, bow hooks, fleece silencing pads, bow carriers, quivers, bow holsters, optics accessories and superb bow cases of all sorts. “Horn Hunter,” Ed offers, “is a line of innovative hunting packs and accessories designed by hunters for real hunters. Every pack in the Horn Hunter lineup combines comfort with functionality. Prime examples include the versatile Mainbeam packs and the G2 Whitetail Pack, a pack that was designed specifically to solve the problems of treestand hunters. “Turkey hunting represents a growing market, and our Beard Buster brand of inventive turkey-hunting gear gets rave reviews. It’s also a market that is evolving, and we’re staying on top of that. At one point multipocketed turkey vests were all the rage, but today more and more turkey hunters are utilizing portable blinds to hunt the big birds. As a result, we’ve retooled our Beard Buster line to focus on specialized turkey-blind packs and a host of superb accessories for blind hunters. The Beard Buster Blind Hog, for example, is an exceptional blind pack that is lightweight and yet will comfortably carry any hunter’s blind, two chairs, decoys, clippers, your bow or shotgun and everything else that serious turkey hunters need in the woods. “Splash Waterfowl offers ingenious decoy bags, blind packs, floating shotgun cases and bird keepers for dedicated waterfowl hunters. “Snug-Fit grew out of our unique ability to produce exceptional
Inside Archery 38 June 2010
outdoor-gear cases with foam interiors molded expressly to hold specific items securely in place. Binoculars and spotting-scope cases, for example, are molded inside to hold specific optics with a perfect fit. Pistol and tactical-rifle cases do the same thing. “Building for a 2011 launch is Sly Dog, a lineup of specialty items for those serious predator hunters in our midst. Year-round predator hunting is another emerging market.” Most of these brands and product lines have been created and are produced within the company’s Sandy, Utah, facility. “That’s a bit different,” states Ed Brewer. “Today an awful lot of the design and manufacturing of outdoor soft goods has been taken overseas by so many companies. We’ve consciously decided not to do that for a number of reasons. First, it allows us to totally control the quality and delivery of our products. Second, it enables us to work with customers of all sizes, including those who can’t wait eight months for a delivery and don’t need or want a container load of, say, bow cases. If someone required just a few hundred cases, customized with their logo and built exactly to their specifications, we can efficiently do that right here. Keeping most things here also allows us to better support the American economy, the American people and our valued employees. No company as large as ours can operate without skilled, caring people and we’re fortunate to have an outstanding group, including our Shipping Manager Christi Larson, our Production Manager Ryan Nielsen, our Office
Manager Allison Bowers, our Product Designer Alex Morales, our Accountant Vince Tilby and many others.” Any company that has managed to grow and thrive over 21 years, as Sportsman’s Outdoor Products has done, has probably amassed a wealth of practical business experience. The best of them are often willing to share that experience. “In our very first year we pulled together what money we had and exhibited at the archery industry’s big, annual trade show,” says John Tilby. “It was in Louisville that year and we drove halfway across the country to get there, but it proved well worth it for us. We felt then, and still do now, that the archery-industry trade show
Inside Archery 39 June 2010
put us in front of a whole lot of archery dealers. We actually split a 10-foot booth with an outfitter that first year. He tried to sell hunts and we sold a surprising number of Tarantula silencers, armguards, wrist slings and a few packs. For us it was great. “But quite possibly the biggest value of the archery trade show is that you learn so much about our industry, you see the trends, the direction things are going and you also meet the players. After 21 years of such trade shows, Ed and I can’t walk down an aisle without bumping into someone we know and have probably worked with in one way or another, including retailers, distributors, sales reps, other manufacturers, outdoor writers and more.” “Designing and building good products isn’t quite enough these
days,” adds Ed Brewer. “You’ve got to market those products, effectively getting the word out in a world already flooded with messages. The truth is that marketing decisions are increasingly difficult today, largely because you’ll be pulled in so many directions—print ads, TV sponsorship, websites, Facebook and more. We’ve tried it all, and to be honest we’ve had the most success with print ads in magazines. It seems to us that TV is great for branding and for getting your name established, but we don’t see TV prompting people to get up off the couch and go log onto your website and maybe buy a product. TV viewers today ignore product messages and often simply fast-forward through recorded programs to see only what they want to see, which is never the commercials.” “We’ve also had the best sales results with well-managed independent sales rep groups,” explains John. “We have tried in-house telephone sales efforts, but have found that with our type of products, retailers much prefer to see and feel the products before they commit to an order. And the best way to accomplish that is with an energetic sales representative that visits their place of business to demonstrate and explain our products, to slip our packs onto their back, to physically show why our bow cases are better sellers. You can’t get that from telemarketing. Face-to-face relationships are extremely important in the people-oriented outdoor industry. We currently use four independent sales rep groups to cover the country and develop and maintain those crucial sales relationships.” “In a very similar vein,” adds Ed, “we’ve developed strong prostaff and outfitter-staff programs. From those programs we derive two key benefits. First, the programs enable us to obtain firsthand input from enthusiasts on our products. It’s very important to listen to what users say. And second, the programs allow us to spread the word about our many products through even more face-to-face contact.” Partnerships in business often become troublesome. That’s just the way it is. And yet John Tilby and Ed Brewer have been business
Inside Archery 40 June 2010
partners for more than two decades. How have they managed that? “To begin with,” says Ed, “we work hard to make sure that we have the same goals in mind. That avoids misunderstandings and wasted efforts. We also bring different strengths to the party. John is especially creative and innovative, and is very good at motivating people. He’s responsive and strong in sales and working with all sorts of people. I’m more laidback. I’m a thinker. I analyze. I do the books and the finances. I plan long-term. We’ve been working together for so many years that our strengths mesh to accomplish our common goals. “We’ve also both developed the ability to occasionally just step back and objectively look at things, whether it’s a business strategy, a specific product or our own individual performance, and together make the necessary decisions that will best guide our business.” John also reveals a business secret that sometimes comes hard. “One thing we’ve learned over the years is that it’s easy to lose your focus. You start looking at all sorts of things outside of your core capabilities and thinking that because others are being successful in those areas that you should be jumping in that same direction. That can be dangerous. “In our two-plus decades in business we’ve tried other things. Shortly after we built our current facility, which we initially designed on the large side to accommodate for future growth, we filled up some of that initial excess space with an indoor paintball venture. It went reasonably well, but we underestimated the labor and time involved in managing that additional business. We also tried our hand at owning and operating our own archery pro shop. In 1997 we closed down the paintball operation, purchased an existing archery
Inside Archery 41 June 2010
shop, moved it into the same space and ran that venture, along with our manufacturing business, until 2001. “That business was certainly closer to our core competency, and it did provide us with valuable insights. It allowed us to talk directly with consumers and experience firsthand what it was like to actually manage a retail archery business. That clearly gave us a better understanding of what retailers need and want. But eventually we simply required that extra space for our expanding manufacturing operations, which was our core business, and so we sold the archery shop. “What we concluded with both of those side ventures was that we really needed to stick with what we knew best, and that was manufacturing. About that same time we also began to develop a unique process for custom molding foam to be used in a variety of our products, including backpacks and unique equipment cases. That eventually led to the development of our Snug-Fit Custom Molded Case line, now managed and run by my brother Danny Tilby. It also led to an expansion of our OEM manufacturing capabilities. The term ‘OEM’ stands for original equipment manufacturer and refers to the practice of producing products or components for other companies to sell or utilize under their own brand name. OEM work has allowed us to further capitalize on our manufacturing expertise while significantly broadening our market. It allowed us to do what we do well while expanding our business.” In business there are indeed two worlds. The first world of numbers must be satisfied for any business to endure. The second world––the world of excitement, innovation and resourcefulness––fuels the venture so that the business thrives. Sportsman’s Outdoor Products, led by partners John Tilby and Ed Brewer, has been artfully blending both worlds together for 21 years. For additional information on Sportsman’s Outdoor Products, please log onto their website at www.sophuntinggear.com or call the company at (801) 562-8712.
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Inside Archery 42 June 2010
M a r k e t
T r e n d s
Bow Report By Bill Krenz
Hoyt AlphaBurner A
lot of today’s archery-equipment catalogs just sort of sit there. The products are great but the catalogs are uninspired. Not so the 2010 catalog from Hoyt. It’s inspiring, even exciting. The photography is superb, and the copy is a hoot. Take, for example, the headline used on the page introducing the new-for-2010 Hoyt AlphaBurner. That line reads “Because HardHitting Speed Doesn’t Mean Jack If You Can’t Hit Anything.” Within that one edgy headline beats the heart of this new bow. Bow speed in archery is a good thing. It stomps arrow trajectory flat. It also gets an arrow off the string and out of the bow quicker, minimizing the errant problems of individual shooters. The upshot is that bow speed can help you do a better job of hitting what you’re aiming at. Of course there is always a flip side. Standard on hunting AlphaBurners, the Hoyt 180 Grip is a wonderfully comfortable and Mega-fast bows have often been atronatural grip to shoot. ciously harsh to draw, noisy to shoot, shock-prone and frequently have proven to be finicky shooters. They shoot spoton one day, but off the next. Bow-design leaders like Hoyt are working hard to fix all that. The 2010 Hoyt AlphaBurner is one such fix. It’s a remarkable new superfast bow that seems surprisingly easy to shoot well. I’ve been shooting a test AlphaBurner for about the past month and it’s surprised me. As advertised, it’s smoking fast. I expected that. But Precise limb pockets are one mark of a what’s caught me off guard is a draw quality bow. The extended pocket system that’s firm but steady throughout with a on the AlphaBurner provides perfect limb alignment shot after shot. relatively smooth transition into letoff, a shot that’s wonderfully shock free and reasonably quiet and accuracy that has remained pinpoint consistent day in and day out. The AlphaBurner’s performance has me scrambling for answers. Why is this speed bow so different? I’ve written before that bow accuracy starts with a good grip, and the AlphaBurner certainly has that. Its low-torque 180 Grip is superb. I can also surmise that its revolutionary TEC LITE riser, extended precise-alignment limb pockets and bombproof laminated XT 2000 limbs all coalesce
Inside Archery 38 July 2010
to create an unusually stable launch platform. There’s probably also something in this bow’s 34.75-inch overall length. That’s a bit longer than most, which likely helps further stabilize a super-fast shot. I believe I especially notice that on shots beyond 50 yards with the minimal right/ left deviation in my groups. The 2010 Hoyt AlphaBurner is indeed fast, but it’s miles from furious. In fact, it’s rather a sweet shooter….because speed doesn’t mean jack if you can’t hit anything or don’t enjoy the bow.
How It Shoots
The draw on too many speed bows tears me up. It’s rough, tough and the letoff, when it finally does come, is like unexpectedly stepping off a cliff. Letting down such a bow takes extreme concentration. All that has been banned on planet AlphaBurner. The 2010 Hoyt AlphaBurner draws with a controlled steadiness that is altogether uncommon in such a fast bow. It’s still stiff (all that energy has to come from somewhere), but there are no surprises and the slide into letoff is sensibly smooth. At full draw there is a firm back wall, thanks to a draw-stop peg that pivots around with the lower cam to contact an inside cable. That’s important because the bow’s valley is quite small to maximum energy storage and that means, as it does with any speed bow, that there is essentially little or no room to creep forward at full draw. Pulling firmly into the AlphaBurner’s draw stop helps prevent possible creep. It’s hard to say enough good things about the simple, small, low-torque grip on the 2010 AlphaBurner. For me it seems a wonderfully comfortable and natural grip to shoot. It’s also extremely repeatable. All of that enhances accuracy and heightens shooting enjoyment. Plenty of fast bows deliver plenty of handshock when an arrow is released. Many are not overly quiet (I’m being kind). The Hoyt AlphaBurner is different. It delivers practically no handshock and it’s comparatively quiet, even with very light arrows.
Specifications
Arrow Speed
Axle-to-Axle Length
34.75 inches
28-Inch Arrows
Brace Height
6 inches
Riser Geometry
4 inches reflex
Mass Weight
4.3 pounds
Letoff
75 percent
Draw Lengths
22 to 30 inches
Draw Weights
50#, 60#, 70#, 80#
Color
Black Out, Half & Half, Bone Collector, Realtree APG-HD, Target Colors
Hoyt AlphaBurner ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Hoyt AlphaBurner set at 29 inches (by factory) and adjusted to 70 pounds ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Shaft: Arrow: Kinetic Arrow Grains/In Weight Energy Speed
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Easton XX78 Alloy 2512 Easton Full Metal Jacket 400 Carbon Express Aramid KV 350 Carbon Tech Whitetail 65/80 Carbon Express Maxima Hunter 350 Easton ST Axis N-Fused 400 Beman ICS Hunter Elite 400 Gold Tip XT Hunter 55/75 PSE Radial X Weave Hunter 300 Gold Tip Ultralight Pro 400 Carbon Tech Cheetah 400 Easton FlatLine 400 High Country Speed Pro Max
10.3 10.2 9.8 9.5 8.9 9.0 8.4 8.2 8.1 7.4 6.4 7.4 5.5
448 gr. 426 gr. 415 gr. 411 gr. 398 gr. 392 gr. 390 gr. 385 gr. 376 gr. 361 gr. 346 gr. 344 gr. 303 gr.
86.0 85.2 84.6 84.4 84.4 84.7 84.9 84.3 83.9 83.6 82.7 82.7 80.6
294 fps 300 fps 303 fps 304 fps 309 fps 312 fps 313 fps 314 fps 317 fps 323 fps 328 fps 329 fps 346 fps
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For more information, log onto hoyt.com or call Hoyt at (801) 363-2990.
Bow weighed with an Easton Bow Force Digital Scale. All tests conducted with a Spot-Hogg Shooting Machine and a Competition Electronics Pro Chronograph.
Because it’s a Cam & 1/2 System there are little or no synchronization concerns. Both the top and bottom cams are slaved together with a control cable so that the cams move in sync.
Hoyt Stealth Shot
This is the top limb on the Hoyt AlphaBurner. Note the superfast Hoyt Spiral X Cam and the highly effective AlphaShox Limb Dampener.
Along with being super fast, I also found the new Hoyt AlphaBurner super accurate. Claims of great accuracy with great speed are often exaggerated, but not with the AlphaBurner. This bow turned in great groups day after day all the way out to 80 yards on my test range.
Key Features and Benefits Revolutionary TEC LITE Riser
The Hoyt AlphaBurner utilizes one of the stiffest, strongest, most stable speed-bow risers ever designed. The AlphaBurner’s TEC LITE riser guarantees all three of those things while also offering a great grip, wonderfully precise and accurate extended limb pockets and maximum shot dampening.
Speedy Spiral X Cam & ½ System Built specifically for a super-fast shot, the Hoyt AlphaBurner’s Spiral X Cam & ½ System is power-packed. Yet it also provides a surprisingly comfortable and controlled draw.
Located just below the grip on the AlphaBurner is Hoyt’s Stealth Shot, a bumpered string stop designed to quiet bowstring vibration and noise with each shot. The Stealth Shot also encourages a cleaner and quicker release of the arrow from the bowstring. That makes this fast bow even more forgiving.
Hoyt AlphaShox Limb Dampeners Strategically squeezed between the AlphaBurner’s XT 2000 Split Limbs are AlphaShox Limb Vibration Dampeners. Designed and built by Hoyt and LimbSaver engineers, AlphaShox deliver highly effective vibration dampening and noise elimination. Ten linear inches of LimbSaver NAVCOM material are the key to the remarkable effectiveness of these unique limb dampeners.
Optional Hoyt Pro-Fit Grip System I really like the hunteroriented 180 Grip on the AlphaBurner. Still, it’s difficult for just one grip to be perfect for every shooter. That’s why Hoyt offers the option of its Pro-Fit Custom Grip System for this remarkable bow. Besides the 180 Grip, Standard, High Wrist and Side Plate laminated-wood grips are also available.
z
Inside Archery 39 July 2010
Hooter
Shooter Portable
B
owhunters crave a reasonable selection when buying new gear. For example, most desperately want to look at and shoot several different bows, sit in a number of different treestands and inspect a variety of different broadheads before buying. The process of sorting through that selection is how they make up their minds and how they feel better about their final decision. In no product area is that more true than with releases. Bowhunters on the prowl for a new release yearn for the opportunity to feel, handle and try a fairly broad selection of hunting releases. Most will reach for an index-finger release with a comfortable wrist strap. Bowhunters love the convenience and ease-of-use of such index-finger releases. Yet even within that category of releases there are plenty of variations available. Things like differences in head shape, trigger geometry, adjustment capabilities and certainly strap design are all index-finger-release things that bowhunters like to put under the microscope. They can stand in archery shops for hours scrutinizing and testing such variations. An increasing number of bowhunters are also interested in at least trying something entirely different in the form of thumb-activated and back-tension type releases. The trick to selling more releases today is to offer a reasonable selection of all three of those types of releases. To get you up to speed on releases for 2010 let’s examine in detail what’s available and likely to sell best in each of those release categories.
Index-Finger Releases
Index-finger releases have been a staple for hunters and target archers for years. A buckle or Velcro strap attaches comfortably to the wrist, which makes losing this sort of release an almost impossible task. In addition, their reliability and accuracy have earned them praise from archers all across the globe. Here’s a particularly impressive selection of 2010 index-finger releases. Scott continues to add new and improved releases to their already amazing line each year. In 2010 the Mongoose is back with a new look. A new, in-line caliper design and one-piece curved trigger make this release hard to ignore. The head design has also been remodeled for those who prefer a slightly larger release. The Mongoose is available with a four-hole length adjustment or
Inside Archery 44 June 2010
Scott Shark
T.R.U. Ball Assassin
Scott Mongoose
NCS connection system and comes in black or Mossy Oak Camouflage. Scott’s popular Shark also got a makeover, and bowhunters will love the new NCS (Nylon Connector System) design. The compact, double-caliper release also has a new streamlined look and has the roller sear for an amazingly smooth trigger pull. The Shark was designed especially for high-performance, short axle-to-axle bows. A forward trigger design and tough, compact dual jaws allow archers to get the most out of today’s shorter, faster bows. T.R.U. Ball is bringing excitement to 2010 with their new Assassin. This small-size-caliper release includes the drop-away solid rod globo-swivel connection with draw-length adjustment. The Assassin is deadly silent and extremely accurate. Its simple operation requires the shooter to pull the trigger to open the jaws and let it go to close them. This release is available with either a Velcro camouflage strap or a black buckle strap. Also from T.R.U. Ball is the Beast. Designed for the Bone Collector Crew, this release features a solid rod connection and an all-new 3-ounce or 11-ounce trigger choice. Short-draw archers will love the forward trigger design, which will provide more draw length. The Beast is available in a black buckle or Velcro strap. The new Spot-Hogg Wiseguy release is fast to engage and so crisp it can’t be anticipated. The Wiseguy features an open hook for instant string-loop hookup, micro-length-adjustment system, a breathable wrist strap, rigid fold-out-of-theway stem and the lightest, crispest trigger of any release ever created. It’s wise to use a Wiseguy from Spot-Hogg. Timney has been making precision triggers for fine rifles for 60 years. Now they’ve taken all that experience and rolled it into an especially fine index-finger release for archers. The brand new Timney Archery Trigger features an innovative Length-of-Pull Adjustment System that allows you to precisely fit the release to your hand, a top-grade cowhide wrist strap and heat-treated steel parts. Among the hottest new index-finger releases for 2010 is the amazing Hot Shot Infinity. The Infinity uses a new cutting-edge Lever-Link trigger mechanism that is crisper and has less trigger creep than ever before. Its Cat’s Eye hook design ensures a speedy hookup in the heat of battle. The Hot Shot Infinity is available with either magnetic closure, standard buckle or a Velcro strap. Cobra Archery has been bringing quality products to the archery world for years, and their new 570 Mamba R2 release is just another shining example. This dual-caliper release is smaller and more compact than the original Mamba and features a 360-degree rotating head. The trigger travel is adjustable, and the release is available with a padded Realtree AP loop lock or buckle strap. Another popular release from the Cobra Team is the Mamba Fang. The jaw on the release has been hand polished, which greatly cuts down on serving and string-loop wear. A forwardmounted trigger increases power stroke and is fully adjustable. Jim Fletcher has unveiled yet another quality release for 2010. The Insider is a loop-only release that resets after each shot. Trigger travel is restricted by the smooth roller system, and the forward trigger helps gain back lost draw length. The hook is engineered to release the loop cleanly on every shot, resulting in a smooth release. The trigger easily adjusts from heavy to extremely light, and the hook
Inside Archery 45 June 2010
T.R.U. Ball Beast
Spot-Hogg Wiseguy
Timney Archery Trigger
Hot Shot Infinity
Cobra 570 Mamba R2
Cobra Mamba Fang
Jim Fletcher Insider
Tru-Fire Edge Tru-Fire Edge with Hybrid Strap
Winn Archery C-10
Carter Lucky
attaches easily to the loop. Jim Fletcher and tight arrow groups typically go hand-in-hand, and with the release of the Insider, those groups may get a little tighter. Tru-Fire’s Edge and its dime-sized head were a big hit in 2009, and it’s back with a new and improved forward trigger. This release also features an internal linear motion bearing, creating ultra-smooth trigger pull. Other attractive features of the Edge include lockable length adjustment and adjustable trigger pull. Another new release product from the folks at Tru-Fire is their Hybrid Strap. This is a first in release strap technology, combining the advantages of buckle and Velcro straps. Plenty of padding in the strap makes it extremely comfortable, regardless of the weight of the bow. The cam fastener provides the archer with infinite adjustment, providing a perfect form-fit each time you strap it on. This comfortable, durable and easy-to-use strap is available on the Edge, Hurricane and 360 line of releases. Winn Archery’s Free Flight Hook Mechanism on the C-10 is sure to be a hit in 2010! The exposed hook is unobstructed, making it easy and quick to load. This is perfect for those intense moments in the field when time is of the essence. Its long trigger allows for easy feel and works great when wearing thick gloves. The Free Flight glove design along with the grip provides 10 to 15 pounds less felt draw weight, and the rugged design of the glove keeps it from stretching. Other notable qualities include file-hardened steel on the trigger and rockers, and the trigger travel can be adjusted. Throngs of tournament shooters turn to Carter and their amazing line of backtension releases each year. The quality and innovation behind their tournament line has carried over into their new Lucky index-finger release. This release is based on the company’s popular Like Mike release. The Lucky features a shorter head and a double sear design, which prevents tension build-up with increased bow weight. Carter is also proud to say that the trigger on the Lucky has the least amount of travel of any on their current line. It also includes the new Magnetic Attraction System, meaning there are no springs to mess with. TruGlo made waves in the release world in 2009 with the introduction of the Tap Out. This release is bowhunter friendly and has polished jaws to reduce wear on bowstrings and string loops. The release features a compact, high-strength design that will handle plenty of abuse. Its smooth stainless-steel trigger and jaws round out the main features of this hot release. The unique roller-bearing caliper system of the Pro Release RollAid continues to impress archers. This system sends the bowstring on a straight path after the release, which eliminates string deflection and increases accuracy. The release is designed to attach directly to the bowstring, but due to its smooth, clean release, it won’t wear out your serving. The Pro Release RollAid can be purchased with a Velcro Strap, a buckle strap or a handheld pistol grip.
TruGlo Tap-Out
Jim Fletcher Jimi T Pro Release RollAid
Inside Archery 46 June 2010
Scott Ibex
Thumb-Activated Releases
A increasing number of bowhunters are finding that a thumb-activated release may alleviate their trigger-punching problems. The concept behind the thumb-activated release is a slow and steady squeeze. Archers who have become prone to stabbing at a trigger with their index finger may find that a thumbactivated release mitigates that tendency and therefore increases their accuracy. Many bowhunters also believe that the thumbactivated release provides a great defense against rushing the shot. Be sure you offer an adequate selection of thumb-activated releases for your customers. The Jimi T from Jim Fletcher offers a comfortable three-finger handle, which has become a favorite of many archers. The trigger offers micro-adjust technology, allowing archers to set the release as light or as heavy as they wish. This release has zero trigger travel, and Fletcher’s signature over-center linkage system provides a smooth arrow release. This stylish little beauty comes in black on blue or pewter on bronze. The Ibex from Scott continues to be the company’s most prized thumb-activated release. This is due in part to the three-axis adjustable trigger. In layman’s terms, the trigger can be adjusted so it’s in the exact place for your particular hand. The trigger can be adjusted up, down, forward and backward and has 360 degrees of rotation. The Ibex also has external travel adjustment for precise trigger setting and an interchangeable spring system for full range of trigger sensitivity. T.R.U. Ball’s Pro Diamond made its way into many hunters’ hands in 2009 and looks to be a hot release again this year. The great thing about the Pro Diamond is that it clips straight onto the string or string loop. Hunters won’t drop it from a tree or be digging in pockets when that dream animal pops into view. The Pro Diamond will be dangling on the string ready to perform. Like many of T.R.U. Ball’s releases the Pro Diamond has easy to open and close jaws, an adjustable sensitivity screw and a 360-degree rotating head. Tru-Fire’s 3D Hunter release features a
CNC-machined handle, plus a head that rotates independently from the handle. It also includes a set screw located in the handle so you can lock the head down if you desire. The jaws are steel, heat treated and then Teflon coated for years of dependable use. The jaws open when you
Inside Archery 47 June 2010
pull the trigger and close when you let up on the trigger. There is no cocking mechanism so this quality bowhunting release is extremely quiet. The new Attraction from Carter Enterprises is a revolutionary release that gives the shooter the option of a
pull-tension-activated release or a thumb-trigger-activated release. A few simple turns on the Attraction’s Allen head screw and you can change the release’s operation. Regardless of which activation method you choose, the unique trigger and safety mechanism provide the same shot every time. Carter’s Attraction also has a removable pin set up for trigger tension customization and a safety re-cocking lever, which makes letting down smooth and easy. Stanislawski and their Shootoff! Trio thumb-activated release are highly coveted by hunters and target archers alike. Stanislawski’s ErgoFit Technology facilitates cross training between the back-tension and trigger release aids. The release features the MPT2 knob system, which is fully adjustable for projection, tilt and perfect thumb alignment. Built around an internal, technologically sound mechanism, this release is crisp and accurate. Trigger pull on the release is easily adjustable and can be done without changing springs. Renowned for their amazing sights, Spot-Hogg also produces some advanced releases that are meriting praise from archers. The Saturday Night Special is a thumb-activated release with a super hot trigger. The great thing about this release is that archers won’t have to substitute safety for a lightning trigger. Spot-Hogg’s unique trigger design prevents any chance of a misfire. Those archers who have suffered a few busted lips and bloody noses will appreciate this feature. This release has a short neck for those speed bow enthusiasts and draw-length challenged individuals.
T.R.U. Ball’s Pro Diamond
Tru-Fire 3D Hunter
Carter Attraction
Stanislawski Shootoff! Trio
Spot-Hogg Saturday Night Special
Back-Tension Releases
As you know, back-tension releases have long been held in high regard by competition archers. This type of release forces the shooter to focus on the target while slowly increasing the amount of pull with the back. The shot is typically somewhat of a surprise, which prevents trigger jerk and leads to improved accuracy. The somewhat surprising news is that backtension releases are now also finding their way into the hunting woods. A growing number of bowhunters believe that a back-tension release can greatly improve their shot placement on animals. You’ll need a selection of back-tension releases to show those archers. Scott’s new Mini Black Hole is loaded with back-tension technology. This three-finger model has an enclosed index-finger hole and a tapered handle. The incredible control created by full-radius finger positioning has made the release a hot item. The bracket stop allows for easy loading and prevents over-travel. Scott’s Mini Black Hole comes with interchangeable thumb pegs and is available in anodized black. The T.R.U. Ball ST360 was designed with the tournament shooter in mind. The trigger has no more than .001 movement, which is a third the size of a human hair! The no-torque head locks down at your anchor point to eliminate torque on the rope loop. Another attractive feature is the double roller sear, which was designed to prohibit wear on the trigger and make every shot smooth. “Set it and forget it” is the motto behind travel and tension on this release, and after shooting it you will see why. The ST360 comes in three- and four-finger models. Continued on page 50
Scott Mini Black Hole Carter Only T.R.U. Ball ST360
Stanislawski MagMicro
Inside Archery 48 June 2010
Continued from page 48
Stanislawski and their revolutionary MagMicro release aid have become increasingly popular with tournament shooters and bowhunters. This release provides perfect control and shot timing due to pivot-point location. By pivoting just over the middle
finger, it allows you to pull your bow’s weight while keeping more fingers on the release. Keeping up with technology the Neodymium Rare Earth magnets ensure that the sear stays in contact with the micro-adjust system. This results in perfect release speed on every shot.
The silky smooth Only from Carter is a hot new back-tension release with plenty of amenities. With this release, thanks to the new V.C.T. (Variable Crescent Technology) you have the option of adjusting the head angle up to 35 degrees. This release comes with a series of V.C.T. Crescent cams, and they range from 0- to 5-degree angles. The different V.C.T. angles give the shooter total freedom to customize the release head, as well as the firing speed. The Only is selfloading and is designed to be used with a D-loop. Arches have the option to choose from a two-, three-, or four-finger handle.
Sell More Releases in 2010
The technology train is rolling and bowhunting releases are on board. If you want to sell more hunting releases in 2010, you best offer a broad selection of hunting-oriented releases in at least three distinct categories— index-finger releases, thumb-activated releases and back-tension releases. The index-finger release remains the most popular, for good reason. However, many bowhunters now also want to try thumb-activated and back-tension releases, usually in their search for more accuracy. In 2010, selection will sell more releases.
Z
For More Release Information For more information on today’s best releases, log onto the websites of these leading release manufacturers. Carter Enterprises Cobra Manufacturing Hot Shot Manufacturing
Scott Archery Spot-Hogg
fletcherarchery.com prorelease.com scottarchery.com spot-hogg.com
Stanislawski Archery Products
ishootastan.com
Timney Triggers
timneytriggers.com
T.R.U. Ball
truball.com
Tru-Fire
trufire.com
TruGlo
truglo.com
Winn Archery
Inside Archery 50 June 2010
cobraarchery.com
hotshotmanufacturing.com
Jim Fletcher Archery Pro Release
carterenterprises.com
winnarchery.com
Archery Industry Calendar –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
By Organization: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
ATA ARCHERY TRADE SHOW PHONE: 866-266-2776
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ARCHERY SHOOTER’S ASSOC. / ASA
NFAA North American Field Archery Championships
PHONE: 770-765-0232
December 10-12, 2010 • Homestead, FL
FAX: 770-795-0953 WEBSITE: www.asaarchery.com
ASA LimbSaver Pro/Am
WEBSITE: www.archerytrade.org
June 4-6, 2010 • London, KY
2011 ATA TRADE SHOW
ASA Mathews Solo Cam Pro/Am
Thursday – Saturday, January 6-8, 2011• Indianapolis, IN
June 25-27, 2010 • Metropolis, IL
2012 ATA TRADE SHOW
ASA McKenzie ASA Classic
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MATHEWS RETAILER BUSINESS SHOW PHONE: 608-269-2728 WEBSITE: www.mathewsinc.com
2011 Mathews Retailer Business Show
KINSEY’S DEALER SHOW PHONE: 800-366-4269 FAX: 800-366-4126 WEBSITE: www.kinseyarchery.com
2011 KINSEY’S DEALER SHOW February 18-20, 2011 • Hershey, PA –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
SHOT SHOW PHONE: 203-840-5600
February 11-13, 2011 • Las Vegas, NV
By Date: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
JUNE June 4-6, 2010 • London, KY ASA LimbSaver Pro/Am
July 29-August 1, 2010 • West Monroe, LA –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
INT’L BOWHUNTING ORG. / I.B.O.
June 11-13, 2010 • McKean, PA I.B.O. National Championship Triple Crown—2nd Leg
PHONE: 440-967-2137
June 21-22, 2010 • Various Locations
FAX: 440-967-2052
NFAA Mid-Atlantic Outdoor Sectional
WEBSITE: www.ibo.net
I.B.O. National Championship Triple Crown—2nd Leg June 11-13, 2010 • McKean, PA
December 2010 • Wisconsin Dells, WI –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
NFAA Vegas Shoot / World Archery Festival 2011 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
FAX: 801-261-2389
Thursday – Saturday, January 12-14, 2012 • Columbus, OH
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I.B.O. National Championship Triple Crown—3rd Leg July 9-11, 2010 • Nelsonville, OH
I.B.O. Traditional World Championship July 16-18, 2010 • Chapmansboro, TN
June 25-27, 2010 • Metropolis, IL ASA Mathews Solo Cam Pro/Am
June 26-27, 2010 • Colorado Springs, CO NFAA Southwest Outdoor Sectional
June 26-27, 2010 • Bradford, MA NFAA New England Outdoor Sectional –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
JULY July 9-11, 2010 • Nelsonville, OH
I.B.O. World Championship August 12-14, 2010 • Ellicottville, NY –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
NATIONAL FIELD ARCHERY ASSOC. / NFAA PHONE: 909-794-2133
FAX: 203-840-9600
FAX: 909-794-8512
WEBSITE: www.shotshow.org
WEBSITE: www.nfaaarchery.org
I.B.O. National Championship Triple Crown—3rd Leg July 10-11, 2010 • Various Locations NFAA Southwest Marked 3D Sectional July 16-18, 2010 • Chapmansboro, TN I.B.O. Traditional World Championship July 28-August 1, 2010 • Darrington, WA NFAA Outdoor National Field Championships
2011 SHOT SHOW
NFAA Mid-Atlantic Outdoor Sectional
January 18-21, 2011 • Las Vegas, NV
June 21-22, 2010 • Various Locations
July 29-August 1, 2010 • West Monroe, LA McKenzie ASA Classic
2012 SHOT SHOW
NFAA Southwest Outdoor Sectional
January 24-27, 2012 • Las Vegas, NV
June 26-27, 2010 • Colorado Springs, CO
PHONE: 800-845-3711
AUGUST August 12-14, 2010
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ELLETT BROTHERS
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
NFAA New England Outdoor Sectional
Ellicottville, NY • I.B.O. World Championship
June 26-27, 2010 • Bradford, MA
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DECEMBER
FAX: 803-932-5105
NFAA Southwest Marked 3D Sectional
WEBSITE: www.ellettbrothers.com
July 10-11, 2010 • Various Locations
NFAA North American Field Archery Championships
2011 ELLETT BROTHERS DEALER SHOW
NFAA Outdoor National Field Championships
December 2010 • Wisconsin Dells, WI
January 5-8, 2011 • Columbia, SC
July 28-August 1, 2010 • Darrington, WA
2011 Mathews Retailer Business Show
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Inside Archery 51 June 2010
December 10-12, 2010 • Homestead, FL
M a r k e t
T r e n d s
Field Test By Bill Krenz
Spot-Hogg Wiseguy Release Il f you shoot enough different releases, you’ll begin to figure it out. Actually, you’ll start to break it down. You’ll decide that there are essentially four areas in which a release should shine––the setup, the hookup, the draw and the shot. To better understand those four key areas, let’s look at the new Wiseguy Release from Spot-Hogg. Spot-Hogg enjoys a welldeserved reputation for delivering tough, smart archery products. That’s led by their revered sight line, sights that adjust and work all the time, every time. But the real wisdom in the 2010 Spot-Hogg lineup just might be in the company’s new Wiseguy Release. The Spot-Hogg Wiseguy is a tough, dependable index-finger release that unquestionably excels in all four of the above-mentioned release-performance criteria. The Setup – It’s maybe not fair, but the strap can make or break a release. Cumbersome and uncomfortable straps fail the test. The Wiseguy’s wrist strap, however, passes with flying colors. Its uniquely ribbed interior provides a comfortable and somewhat ventilated (cool in hot weather) fit. Ingeniously tucked into the very ends of the straps are tiny magnets. When you wrap those straps around your wrist and begin to attach the Velcro locking band, the magnets hold the two ends of the strap together. That eliminates fumbling and makes it considerably easier to don this release. With the Wiseguy, the connection between the wrist strap and the release head is a rigid one. That holds three distinct advantages. First, it does not allow
Inside Archery 52 June 2010
the release to flop around like soft connections are prone to do. I want to know exactly where that release head is at all times, and only a rigid connection supplies that. Second, the Wiseguy’s rigid connection features a handy fold-back design. When the Wiseguy is not needed or wanted, such as when climbing up into a treestand, the release head can be folded and lightly locked back out of the way against the underside of your wrist. Nifty. Third, the rigid connection system of the Spot-Hogg Wiseguy includes a minutely-adjustable-length system. One of the most common mistakes archers make with wrist-strap releases is not properly adjusting the length of the release to fit the shooter’s hand. At full draw the shooter’s index finger should naturally and comfortably fall down around the trigger with the finger tip pointing straight down. The exact release length that will allow that will be different with each shooter. The Wiseguy Release has a foolproof system for getting release length just right. The Hookup – Fumbling to attach your release to your bowstring or D-loop is always a bad thing. The Spot-Hogg Wiseguy was specifically designed for use with a D-loop, and its open hook configuration makes D-loop hook-up lightning fast and trouble-free. In addition, the Wiseguy features a forward-located trigger. That trigger positioning maximizes draw length to boost arrow speed when using a D-loop. The Draw – Once a fumble-free hookup
is achieved, the archer must then be able to draw the bow without a second thought about the release. The new Spot-Hogg Wiseguy features what the company calls a fail-safe trigger. Push the trigger forward to securely lock it and the hook into position. When you do that, there is a definite “thump” as the mechanism engages. It is something you feel even more than you hear. It’s reassuring. I also keep my index finger behind the trigger when drawing, only bringing it around in front of the trigger when full draw is reached and I’m beginning to lock into my anchor point. The Shot – The downfall of lesser, grittier releases is that they can be anticipated. You can actually feel the mechanism creeping and scraping forward, and that causes you to punch the trigger to accelerate the shot. A truly great index-finger release, like the Spot-Hogg Wiseguy, cannot be anticipated. The Wiseguy accomplishes that lofty goal by combining the lightest trigger-pull possible with absolutely no trigger travel. The rifle guys are fond of talking about perfect firearm triggers that break as cleanly as a slender glass rod that you snap with your two hands. That’s exactly what the Wiseguy’s trigger feels like. It’s so slick and clean and so sudden that you simply can’t anticipate it. And that leads to better shots as your mind remains focused on aiming without being distracted by the gritty feel of a release. If you test enough releases, you’ll see and feel the differences. You’ll come to appreciate how a great release sets up, how easy it is to put on, how comfortable its strap is and how it can be conveniently and precisely adjusted for your length. You’ll also be pleased with how a great release facilitates a quick, fumblefree hookup and a fast arrow. You’ll feel grateful for a fail-safe draw, and you’ll thrill to a crisp, clean unanticipated shot. That’s archery wisdom.
The brand new Spot-Hogg Wiseguy Release does all of those things especially well. Years of archery experience and experimentation combined with an attitude that firmly holds that anything
Inside Archery 53 June 2010
can be made better has led Spot-Hogg to its own archery wisdom and the Spot-Hogg Wiseguy Release. For more information on the Wiseguy Release, log onto spot-hogg.com or call Spot-Hogg at (888) 302-7768.
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M a r k e t
T r e n d s
Bow Report By Bill Krenz
Diamond IceMan FLX L
ast year Diamond Archery introduced the IceMan, a bow that proved to be a huge hit with bowhunters far and wide. The main reason, I feel, that the IceMan was such an enormous success was that it artfully combined a distinctive high-tech look with an agreeable performance package. The IceMan’s sweeping Center Pivot riser––with wide-span limb-pocket system, carbon-rod string stop and superb grip––was striking. And its airy split limbs only added to that racy appeal. Then, with the very first shot, the 2009 Diamond IceMan distinguished itself as one of the most user-friendly bows available. Its rotating module made drawlength adjustments a snap. Its notiming-issues one-cam eccentric system provided almost instant tuning, especially with broadheads, and a silky-smooth draw. In action, the high-flying IceMan delivered a wonderfully quiet and shock-free shot with reasonable arrow speed. In other words, the 2009 Diamond IceMan handed over practically everything that bowhunters really wanted. Some The Diamond FLX-Guard flexes inward as the bow is drawn to minimize transferring torque to the riser. The result is a reduc- called the bow perfection. tion in lateral nock-travel issues. How do you improve on that? Diamond Archery did by introducing the 2010 Diamond IceMan FLX. The FLX refers to the new IceMan’s FLX-Guard Cable Containment System. That ingenious new system is revolutionary. For decades, rigid cable-guard systems have been used by every compound-bow manufacturer to tug the bow’s cables off to one side in order to create shooting clearance for the arrow. That worked. This advanced single-cam system features a rotating module But it also imparted some measure (left) for convenient draw-length adjustment and an infinitely adjustable draw-stop peg (right). of torque (sideways twisting) to the riser. In many cases, that cableguard-induced torque caused the bow to twist slightly to the side as the bow was shot. That, in turn, created lateral nock-travel issues as the bowstring rushed forward. In the last decade or so, leading bow manufacturers have worked diligently on their most advanced cam systems to minimize vertical nock-travel issues. That’s improved the tuning capabilities and the accuracy of many bows. But until now, no one has truly addressed the lateral nock-travel issues inherent in most bows. The brand new FLX-Guard Cable Containment System tackles the lateral issues like never before. As the
IceMan FLX is drawn, the bow’s revolutionary FLXGuard responds by flexing inward, greatly minimizing the torque that would otherwise be transferred to the riser by a rigid cable-guard system. With much less torque there is a substantial reduction in lateral nock travel, resulting in a bow that tends to be easier to tune, more forgiving and more accurate. So what you have in the 2010 Diamond Archery IceMan FLX is a bow that combines all the high-tech glamour and performance of the 2009 IceMan with what many are already calling the most beneficial cableguard system ever.
How It Shoots
For me, how well a bow shoots pivots primarily on four things: the nature of the grip at full draw, the feel of the bow as it is drawn and shot, shot noise and how well it delivers arrows downrange. The grip on the 2010 IceMan FLX is simply outstanding. It seems perfectly angled and slightly rounded on the back, with wood side plates to warm and class up the affair. It’s even properly cut under the shelf to promote an angled bowhand position for improved forearm clearance and minimized grip contact. When I shoot a bow I want my knuckles to be at approximately a 45-degree angle to the bow, and this grip actually encourages that. Perfect. The IceMan FLX is a relatively smooth-drawing bow, and it’s just as easy to let up. At full draw the bow’s infinitely adjustable draw-stop peg (located on the lower cam) pivots around to contact the bow’s inside cable. That creates a firm and reassuring back wall that feels great. I even tweaked the peg position just a bit on my bow to make the bow fit me perfectly. That’s a capability I truly appreciated. If a quiet bow is a gem, then this bow is a diamond! Sorry, I couldn’t resist that. But it is true. The IceMan FLX is a magnificently quiet bow. Even with very light arrows, this bow shoots with a dull thud. There’s also very little hand shock. Arrow speed with the IceMan FLX is good, but maybe best of all is the fact that the Diamond IceMan FLX seems an especially easy bow to set-up, tune and shoot well. Much of that undoubtedly comes from the bow’s generous 7-inch brace height, Center Pivot deflex riser (more on that in the next section), great grip and forgiving FLX-Guard Cable Containment System. All in all the 2010 Diamond IceMan FLX seems an
Inside Archery 54 June 2010
Specifications
Arrow Speed
Axle-to-Axle Length
31.5 inches
28-inch Arrows
Brace Height
7 inches
Riser Geometry
.40 deflex
Mass Weight
4 pounds
Letoff
Adjustable 65 to 80 percent
Draw Lengths
24 to 30 inches
Draw Weights
60#, 70#
Color
Realtree Hardwoods HD
Diamond IceMan ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Diamond IceMan FLX set at 29 inches (by factory) and adjusted to 70 pounds ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Shaft Arrow Kinetic Arrow Grains/In Weight Energy Speed
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Easton XX78 Alloy 2512 Easton Full Metal Jacket 400 Carbon Express Aramid KV 350 Carbon Tech Whitetail 65/80 Carbon Express Maxima Hunter 350 Easton ST Axis N-Fused 400 Beman ICS Hunter Elite 400 Gold Tip XT Hunter 55/75 PSE Radial X Weave Hunter 300 Gold Tip Ultralight Pro 400 Carbon Tech Cheetah 400 Easton FlatLine 400 High Country Speed Pro Max
10.3 10.2 9.8 9.5 8.9 9.0 8.4 8.2 8.1 7.4 6.4 7.4 5.5
448 gr. 426 gr. 415 gr. 411 gr. 398 gr. 392 gr. 390 gr. 385 gr. 376 gr. 361 gr. 346 gr. 344 gr. 303 gr.
72.5 72.5 72.3 72.1 71.8 71.7 71.3 70.9 70.7 70.7 70.5 70.6 69.3
270 fps 277 fps 280 fps 281 fps 285 fps 287 fps 287 fps 288 fps 291 fps 297 fps 303 fps 304 fps 321 fps
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For more information, log onto diamondarchery.com or call (877) 269-2776.
Bow weighed with an Easton Bow Force Digital Scale. All tests conducted with a Spot-Hogg Hooter Shooter Portable Shooting Machine and a Competition Electronics Pro Chronograph.
the IceMan FLX is drawn, the FLX-Guard flexes inward, absorbing much of the guard torque that would otherwise be transferred to the riser. The result is a substantial reduction in lateral nock-travel issues and a bow that is easier to tune and more forgiving to shoot.
Single-Cam with Rotating Module Because it eliminates cam-timing issues, the IceMan FLX’s single-cam eccentric system delivers simple tuning, great arrow flight The Carbon String Stop on the IceMan FLX is positioned directly (especially with broadheads) and first-rate opposite the bow’s stabilizer insert so that shot vibration is transferred from the bowstring through the String Stop to your stabilizer. accuracy. This particular single-cam system is also conveniently adjustable. Draw length especially pleasant and accurate new bow backed adjusts with a single rotating module all the up with loads of high-tech pizzazz. way from 24 to 30 inches, and can be done so in precise half-inch increments. In addition, an Key Features and Benefits infinitely adjustable draw-stop peg allows you Center Pivot Technology Riser to further fine-tune draw length to a perfect, The riser on the Diamond IceMan FLX looks personal setting. and acts differently than most bow risers. Its innovative wide-span limb-pocket system is ground- Carbon String Stop breaking. It grabs the limbs at the butt and in the Carbon is one of the strongest vibrationmiddle. That unique design stabilizes limb flex dampening materials available, and it’s the exact and dampens shot vibration like never before. material that Diamond chose to use in its On top of that, the riser on the IceMan String Stop. The Diamond carbon-rod FLX is essentially a deflex riser. That means String Stop is positioned directly below that the pressure point of the grip is positioned the bow’s grip, opposite the bow’s forward of a line drawn between where the limb stabilizer insert so that excess pockets (in this case the midpoint strut of the shot vibration is transferred riser) first contact the limbs. That deflexed con- from the bowstring through figuration helps to significantly minimize bow the String Stop and into the torque and in doing so boosts the forgiving heavier stabilizer. nature of this riser and bow.
FLX-Guard Cable Containment System Stiff, inflexible cable guards can impart unwanted torque into any bow, causing tuning and shooting problems. The flexible Diamond FLX-Guard minimizes those problems. As
InVelvet Coating
The InVelvet overcoating on the IceMan FLX looks and feels great. It’s a light armor coating that pads the bow, warms up the bow’s feel, dampens outside impacts and helps to quiet shot noise.
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Inside Archery 55 June 2010
Inside Archery 56 June 2010
There was a time when hay bales were the archery target of choice. It’s what sat in countless backyards and on plenty of archery ranges. But those days are now long gone. Arrow-stopping requirements nowadays are typically much greater than most hay bales can handle. Yet that’s only part of the reason for the demise of hay in archery targets. Just as important may be the excitement that target manufacturers now infuse into their products. Today’s best archery targets truly are exciting. They’re more portable than ever before and significantly more durable. The best also allow for easier arrow removal. Many can be used with either field points or broadheads. Some are even so realistically sculpted that they could almost be mistaken for real game animals. All of that, on top of their arrow-stopping ability, makes them truly exciting.
Inside Archery 57 June 2010
Morrell Bone Collector MLT-Super Duper
Delta Speed Bag Quad
To sell more archery targets, what you need to do is transfer the notion of that excitement to your customers. Build, for example, in-store target displays that project the stimulating nature of today’s best targets. Stack brightly colored bag targets with versatile foam targets and shockingly lifelike 3D targets. Demonstrate how easily arrows are pulled from those bag targets, how even broadheads work in block-like foam targets
SpyderWeb S 2.5
and how much fun practice with 3D targets can be. You also need to offer all three types of today’s exciting archery targets––bag targets, foam targets and 3D targets.
Bag Targets
Archery muscle memory comes from repetition, and that means shooting lots of arrows. Probably the easiest way for
Inside Archery 58 June 2010
McKenzie Team Realtree Bag Target
Magic Stop Infinity
B.U.P. Field Test Target
Viper Barrel
your customers to do that is with a tough, portable and exciting bag target that allows for especially easy arrow removal. The best bag targets can be set up almost anywhere, they stop the fastest arrows, permit almost effortless arrow removal and last and last. All of that makes lots of repeated archery practice especially trouble-free. Frequent practices require a supertough target, and the Bone Collector MLT-Super Duper from Morrell Manufacturing is extremely tough. Morrell’s Nucleus Center makes the MLT-Super Duper ultra-durable, and an internal frame system allows you to shoot every square inch of the target with any bow. The 25x27x15inch MLT-Super Duper offers easy arrow removal and a convenient EZTote carrying handle. This target is 100-percent weatherproof, and you can’t beat the two-year guarantee from Morrell. The Delta Speed Bag Series is perfect for anyone who shoots a high-speed bow. These brightly colored targets offer easy two-finger arrow removal. Four Speed Bag models are available. The original Speed Bag is 24x24x10 inches, the Mini is 20x20x8 and the XL is 28x28x12. The 18x18x18-inch Speed Bag Quad has shooting faces on four sides so it can withstand shot after shot. If you practice at longer distances and want a big target, the newfor-2010 SpyderWeb S 2.5 is just what you’re looking for. With multiple aiming points on both the front and the back, the 30x30x14-inch S 2.5 is ideal for archers who want to practice at varying distances. The weatherresistant S 2.5 can withstand hits from bows at speeds of up to 400 fps but still offers two-finger arrow removal. The Team Realtree Bag Target is part of the McKenzie ShotBlocker
Inside Archery 59 June 2010
line of quality targets. This durable target features a full-color image of a whitetail on the front for realistic practice and attractive Realtree camo on the sides. The Team Realtree Bag Target is available in two sizes— 20x20x8 inches and 24x24x8 inches. Magic Stop manufactures a number of long-lasting bag targets. The free-standing Infinity offers six shooting sides, superior stopping power and nylon straps for easy carrying. At 25x25x25 inches, the Infinity is plenty of target to practice on, and two-finger arrow removal makes long practices easier. While not technically a bag target, the Field Test Target from B.U.P. Sports is a must for archers who want a convenient-to-carry target in the field. The Field Test Target can fit into your pack and is a great way to check your accuracy in the field.
Foam Targets
Foam practice targets come in all shapes, sizes and constructions. Many are layered in some manner. Some are solid blocks. Unlike bag targets, most exciting foam targets can be shot with both field points and broadheads, which is extremely important to many bowhunters. Most layered-foam targets are constructed with stacked layers of foam. The Viper Barrel is unique in that it features layers of foam wrapped in a circular fashion. This design results in an extremely durable barrel-shaped target that can absorb hits from even the fastest bows. With 360 degrees of shooting surface, the Barrel is one long-lasting practice target. The McKenzie Team Realtree ShotBlocker utilizes McKenzie’s welded-core technology for one of the toughest targets you can imagine.
Inside Archery 60 June 2010
McKenzie Team Realtree ShotBlocker
Morrell Bone Collector Broadhead Target
Rinehart RhinoBlock
Field Logic Block Fusion
Hips X2 Hyper XT
Magic Stop Monster Lost Camo
Black Hole Target
American Whitetail Hyper 420
Hundreds of foam layers are seared together without bands, cables or plates, which means you’ll be able to take more shots and see less foam slivering with broadheads. The 18x18x18inch Team Realtree ShotBlocker features a five-spot face as well as small dots so you achieve pinpoint accuracy. The Bone Collector Broadhead target from Morrell boasts Morrell’s Nucleus Center of super-dense rubber with flex-back foam for a target that will last practically forever. Capable of handling both fixed-blade and expandable broadheads, the Bone Collector Broadhead is completely weatherproof. The E-Z Tote handle makes moving this target a breeze. The Bone Collector Broadhead is 20x20x18 inches. The rugged new Rinehart RhinoBlock is unbelievably versatile with six shooting sides to provide you with exactly the practice you need. Four sides feature Rinehart’s bright, easyto-see target zones for practice even in low-light conditions. One side features a textured 3D image of a deer’s target zone, while another face sports a similar 3D image detailing a deer’s organs. The 16x16x13-inch RhinoBlock is made with Rinehart’s self-healing foam, so expect it to be around for awhile. If you finally do wear it out, Rinehart’s patented locking insert makes it easy to replace the core. The Field Logic Block Fusion’s PolyFusion technology molecularly fuses polyurethane to polyethylene for superior arrow-stopping ability and target durability. The Game Face front provides you with both short- and long-range targets. The anatomically correct Vitals and Treestand Vitals faces help you prepare for the moment of truth. The Block Fusion can handle fixed-blade and expandable broadheads, as well as field points. And with four models
Inside Archery 61 June 2010
Delta Archer’s Choice Real-World Buck
Rinehart Standing Elk
available, there’s a Block Fusion for every bowhunter. The X2 Hyper XT from Hips Targets is a high-density foam target capable of stopping arrows from even the fastest bows and crossbows on the market. Multiple aiming points make this a very versatile target. The Hyper XT measures 18x16x18 inches. For 2010, Magic Stop has partnered with Mathews to bring you the Monster Lost Camo target. This 16x16x16inch target can handle hits from today’s fast bows and can be shot with either field points or broadheads. Best of all, the Monster features Mathews Lost Camo for an ultra-cool look, and the Monster’s bright spots make this target easy to see even at longer distances.
Field Logic GlenDel Full Rut
Looking for a durable target that won’t cost you an arm and a leg? Check out Black Hole Targets. Available in two different sizes, Black Hole Targets are lightweight and versatile, featuring open layers of foam that can be shot with either field points or broadheads. The vertical foam layers make the Black Hole target ideal for treestand practice. This year American Whitetail introduced a whole new concept in target design. The groundbreaking Hyper 420 is a truly all-purpose target, capable of handling arrows or bolts shot from any type of bow or crossbow at speeds of 420+ fps. A new material called ArrowArmour absorbs energy for superior arrow-stopping ability, while American Whitetail’s Multi-Layer Density construction provides ultra-long target life.
Inside Archery 62 June 2010
3D Targets
Shooting at a deer is different than shooting at a flat-faced target. The mere shape of a deer presents less margin for error and somehow more pressure. It’s also a whole lot more fun! Your customers will appreciate and benefit from practicing with exciting, realistic 3D targets. Delta Targets manufactures a full line of realistic 3D targets. The new Archer’s Choice Real-World Buck will help you hone shot placement and gain confidence with a colorful, exposed vitals area and bone structure on one side. The RealWorld Buck also rotates with the force of the arrow when it is hit, providing you with a new shooting angle each time you shoot. A replacement vital section extends the life of this innovative target. Also new from Delta are Legacy Targets, a line of fun targets designed to appeal to young (and young-at-heart) archers. Now you finally have the chance to draw back on a dragon, a T-Rex or even Bigfoot himself. When it comes to 3D targets, the creative minds at Rinehart seem to have endless imagination. From realistic whitetails, elk and bears to bright and colorful poisonous frogs, jackalopes and velociraptors, Rinehart 3D Targets will ensure that you never have a boring practice session again. These targets utilize selfhealing foam for easy arrow removal and incredible durability. The Rinehart 3D Target line includes over a dozen different deer targets, including the Alert Deer, Feeding Doe, Bedded Doe, Anatomy Deer, Browsing Buck and 30 Point Buck, so
Learn More About Each Target
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To learn more about quality archery practice targets, contact these leading target manufacturers.
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American Whitetail, Inc. archerytargets.com B.U.P. Sports bupsports.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Black Hole Targets blackholetarget.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Delta Targets deltatargets.net ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Field Logic fieldlogic.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hips Targets hipstargets.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Longhorn 3-D Targets longhornarchery.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Magic Stop Targets bowhuntingtargets.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– McKenzie Targets mckenzie3d.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Morrell Manufacturing morrelltargets.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Rinehart Targets rinehart3d.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– SpyderWeb Targets spyderwebtargets.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Viper Archery Products viperarcheryproducts.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
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Inside Archery 63 June 2010
you can practice any number of different shooting scenarios. If you’re planning on tagging a big buck, you’ll want to practice ignoring a big set of antlers. The GlenDel Full Rut from Field Logic sports antlers that measure 150 inches Pope & Young, stands 37 inches at the shoulder and is the size of a 300-pound live-weight buck. The oversized replaceable vitals insert features PolyFusion Technology for enhanced performance. The insert offers four shooting sides with staggered vitals areas to extend the shooting life of the insert. Shoot the GlenDel Full Rut with field points, fixed-blade broadheads or expandable broadheads. The true-to-life McKenzie XT Series features replaceable cores made of McKenzie’s special E-Z Flex easyrelease foam. Ultra-realistic details and the exceptionally easy arrow removal will make your target practice far more enjoyable. Among the XT Series’ diverse
McKenzie XT Series Warthog
offerings are whitetail, bear, javelina and pronghorn targets, as well as a number of exotic targets such as a warthog, hyena and leopard. Longhorn offers a full line of longlasting, realistic 3D targets. These PolyFoam self-sealing targets are available in a wide array of animal choices, from whitetails to alligators to bobcats. Cost-effective Longhorn targets can be shot from two sides, and a 3D target repair kit is also available from Longhorn to further extend target life.
Exciting Targets
Longhorn Black Buck
Marketplace
Inside Archery 64 June 2010
Today’s best archery targets are bright, bold, colorful, portable, versatile, durable and, best of all, exciting. In the same way that a salesman must transfer his enthusiasm to his customer to generate a sale, all you need to really do to sell more targets is convey target excitement to your patrons. If they’re excited about every aspect of the targets you offer, they’ll buy those targets.
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Marketplace
DON’T TAKE CHANCES WITH YOUR WILDLIFE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM!
s u b scr ib e To
b ( 800) 322-6087
Protect it from bear, porcupine and squirrel. Avid archery and rifle hunters have found trail cameras to be vital to the scouting process. Unfortunately, the excitement of many scouting trips has been dampened by finding an expensive trail camera damaged by curious and hungry animals. In an effort to save equipment, we have developed a universal trail camera protection system called The Cam-Cage. The CamCage features all steel construction. Adjustable rods and customizable steel mesh protect sensors and viewfinders without interference. The universal size of 12”x10”x4” accommodates most trail cameras. Ament’s Cam-Cage is manufactured and field tested in Pennsylvania. Patent Pending. Ament’s Cam-Cage • 2545 West Washington Street • Bradford, PA 16701 814-368-3224 • info@cam-cage.com • www.cam-cage.com
Inside Archery 65 June 2010
I n s i d e
t h e
i n d u s t r y
Solutions by Greg Staggs
C
onsultative Selling • In last month’s column, we discussed effective selling techniques that top-selling salespeople employ to position themselves favorably with customers. We talked about focusing on the customer and not immediately launching into what we call “FAB barfing”—spewing all the information you can remember about a product’s features and benefits on the customer. After that, we briefly touched upon the concept of earning the right to advance. In other words, successful salespeople tailor solutions to the customer’s needs and interests. Top salespeople are problem-solvers, not peddlers. I had a peer at one of my former companies who had his own business cards made up. Everything on his card was the same as on the company-issued ones with the exception of his title—he replaced “sales representative” with “consultant.” More importantly, he lived up to the title. Lastly, we began to discuss gaining the customer’s involvement in the sales cycle. We do this by getting them to tell us what they want. There’s a very sound principle behind this. Think back to almost every time you walk into a retail store. What happens when you push through the door and are greeted by a salesperson? They ask, “Can I help you?” And your response? “No, thanks… I’m just looking.” Even if you purposely went to that particular store on a mission to buy something, our immediate reaction is to say no, we’re just looking. The principle is that people HATE to be sold to, but they LOVE to buy! That’s why getting the customer involved in the selling cycle is so important. The absolute best way to do this is by asking them questions. Specifically, we’re talking about open-ended and highgain questions here. You want to ask something that requires more than a yes or no answer. Questions that begin with a “why” or “how” work well. Think about “Can I help you?” for a second. What’s thoughtprovoking about that? It’s too easy to simply say “no.” High-gain questions are a unique kind of open-ended question. They require customers to do more than respond in a conversation—they require customers to engage in high-level thinking that may produce new insights or values. In their simplest form, high-gain questions may ask customers to evaluate or analyze, speculate or express feelings. Let’s look at examples of each. You can ask the customer to evaluate or analyze…“How would you compare this sight with the one you currently have on your bow?” We can ask the customer to speculate…“If you could build the perfect bow for you, what would it look like?” Finally, we can ask high-gain questions to get the customer to express
feelings…“How do you feel about the trend of manufacturers moving away from longer axle-to-axle platforms on their flagship bows?” With all these questions, you’re not looking for one right answer; you’re looking for the customer to sell himself on what he wants. If you can get him to start talking about his own wishes or desires, he can start to understand the differences between his present and desired state—what he has and what he wants. By allowing your customer to verbalize these differences, they appear larger in his mind. Ever worked with someone who would only pursue an idea if they themselves thought of it? To get things accomplished around such a person, it’s often good to ask them questions that lead to them hitting upon the idea you’ve already thought of. What’s powerful about the concept is that once they think of the idea themselves, they’ll see it through to the end because they now have ownership of the idea. It’s the same thought process in selling. You can start bridging the gap between the customer’s present and desired state by using questions to explore payoffs. “What would it mean to you to buy a new bow that already had an aftermarket-quality string on it where you would experience no creep or stretch after the initial shoot-in period?” or “Do you think it would be a nice added benefit to purchase a bow with a rotating module system on it which would allow you to resell it in the future to anyone instead of having to look for a buyer who shared the same draw length as you do?” Customers are always more persuaded by their own words than yours. In addition, the customer may reveal benefits you never considered. By helping the customer to explore consequences and payoffs, you are helping him or her to see the importance of taking action and enhancing your own ability to provide relevant benefits. Realize that it’s okay to intersperse closed-ended questions throughout your conversation. You’ll need to utilize these from time to time to gather factual information or to check that you understand the customer’s needs accurately. You get in trouble when conversations consist of all closed-ended questions or all open-ended or high-gain questions, so be sure to utilize both to involve the customer and move the sale forward. Once you’ve determined a need through the use of good questioning, your next step is to develop a solution utilizing the inventory and resources you have on hand at your shop. Analyze the options you can provide, and discuss these options with the customer. By involving him through the process, you’ll allow him to choose the solution while you are just a consultant in the process.
Inside Archery 66 June 2010
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