June 2019

www.insidearchery.com

®

JUNE 2019





INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 5

People
38 Power of Participation
■ Sara Lamson, Lakewood Products
■ Joe Jacks, Tight Spot Quivers
■ Rich Romero, TenPoint
■ Zach Henderson, GSM Outdoors
■ Jack Borcherding, Bear Archery
■ Stan Chiras,

Musacchia Broadhead LLC

40 Wasp Archery:
No Compromise on Quality
By Daniel Allred

Market Trends
18 New & Notable
Archery products with strong

40 sales potential

50 Bow Report
38 Martin Archery ANAX 3D
By Patrick Meitin

52 Game Changing

Releases & Stabilizers

Take a peek at the latest develop-
ments in today’s top releases and
stabilizers.

By Patrick Meitin

60 Recent Trends in Youth and

Competitive Archery

Investigate some prominent organi-
zations and tournaments contribut-
ing to the explosive growth in youth
and competitive archery.

By Inside Archery Sta

66 50 18

INSIDE ARCHERY (Volume 22, #5) ISSN #1940-3879, USPS #024-412 is published 10 times per year (Jan / Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep / Oct, Nov, Dec)
by Zebra Publishing Inc. PO Box 25007, Colorado Springs, CO 80936. Periodical postage paid at Colorado Springs, CO 80936 and at additional offices.
Postmaster please send address changes to INSIDE ARCHERY, P.O. Box 986, Levittown, PA 19058-9902.

4 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019







INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 5

IInndsiudsetrtyhe
14 Inside Track
Landmark Legislation Aids
Hunting, Conservation

22 Kinsey’s
Business
Blueprint

The Discipline of Discounting

24 Inside Retailing
Archery Traditions of Oklahoma
By Daniel Allred

60 28 ATA Retail Growth Insight
Expertise is Not Enough
By Kurt Smith / ATA

30 Industry News

Information that keeps you up

to speed on news, events and

people in the archery industry.

34 ATA Action
Boost Your Business by Increasing
Website Responses
By Cassie Scott

66 Industry 5Q
Five Questions on Rhino Blinds with
Dan Reaser, CEO of Outdoor Product

302 Innovations

52

18 24
8 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM

10 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM

INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 5

insidearchery.com Online Exclusives

Bowhunting

Bow shing Basics

Bowfishing is an excellent way to ease your
mind as you eagerly wait for the fall hunt-
ing season to arrive. Take a look at some
bowfishing basics so you can dip your toes in
the water this summer and start bowfishing

Tournament Archery

2019 Archery World Cup

This year’s World Cup is the 14th edition of this
international archery competition organized by
World Archery. Keep up with the top competitors
as they compete for a chance in the World Cup
Finals.

Industry

Chronic Wasting Disease

More information about CWD continues to emerge,
and this is partly thanks to efforts from some
of the industry’s top scent manufacturers. Read
about the latest developments that were revealed
during a seminar at the 2019 ATA Trade Show.

Products

Today’s Top Youth
Archery Equipment

Youth archery participation is steadily growing.
Youngsters are becoming more and more inter-
ested in trying archery. Stay up to date on the lat-
est and most notable youth archery equipment
on the market.

WebXtras: In this issue: “Industry News” explores Pope and Young’s new

online Big Game Records Search; “Inside Retailing” examines success at Archery
Traditions of Oklahoma; “Bow Report” tests the Martin Archery ANAX 3D; and
“Industry 5Q” examines Rhino Blinds.

Inside Archery App

Now Inside Archery can be delivered to your door, viewed on your computer,
AND downloaded onto your smartphone or tablet.

Fresh content daily
on social media!

INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE TRACK

Landmark Legislation Aids Hunting, Conservation
W hen bipartisan support helped the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management,
and Recreation Act became law in February, most hunters cheered and applauded
because it permanently reauthorized the Land, Water and Conservation Fund.
That’s appropriate and well-deserved, given the fund’s popularity and importance to our

nation’s conservation programs, public lands and outdoor recreation. It also helps protect

lands, national parks, historical sites, wilderness areas and urban parks in every state.

ore specifically, the has supported over 2,000 state and local pro ects, and invests

millions to help our nation s conservation-based businesses, which support millions of obs

and contribute $887 billion annually to our economy. Those investments are great for the

archery industry, sportsmen, veterans, wildlife, our kids

and grandkids.

But the is ust the most noticeable part of the

Dingell Conservation Act, which included other legisla-

tion to help hunting and wildlife management. One big

change reformed to the Equal Access to Justice Act, which

ongress enacted in 1 0 to ensure those with modest

incomes could afford legal help should a government

agency harm them.

Unfortunately, it took only a few years for protectionist

groups to profit from the by litigating technical pro-
visions of the Endangered Species Act. In effect, the EAJA provided a never-ending “license to

sue.” Each time a court ruled in their favor, the government had to pay their legal expenses.

That s not necessarily a bad thing, but loopholes in the 1 0 law made it nearly impossible

to accurately track how much the government was paying to reimburse litigants. Without

full transparency, groups that fight to keep gray wolves and gri ly bears on the ndangered

Species List could fund their legal work with taxpayer reimbursements without worrying

that the public would learn the actual costs of those payouts.
The Open Book on Equal Access to Justice provision addressed that oversight. The “Open

Book” provision requires the federal government to annually report the amounts of fees and

other expenses awarded under the EAJA, regardless of whether the settlement is sealed or

sub ect to nondisclosure provisions. It also requires the information be publicly accessible

through a searchable online database that identifies those receiving awards.

Therefore, . . taxpayers will finally see a full accounting of the litigants attorneys

fees. Ongoing lawsuits over the Yellowstone region’s grizzly bears provide examples of why
reforms are vital. Last year alone, legal battles to keep grizzlies on the ESL likely cost tax-

payers at least 2 0,000 in reimbursed legal fees when the federal udge hearing the case

sided with the protectionists.

Lawsuit awards, however, grossly understate the full, actual costs and impacts of endless

litigation. After all, it’s hard to estimate the lost value of agency staff who spend time and

money on legal matters instead of on research, hiking trails, campgrounds or law-enforcement

involving fish and wildlife.

The reforms won’t stop protectionists from suing, but now the public will know how

much it’s paying them for their so-called help. Let’s hope the bad publicity they’ll receive for

their efforts helps reduce their drain on taxpayer funding.

Sherry Krenz
Publisher

14 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019



INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

Publisher & Founder

Sherry Krenz • [email protected]

Founding Editor

Bill Krenz • 1952–2010

Editor

Daniel Allred • [email protected]

Editor-at-Large

Patrick Durkin • [email protected]

Equipment Editor

Patrick Meitin • [email protected]

Editorial Assistant

Rachael Reginek-Krenz • [email protected]

Contributors

Cassie Scott | Kurt Smith

Associate Publisher

Stephen Mack • [email protected]

Art Director

Ed Rother • [email protected]

Associate Art Director

Tara Bondar • [email protected]

Account Executive

David Beckler • [email protected]

Accounting Manager

Pam Ludlam • [email protected]

Circulation Director

Greg Wolfe • [email protected]

Senior Circulation Manager

Mark Rosen • [email protected]

Subscription Services & Change of Address:

Inside Archery® Circulation Department
Inside Archery, PO Box 986, Levittown, PA 19058-9902
Phone: (844) 862-9286 • Fax: (888) 965-9961
[email protected]

Publication O ce

Inside Archery® / Zebra Publishing Inc.
P.O. Box 25007, Colorado Springs, CO 80936
Phone: (719) 495-9999 • [email protected]
www.InsideArchery.com

Inside Archery® Copyright © 2019 Zebra Publishing Inc. All rights
reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission
from the publisher is prohibited. Inside Archery® is a registered U.S.
trademark of Zebra Publishing Inc. Opinions expressed in by-lined
articles or columns are those of the author and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the publisher, the maga ine or its staff.

Submission Guidelines: Zebra Publishing Inc. and Inside Archery® mag-
azine assume no responsibility for unsolicited editorial, photography or
art submissions. Contributors submitting articles, photos or art do so at
their own risk. Material will not be returned without a self-addressed
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dition provided by any contributor shall be binding on Zebra Publishing
Inc. unless it is signed and returned by the Editor.

Archery, hunting and bowhunting are inherently dangerous activities.
Improper use of hunting or archery equipment may cause serious
injury or death. Always follow state and local hunting safety rules, and
get required permits or licenses before hunting. Zebra Publishing Inc.
uses reasonable efforts to include accurate and up-to-date information
in our publications; however, we do not make any warranties or
representations as to accuracy or completeness. All information in
this magazine is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind. Zebra
Publishing Inc. is not responsible for researching and investigating
the accuracy of the contents of stories or advertisements published in
this magazine. Readers use the information in this magazine at their
own risk. Zebra Publishing Inc. assumes no liability for any errors or
omissions in the content of this magazine, or arising from use by any
person of the information in this magazine.

z Inside Archery®
is a publication of
Zebra Publishing Inc.
Printed in the USA.

16 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 17

MARKET TRENDS NEW & NOTABLE

Galaxy Archery Vapor Trail Gen 7
Vega Bow Arrow Rest

An 18-inch Vega riser and The Gen 7 arrow rest uses Vapor
Vega limbs combine Trail’s proven limb-driven technol-
to produce a 60-inch ogy combined with a side-load, full-
recurve bow with smooth capture cage. This new total-containment
power. Fine hardwoods make arrow rest features carbon-core technol-
up the ergonomic handle, ogy for a stronger and lighter design. The
and the limbs are made standard model weighs only 2.9 ounces, making
of high-speed black glass it the lightest machined-aluminum rest in its class. Hoyt and
that encases a double maple Mathews bow-speci c models are even lighter, weighing a mere 2.5 ounces.
core. A radiused shelf is Installation is fast and simple, and adjustments are rock solid. The Gen 7 won’t disappoint. ■ Learn more
designed for greater arrow at vaportrailarchery.com.
clearance and perfect ight.
This three-piece takedown bow BIGshot Targets Real Wild 3-D Targets
weighs a mere 2.2 pounds, and
it has a collection of interchange- BIGshot Targets o ers advanced 3-D archery targets with life-like features and technology to make
able limb weights. Choose from them last. Real Wild 3D targets provide exceptional realism and durability at an a ordable value for
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galaxyarchery.com. damage to the target. For 2019, the
African impala, skunk and arma-
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VXT Target sturdy and realistic Real Wild 3-D
Arrow target line-up. ■ Learn more at
bigshottargets.com.
The VXT has a front-parallel,
rear-taper design for Cold Steel
superior accuracy, high FOC Cheap Shot 130
and faster arrow recovery in ight.
This micro diameter arrow has The 5.75-pound Cheap Shot 130
a thinner, weaker tail section for was designed as an a ordable
improved clearance and a thicker, survival or recreational crossbow. It’s
sti er front section for increased quick to load without a stirrup, rope or crank
FOC and improved down range cocker. It’s also simple to disassemble, and it
accuracy. It has a high modulus ts into an average daypack. The butt-stock
carbon construction with a telescopes to provide an adjustable length
proprietary outer weave that of pull, and it pushes bolts to 226 fps with a
helps reduce torsional de ection 130-pound draw weight. It comes complete with
and improve spine uniformity. six 175-grain carbon bolts, string wax, shoulder
Each set comes weight matched sling and single position red dot sight. ■ Learn
to /- .5 grains for precise shot more at coldsteel.com.
consistency. ■ Learn more at
victoryarchery.com.

Continued on Page 20

18 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 19

MARKET TRENDS NEW & NOTABLE

Continued from Page 18 Buck Rub
Gear Carbon
Cuddeback Fixation Sight
DUAL CELL
The Carbon Fixation Sight combines a xed aperture and pin with an independent slider pin, so you can have
The Cuddeback Dual two xed pins without slider adjustments. It’s made of carbon with a so touch nish and weighs a mere 6.4
Cell trail camera can ounces. Stainless steel encapsulated pins have 3 feet of spooled .019-inch ber optics per pin, and the uick
handle multiple trail Shot yardage indicators allow for fast adjustments. It includes pre-calibrated tapes, built-in uiver spacer, level and
cams on one budget- adapter for a light. ■ Learn more at buckrubgear.com.
friendly cell service plan.
It can function as a a n o fis in Winch Pro
stand-alone camera or
as a CuddeLink Home Bow shing is a rough-and-tumble pursuit that taxes e uipment with its intense
Cell, and users can add conditions. The new Winch Pro introduces a revolutionary Fighting Wheel Brake
up to 15 cameras on a plan design that allows the sherman to brake and reel simultaneously. The durable,
that starts as low as $10 adjustable ceramic string guide o ers a smooth string feed, and it has a
per month. It features rugged aluminum frame for superior durability. The Winch Pro can
Dual Flash Illumination t any bow with vertical and horizontal adjustments, and this
with a low- and no-glow revolutionary new design allows for one-handed operation. ■
IR Black Flash , IR range L ..
up to 100 feet, and Black
Flash range up to 50
feet. ■ Learn more at
cuddeback.com.

20 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 21

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY BUSINESS BLUEPRINT Sponsored by

The Discipline of Discounting
W e all know someone who has a Kinsey’s is the leading distributor to the outdoors
garage or a basement full of old bear. The result can be a pile of inven- and archery industry. Carrying items from your favor-
items that they no longer use, but tory that is no longer relevant to today’s ite brands, in-stock and ready-to-ship, the company
they dare not throw them away. There customer, whether it’s due to newer, o ers domestic and international retailers a wide
is always the thought of: “I may need updated model releases or updated brand- array of products and services. Kinsey’s also owns in-
that someday.” Most people in this situa- ing and packaging changes. This is where novative consumer brands including BlackHeart, Fin-
tion do not realize what that space could the “closeout rack” can come in handy. Finder, Elevation and October Mountain Products.
become if they actually clean everything
out. That basement full of junk could To keep it simple, say you start with For more information, please visit KinseysInc.com
become an awesome den, or maybe a 00 and you buy five widgets at 100
newly renovated wood shop. That garage each. ou then plan to sell them for 1 0 the last few units of a fading product to
might actually store a car again. The idea each, resulting in $700 in revenue or only make 10 percent is a cost you can-
of not letting anything go because “it 200 in profit. Once the cycle is complete, not afford, but the hidden factor you are
may be needed one day” leaves us with you can repeat it over again, but this missing is the opportunity of getting that
missed opportunities that very few ever time you have $700 to invest. You keep cash back. Eventually someone may come
realize. The same principle can be used growing the pot to invest from. through the door and buy those last two
in your business. Using that same example, say you can units at 1 0, but how many sales did you
only sell three items at 1 0. ue to a miss out on because you only had 20 to
Many small business owners do not dis- new product launch, you can no longer reinvest into the new, exciting product
count old or inactive items in order to sell sell the last two units at 1 0, so you hold that just launched?
through their inventory. The thought of them and wait for “the right customer”
selling items near cost or at cost is viewed to come through the door. You now have Business owners need to view inven-
as a waste or a burden that they cannot 1 0 20 to invest in the new product. tory sitting on their shelves as dollars
You actually went backwards. bills. The longer the inventory sits, the
less valuable it becomes. It’s just like hold-
Let’s redo this example ing 100 in cash instead of putting that
and use discounting. You 100 in a savings account. The cash will
sell the first three units for always be 100, but the savings account
1 0, but then when the will slowly grow over time. Invest with
new product comes out, your inventory—don’t just buy and hold.
you immediately run a
sale on the last remaining Using discounts when appropriate can
two units and sell them for help keep your store looking fresh and
110. ou did not get the full up-to-date with the latest products and
1 0 you originally priced newest packaging. As with everything, it
the item at, but you still must be balanced. iscounting too early
made a small profit on the can erode your profit margins. Be careful
final two items. ow you to pick when and how you discount, and
have 1 0 110 2 6 0 be aware of all vendor MAP polices.
to invest in the product.
In an ideal world, you sell Keeping your inventory fresh and
everything at full price. cycling in new products will keep cus-
That is not always reality, tomers engaged and coming back. Take
though. When products a walk through your store, identify what
fade themselves out, be is old, and create some cash by running
ready to react and still a quick off-season sale. You may be
capitalize on sales. surprised with the result!

When you look at these
situations in a vacuum, it
may feel like discounting

22 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 23

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE RETAILING

Traditional-Only Shop takes a Different Path to Success

Archery Traditions Retailing Q & A Ken Wilkins, owner of Archery Traditions of Oklahoma,
with his wife, Brenda, and grandson, Blake.
of Oklahoma Inside Archery: What inspired you to
open Archery Traditions of Oklahoma? a solid business plan. Long story short,
Sto e ofi e we opened the shop 2015. We primarily
Ken Wilkins: I’ve been an archer for sell traditional gear, and we also have the
■ Headquarters: Yukon, Oklahoma most of my life. My dad bought me a largest indoor range in the state—at least
recurve when I was a kid, so I shot a decent that we know of.
■ Owner: Ken Wilkins amount and hunted small game in my
youth. I joined the Navy right out of high Inside Archery: Tell us more about your
■ Store Facts: Archery Traditions of school, and obviously I didn’t shoot much work with SCORE and the Small Business
Oklahoma opened in 2015. The shop is during that time because I was stationed Development Center.
housed in an 11,000-square-foot facility. on an aircraft carrier. But I served for 6
About 8,000 square feet are devoted to the years, and when I got out, I went back to Ken Wilkins: SCORE is a great nation-
range, which has 27 lanes that go out to bowhunting right away. My wife and I wide program that helps people succeed
20 yards. eventually moved to Colorado, and I got with their small business. There are busi-
addicted to elk hunting there. I also start- ness leaders who volunteer their time to
■ ta fing Ken Wilkins serves as the shop’s ed working at a pro-shop part-time, and work with local entrepreneurs, helping
only full-time employee. His wife, daugh- I really enjoyed it. A few years later, we them with planning, start-up expenses,
ter and brother serve part-time roles. moved back to the Oklahoma City area— projected income and things like that. I
where we are from originally—and I went to a few of their classes and worked
■ Bow Lines (Traditional Only): Bear, started pursuing my dream of opening with them for a while to come up with
Galaxy Archery, Genesis, Hoyt, Damon my own shop. I spent about a year work- a solid business plan. Then I took that
Howatt (by Martin Archery), Dark Mesa, ing on my business plan. I got help from plan to Rose State College, which has a
Fleetwood Archery and Navajo Bows. a program called SCORE, which guides Small Business Development Center. They
people who want to open a small busi- looked over my plan and pointed out
■ Arrow Lines: Black Eagle, Carbon ness, and I also worked with the Small some things that could improve. I would
Express, Gold Tip and Easton. Business Development Center at our local highly recommend both programs. The
college. They both got me to consider all people who volunteer have a lot of experi-
■ Inside Numbers: About 50 percent of the things that people generally don’t ence, and they are happy to help because
the shop’s revenue comes from equipment think about when they are opening a they want to see businesses succeed in
sales. The remaining 50 percent comes business, so that really helped me lay out their community.
from lessons, events and range time.
Inside Archery: Why did you decide to
Archery Traditions of Oklahoma is the only shop in the region that exclusively
specializes in traditional equipment.

24 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

Sponsored by

Plano Synergy

Participating retailers will receive $1,000 in products
generously donated by Plano Synergy.

The shop uses its massive range to coach dozens of young shooters.

open a shop that only sold traditional gear? almost 11,000 square feet, and the range The shop’s main focus
is about ,000 square feet. It s funny to
Ken Wilkins: There were two main rea- watch the look on people s faces when they has always been traditional
sons. The first reason was that it s ust a see it for the first time. It s like a bowling
passion. I was a compound shooter for alley for archery. e have 21 standard equipment, but we now also
years. I en oyed it and had plenty of suc- lanes, and they are -feet wide so shooters
cess, but I decided that it ust wasn t the have more room and don t feel cramped. have a full-service compound
challenge I wanted, so I got back into Then we also have six lanes with -
traditional hunting about 10 years ago. The targets. Those lanes are even wider because shop and a custom leather
second reason was the fact that there aren t shooters need to take angled shots, and we
any traditional shops in this area. When I have 2 Rinehart ompetition eries targets shop in the building.
was doing my research and laying out my for them to shoot at. It s also open to com-
business plan, I noticed that the shops in pound and crossbow shooters, even though those who are already in it.
the area pretty much only had compounds we are a traditional shop. essons naturally Inside Archery: In what ma or ways has
and crossbows. They might have had a go hand-in-hand with the range. We teach the shop changed since you opened in 201
few recurves in the back corner, but there a lot of classes, and we have a great youth Ken Wilkins: In 2016, a local leather-crafter
wasn t really a good selection or any tradi- programs. Right now, there are more than named . . reger opened up a shop in our
tional accessories to speak of. There were 100 kids enrolled in our O program, and building. It s called Traditions eathercraft.
still a lot of traditional clubs in the state, we have tons of other leagues, events and
so I felt like there was a strong demand for tournaments. Our entire focus is getting e s a friend of mine, and he was already
it. I was also a big fan of Rocky ountain people involved in the sport and helping providing us with leather goods, like quivers
Specialty Gear in Denver, which also main-
ly focuses on traditional gear. I thought Archery Traditions of O lahoma was established in a er careful planning.
a similar shop could work here, and it
definitely has. e have people from across
the state visit us, and we even get people
from Texas and ansas because of our wide
selection of traditional equipment.

Inside Archery: hat else makes your
shop special?

Ken Wilkins: Our range and our lessons
are very important. The building we are in
was originally a grocery store, so we have

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 25

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE RETAILING

The shops wide selection of traditional gear attracts Coaching, lessons and events are a vital and arm guards. He had been making leath-
archers from across the state and beyond. part of the business. er products for several distributors—like
3Rivers, for example—and he decided that
Richard A ants and Christina aer are the owners of To meet the demand of compound shooters, en il ins he needed a larger space for his business.
ar Torn Archery, located within Archery Traditions. provided space to another pro-shop, War Torn Archery. We had a big room that was available,
so he moved his business here. The other
They specialize in compound services and equipment. big change happened last year. Since the
range is open to compound shooters, we
The shop’s large and accommodating range holds 27 lanes in total. Archers can also take aim at 25 Rinehart 3-D targets. saw a lot of demand for compound equip-
ment and services in the shop. I wanted
to keep focusing on traditional gear, so
I started looking for someone who was
interested in opening a compound shop
within our shop. There was another local
company called War Torn Archery, which
is owned by Richard Avants and Christina
Baer. They make custom stabilizers for
compounds and competition recurves,
but they also wanted to open a shop.
After talking with them, we felt like it was
a good fit for both of us, so we brought
them in.

Inside Archery: Why did you decide to
bring in a separate shop instead carrying
compound gear yourself?

Ken Wilkins: Honestly, a big part of it
was the overhead. It would have been a
huge investment to bring in several com-
pound lines and all of the accessories.
A compound shop also obviously takes
more manpower. You need at least one
bowtech working constantly. Something
that has helped us be successful is that
we pay as we go, and we have not gone
into debt. So we really wanted to add
compounds to the picture, but we didn’t
want to invest in the manpower and
overhead on our own. War Torn Archery
was really a perfect fit. They had been
selling custom stabilizers for a while, and
they really wanted to open a compound
shop. We had the available space, and the
range was already right there for them, so
it worked out well for both of us. Richard
is also one of the best bowtechs I know.
He takes the time to do it right, and
that allows us focus on what we do
best, which is traditional equipment and
teaching classes.

WebXtra ■ Learn more about

Archery Traditions of Oklahoma at
insidearchery.com/archerytraditions

26 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA RETAIL GROWTH INSIGHT

Expertise is Not Enough

BY KURT SMITH, COURTESY OF THE ATA

A re you an archery expert? If so, I’ve they ll find solutions to problems, you onsumers can find “experts” online
got some bad news: Customers won’t must deliver that message in your mar- who spout facts and opinions. hat they
keting and advertising. But before you get can t find online is someone who listens

come to your store seeking an expert. They’re there, you must know your customers to them and offers personali ed solu-

looking for a problem solver. In the information needs and problems. o they not know tions. ocus on your customers and let
where to get started in archery o they them ask for your expert opinion. on t

age, it’s not hard to find experts on Facebook need more confidence in their setup Or force it on them.

or YouTube willing to share all their knowledge. do they simply want to sociali e with a Be the Guide: hen customers enter
community of like-minded your store and ask ques-

lthough some of them are self- people ven if a customer tions, they ve likely already

proclaimed experts, others are profes- is looking to buy products, typed their questions into

sional archers who make their living those purchases are fulfilling the oogle search window a

putting arrows into the -ring. Therefore, another need or desire. few times and found count-

when customers enter your store, do you Keep Asking Questions: less answers. hat all those

really think it s because they couldn t lthough you should have a good idea online experts couldn t do was guide

find anyone with your knowledge ot of what your customers need from your them through the process of solving

likely. hat they can t find online, how- business, keep asking questions when their problems.

ever, is someone to solve their problems interacting with them. on t assume That s where you have enormous

or fulfill their needs. every bowhunter walking in your door opportunities to set your business apart

o, how do you capitali e on those or visiting your website wants to be at from the rest. These situations are much

opportunities and position your busi- your level. our expertise could intimidate like mentoring and guiding. Imagine a

ness as a problem solver an inexperienced archer. hunting guide who spends hours shar-

Deliver the Message: If you want ommunicating with customers is the ing ideas and tactics, but come sunrise

customers to visit your shop knowing key to learning their needs and goals. tells you it s your decision where to hunt.

eanwhile, another guide shares that

information, but also loads you onto an

T and drives you to a prime stand or

blind. hich guide would you prefer

rchery has few hard truths. any

expert archers have decades of expe-

rience, and they do things their way.

ikewise, you might consider your shop

the experts, but several others are likely

making the same claim. Being an expert

is simply not enough anymore. o,

instead of focusing on what you have—

experience and expertise—focus on

what you do elp customers succeed

and have more fun in archery

If you d like help marketing your

business or better serving your customers,

we would love to help. lease contact me

directly at kurtsmith archerytrade.org,

or check out the y T ember login

to study our directory of y T ervice

roviders who can help meet your

needs

28 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS

BGeaastr-hDeuardbiAnrcahseArgyeNnacmy eosf Record entire design team is made up of robotic
engineers—they understand how to think
Bast-Durbin Advertising has been named as outside the box. Equally important, they
the agency of record for Gearhead Archery. are people who stand behind their prod-
Bast-Durbin’s primary goal will be to in- uct. They are hunters. They are a close-knit
crease awareness and market share of team where owners are deeply involved in
Gearhead’s impressive lineup of bows, all aspects of the design and manufacturing
including the 2019 B-Series. Bast-Durbin process.” | LEARN MORE AT GEARHEADARCHERY.COM.
Advertising’s partnership with Gearhead
will bring greater awareness to the brand ADSpSeoAltnaPsrMoorc/sKAhemipnzToioefutArhnaennModucSnK3ceDenAszie
and its products, in an effort to increase
sales and lend support for their dealer base. Delta McKenzie and ASA have announced
the lineup of targets for the 2019 tourna-
“We purposely look to take on new clients ment season, which include the tapir
whose products have merit and the own- and howling wolf. ASA is proud to feature
ers of the company are good people,” said McKenzie Targets, and the organization
Dan Durbin, an owner of Bast-Durbin has chosen them as the exclusive and
Advertising. “This is a company whose official - targets for the c en ie
Pro/Am Tour.
“We are pleased that Delta McKenzie has
Delta McKenzie also recently announced reali ed the importance of in ensuring
a $10,000 sponsorship and discount pro- the future of the sport of archery for gen-
gram in support of cholastic - rchery erations to come,” said Jennie Richardson,

. In addition, elta will provide sev- xecutive irector. “The sponsor dol-
eral very attractive discount programs for lars and discount program will allow us to
pass savings down to our state chapters,
members and new clubs to help clubs and teams, so they can grow at the
affiliates kick-start their archery ranges. local level.” | LEARN MORE AT DMTARGETS.COM.

Secretary Bernhardt Announces $10.7 Million for Big Game Migration Corridors GSM Acquires Birchwood-Casey

U.S. Secretary of the Interior, David Bernhardt, an- competitive grant program. This new public- GSM Outdoors announced the recent ac-
nounced the award of $2.1 million in grants to state private partnership was created to enhance and quisition of Birchwood-Casey. This acquisi-
and local partners in Colorado, Montana, Nevada, improve habitats on winter ranges, stopover tion fills a niche in the company s portfolio
Utah, Washington and Wyoming for habitat areas and migration corridors used by big game of premium hunting and shooting sport
conservation activities in migration corridors and species, both on federal lands and private lands brands. Birchwood-Casey manufactures
winter range for elk, mule deer and pronghorns. with owners who volunteer to participate in gun-care products and targets for train-
conser ation efforts. | LEARN MORE AT ing, recreation and competition, including
e’re thrilled to ha e effecti ely le eraged N .OR ESTERNM RAT ONS. conventional paper bull’s-eye, silhouette,
limited grant funding to accomplish meaningful reactive steel, photo-realistic wild game
conservation for wildlife,” said Secretary Bernhardt. and Shoot•N•C high-visibility targets.
“Working in a collaborative and cooperative fash-
ion with states, landowners, tribes and partners “Few brands in the hunting and
who are committed to actual on-the-ground shooting industry enjoy such long-lived
habitat conservation projects is the best approach success and respected reputation as
to support a wide variety of voluntary habitat does Birchwood-Casey,” said Eddie Castro,
conservation activities.”

The grants are expected to leverage more
than $8.6 million in matching contributions from
public-private partnerships, generating a total
conservation impact of more than $10.7 million.
The goal is to improve the habitat conditions in big
game migration corridors and winter range areas.

The grants represent the rst round of awards
from the “Improving Habitat Quality in Western
Big Game Winter Range and Migration Corridors”

30 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

The Pope and Young Club Launches Online Big Game Records Search

The Pope and Young Club announced the launch record book entries and millions of data points. It will
of the ig ame Records Search. or the rst time, be a valuable research and scouting tool available at
anyone can access the Pope and Young records data your ngertips.”
on North American big game species online with a
free or paid option. The free option features a basic EE T OR YOURSE ON NE
search function with access to the listings by species AT O E YOUN .T ER .COM
and hunter’s name. The full subscription is available
CEO of GSM Outdoors. “[Birchwood-Casey’s] for per year, and it offers speci c details about
deserved recognition and reputation aligns the animal’s score, state and county har est location.
perfectly with our existing brand line-up, All proceeds go to the Club’s Conser ation, Education
making Birchwood-Casey a most welcomed and Outreach fund established to promote the con-
addition to the GSM family of brands.” | servation of habitat and wildlife in North America. The
LEARN MORE AT GSMOUTDOORS.COM. Trophy atabase can be found on the top le side of
the Pope and Young Club website.
ES3xpDaAnNdosritnhtChaeroWliensat
North Carolina Scholastic Archery Association “I am very excited about
the new Pope and
held their first ever - regional in the west- Young Club Big Game
Records Search,”
ern part of the state with a tournament in said Ed anchin,
records chair for the
ayesville, orth arolina. 0 archers Pope and Young
Club. “Users will be
competed for the top spot in their division able to search the
entire Records Program
database of o er ,

and class.

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 31

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS

S3DA Team PCA Thunderbirds coach, Chris offered as part of 4-H or the National Archery
Poston, had this to say: “I have been involved in Schools Program. S3DA addresses the
in the S3DA program since its inception here need for a program to bridge beginning tar-
in orth arolina. ast year was the first year get archery experience and more advanced
that we started having regional qualifiers activities such as 3-D shooting and bow-
and comparing this year to last year, and the hunting, and it operates across the United
growth has been outstanding. This S3DA event tates with hundreds of certified coaches
at Mountain Grace was the best that I have at-
tended so far.”

S3DA has grown exponentially as a next-
step program to follow introductory programs

Conquest Archery Joins USA Archery’s Partner Family

USA Archery welcomed Conquest Archery to its part- Conquest logo on their jerseys.
ner family. As USA Archery’s newest Official Sponsor, “We are grateful for the support of Conquest
Conquest Archery’s support is focused on the USAT
and Developmental teams. Conquest has demon- Archery,” said Rod Menzer, CEO of USA Archery.
strated its support of USA Archery athletes through “They provide high quality products that help our
the company’s pro-staff, and it can now extend top athletes continue to podium on the world
support to all USAT athletes. Conquest is offering a stage, and their generosity will propel the next
generous discount to all members of the USAT teams, generation of high performing athletes to reach
and popular athletes may now be caught sporting the those heights.” | LEARN MORE AT
CONQUESTARCHERY.COM.

32 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

serving thousands of young archers. | LEARN and the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor bowhunting, promote fair-chase, and in-
MORE AT S3DA.ORG. Writers (AGLOW) to raise awareness about crease engagement with North American
the importance of proper treestand safety conservation efforts. The Pope and Young
STrEeOePsAtaannddSAaGfLeOtyWCMomedpiaetMiteiomnbfeorrs through professional media outlets. Club has given over one million dollars to
conservation programs across the nation.
According to the Treestand Safety Awareness HSS will award the top-three published
Foundation (TSSA), there are about 4,000 or aired treestand-safety stories in 2019: “Vanguard is proud to be part of (Dr. Saxton
emergency room visits per year due to Pope and Arthur Young’s) legacy through our
treestand falls. The goal for Hunter Safety 00 for first, 2 0 for second and 100 partnership with World Archery, supporting
System and other members of TSSA is zero for third. This contest runs through 2019 tournament archers, and partnering with
fatalities from treestand accidents. until December 31st. Published or aired Pope and Young to protect and promote
stories can be submitted to Karen Lutto at ethical bowhunting,” said Harold Jankowiak,
For the second year, Hunter Safety System [email protected] by midnight January Vanguard’s Sr. Marketing Manager. | LEARN
(HSS) is asking active members of the South- 1, 2020, and winners will be notified via MORE AT VANGUARDWORLD.COM.
eastern Outdoor Press Association (SEOPA) email in February 2020. Any active SEOPA
or AGLOW media member can submit their
published or aired work. | LEARN MORE AT
HSSVEST.COM.

Vanguard Stands Up For Bowhunting

The Pope and Young Club announced its
support of Vanguard Outdoors through the
Club’s Corporate Partner Program. This
program allows manufacturers to partner
with the club to help protect and defend

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 33

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA ACTION

Boost Your Business by Increasing Website Responses

BY CASSIE SCOTT

I s your website e ective conversion rates to boost business. whether you’re meeting your sales goals.
You’re not alone if you answered, “Conversions are important to a busi- You can apply the same process to mea-
“I don t know” or “I think so.” lthough
T members know it s important to have ness,” Graves said. “It’s a number you sure all your website goals. Determine
an online presence, such as a website, can measure that directly relates to your what you want your website to do, and
not everyone knows how to measure its return on investment. Conversions help study the conversation rate for your goal
effectiveness. identify what works for your business, to evaluate its effectiveness.
That s where website conversions come and what helps you reach your goals
in. Conversions occur when website visi- more efficiently.” ow do you find and track conver-
tors complete a desired action, such as sions se oogle nalytics, a free ser-
buying products, clicking links, filling out If your goal is to advertise and sell a vice that reveals how visitors find and
forms, or signing up for classes or newslet- specific product, and 20 people buy it on- use your website. It’s simple to learn
ters. The conversion rate is the percentage line, you received 20 conversions. se that and use, and its features can help you
of website visitors who “convert.” number as a comparison when advertis-
We spoke with Nick Graves, market- ing and selling Continued on Page 36
ing manager at Prophase Marketing, to another product.
learn why web conversions matter, and Over time, your
how T members can improve their conversion rate
reveals how ef-
fectively you sell
products and

2 PHOTO © UNSPLASH

1 PHOTO © UNSPLASH

1. Get more customers to buy, click and sign up through your website 3 PHOTO © ATA
2. Make sure your social media accounts project the same theme as your website.

3. Speak with your ATA service providers for further assistance.

UNITING THE INDUSTRY ARCHERY TRADE ASSOCIATION
archerytrade.org

34 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 35

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA ACTION

Continued from Page 34 drive traffic to your website and increase 2. Make the Conversion Easy
conversions. If you want customers to sign up for your
improve your website and learn about newsletter or take other actions, Graves said
your customers. “Social-media platforms help funnel you must make it simple. A complicated
traffic to your end goal a conversion,” process with several steps prevents follow-
Also consider these tips to convert more Graves said. “With the right marketing throughs. tick to essential form fields, such
visitors. effort, traffic driven to your website from as the customer’s name and email address,
social-media platforms greatly increases when creating a newsletter sign-up form.
1. Use Social Media the likelihood of [customers] converting hort forms and simplified buying processes
Online platforms should complement each on a product or service.” make conversions easy, and show custom-
other. Use your social-media accounts to ers you respect their time and privacy.

3. Cut the Jargon
When writing headlines, product descrip-
tions or anything else on your website,
you must be clear and concise. A
ConversionXL.com article states: “Clarity
trumps persuasion, always.” If customers
read something on your website and don’t
understand it, they’ll move on.

eople also overlook flowery language
and long, wordy text blocks. However, if
you use words your customers know and
understand, they’ll connect comfortably
with your brand, which increases trust
and conversions.

4. Make Your Site Mobile Friendly
According to Stone Temple, 63 percent of
consumers primarily used their cell phone
to find businesses and products in 201 .
In contrast, percent used a computer.
Your website must be mobile friendly to
reach those consumers online. Make the
switch to increase conversions from your
mobile-centric customers.

More Information

To learn more ways to improve your web-
site’s conversion rate, read Entrepreneur’s
article “39 Quick Ways to Increase Your
Website’s Conversion Rate.”

For more hands-on help, work with
an ATA-member service provider. Two of
the ATA’s website-development compa-
nies, Frontier Media Labs and Prophase
Marketing, are ready to serve you. Log in to
your “MyATA Login” account to learn more.

Not sure where to start? Contact Nicole
Nash, ATA’s range and retail programs
manager, at [email protected]
or 66 266-2 6, ext. 116. he can assess
the effectiveness of your online presence,
and recommend ways to further grow and

improve it.

36 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

THE INSIDE ARCHERY APP
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PEOPLE

PowerTheofParticipation
Archery Industry Members Participating in the Sport

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO: Visit insidearchery.com/pop or mail a color image with your name,
address, where the animal was taken, and archery gear used—both manufacturer and model—
to Inside Archery Power of Participation, P.O. Box 25007, Colorado Springs, CO 80936.

Stan Chiras • Tennessee Whitetail Zach Henderson • Wyoming Elk

Musacchia roadhead C, ro Staff GSM Outdoors, Director of Sales

Bow: Mathews TRIAX Camo: SITKA Gear

Bow: Mathews Drenalin Sight: IQ Release: TRU-FIRE Arrow: Easton Other: Vortex Optics, Crispi Boots

Arrow: Gold Tip Rest: Whisker Stabilizer: TRUGLO Broadhead: NAP Killzone

Broadhead: Musacchia Biscuit Treestand: Millenium

38 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

Rich Romero • Indiana Coyote Jack Borcherding • Nebraska Mule Deer

Ten oint, ro Staff Bear Archery, Marketing Manager

Crossbow: TenPoint Stealth NXT Bow: Bear Divergent Rest: Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit
Arrow: TenPoint EVO-X CenterPunch
Broadhead: Rage Xtreme Broadhead: SIK F4 Stabilizer: Trophy Ridge Hitman 10-inch

Sight: Trophy Ridge React Alpha Quiver: Trophy Ridge

Joe Jacks • Texas Turkey Sara Lamson • Idaho Black Bear

Tight Spot Quivers, President Lakewood Products, Sales and Marketing Manager

Bow: Bowtech Realm SR6 Sight: Black Gold Ascent Verdict Bow: Hoyt Charger Sight: HHA King Pin
Arrow: Gold Tip Kinetic Pierce Rest: Ripcord LOK
Broadhead: Grim Reaper Whitetail Special Quiver: TightSpot Rise Arrow: Easton Axis Rest: Ripcord ACE Micro

Broadhead: Muzzy Trocar Release: Carter 1st Choice

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 39

40 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

a long way in the archery industry. Truly innovative 41

products—and the companies that pioneered them—leave

lasting impressions on entire generations of bowhunters.

Wasp Archery Products can trace its good reputation all
the way back to 1972, when the company was established.
For 47 years now, Wasp has remained on the cutting-edge of
broadhead design. The company has helped countless bow-
hunters take down countless animals with its high-quality,
accurate and hard-hitting broadheads.

A good reputation is a double-edged sword, though. A suc-
cessful and long-standing company can fall from grace if it
fails to live up to what consumers have come to expect over
the years. Companies must remain vigilant and adaptive in
order to change with the times.

Wasp has managed to do exactly that. This family-owned,
historical company has evolved with bowhunting technol-
ogy over the past few decades, and Wasp’s current offerings
are proof that the company will continue to build upon its
good reputation for many more decades to come.

Living up to the Legacy

The late founder of Wasp, Richard Maleski, deserves a solid
position in the “Bowhunting Hall of Fame” for his incred-
ible contributions to broadhead technology throughout the
second half of the 20th century. Born in 1937, Maleski started
bowhunting many years before the invention of the com-
pound bow. But by the time this revolutionary new piece of
equipment was hitting the market, Maleski had grown dis-
satisfied with the flimsy broadheads of the time and devel-
oped his own more effective solution.

Maleski’s solution was arguably the most accurate broad-
head of its generation. ore notably, it was the very first
broadhead on the market with replaceable blades. This in-
novation alone put Wasp on the map, and Maleski contin-
ued to improve on his designs and bring powerful new in-
novations to the market in the following decades.

Richard Maleski unfortunately passed away at age 72
in 2009, but his memory and the company he dedicated
his life to live on. Wasp’s current owners, Guy and Micki

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM

Weaver, purchased the company in 2010. Zach and Matt, and their daughter-in-law, Sarah.
Although the Weavers made their liveli- After the purchase, Zach Weaver was tasked with
hood in the construction business, the Wasp’s product engineering and new prod-
family knew all about Wasp’s excep- uct development, and he fondly recalls
tional products and long legacy. the family’s decision to buy the well-
Today, Guy and Micki operate Wasp known brand.
in tandem with their construction com- “It started out as just one of those
pany, thanks to help from their sons, casual conversations you
have at home one evening,”
Gregg Ritz, host of the show “Gregg he said. “We knew Wasp was
Ritz Hunt Masters,” has been an going to be for sale through a
adamant supporter of Wasp good friend of ours. We already
for many years. Here dealt with manufacturing, and we
he examines the absolutely loved the products.
Dueler that After that family meeting, we
helped him decided to look into it. Even-
down this tually we toured the facil-
moose. ity, and we could tell

42 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

there was something special about it, so a bowhunter. In fact, he shot his first bow been looking for.”
we decided to go for it. It felt like every- in 1972—the same year Wasp was found- These days, Dougherty serves a key
thing just fell into place.” ed. Like the majority of bowhunters who
participated in the sport during the 70s, role in Wasp’s production control, cus-
The Weaver family also enlisted the 80s and 90s, Dougherty remembers how tomer service and new product devel-
help of one of their long-time friends, Wasp changed the game repeatedly with opment. This is a natural position for
Fred Dougherty, to assist them with their its advanced broadhead innovations. Dougherty with his combined experi-
new venture in the archery industry. ence in bowhunting and manufacturing.
Dougherty was wrapping up a long and “There weren’t many broadhead com- Dougherty also has a lot of history with
successful career with The Hershey Com- panies in those early days, but Wasp was the Weavers, which makes him a perfect
pany around the time the Weavers pur- at the top of the heap,” Dougherty said. fit for the company s family atmosphere.
chased Wasp. After starting with Hershey “I remember when Wasp came out with
in 1976, Dougherty spent almost 40 years the Stainless Smart Tip, which imme- “My job at Wasp is the result of two
with the company. With vast experi- diately became my go-to choice. It was different paths that converged,” Dough-
ence in various design, engineering and way tougher than anything else at the erty said. “I’ve known Guy Weaver since
plant-management roles, Dougherty had time, and its edges were aligned with I was about 14, and these days we’re still
a firm grasp on the intricacies of manu- the blades for amazing penetration. I always hunting and fishing together. y
facturing and product development. thought it was absolutely revolution- background in mechanical engineering
ary. It was exactly what bowhunters had translates directly into broadhead design
Dougherty also had vast experience as

I LEFT: Wasp has a broadhead to suit every need, and each of the company’s models are held to the same 43
incredibly high standard of quality.
I TOP RIGHT: Wasp’s SharpShooter broadhead embodies all the company’s key product characteristics. As the name
implies, it’s incredibly sharp and accurate, and it also utilizes hardened stainless steel to stand up to tough use.
I BOTTOM RIGHT: The HAVALON HV is one of Wasp’s most recent innovations. It combines the accuracy and durability
of other Wasp heads with surgically sharp blades from the knife experts at Havalon.

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM

and production, and because of the manage- family used them. We rebranded the company a
ment positions I had with Hershey, I also little to give it a more modern appearance, and
learned a lot about things like retail sales we introduced some new products to the mar-
and advertising. I’m really happy to be a part ket, but we also put a tremendous amount of ef-
of this small family operation. I may not be fort into maintaining the quality that Wasp is
part of the family, but it sure feels like I am.” known for.”
Together, Wasp’s current leadership team has
reinvigorated this legendary brand. For the last Standing Out from the Crowd
9 years, the company has continued to deliver
the excellent products that bowhunters have Wasp has succeeded for nearly 50 years by deliv-
come to expect from Wasp. The Weavers—and ering advanced, accurate and dependable broad-
Wasp’s other team members—wouldn’t have it heads. Today’s broadhead market has a lot more
any other way. players than there were in Wasp’s early days,
“It’s really important for us to carry on the but the company is still distinguishing itself by
legacy and reputation of Wasp,” Micki Weaver following its original formula for success.
said. “We knew the products well because my
A key factor behind Wasp’s consistency is
the company’s manufacturing and assembly
facility, which has been located in Plymouth,

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM:
I Zach Weaver employed a Wasp Drone when he
tagged this white-tailed buck in New York.
I Wasp pro-staffer Alli Armstrong (right) used
a Wasp Dart to harvest this Colorado elk.
I Matt Weaver is another key part is this family owned
and operated business. A Wasp Jak Hammer helped him
seal the deal on this mule deer hunt in New Mexico.
I Jennifer and Matt Prudenz are very dedicated
members of Wasp’s pro-staff. That’s probably because
Wasp’s products help them have fun and successful
days in the woods, like the turkey hunt seen here.
I Zach Weaver oversees Wasp’s product engineering
and new product development, and he uses time in the
field to get a better feel for the company’s products.
Zach utilized the company’s Drone broadhead to take
down this Alaskan moose.

44 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

Connecticut, since the early 80s—when metal or compressed metal, so we hold Fred Dougherty also highlighted some
Richard Maleski was still perfecting his tolerances a lot better. We even use the of the specific advantages that came
original designs. same custom machines that Richard with Wasp’s time-honored facility, es-
developed for the Stainless Smart Tip, pecially when it comes to the company’s
“One of the main things that sets us which is still a game changer. All in all, renowned SST.
apart from other brands is how we man- it was a seamless transition. We kept
ufacture,” Zach Weaver said. “We use the employees who were still working “Richard was brilliant—make no
older machinery—the same machinery there. They know all those little tricks mistake about it,” Dougherty said. “The
that Richard used—but it’s still very ac- that Richard taught them over the custom machines and concepts that he
curate and reliable. We also machine years, and they have in- came up with in that shop—which re-
solid materials. There’s no powdered credible attention to sulted in the Stainless Smart Tip—still
detail.” hold up in today’s market. Even with

modern technology, no one has
been able to replicate it. I’ve gone
to the finest machine shops that

I know of, and I told
them to try to recreate

this tip, and

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 45

they can’t do it. Everyone can make and shipped from our facility, which quickly, so we want to make sure that
a trocar tip. It’s a no-brainer, really. allows us to closely inspect everything our broadheads remain extremely du-
But no one has been able to make one that goes out the door.” rable and accurate with higher speeds
that’s as durable and sharp as ours.” and increased kinetic energy. We also
Wasp also couples its tried-and-true go through a lot of testing procedures
The continued use of this facility manufacturing techniques with mod- to make sure our ideas work the way
also represents Wasp’s commitment ern product design and truly innova- we expected. We shoot new designs
to American manufacturing. tive thinking. through paper, hide, bone, ballistic jel-
ly and a multitude of the other medi-
“We manufacture as much as pos- “We listen to what the industry and ums to check the specs and durability,
sible in house,” Zach Weaver said. “We our customers are telling us about the and to make sure they fly correctly.”
make most of the ferrules in house, things they want to see,” Zach Weaver
and we make all of the tips in house. explained. “We are also trying to stay a Simply put, Wasp has continued to
We don’t have a big enough facility to step ahead of today’s high-speed bows ensure that its products are one of the
manufacture blades, so we outsource and crossbows. If they’re shooting at top choices—if not the top choice—for
those from local machine shops, but 400 fps, we are designing for 450 fps. serious bowhunters.
everything is assembled, packaged Broadheads can become obsolete very

46 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

I One of the “We would love to get back to being considered
main reasons behind the No. 1 broadhead in the industry,” Dougherty
the Weaver family’s decision said. “That’s a long and tough hill to climb, but we
to purchase Wasp Archery was that are seeing steady growth, and we are seeing peo-
the family used and trusted the ple connect with our message and our products.
company’s products. Sarah Weaver, Anytime I can have a conversation with someone
pictured here, serves a key role in face-to-face, or even over the phone, I can point out
the company’s current operations. things like the tip aligned with the blades, as well
Like most of the family, she’s an as the durability and quality, and I can win over 90
avid user of Wasp’s broadheads, percent of people who actually understand it. Some
and she’s also passing on the fam- hunters don’t care and are willing to shoot what-
ily tradition to her son, Logan. ever, but the hardcore hunters know that everyone
is going to make a mistake. Everyone is going to
JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM hit a shoulder one day, or smack into the ribs of a
moose or big African animal. When they make that
mistake, they’re going to need the toughest broad-
head that money can buy, and that’s what we make.”

The Next Big Thing

Wasp has clearly done a lot to secure its good repu-
tation, and the company has no intention of slowing
down any time soon. Just look at the company’s latest
model, the HAVALON HV.

Making a sharp blade is a science—
even though it may not seem like it
to the uninitiated. Making an accurate
and durable broadhead is also a science.
That’s why Wasp teamed up with the knife
experts at Havalon to create a broadhead that
embodies the best of both worlds.
This fixed, three-blade head features the field-point
accuracy and incredible durability that Wasp is re-
nowned for, and it also includes .035-inch thick stain-
less steel blades with surgically sharp edges that com-
bine for a 1 3/16-inch cutting diameter. The result is a
truly devastating broadhead, and for the Wasp team,
this collaboration was as natural as it was smart.
“The HAVALON HV is an amazing concept that came
to fruition,” Zach Weaver said. “As a broadhead com-
pany, we are always looking for blade manufacturers
that can make a sharper blade. Eventually we got the
idea to work with a knife company, and Havalon was
ust the perfect fit. They have the sharpest knives out
there in our opinion, so we reached out to them about
2 years ago and started working on this project.
“It ended up being a really fun collaboration to work
on,” he continued. “We had a lot of back and forth with
avalon to make sure that we were both satisfied. e
made it a fixed-blade head because we really wanted
the blade to be the star of the show. We also upgraded

47

our ferrule with aero-
space-grade aluminum.
The blades use Havalon’s
proprietary materials, so
it’s basically like we put their
knives on one of our broadheads. Between the
sharpness of the blades and toughness of our tip—
along with the quality of the materials we use—I
don’t think there’s a better broadhead out there.”

Backed by Quality Service

Another key factor of Wasp’s success is the com-
pany’s dedication to personal and effective cus-
tomer service. As a family owned and operated
business, this is another aspect of Wasp that sim-
ply feels natural.

“Family and friends are the backbone of our op-
eration,” Zach Weaver said. “We are a very tight-
knit family. We do a lot together, and we very
rarely make a decision without talking it over
with everyone else. The close friends and em-
ployees who help us out, like Fred, also become
part of the family, and it even extends to the way
we treat our customers and dealers. We chal-
lenge our sales reps to seek out and visit
the small shops, and to assist them
however they can with things
like community events. We
are family through and
through, and our ap-
proach is very much

48 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019

based at the grassroots.” I TOP: Wasp is determined to keep up with
Dedication to the sport and help- the incredible speed and energy of today’s
high-performance bows and crossbows. The
ing hunters succeed are also im- company’s Jak-X and Crossbow Boss, seen
portant facets of the daily opera- here, were precisely designed to remain ac-
tions and customer service efforts curate at high speeds and stay intact upon
at Wasp. hard impacts.
I BOTTOM: Wasp’s facility in Plymouth,
“Passion for bowhunting plays Connecticut, has been the heart of the
a huge role—it’s what got us into company’s operations since the early 80s,
this in the first place,” ach eaver and it still serves a key role in the creation
said. “We want to hear stories from of Wasp’s high-quality broadheads. Some of
our customers that match our ex- the company’s proprietary techniques are
periences in the woods, and we a product of the custom machines housed
want them to feel confident using here, which were developed and perfected
our products when they’re after by Wasp’s founder, Richard Maleski.
the animal of a lifetime. Those sto-
ries, and hearing how excited they 49
are about what they accomplished
with our product, makes it all worth it for us.”

The team even takes the time to relate personal knowhow to
customers in need of advice.

“We try to go the extra mile whenever someone reaches out to
us for help,” red ougherty said. “ ach and I generally handle all
of the technical calls, and there s not much that can stump us.

e get calls on a daily basis where someone says, I shoot this
bow with this draw length—what broadhead should I use nd
I will always take the time to explain my opinion in a way they
understand. ometimes we ll go back and forth in an email chain
to trouble shoot their problem, and we do that because we ve been
in the sport for so many years and we understand it deeply. Cus-
tomers really appreciate that personal touch, and we get incredible
feedback about it all the time.”

Conclusion

asp s unprecedented longevity in the broadhead market is clearly
no fluke. The company has been redefining what a quality broad-
head is since day one, and asp hasn t broken its stride since.

It s safe to say that this trend will continue, and the industry
can certainly expect more big things from Wasp’s dedicated team.
This is how red ougherty summed up the company s big picture

“Wasp is a customer-service driven company that focuses en-
tirely on quality and the success of our customers,” he said. “ e
want them to take down whatever animal they re after, and we
want them to say, ow, this broadhead is incredible. I don t
think I would have got that animal with something cheaper. e
also love all those individual conversations because we want our
customers to know how much we care about quality, and that
we will never sell them unk. ome people think they want a
cheap and inferior broadhead, but we re not going to give that to
them. It s not fair to the customer—and more importantly—it s
not fair to the animal.”

JUNE 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM

MARKET TRENDS BOW REPORT

Martin Archery ANAX 3D
BY PATRICK MEITIN

w hen I started guiding big-game cation to perfection. These men wielded
hunters straight out of high school, the first “target” gi mos I d witnessed on

artin rchery bows dominated hunting bows, and they could effortlessly

the scene. y archery life before guid- assemble tighter groups at 0 yards than Martin Archery’s 2019 ANAX 3D is based on
long-riser/short-limb geometry, and it makes
ing was filled with bracket-limbed com- I could at 20. I remember a lot of artin use of advanced two-plane milling. These
approaches lend the bow excellent balance
pounds and traditional bows, but guid- ougar agnums. nyone who was any- and stability.

ing professionally revealed a new class of one was shooting a artin it seemed. each limb side for precise alignment and
secure anchoring. ombined, the Tri oc
archer corporate professionals willing to uring the past 0 years or so, ar- system creates more precise and reliable
limb alignment for greater accuracy and
pay handsomely for the promise of better tin has experienced its ups and downs, longevity.

hunting. They shot cutting-edge equip- including financial difficulties, the pass- Helix Cam System

ment that reflected a higher level of dedi- ing of the company s founder ale artin artin s elix am, which includes the
elix roove, is engineered to eliminate
201 and a devastating plant fire shortly cam lean and reduce serving wear on the
bowstring. It also provides balanced axle
after. But if there were any doubts about force to tame limb torque. eanwhile,
ual ync am Technology creates silky-
artin rchery s continued viability, smooth draw cycles, and it offers im-
pressively fast arrow speeds and a wide
those doubts ended with artin-shooter range of tuning options. rchers can even
“soften” or “harden” the rear wall to suit
Bob yler s resounding 201 win at The e- their preferences, and they have let-off
options from 6 to percent. The elix
gas hoot, arguably the biggest indoor tar- system has an -percent efficiency rat-
ing—which is about as high as any cam
get tournament around. yler beat seven system in the industry.
The large cam profiles makes it easy to
other perfect 00 scores by punching the break initial start-up inertia for a smooth-
er draw, and the overall draw cycle is but-
highest number of s. artin was back tery throughout—with only a soft bump
leading into full let-off. It makes an ideal
in a big way, led by new artin Outdoor cold-weather stand system, with no sur-
prises or muscle-wrenching draw-curve
management and driven by engineering spikes. The rotating module permits 6
inches of draw-length ad ustments.
perfection.

ast on the heels of artin s competi-

tion success, the company introduced

the 201 , a refined xxon with

The 2019 ANAX 3D uses the Helix Cam with Helix slightly more compact geometry and add-

Groove, a system that promises to eliminate cam ed ad ustments for more precise tuning.
lean, prevent serving wear and ensure a balanced The was designed as a - -target
load on the cam axles to eliminate torque. contender with crossover bowhunting

capabilities. This design offers precision

performance, but it s also welcomed in a

treestand.

The ANAX 3D has RRAP Balanced Bow New Tri Loc System
Technology riser weights/dampeners beneath
each limb pivot. Tri oc Technology is located in three ar-
eas of the limb-pocket limb axle assem-
bly, which lends ad ustability and preci-
sion limb alignment. The Tri oc xle ap
replaces standard C-clips at the axle ends
with set-screw-anchored sleeves. This
allows for calibrated cam-system clear-
ance adjustments to ensure minimal fric-
tion and maximum performance. The Tri
oc Roto up at the limb pivot point has
a setscrew to lock the rocker pin cradles
into the riser and precisely align the split
limbs. inally, the Tri oc imb ocket uses
a conventional limb bolt threaded through
a pivoting nut, and bolts are threaded into

50 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019