August 2019

www.insidearchery.com

®

AUGUST 2019





INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 7

People

38 Power of Participation
■ Tim Hostettler, America’s
Best Bowstrings
■ Todd Reich, Dead Center
Archery Products
■ Chris Parrish, Bear Archery
■ David Bloch, Outdoor Edge
■ Jordan Vater, OtterBox
■ Michel Lee, Lethal Products

40 Kinsey’s:
Branching Out, But Remaining

40 True to its Roots
By Daniel Allred

16 Market Trends
16 New & Notable
Archery products with
strong sales potential.

48 Crossbow Report
Mission SUB-1 XR
By Patrick Meitin

50 Treestands & Ground Blinds
for Every Bowhunter

Learn about today’s top treestand

38 and ground blind options
for all bowhunters.
By Patrick Meitin

48 60 Top Targets and
Target Faces

Stay up to date with the

best targets and target

faces in the industry.

By Inside Archery Staff

INSIDE ARCHERY (Volume 22, #7) 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 AUGUST 2019

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 5





INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 7

IInnsdiudsetrtyhe
12 Inside Track
Archers, Bowhunters Boost Nation’s
Conservation Efforts

20 Kinsey’s
Business
Blueprint
22
8 Accounting Best Practices

66 22 Inside Retailing
Hunter’s Outlet Archery Center

By Daniel Allred

26 ATA Retail Growth Insight
What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You
By Kurt Smith / ATA

28 Industry News

Information that keeps you up

to speed on news, events and

people in the archery industry.

34 ATA Action
5 Habits of Successful Retailers
By Michaelean Pike / ATA

66 Industry 5Q
Five Questions on RAW Frozen Scents

60 with Elam Lapp Jr.

50 16
8 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 9

INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 7

insidearchery.com Online Exclusives

Bowhunting

Shooting Secrets – By Bill Krenz

Take advice from bowhunting legend Bill Krenz on
double-distance shooting to perfect your shot for
this upcoming hunting season.

Tournament Archery Popular 3-D Archery Tournaments
Industry
Products 3-D archery tournaments have been a popular
tradition among many archers. Learn about some
of the most popular tournaments and how you can
get involved.

Marketing Your Shop on Facebook

Facebook is an excellent platform for marketing
your shop. It has a multitude of tools that can help
your business thrive and reach new customers.
Learn some tips and basic practices to get started or
improve your approach.

2019 Hunting Bows

With hunting season kicking off, some customers
are seeking a new compound bow. Take a look at
this comprehensive guide on the latest and most
technologically advanced bows on the market.

WebXtras: In this issue: “Inside Retailing” examines success at Hunter’s Out-

let Archery Center; “Crossbow Report” tests the Mission Sub 1 XR; and “Industry 5Q”
examines RAW Frozen Scents.

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 AUGUST 2019



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE TRACK

Archers, Bowhunters Boost Nation’s Conservation Efforts
A s I pull up to my keyboard to write this installment of “Inside Track,” I can’t help
but picture our nation’s 3 million-plus bowhunters practicing in their backyards
and at nearby ranges, making sure they’re on target for the fast-approaching elk,
deer and pronghorn seasons.

Archers and bowhunters—whether they realize it or not—provide millions of dollars for

state and national wildlife-conservation programs. In addition to fees they pay for resi-

dent and nonresident hunting licenses and big-game

applications, bowhunters and nonhunting archers pay

millions in federal-excise taxes on bows, arrow shafts

and accessories that attach to bows and arrow shafts.

Or, more accurately, manufacturers pay all that FET

to the Internal Revenue Service each quarter after sell-

ing bows, arrows and accessories to bowhunters and

archers. Either way, the IRS collects and tracks how

much FET comes in from all those initial sales of bows,

arrow shafts and bow/arrow accessories.

uring the current fiscal year, which began ct. 1,

01 , the archery industry paid 1 .1 million in for the uarter ending ec. 1

10. million in the uarter ending arch 1 and 10.10 million in the uarter ending

une 0. hat s .0 million in so far this fiscal year.

hose totals differ little from the previous fiscal year, when the industry paid uar-

terly totals of 1 .1 million, 1 . million and . million, or . million at this

time in 01 . oughly speaking, sales of bows and accessories are up this year over a

year ago, but sales of arrow shafts are down.

or perspective, those totals are down from the archery industry s record year fiscal

year 01 but far above where we were 10 years ago. o review, our industry s recent

third- uarter totals were .0 million for 01 . million in 01 . 1 mil-

lion in 01 and . million in 00 . And if we continue the current year s sales

trends, the industry will kick in nearly million for conservation when the fourth

quarter ends Sept. 30.

Whether we view those FET numbers from the perspective of individual archers, bow-

hunters, retailers, manufacturers or the entire industry, one thing is clear: Archery is

a vital contributor to our nation s wildlife-management programs. rom 00 through

01 , the archery industry paid . million in a . million annual average

which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service then distributed to state wildlife agencies for

conservation initiatives.

hose are contributions we should memorize and share with our customers other

industry professionals and friends, family and fellow archers bowhunters who don t

realize the hard-earned value of healthy habitats and wildlife populations.

I don’t expect anyone to remember quarterly FET totals and recite them at cocktail

parties. But when folks marvel at our nation’s abundant elk, deer, bears, pronghorns

and waterfowl, we should tell them, “Yeah, and our industry helped make it happen.” At

an annual average of nearly million in alone, our industry pays about 1 million

each year for every state’s conservation programs.

Those are contributions no one should take for granted.

Sherry Krenz
Publisher

12 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 13

INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 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

Michaelean Pike | Kurt Smith

Associate Publisher

Stephen Mack • [email protected]

Art Director

Ed Rother • [email protected]

Associate Art Director

Tara Bondar • [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]

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

14 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 15

MARKET TRENDS NEW & NOTABLE

Bear Archery Divergent Browning Trail Cameras
Command Ops Pro
The iver ent offers amazin
performance in a short The Command Ops Pro, in Mossy Oak Obsession camo,
28-inch axle-to- delivers high-performance in a small package. It has
axle bow with 338 fps a crisp 14MP resolution and infrared LED Illumination
speed. he iver ent’s to ensure impressive quality day or night. This trail cam
compact platform and features fast 0.5-second trigger speeds, 720p HD video
hybrid cams give shootabil- with sound and a foot ash and detection ran e. t
ity a new meaning. It weighs a has a timelapse and camera mode, and it can take up to
mere 3.9 pounds and has a 75 four multi shot or rapid re ima es. t’s also compatible
percent let off. raw wei ht with rownin uck Watch imelapse iewer so ware.
options range from 45-60 ■ Learn more at browningtrailcameras.com.
pounds or 55-70 pounds, and
it has a draw length range of Vapor Trail Archery
25.5-30 inches. Other impres- Gen 7 Arrow Rest
sive features include the Bear
Cage Riser, which eliminates The en arrow rest uses apor
riser e and the in e uard, rail’s proven limb driven
which reduces lateral torque. technology combined with a
t’s also equipped with side-load, full-capture cage. This new
Max Preload Quad total-containment arrow rest features
Limbs for even load carbon-core technology for a stronger
distribution and the and lighter design. The standard model
weighs only 2.9 ounces, making it the light-
aro rip for precise est machined-aluminum rest in its class.
hand ttin . ■ Learn
more at beararchery.com. oyt and athews bow speci c models are
even lighter, weighing a mere 2.5 ounces. Installation
Bossman Outdoors is fast and simple, and ad ustments are rock solid. he en won’t
Hands-Free Grunter disappoint. ■ Learn more at vaportrailarchery.com.

The ands Free runter is the rst hands free Barnett Crossbows HyperGhost 425
or hands-on patented interactive deer call.
This device has precisely duplicated the The yper host has an updated stock with a step throu h riser, and it comes with three
natural communication of deer and has the abil- HyperFlite bolts with a .204-inch diameter. HyperFlite bolts were designed exclusively for the
ity to effectively call deer durin any season yper Series crossbows, and they deliver improved penetration. t also has a So Lok oatin
and in any circumstance. It includes four-in- bristle bolt retainer, anti-vibration technology limbs, TriggerTech Frictionless Release
one adjustable o-ring settings, versatile echnolo y with anti dry re mechanism, milled aluminum i ht track, four
tone range adjustment and inhale Picatinny rails, factory-installed string dampeners and more. It
activation. he ands Free runter will has an incredible 16 1/3-inch power stroke,
not freeze and features a quick pin body 206-pound draw weight and 425 fps
mount for hands-free use. ■ Learn speed. It includes a 1.5-5x32mm
more at bossmanoutdoors.com. illuminated scope, measures
36.25-by-20 3/8 inches and
weighs 7.7 pounds.
■ Learn more at
barnettcrossbows.com.

Continued on Page 18

16 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019



MARKET TRENDS NEW & NOTABLE

Continued from Page 16 Dead Center Archery
Carbon V2 Hunting Stabilizer
Victory Archery
VXT Target The Dead Silent Hunting Carbon v2 Stabilizer was engineered to deliver ultimate stabilization and
Arrows vibration dampening. It features a lightweight, rigid carbon rod and comes complete with two
1-ounce weights for a custom balanced feel. Dual O-Rings and stabilizer
The VXT has a front-parallel, silencers give the Carbon v2 the vibration-killing properties that hunters
rear-taper design for demand. The Carbon V2 is available in 6-, 8- and 10-inch lengths. It has
superior accuracy, high a variety of camo options and is 100 percent USA made.
FOC and faster arrow recovery ■ Learn more at deadcenterarchery.com.
in i ht. his micro diameter
arrow has a thinner, weaker tail BowJax
section for improved clearance Revelation Dampeners
and a thicker, stiffer front section
for increased FOC and improved Today’s cutting-edge split limb bows have a tremen-
down range accuracy. It has a high dous amount of stored energy that must transfer
modulus carbon construction with directly through the limbs. BowJax introduced the
a proprietary outer weave that new Revelation Dampeners with ultimate shock sup-
helps reduce torsional de ection pressing technology for high-speed split limb bows with
and improve spine uniformity. a 15/16-inch gap. These dampeners were made to harness
Each set comes weight matched massive amounts of energy. The Desert Khaki and Pebble
to +/- .5 grains for precise shot Stone Revelations colors add the perfect nish to match to
consistency. ■ Learn more at any modern day camo. ■ Learn more at bowjax.com.
victoryarchery.com.

Spot-Hogg MRT Pin Guard Arachnet Black Widow Security System

Spot-Hogg’s redesigned multi-pin guard features Multi-Ring Technology, ArachNet’s Black Widow Security
and it has housin available in , , and pin con urations. he and System keeps property and
5-pin come with small and large multi-ring options or one single ring. equipment stored in an
The 7-pin comes with one triple ring or one uncovered pickup bed or trailer safe
single ring. This versatile and bright from the . he product automati
ring ensures peep alignment, and cally detects tampering and sounds
the multi-ring options provide a 120-decibel spider-shaped alarm to
increased accuracy in varying light- attract attention and deter criminals.
ing situations. ■ Learn more at ArachNet includes a motion-detection
spot-hogg.com. security alarm, remote control and
elasticized spider-web netting. When
the vehicle is le unattended, it is
activated by remote control. It is easy
to install and set up with complete
reliability and constant security.
■ Learn more at arachnet.net.

18 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY BUSINESS BLUEPRINT Sponsored by

8 Accounting Best Practices
A s your business changes, it’s Kinsey’s is the leading distributor to the outdoors
important to keep an eye on best Reconcile Petty Cash Monthly and archery industry. Carrying items from your favor-
business practices. Understanding Having petty cash on hand is necessary ite brands, in-stock and ready-to-ship, the company
your business’ accounting processes and because there will always be random offers domestic and international retailers a wide
following these best business practices one-off needs that arise. However, keep- array of products and services. insey’s also owns in
can be extremely valuable to your orga- ing these transactions to a minimum novative consumer brands including BlackHeart, Fin-
nization during periods of transitions or is suggested. In addition to limiting the Finder, Elevation and October Mountain Products.
growth. Accounting functions are an area amount of petty cash on hand, it’s also
that owners hold onto the longest, and wise to reconcile the petty cash to the For more information, please visit KinseysInc.com
have the most trouble delegating when penny on a monthly basis.
they step away from the shop for a few Separate Tasks Involving Cash to as few areas as possible and have con-
days. Whether growth has demanded Employees closing the register drawer sistent review in place for these checks.
you to delegate these tasks or you want should be different from the individuals
to take an extended vacation or business depositing the money to the bank. This Require Receipts
trip, below are some best practices to allows for double checks and greater ac- Whether you have employees with credit
ensure your shop s financial matters are curacy. There will be discrepancies in the cards or you just work on a reimburse-
handled with care. cash drawer at times, therefore review- ment system, requiring receipts with all
ing the cash transactions in a timely transactions preserves accountability for
Know Your Margins manner allows for accurate information all purchases. This is a way to keep your
As a business owner or senior manag- to be documented. Another popular sug- expenses down and have good documen-
er, this is a crucial piece of information gestion is to keep your schedule rotating tation if research is needed at a later date.
to know about your business. By having when you take money to the bank, so Bill Approvals
an intimate understanding of your key that it does not become routine. It is wise to have all bills or inventory
categories—including cost of goods sold, Eliminate Blank Checks receipts approved by someone outside
payroll, and gross margin percentages— Finding alternate ways to pay for trans- of the employee paying the checks. This
you can more quickly identify when the actions is worth it, even if it takes some protects your cash flow and ensures that
trend gets interrupted. This is an area creative brainstorming. Some alternate the money going out equals the agreed
that has effects outside of accounting, payment suggestions are credit card or upon quotes. If this is not a step built into
and it can help you make sound busi- ACH, depending on how you are using your accounting processes, it can result
ness decisions across all facets of your checks. However, if there is no way you can in higher expenses, which eats at your
organization. eliminate blank checks altogether, limit it company s profitability.
Regular Vendor and Customer Reviews
Annually or biannually review your
vendor and customer lists to keep your
system up to date with active accounts.
It can even be suggested to Google search
or call accounts that are active to ensure
they are still legitimate.
Review Monthly Bank Statements
As an owner or senior manager, keeping
an eye on your monthly bank statements
is important, especially when you get fur-
ther away from day-to-day accounting
functions. taying in tune with the finan-
cial matters of your business will help you
make the most beneficial decisions.

20 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 21

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE RETAILING

The Historic Shop that Created TenPoint Continues to Thrive

Hunter’s Outlet about $971,000 in total sales. Services like Tim andegri , general manager of
labor, range time and leagues generated unter’s Outlet Archery Center.
Archery Center about $60,000 of that total.
Inside Archery: Do you work with the
Store rofi e Retailing Q & A TenPoint team regularly, or are you more
of a separate entity?
■ Headquarters: Mogadore, Ohio Inside Archery: You’re the oldest archery
shop in Ohio—how did it all start, and Tim Vandegrift: This store is its own en-
■ Owners: Rick Bednar, JoAnna Rolenz how has the business changed over the tity, but yes we still work with TenPoint
and Cindy Shaffer years? on a regular basis. This building actually
houses TenPoint’s warranty and custom-
■ General Manager: Tim Vandegrift Tim Vandegrift: It all started with my er service departments, so we are in close
aunt and uncle, Bill and Edith Bednar. One contact every day. That really makes us a
■ Store Facts: Originally called Portage year, Edith bought Bill a bow for Christ- wealth of information for people who are
Archery Center, the shop was founded mas, and he decided that he was going to curious about crossbows and TenPoint,
by Bill and Edith Bednar in 1963. Bill and get proficient with it. e ended up getting but I still have free rein over this side of
Edith’s children entered the business really good at it, and they decided to open the business. The TenPoint team might
in 1985, along with their nephew, Tim this shop—which was called Portage offer advice here and there, and we move
Vandegrift, who serves as the shop’s Archery Center back then—in 1963. Bill a lot of their inventory, but that’s about it.
general manager. The shop’s owners went on to become a national champion
went on to establish TenPoint Crossbow and Archery Hall of Fame member, and
Technologies, but Hunter’s Outlet has this shop was a successful business right
remained an archery pro-shop since up though the 80s, when they decided to
the beginning. The shop is housed in retire. Their son, Rick Bednar, took over
a 16,500-square-foot facility, and it’s in 1985, and that’s also the same year I
equipped with 10 indoor lanes that go started working here. Rick’s sisters, Cindy
out to 20 yards. and Joanna, also joined the business, and
that’s around when we started working
■ Staffing: The shop employs two full- with the British crossbow-maker Bernard
time and three part-time workers. Horton. We began manufacturing Horton
crossbows over here in the United States,
■ Bow Lines: Hoyt, PSE and Bear and we worked with Horton until 1993.
Then in 1994, we started our own compa-
■ Crossbow Lines: TenPoint, Wicked Ridge ny, TenPoint Crossbow Technologies. We
and Horton also changed the shop’s name to Hunter’s
Outlet Archery Center in 1994. So even
■ Arrow Lines: Easton, Victory, Gold Tip though this shop is part of TenPoint, it’s
and Carbon Express always been a full-service archery dealer.

■ Inside Numbers: In 2018, the shop made

The shop carries a wide selection of bowhunting gear. As part of TenPoint, unter’s Outlet has all the gear and
insight a crossbow hunter could ever need.

22 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019

Sponsored by

Plano Synergy

Participating retailers will receive $1,000 in products on our labor and enforce our rates. I feel Mike Carson, sales associate at Hunter’s Outlet,
generously donated by Plano Synergy. sorry for the guys who wait until the last helps a customer paper-tune their bow.
minute, but I don’t want to cut any brakes.
Inside Archery: Hunting season is kicking Minimizing scrap is another key to suc- We have three nights of leagues a week
off—what are some of your strategies to cess on repairs during the busy season. with 40 people in each one, and then we
make the most of it? run 120 kids through here on Saturdays, so
Inside Archery: How important is the we still have enough to keep us busy.
Tim Vandegrift: I actually do very little hunting season for your overall business?
advertising. I’m sure a lot of people would Inside Archery: Do you also rely on word-
say that advertising is the key, but the Tim Vandegrift: It’s what keeps us going. of-mouth advertising for those lessons and
main thing I rely on is just word of mouth. We do 70 percent of our business in 3 leagues?
We also do a bit of Facebook advertis- months, and that’s what drives us for the
ing from time to time, but my sales are rest of year. We still have a lot of leagues Tim Vandegrift: Yes, it’s strictly word of
mainly driven by references. We do a lot in the offseason, and we make good use of mouth. We started our youth program
of service work around this time of year, our indoor range, but that’s still a fraction about 1 years ago, and there were five
and I basically have one technician who of what we do in those 3 months. kids in that first class. he next year, we
does nothing but repair bows all day. The had 30, and it just skyrocketed from there.
strategy there is to keep a good time limit Inside Archery: Are you trying to grow We actually had to cut it off at 120 kids a
those offseason avenues more? day. I had to put that limitation on it so I
didn’t overwhelm my coaching staff, but
Tim Vandegrift: Oh yeah, but we already we could probably do double that. We also
run a lot of leagues. We try to have some- do a good job of advancing them over the
thing going on in our range every night of years. I have several shooters in my adult
the week during the winter, so we keep
ourselves busy. We could be busier, but we
are happy with what we have right now.

The shop relocated to its current location about 4 years ago. The shop regularly educates 120 young students on Saturdays.

The shop was founded in in 1963, and it’s located in Mogadore, Ohio. Hunter’s Outlet is housed in a 16,500-square-foot facility.

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 23

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE RETAILING

unter’s Outlet o ers a variety of leagues and lessons to stay busy in the o season. The shop is housed in the same building as TenPoint’s
warranty and customer service departments.

The shop generates about 70 percent of its leagues who shot as kids 10 years ago. you ever preach about the benefits of
revenue during the hunting season. Every year, more archers will trickle out of crossbows?
the kid league and into the adult league, so
Mike Carson works on a bow in the shop’s service area. both of them are ever-growing. It’s a pretty Tim Vandegrift: We do not push cross-
self-sustaining machine. bows on anybody. If someone comes in
and wants a compound bow, we don’t
Inside Archery: How much of your inven- even mention crossbows unless they do.
tory is dedicated to crossbows, and how We have plenty of business from cross-
has that changed over the years? bows, and we don’t need to push them at
all. We don’t introduce the kids to them
Tim Vandegrift: Crossbows are a big part either—again, unless they ask about it.
of our business. About 5 years ago, our in- Then we will show them how things
ventory was 60 percent compounds and 40 work, but nothing more than that really.
percent crossbows, and now it’s closer to
80 percent crossbows and 20 percent com- Inside Archery: What are the most valu-
pounds—so it’s made a big swing. Because able lessons that your many years in
of our relationship with TenPoint, we sell business have taught you?
a lot of their “demo bows,” which are the
crossbows we take to trade shows or other Tim Vandegrift: Run a clean shop. Have
events, so that helps drive my crossbow good customer service. And surround your-
sales a lot. I think we could delve into try- self with valuable employees. Those are
ing to increase our compound sales, but the tricks of the trade, and that last one is
crossbows have given us everything we probably the most important. Surrounding
need for the time being. yourself with good people makes the day
go by a whole lot faster. I hire people who
Inside Archery: Do you do a lot of service have the same approach to customer
work on crossbows? relations as I do, so I never really need
to explain myself to them. They have an
Tim Vandegrift: Since we are connected understanding of how things should be,
to the TenPoint warranty department, and I have great relationships with them.
everyone who walks in for crossbow ser- Most of my employees were also regular
vice gets taken care of there. We still have customers at some point, so that also
quite a few people who come in on a walk- makes it a natural click.
in basis, though, and sometimes they are
seeking general maintenance, not just WebXtra ■ Learn more about
repairs. During the busy season, there are
about five to ten people a day who walk Hunter’s Outlet Archery Center at
through my doors for crossbow service. insidearchery.com/huntersoutlet

Inside Archery: As crossbow experts, do

24 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 25

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA RETAIL GROWTH INSIGHT

What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

BY KURT SMITH, COURTESY OF THE ATA

I s your expertise holding you The Numbers - You’ve been in the the night before bow season’s opener.
back? game awhile so you know which cable Around p.m., a customer walked in with
to twist, which screw to turn, and which a vintage compound bow, complete with

hat might sound crazy, but too much tips help customers hit the 12-ring. But wooden riser, steel cables and stick-on

knowledge can burden business leaders, knowing all those things doesn’t ensure flipper rest. e said, “ haven t shot this

according to a recent article in the arvard you have a great handle on monthly in about 10 years, but I think I want to go

Business Review. Its author, Sydney operating expenses, average inventory out hunting tomorrow morning.”

Finkelstein, describes a decade-long study dollars, or break-even profit margins. My jaw dropped. My customer was

that cited two common problems of exper- You might know which products sell either unaware of ridicule he might face

tise overconfidence and complacency. best, but don’t assume you in the shop, or he didn’t care.

Deep knowledge in one area makes know which ones provide the Either way, we set him up as

some leaders believe they have it all most profit margin. Analyze best we could, with a gentle

figured out in other areas, too, which is your POS system, and make reminder that he should

usually not true. Likewise, leaders who its reports part of your daily, practice before heading out.

feel they ve reached their field s pinnacle weekly and monthly studies. Since then I’ve often won-

tend to lose motivation to keep learning. f you re not meeting sales or profit goals dered how many customers like him

What more can you learn after running in some areas, consult another archery- don’t visit a shop because they fear being

a business for years, or even decades? Can business owner and learn what works for insulted or ignored because their equip-

you still learn anything that gives real- them. You can do that by phone, email, ment or skills are subpar. ow would

world benefits to your archery business in person or online with forums like A A your business treat such customers Ask

Let’s look at some possibilities. Maybe Connect. yourself if you’re giving them the best

you ll find something beneficial. Customers Who Buy Elsewhere - experience possible. Customers might do

Whether it s Amazon or the shop down something you would never consider or

the road, it’s essential that you under- condone, but you must provide excellent

stand why customers buy goods or ser- service with a smile. hat doesn t mean

vices elsewhere. Don’t assume the lowest compromising your principles, but you

price is the answer. Most shoppers are could win over customers who can be-

price-motivated, but other factors spur come educated, dedicated archers for life.

buying decisions, including convenience, Your expertise is essential to your busi-

selection and overall customer service. ness. t inspires customers confidence

Ask yourself why you buy products on- that you can meet their needs and solve

line instead of in a store. Why do you their problems. But you can always im-

shop at a chain supermarket instead of prove some aspect of your business, learn

the local grocer? Learn why customers something new, and change things that

buy elsewhere, and you might find ways improve your bottom line. By maintain-

to compete with service instead of price. ing your sense of curiosity, especially

he way you seek that information mat- for understanding customer behaviors,

ters, so make it clear you’re seeking ways you’ll know when to change strategies

to improve your store’s performance, not and show customers you’ll adapt to bet-

start an argument or make customers ter serve them.

feel guilty. o communicate with other retailers

Customers Who Don’t Come In - You and learn how they stay ahead of the

can also learn much from customers learning curve, log into the yA A member

who don’t visit your store, especially dashboard, and then check out our retailer-

those needing your products and ser- only online community on A A onnect.

vices. As we head toward late summer, f your business has specific needs, con-

with hunting seasons underway or fast tact me at [email protected]

approaching, I recall working in a shop or 1 - 1 .

26 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS

JRNauembwmLiPneaerrtaMnnaedrrksSheuitmpinsmgwiAtitnOhnuoNtudonosecoerss LLC compounds are delivered at concentrat- quality brands with even higher-quality
ed levels, overloading the olfactory gland products. When it comes to professional-
Both Nose Jammer and Summit Out- found in an animal’s nose and helping grade, quality custom hunting blinds,
doors recently selected RubLine Market- hunters to remain concealed. the Shadow Hunter blind is unparalleled.
ing as agency of record to assist with For over two decades, Shadow Hunter
marketing and strategy. The Nose Jammer product line in- has focused on building blinds with the
cludes everything a hunter needs: sham-
Nose Jammer is de- most innovative features
signed to overwhelm poo, conditioner, body wash, field spray, on the market. In addition,
the sense of smell of big lotion, dryer sheets, bar soap, laundry Summit Outdoors, LLC of-
game animals and preda- detergent, deodorant and field wipes. fers one of the most com-
tors, such as elk, whitetail, pronghorn, Nose Jammer products are ideal for use fortable and advanced seat
hogs and coyotes. The formula contains in treestands, while spotting and stalk- cushion systems. With innovative silent
Vanillin and other natural aromatic ing, when hunting the wrong wind and fabric and cutting-edge GelCore technol-
compounds, including lignin, a major in any other adverse weather conditions. ogy, Hunt Comfort seat cushion systems
support structure for trees, grasses and live up to their name.
shrubs. These compounds don’t alarm Summit Outdoors, LLC has acquired RubLine Marketing is an industry-
game animals, but instead jam the olfac- leading marketing firm with deep
tory system. This happens when those roots in the outdoors. RubLine helps

Continued on Page 30

Mathews Shooters Win Big at IBO National Trip Crown Championships

Team Mathews dominated the third and final leg of the IBO National Triple remember,” Morgan said. “I’m so thankful for this sport and what God has
Crown, sweeping both Pro Male and Pro Female podiums in Bloomington, allowed me to do.”
Indiana.
In the Pro Female class, Mathews’ Sharon Wallace claimed first; Erin Mc-
Levi Morgan took two of the three legs of the tournament series to de- Gladdery took home second, and Emily McCarthy finished in third. McGlad-
fend his 2018 IBO National Triple Crown Champion title. Teammates Shane dery’s second-place finish was enough to secure the point leader position, mak-
Bragg and Andy Calloway finished strong in second and third. ing her the Women’s National Triple Crown Champion for 2019. | FOR MORE
INFORMATION, FOLLOW MATHEWS ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER.
“It was a weekend I’ll never forget and one of the very best I can

28 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019



Continued from Page 28 a3RnidveYrosuAnrgchPearrytnReernsheiwps Pope in its support for programs such as Kick-
ing Bear Camp For Kids, National Archery
businesses create and implement strate- in the Schools Program (NASP), Nation-
al Bowhunter Education Foundation
gies designed to achieve specific results The Pope and Young Club proudly an- (NBEF), Raised At Full Draw Bowhunting

for their clients. By combining modern nounced the continued support of 3Riv- Camps, and Scholastic 3-D Ar-
chery (S3DA).
marketing tactics with years of strategic ers Archery through the Club’s Corporate
“Continued support from
business development, RubLine great companies like 3Rivers
Archery allows the Pope and
Marketing offers something Young Club to have a larger
impact on our conservation
truly unique to its clients. and outreach efforts,” said Rick
Mowery, communications and market-
Whether they need brand iden- ing manager for the Pope and Young
Club. “As bowhunters themselves, 3Riv-
tity, public relations, SEO, digi- ers Archery has shown that they stand
with bowhunters and the Pope and
tal and social management, Young Club to help protect and defend
our shared bowhunting heritage and the
product launch campaigns, North American Model of Wildlife Con-
servation.” | LEARN MORE AT POPE-YOUNG.ORG.
creative planning, or graphic
2Si0gtnhaAlsnnHuuagleMSuuzczcyeCsslassic
design, RubLine Marketing brings an en- Partners Program, demonstrating 3Riv- he 01 uzzy Bowfishing lassic is of-
ficially in the books, marking the most
tire team in to achieve its clients’ goals. | ers’ strong commitment to wildlife con- successful turnout in the tournament’s
history. Competitors from across the
LEARN MORE AT RUBLINEMARKETINGCORP.COM. servation and the protection and defense country descended on Eddyville, Ken-
tucky. In total, a record-breaking 93
Outtech Team Adds CJ Staton of our bowhunting heritage and fair- boats hit the water, eager to launch ar-
chase ethics. rows during the July 12-14 event to help
reduce the area’s burgeoning population
The Outtech team, with over 65 indus- The Pope and Young Club’s Corporate of rough fish.

try specialists spread across multiple Partner Program gives manufacturers This year’s participants were on the
mark, shooting thousands of pounds of
divisions, continues to expand, and the opportunity to partner with the Club non-desirable fish species. All fish were
removed from the water and donated to
Outtech proudly announced the addi- to help protect and defend bowhunting, a local pet food processing facility. Over
1 ,000 pounds of rough fish were collect-
tion of CJ Staton, who will be working promote fair-chase hunting, and in- ed in the Big 20 category alone.

with accounts in South Carolina and crease engagement with North Ameri- After three days of blood, sweat and
tears, Team Mountain Men dominated
Georgia. can conservation efforts. The Pope and the field, taking home first place hon-
ors for both the Big 20 and Largest Silver
Staton joins Outtech with over 9 Young Club has given over one million Carp categories, with 519.35 pounds for
the Big 20 and 23 pounds for the Silver
years in the outdoor industry, having dollars to conservation programs across
arp. eam ock eep s . -pound fish
previously worked as a retail buyer North America. secured the top of the podium, while

for United Sporting “3Rivers Archery Continued on Page 32

Companies and Pal- is pleased to con-

metto State Armory. tinue our support of

During his tenure the Pope and Young

as a buyer, Staton Club,” said Johna-

managed 50+ mil- than Karch, vice

lion dollars in in- president of sales

ventory. Staton is and marketing for

also a veteran, hav- 3Rivers Archery.

ing served for over 5 “We love working

years in the United with organizations

States Army. like Pope and Young

Established in 1989, that strive to protect

Outtech Inc. is an bowhunting and

100 percent employ- promote our bow-

ee-owned company CJ Stanton hunting values. We
and is widely con- also really enjoy the

sidered one of the outdoor industry’s lead- camaraderie we experience when P&Y

ers in sales and marketing, maintaining members are together at events like the

a portfolio of brand leaders across hunt- Biennial Convention and Bowhunters

ing, camping, fishing, shooting sports and Rendezvous.”

outdoor lifestyle categories. | LEARN MORE AT The Pope and Young Club’s focus on

OUTTECH-ONLINE.COM. developing young bowhunters is evident

30 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019

31

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS

Continued from Page 30 his year s championship was held af-
ter the 01 utdoor arget ationals, so
Team G String grabbed the numbers pot all the kids were excited to get into the
with a mind-blowing 0 fish eanwhile, woods and out of the blazing sun. he 01
more than 0,000 in cash and prizes were event featured nearly 00 archers, all vy-
given out. ing for their chance to be crowned a a-
tional hampion. he archers hailed from
utdoor personalities im Wells, huck more than 1 clubs and teams from 1
Belmore, on ustice, elissa Bach- states, and participants and their fami-
man and atchin eers oined in the lies were able to also take part in some
weekend s festivities to interact and en- special events, such as the ope oung
tertain scores of participants, spectator-
guests and family members during the orth American Big ame hallenge, the
weekend s various other field games, meet A amily Whitetail hallenge and the
and greets, and activities. LEARN MORE AT
FERADYNE.COM/MUZZY-BOWFISHING. Whitetails nlimited ongshot hallenge.
any vendors, sponsors and partners
S3DA Hosts 3-D National Championship
were on hand to see the future of the out-
he cholastic door industry
Archery Asso- in action.
ciation contin- “ t was great
ued its mission to see the en-
to successfully ergy and fun
bridge the gap that the kids
between begin- displayed while
ning archery participating,”
programs and target archery by hosting the
th annual A - ational hampion- said ike yrell, president of the Archery
ship at the ermet ake tate onservation hooters Association. “A A is proud to play
Area in etropolis, llinois, on uly 11-1 . a small part in the growth of A, which is
having a tremendous impact on youth and

32 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019

their families through archery. We look ids n arget archery program. he ob- habitat, and hunting issues are complex,
forward to seeing its continued growth.” ective of the program is to get kids out- and hunters need Whitetails nlimited s
side to learn an en oyable sport, as well support in a big way.”
Easton Technical Products donated gift as life lessons about practice, persever-
certificates for a dozen aston uperdrive ance, safety and accomplishment. here “We are thrilled to continue working with
23 or Carbon One arrows, as well as Easton is no charge to individual participants ealtree, the world s leading designer of cam-
World up bow cases to the - ational ouflage,” said effrey chinkten, president of
or clubs for any part of the W ids n
hampions of each class and arget archery program. Whitetails nlimited. “After
division. “Whitetails Unlimited does a great job years, WTU continues to grow
in every category we measure.
A has already begun supporting hunter safety and outdoor But we are most proud of our
planning for a bigger and bet- educational programs, wildlife habitat Grassroots Program and the
ter 2020. | LEARN MORE AT S3DA.ORG. enhancement and ac uisition, and pre- grants we provide to local or-
serving the shooting sports and hunting ganizations that need funding
PRUaenralitlmntreietreesdainnRCdeomWnahsieintrevtaatiilosn tradition,” said Bill ordan, president of for pro ects that are directly
Realtree. “The truth is, the biological, related to the W mission. uring 01 ,
Realtree and Whitetails Unlimited an- W awarded 1, 1 grants totaling . mil-
nounced that they plan to continue their lion, and having sponsors from outstand-
long-term agreement to work together ing industry leaders like Realtree is really
as “ artners in onservation” to help exciting, because they can help us continue
ensure our whitetail hunting heritage, to expand our programs. We re looking for-
habitat and natural resources. ward to working together with Realtree and
forging a strong partnership.” LEARN MORE AT
As part of the agreement, ealtree is the REALTREE.COM.
title sponsor of Whitetails nlimited s

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA ACTION

5 Habits of Successful Retailers

BY MICHAELEAN PIKE

“ W e are what we continually do,” insights into their businesses, and helps can’t offer an archery range or events
wrote Will urant in “ he tory maximize profits. that re uire a range. etailers must ex-
of hilosophy.” “ xcellence, then, ploit Amazon’s weaknesses by promoting
You can manage your inventory with the heck out of their advantages. When
people want to know where they can
is not an act but a habit.” something as basic as Excel spread- rent equipment, shoot at archery ranges,
register for an “ ntro to Archery” course,
Habits are simply tasks we do regular- sheets, but many retailers find that good or learn where a pro can measure their
draw length, they won t contact Amazon.
ly and automatically without thinking point-of-sale systems pay off in time
elp them find your shop by advertising
much about them. ome habits are good and labor saved. Whatever system you your services and your events. Amazon
can t touch that.
and some bad, but the important thing choose, remember that the more prod-
Maintain Community Partnerships
to understand about habits is that they uct information you track, the more
avvy retailers establish partnerships
all begin consciously. Although habits data you have to make informed buying with state agencies, wildlife associations,
parks and recreation departments, and
have great control over our lives, we con- and pricing decisions. it mall Business even other local businesses. artnerships
increase a retailer’s visibility and foster
trol which tasks we perform regularly fitsmallbusiness.com offers a compre- goodwill within the community.

enough to make them habits. hensive review of retail inventory man- icole ash, A A manager of range
and retail programs, says retailers can
uccessful retailers understand that, agement best practices and product data partner with wide varieties of busi-
nesses. “ f you were promoting an event
and they intentionally instill habits that you should record. hose data include where food is involved, you might have
a restaurant or sandwich shop ca-
benefit their businesses. ere are five hab- costs, brands, suppliers, your internal , ter the event,” she said. t s a mutually
beneficial relationship. While you pro-
its archery retailers use to sustain success. regular and sale pricing, sales category mote your event, you’ll also promote
your restaurant partner. eanwhile, the
Manage Inventory Regularly or department, lead time for reordering, restaurant could mention your event on
on-hand inventory, and other important social media. hat helps you reach that
restaurant’s customer base in addition to
uccessful retailers know effective in- information. your own.

ventory management provides many eeping tabs on inventory gives you Stay Active Online

real-time information on products you oday s most successful retailers under-
stand that social media—and other online
have on hand, how quickly products sell, marketing like daily deals websites—
provide effective and budget-friendly
which products get returned the most, ways to reach and influence consumers.

and which items generate top profits. Continued on Page 36

hose insights help you decide when to

hold sales, establish reorder points, stay

on top of loss prevention, and make

informed buying decisions.

PHOTO © JOHN HEINZ Promote Leagues, Events and Services

Community events are a great You cannot compete with Amazon on
way to get your name out there. price, selection (except for dealer-only
brands , or even convenience. As a brick-
and-mortar store, you’ll always lose if
you try to match what Amazon does as a
digital retailer.

Retailers must focus instead on the
many things Amazon can t do. t can t
provide expert advice, informative
seminars, quality bow-service work,
or archery classes and leagues. t also

UNITING THE INDUSTRY ARCHERY TRADE ASSOCIATION
archerytrade.org

34 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 35

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA ACTION

Continued from Page 34 changes in retailing’s landscape.

If you need proof of social A big part of that is continual

media’s effectiveness, look no education. Smart retailers grab

further than MoonPie. The brand opportunities to learn every

has long been a favorite of chance they get.

baby boomers, but it struggled f you want your shop to find

to reach younger consumers. long-term success, use every

Instead of changing its prod- resource available. Attend the

uct (it’s not a brand positioned annual ATA Trade Show and

for innovation), it changed its visit the myATA area to learn

marketing. MoonPie’s hilarious about programs that benefit

tweets earned it 284,000 Twitter your shop. et certified to teach

followers and a 17% increase in Keep up with the demand of the market and adjust accordingly. PHOTO © ATA archery. Network with other

sales in 2017. retailers and learn which strat-

Social media platforms let egies work for their shops. Get
expert advice at the free ATA Seminar Series.
you target consumers by age, location and Stay Adaptable

interests, which means you’re putting Even businesses that do well in the short You should also visit the ATA’s mem-

your brand in front of people you wouldn’t term often struggle in the long run. That’s ber esource Website, where you ll find a

otherwise reach. If you’re new to social- because as the world evolves, formulas that wealth of free, downloadable documents

media marketing, the Small Business worked initially often lose their punch over to help you capitalize on new growth

Administration (sba.gov) offers a free online time. Successful retailers remain adapt- opportunities. If you need additional help,

course to help you get started. able, changing their business plan to reflect contact the ATA at (866) 266-2776.

36 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019



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.

Todd Reich • Illinois Whitetail Michael Lee • Ohio Whitetail

Dead Center Archery Products, President and Owner Lethal Products, VP of Marketing and Outdoors

Bow: Mathews TRIAX Rest: QAD Bow: Elite Ritual Rest: QAD Ultrarest MXT

Arrow: Gold Tip Velocity Valkyrie Release: T.R.U. Ball eXecute Arrow: Victory VForce Release: Scott Shark

Broadhead: G5 Montec Other: Dead Center Dead Broadhead: Slick Trick Raptor Trick Scent Control: Lethal

Sight: Axcel AccuTouch Level Hunter Stabilizers Sight: CBE SL4 Other: Hawke Optics, Redneck Blinds

38 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019

Tim Hostettler • Ohio Turkey Chris Parrish • Missouri Whitetail

America’s Best Bowstrings, National Sales Manager Bear Archery, Product Manager

Bow: Bear Kuma 30 Rest: Whisker Biscuit Sure Shot Pro

Bow: PSE X-Force Vendetta XL Release: T.R.U. Ball Pro Diamond Arrow: Gold Tip Kinetic Pierce Release: Fletcher

Broadhead: Swhacker Bowstring: America’s Best Broadhead: SIK SK2 Other: Trophy Ridge Hitman

Rest: ABB Rubix Bowstrings Platinum Sight: Trophy Ridge React Pro Sidebar Stabilizer

David Bloch • Kansas Whitetail Jordan Vater • Colorado Elk

Outdoor Edge, President OtterBox, Communications Manager

Bow: PSE Carbon Air Broadhead: Strickland’s Release: T.R.U. Ball Bow: Black Widow PSA Other: Zamberlan

Arrow: Lumenok Lumen-Arrow Archery Helix Other: Outdoor Edge Arrow: Carbon Express Heritage Boots, Vortex Optics,

Sight: Viper Archery Products Rest: Trophy Taker RazorMax Knife Broadhead: Magnus Sitka Gear

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 39

The story behind Kinsey’s is one of the most BranchingOut, But
inspirational in the archery industry, and it also
INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019
happens to be one of the most enduring.

The company’s founder, Vernon Kinsey, was a passionate archer in the in-
dustry’s early days, and he made his living as a craftsman in a shoe factory.
A tragic workplace injury in the late 1940s paralyzed Vernon below the waist,
changing his life and the life of his family abruptly. ow confined to a wheel-
chair, Vernon could no longer continue his career at the factory, and his other
options were extremely limited.

But Vernon decisively turned his misfortune into the start of something
amazing in 1949, when he and his wife, Helen, started repairing archery gear
and making arrows from their home in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania. Vernon’s
archery knowhow and can-do attitude—along with support from Helen—pro-
vided a clear recipe for success, and the couple incrementally grew their busi-
ness together year after year.

Their son, Jim Kinsey, joined the business in 1957, and he added his own
personal spin to his parents’ foundational idea. Over the years, Jim helped
transform the business from a local retailer into a national archery distribu-
tion company.

Fast-forward to today, and Kinsey’s is the premier archery distributor in
North America—perhaps even the world. The company provides products to
more than 4,500 retailers from coast to coast, and its extensive inventory in-
cludes more than 500 brands. And while much has changed since Kinsey’s
started out as a simple “mom and pop” venture, the company’s dedication to
its customers and the archery industry has never faltered.

Decades of Smart Decisions

Since the beginning, Kinsey’s has embodied hard work, family values and pas-
sion for the outdoors. The main reason these core values never changed is prob-
ably because Kinsey’s has been family owned and operated for four generations.

Vernon and Helen’s grandchildren, Rick Kinsey and Sherri Gorman, joined
the company during the mid 80s. In more recent years, the founding cou-
ple’s great-grandchildren, Justin Gorman and Kelsey Heisey, also entered

40

Remaining True to its Roots BY DANIEL ALLRED

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 41

the family business. ambitious ideas. Key among those ambi- strings/accessories, respectively.
Over the years, the family has clearly tious undertakings was the Kinsey’s Dealer Another important landmark in Kinsey’s
Show, which was established in 2003. This
passed on its work ethic and business ap- dealer-centric event has steadily grown long history occurred in 2018, when the
proach, but each generation has also ap- since its inception, and it’s evolved into an company acquired Pape’s. By incorporating
plied new ideas and personal expertise to important annual event for Kinsey’s entire this Louisville-based distribution facility
guide the company through different eras. dealer base. and its experienced staff, Kinsey’s is now
able to deliver products to a larger swath of
Take, for instance, the way Jim Kinsey Kinsey’s made yet another bold move in its customer base in as little as a day or two.
helped the company grow from a local re- 2007 by creating its own consumer brand,
tailer into a national distribution business. October Mountain Products, which offers In short, Kinsey’s has never been a static
Jim then passed the torch to his children, recurve bows and a variety of useful acces- business. The company’s leaders have al-
Rick and Sherri, who helped grow and re- sories. Today, Kinsey’s consumer brands ways kept their eyes fixed firmly on the fu-
fine that business approach to reach even also include Fin-Finder, Elevation and ture, thinking in decades, rather than years.
more shops across the country. Black eart, which offer bowfishing gear,
premium target/hunt accessories and bow- Accordingly, Kinsey’s has repeatedly
With guidance from Rick and Sherri, the been in the right place at the right time
company continued to embark on new and for its business partners. After all, Kinsey’s

TOP LEFT: Rick Kinsey and Sherri Gorman, grandchildren of INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019
Vernon and Helen Kinsey, joined the company in the early
80s and helped guide the family business into the new
millennium.
TOP RIGHT: Jim Kinsey joined his parents’ business in 1957.
Over the years, he added his own spin to their legacy by
transforming the company from a local retailer into a na-
tional distribution business.
BOTTOM: Vernon and Helen Kinsey’s great-grandchildren,
Kelsey Heisey and Justin Gorman, joined the company in
recent years. As the fourth generation of the family to work
for Kinsey’s, they’ve applied their personal expertise and
passion to help guide the company further into the future.

42

success is dependant on its dealers’ suc- carry are directly related to what we see TOP LEFT AND RIGHT: Kinsey’s has been located
cess, and the company’s new and ambi- our customers needing and asking us for.” in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, since it was
tious ventures have always been aimed at founded in 1952. This is what the company’s
the health of its customers, as well as the Justin Gorman, director of sales and main o ce looks like today.
health of the industry at large. With Kin- great-grandson of Vernon and Helen Kin- BOTTOM: Kinsey’s acquired Pape’s in 2018,
sey’s long history in mind, it’s safe to say sey, also sees how Kinsey’s latest endeavor turning the Louisville-based distribution fa-
that Kinsey’s and its customers have more fits into the company s long legacy and cility into Kinsey’s South. This new location
big things ahead of them. talent for adaptation. allows Kinsey’s to reach many of its Eastern
and Southern dealers in just a day or two.
Expanding into the Future “The entire process of selling goods is
more difficult and complex than it was 0
As the torch is being passed to the family’s or 50 years ago, regardless of where you are
fourth generation of leadership, Kinsey’s is on the supply chain,” Justin Gorman said.
excitedly preparing for its next bold move: “Because of that, we’ve had to continually
The company is expanding its product cat- adapt to the new ways that people buy and
egories to offer its dealers a variety of off- sell products, but at the same time, we’ve
season product options. always stayed true to our archery heri-
tage and the brick-and-mortar retailers
In addition to increasing its target ar- we serve. Kinsey’s is entering a new phase
chery selection by 60 percent, Kinsey’s is by expanding our categories, but make no
also incorporating new products from mistake about it—Kinsey’s is still an ar-
other outdoor markets, including camp- chery distributor, and we always will be.”
ing gear and pet supplies. By 2020, Kin-
sey’s will also offer products that require Rob Wallace, director of archery pur-
a Federal Firearms License (FFL), including chasing, shared similar thoughts.
guns, ammo and firearm accessories.
“Our dealer base is the lifeblood of our
Kinsey’s leadership team is understand- company,” Rob Wallace said. “Archery is
ably excited about this new undertaking, where we started, and will remain the
and much like the company’s previous core of what we do. Any company that
bold decisions, Kinsey’s ultimate goal is to loses sight of what made them successful
better serve its customers. The motivation is making a huge mistake. You can only
behind Kinsey’s expanded categories even branch out into other areas if you have a
came directly from dealer feedback. strong, healthy root system.”

“The main thing we try to do is listen Kinsey’s foray into expanded categories
to our customers and understand their started picking up steam in 2017, when the
needs,” said Alex Cameron, Kinsey’s direc- company made a sizable investment in
tor of purchasing operations. “We are al- new target and recreational products. This
ways interacting with them, and asking was a natural first step for insey s, its
them about the status of their business customers and the industry at large.
and what they’re seeing on a day-to-day
basis. We also do a pretty good job of sur- “Everything goes back to listening to
veying our dealer base, and we gather a lot our customers,” Alex Cameron said. “We
of direct feedback from those surveys. All are always analyzing our core dealers
of these interactions weigh heavily on the and trying to provide them with what
decisions we make, and the products we they’re looking for. One of the most com-
mon things they started asking us for
was a larger selection of target archery

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 43

TOP: Krista Miller, sales manager, supplies, and that’s why we started expanding inventory for more consistent year-round sales.
o ers her two cents at one of the that category. It’s clear that the recreational as- “There are plenty of successful archery-only
company’s sales meetings. pect of archery appeals to a broader demograph-
BOTTOM: The Kinsey’s management ic, and it’s an avenue of growth that a lot of shops, but the seasonality of the industry always
team regularly holds meetings shops have already found success with. We felt has the potential to create problems,” Justin
to determine the best course of like we could provide a solid platform for our Gorman said. “When you have to condense your
action for the company. A main dealer base by acquiring those products, so they entire selling season into August, September
consideration at these meetings could then pass them on to their customers.” and October, things like bad weather can have
is the health and success of the severe effects on your business. If a dealer adds
company’s retail partners. Kinsey’s expansion into other outdoor cat- more target archery products, then they can ex-
egories was also prompted by the needs of its tend their sales window into November, Decem-
dealers. ber, January, February and March. And if they
add some other options—whether it’s camp-
“We had a limited selection of camping gear ing, pet or firearm accessories then they have
and pet supplies in the past, and it was two ar- products that will take them into the spring and
eas that we saw steadily growing among our summer. With more of a four-season assort-
customer base,” Justin Gorman explained. “We ment, shops can be much less dependent on just
have slowly brought in more of those items in three months out of the year.”
the past few years because they’ve continued to
sell well, and it made sense to continue grow- A Business Partner First,
ing and supporting those categories. A similar And a Distributor Second
thing happened with the FFL market. Through
our recent surveys, we saw that we had more Kinsey’s is ultimately structured to be a valuable
dealers who crossed over into that territory resource for its dealers. The company’s goal is to
than we originally thought. Archery is obviously support and grow the archery industry, and it’s
our primary hunting method that we love and doing that by supporting and growing the pro-
serve, but there are a lot of shops that overlap shops that serve as the industry’s backbone.
into other markets, so we want to grow our as-
sortment to better serve all our retailers.” Passion for archery and the outdoors is tied
to everything the company does—whether
Another key part of Kinsey’s big-picture plan is it’s examining new products, laying out fu-
to help bowhunting-heavy shops diversify their ture plans or hiring employees. Accordingly,

44 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019

Kinsey’s workforce is comprised of passionate archers 45
who deeply understand the needs of outdoor retailers and
their customers.

Take Alex Cameron, director of purchasing operations,
for example. Alex was born and raised in Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania, a short drive away from the Kinsey’s facil-
ity. Alex became acquainted with Kinsey’s when he took a
job at a local archery shop at age 14. He went on to work as
a hunting guide in Illinois, and he also spent some time
working at Gander Mountain, but his career eventually led
back to Kinsey’s.

“Kinsey’s was the source of the products we sold at
that shop,” Alex Cameron said. “As someone who grew up
in this area and enjoyed archery, I knew about Kinsey’s,
and I considered it the premier archery destination. I was
aware of Vernon Kinsey and the legacy he started, and it
was something I simply gravitated towards. Now, work-
ing for Kinsey’s, it feels like we are an extension of that
legacy, and that really motivates us and provides us with
a sense of pride.”

The team at Kinsey’s uses its common passion and ex-
periences to make thoughtful decisions that are in the
best interest of the company’s dealers. The way Kinsey’s
carefully selected its new target archery products is a great
example of this.

“When we started expanding our target archery selec-
tion, we paid close attention to the equipment that’s being
used at ASA and IBO events, as well as other tournaments
like the Vegas Shoot,” Alex Cameron said. “We found a lot
of reliable and specialized products, and some of those
products were only being sold directly to consumers at
those events. Those manufacturers didn’t really have oth-
er distribution channels. They weren’t being sold in brick-
and-mortar shops, but they still had a large following in
the target archery community. By partnering with them,
we are able to provide our dealers with the niche products
that target archers are looking for.”

The Kinsey’s sales team also takes a considerate and per-
sonal approach in its day-to-day interactions with dealers.

“We are really trying to provide a service, not just sell
goods,” Justin Gorman said. “We want dealers to think of

TOP: Alex Cameron, director of purchasing operations, was born
and raised in nearby Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. As a passionate
bowhunter, he was drawn to Kinsey’s mission and long legacy.
MIDDLE RIGHT: Justin Gorman, great-grandson of Vernon and
Helen Kinsey, carries on the family’s traditions and legacy.
MIDDLE LEFT, BOTTOM TWO: Kinsey’s has a talent for finding employ-
ees that are also driven, enthusiastic archers. Here you can see,
from top to bottom: Greg Mancini, buyer; Drew Arnesen, director
of sales; and Brandon Berkhimer, research and data analyst.

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM

Kinsey’s as a business partner, so we put a The Kinsey’s Dealer Show was first established in 2003.
lot of focus on making sure our staff has not Today, its incredible savings make it a highly valuable
only product knowledge, but also business event for hundreds of the company’s core dealers. The
knowledge. A lot of them have worked in show also features a variety of fun giveaways and
retail, so that helps them have an open dia- games, and the company even puts on a concert for
logue with dealers about their business. Ev- attendees—with acclaimed performers like Thompson
ery shop is different, so we work with them Square and Montgomery Gentry.
individually to figure out what s best for
each shop. The goal is to do business better INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019
together. We think that’s a more successful
approach. If we are in a true partnership, and
we are helping shop owners make good deci-
sions, then it’s a win for everyone.”

Meanwhile, Kinsey’s is using its far-reach-
ing influence to help enforce A policy. his
effort is also geared towards helping dealers
and strengthening the industry at large.

“We work closely with our vendor partners
and retail partners to monitor and enforce

A policy,” ustin orman said. “ here are
a lot of methods out there, and there really is
no simple solution, but by working together,
we have the ability to bring positive change to
the industry. Kinsey’s has a very up-to-date
and sophisticated warehouse management
system, and it allows us to automatically re-
strict sales to shops that violate A . t s not
something we need to remember or jot down
on a notepad—it’s programmed into the sys-
tem. When someone breaks the rules, they
lose the ability to buy that product from us.
They also can’t buy it online or through the
manufacturer because we work closely with
vendors to build a ‘do-not-sell’ list. Kinsey’s
certainly can’t solve this problem by itself.
Everyone needs to pull their own weight, but
we are doing all we can to help protect the
honest shops that don t violate A , which
are the shops that actually get hurt when
someone else breaks the rules.”

Earlier this year, Kinsey’s made another
investment in the industry’s future by partner-
ing with Celerant Technology, a leading pro-
vider of innovative retail software. This part-
nership provides Kinsey’s dealers with some
high-tech options for growth and expansion.

“Celerant Technology is a great partner
to work with,” ustin orman said. “ hey
can help dealers set up and improve their

46

Kinsey’s customers are into and what other kinds of like bowfishing, indoor tournaments, -
items they buy. They can also analyze the events and simple recreational shooting.
expansive competition in the area to figure out what
people have a need for. Then they can just The staff at Kinsey’s values the changes
catalogs have start small and slowly build that category. that are coming, and it has brought new
There’s no universal formula for success, life into the company culture. “I am really
been outlining the but studying your customers and local area excited to see Kinsey’s grow and become a
will tell you where to go next.” more complete sourcing solution for our
hundreds of di erent products and brands dealers,” said Rob Wallace, director of ar-
Conclusion chery purchasing.
carried by the company for more than 50 years.
It’s hard to imagine a bowhunter who Kinsey’s is changing with the times,
website, and they can also help dealers doesn t also dabble in camping, firearms much like it always has, and it’s also col-
get involved in online sales. Something and other outdoor activities. Granted, ar- laborating with brick-and-mortar retailers
they recently rolled out is an in-store ki- chery might be their primary passion, but to help them do the same. At the end of the
osk, which allows a dealer’s customers to that doesn’t mean other nature-based ac- day, though, Kinsey’s dedication to the ar-
browse through Kinsey’s entire catalog of tivities are out of the question. There are chery industry will certainly never waver.
products. If a shop wants to grow a new countless ways to enjoy the outdoors, and
category but they don’t have enough space, they all overlap to some extent. “It’s important to adapt, no matter what
then they can use this kiosk as a low-risk business you’re in,” Justin Gorman said.
way to try new things. A customer can Kinsey’s expansion into new categories “We are adapting by expanding our catego-
come into the store and browse the kiosk is ultimately a reflection of this simple ries, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to
for, say, camping gear, and they can order truth. ore importantly, it s a reflection forget where we came from. We want our
products in real time at the store. A dealer of the multifaceted world we live in. Even retail partners to consider new areas that
can make a sale without actually stocking archery itself is more complex than it once will help them even out their cash flow, but
that product, and if they notice that some- was—with popular new ways to participate Kinsey’s is an archery business, and it al-
thing is selling really well, then they can ways will be. Archery defines who we are,
dedicate a portion of their store to it.” but in order to keep growing and thriving,
we all need to evolve together.”
To further capitalize on Kinsey’s expand-
ed categories, the company encourages its
dealers to analyze and communicate with
its consumers. After all, that’s what prompt-
ed Kinsey’s to venture into new territory.

“The best thing a business can do is know
its customer,” Justin Gorman said. “We ad-
vise dealers to do the same thing we did. In
addition to just having a dialogue with cus-
tomers, they can make a little survey and
offer a promotion behind it—like a small
discount or free range time. That can help
them figure out what other hobbies their

TOP: Nathaniel Dearolf (left), marketing/cre-
ative director, and Jeremiah Hershberger,
sales manager, enjoy a lighter moment during
the manager’s meeting.
BOTTOM: The company heavily values informa-
tion and feedback from its customers. Here,
The Kinsey’s sales team reviews data together
at one of Kinsey’s weekly sales meetings.

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 47

MARKET TRENDS CROSSBOW REPORT

Mission SUB-1 XR
BY PATRICK MEITI N
3
D oes it really surprise anyone that dimensions. It measures 9.1 inches be-
Mission Crossbows, subsidiary of tween the axles when cocked (compared 4

the archery powerhouse Mathews to 10.7 inches of the original), and it mea- pulling the trigger or shooting a bolt.
The safety engages automatically dur-
Inc., has engineered one of the industry’s sures only 13.8 inches at rest for easier
ing cocking, and it cannot be moved to
hottest crossbows? I would expect noth- storage and improved balance while en- the “Fire” position until a bolt is slipped
into place. The Easy-Load arrow retention
ing less from Mathews’ owner and CEO gaging targets. arm offers smooth and effortless loading,
while providing optimal downward pres-
Matt McPherson and his team, the people The SUB-1 XR is designed for diehard sure on the bolt before firing. When com-
bined with the precision-machined flight
who have led innovation in the vertical crossbow enthusiasts who demand more deck (which controls vertical nock travel),
this also helps create a more accurate
compound-bow world for decades. Mis- from their equipment and wish to push platform.

sion’s SUB-1 established a higher bar for the limits of range and accuracy. Synced Power

crossbow performance, earning 41 of 42 The SUB-1 XR’s Synced Cams, with 80
percent let-off, deliver controlled accel-
podium spots in NFAA, IBO and ASA tour- Benchmark Triggering & Safety eration. Two concentric string tracks also
eliminate horizontal nock travel to further
naments the year of its introduction. The Key among the SUB-1 XR’s accuracy-

SUB-1 showed the crossbow world just how enhancing features is its fully contained,

precise and accurate a crossbow could be match-grade Benchmark Fire Control

by promising 1-inch groups at 100 yards. Technology, which includes a two-stage,

The SUB-1 XR under discussion here is rolling-sear trigger. First off, this provides

a further refinement of that technology, shooters with a smooth, creep-free trigger

offering SUB-1 accuracy with a velocity that s reminiscent of a fine custom cen-

boost. ter-fire rifle. t breaks crisply at pounds.

The SUB-1 XR pushes bolts to 410 fps, ust like a fine rifle, a high- uality trig-

verses the 385 fps of the original SUB-1. ger does nothing mechanically to help

Mission also managed to trim the XR’s the crossbow shoot better, but it certainly

helps shooters assemble tighter groups by

1 making the crossbow easier to shoot well.
Perhaps more importantly, Benchmark

Fire Control Technology allows shooters

to safely de-cock the SUB-1 XR by pushing

a button, and then “recocking” and let-

ting down with a cocking device—without

1. The new SUB-1 XR has B.O.S. (Back Out System)
limb pockets/bolts. This allows users to adjust draw
weight, and they can also change strings without a

2 bow press.

2. The Benchmark Fire Control system provides a crisp
3-pound trigger, and users can also disarm the
crossbow without pulling the trigger or shooting a bolt.

3. he Synced ams have percent let off, and their
concentric string tracks ensure even horizontal nock
travel during every shot.

4. The SUB-1 XR has a highly-adjustable butt section
that allows it to t most shooters, and it also ensures
maximum shooting comfort.

48 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019

vertical nock travel for unmatched accu- Crossbow Arrow
racy. The stock holds a precision-molded Specifications and Flight
rear butt piece with a height-adjustable Specifications
comb that provides 1.25 inches of travel and ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
six length-of-pull adjustments between 14.5 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
and 15.75 inches. The undercarriage is ac- Length
cented by a polymer strip that makes up 30.50 inches Test Bolt
the trigger guard. The frame also holds an 19 inches
ergonomic, over-molded AR-style pistol grip ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
and polymer fore-end finger guard. A non- ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
beavertail AR-style pistol grip of your choice Width Tip-to-Tip
can be added. 9.1 inch cocked, 12.5 Arrow Weight
350 grains w/ 100-grain tip
The roll-over comb is adjusted on twin inches at rest and aluminum nock
carbon-rod pillars that ride through alumi-
num blocks after users loosen two side-ac- –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
cessible set screws. The entire assembly can
be reversed for right- or left-handed shoot- Power stroke Kinetic Energy
ers. Both the comb and butt include over- 14.625 inches . . lbs
molded rubber for shooting comfort.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Up front is a structurally rigid, milled-
aluminum riser that has an incorporated Draw Weight Arrow Speed
interior foot stirrup, which is used when 250 pounds Up to 410 fps
hunters are employing the included rope
cocker. B.O.S. (Back Out System) limb-pocket –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
adjustments allow users to lower the draw
weight or change strings without a bow Mass Weight FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT
press. Up front are two rubber-bumper cock- w/o Accessories
ing feet/pads. Accessory sockets are found MISSIONCROSSBOWS.COM OR
on each side of the riser, and users can use 7.6 pounds
them to attach the included bubble-level CALL 608-269-2728
system or Arrow Web Quiver. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The SUB-1 XR has an extremely rigid riser to handle this
crossbow’s e treme ener y delivery, and its built in foot The SUB-1 XR’s wide, torque-defeating Finish
stirrups contribute to the crossbow’s compact eometry. quad limbs are anchored and preloaded well Black and Realtree Edge
past parallel. This creates the crossbow’s
promote accuracy. When combined with a ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
14.625-inch power stroke, bolt speeds are
pushed to 410 fps (with a 350-grain bolt). MSRP
Starting at $1,699.99
The aggressive cams have a reverse-
draw dynamic. Buss cables ride on a eflon compact 9.1/13.8-inch width, and it also ac-
sleeve, which moves minimally during the counts for much of this crossbow’s shock-
shot to eliminate buss-cable wear. Mis- free and quiet demeanor. At 7.6 pounds, the
sion’s RSD (Removable Silent Draw) cocking SUB-1 XR isn’t the lightest crossbow around,
mechanism with an ambidextrous reel is but it is well balanced in the hands, and the
provided in certain packages. The RSD is a added mass gives it a rock-solid feel upon
100-percent silent cocking unit that fits all firing.
Mission Crossbows. It applies equal tension
to each side of the bowstring during cocking The SUB-1 XR can be purchased alone or
to enhance accuracy, and it also drastically in a kit. Standard kits include the Hawke
reduces cocking effort. It can be added or re- 1.5-5X range-scaled scope with a speed dial
moved in seconds. and flip-up covers. he standard kit also
has a machined-aluminum level, Arrow
Highly Adjustable, Stable Platform Web Quiver with a patented quick-detach
claw system and three match-grade bolts.
The compact “bullpup” frame is built out- All SUB-1 models—SUB-1, SUB-1 XR and SUB-1
ward from a two-piece milled-aluminum Lite—come with an unconditional lifetime
rail, and it’s nested and bound by machine warranty.
bolts. his flight deck is crucial to the cross-
bow’s accuracy. It’s made with advanced The SUB-1 XR has it all: industry-leading
CNC machining techniques that eliminate speed and accuracy wrapped in a compact,
highly-adaptable package that’s ready to
meet the demands of the most advanced
crossbow aficionado.

WebXtra See the Mission

SUB-1 XR in action today online at

insidearchery.com/missionsub1xr

AUGUST 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 49

T e d &G B d o E e B e

50 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2019