July 2019

www.insidearchery.com

®

JULY 2019





INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 6

People

38 Power of Participation
■ Brian McFarlane, Shiver Shield
■ Mike Fitzgerald, Fitz’s Archery
■ Patrick Meitin & Byron Ellsworth,

Inside Archery
■ Jason Feiner, Gearhead Archery
■ Howard “Skip” Halfacre, TenPoint
■ Rich Romero, Mohican Sneak

40 Cuddeback:
30 Years of True Innovation
By Daniel Allred

Market Trends

40 16 New & Notable
Archery products with
strong sales potential.

50 Bow Report
Bear Archery Divergent
By Patrick Meitin

52 2019 Scent Control,
Attractants and More

Keep up with the latest and greatest

scent control and attractant options.

By Patrick Meitin

38 60 O season Scouting Prep
with the Top Trail Cams

and Food Plots

Get prepared for the hunting season with

today’s top trail cams and food plots.

By Inside Archery Sta

52

16 50

INSIDE ARCHERY (Volume 22, #6) 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 JULY 2019

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 5





INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 6

IInndsiudsetrtyhe
12 Inside Track
Online Reviews and Contrary
Comments Matter

20 Kinsey’s
Business
Blueprint

Busting Business Myths

34 22 Inside Retailing
High Altitude Archery

By Daniel Allred

26 ATA Retail Growth Insight
Trust Your Shot
By Kurt Smith / ATA

28 Industry News

Information that keeps you up

to speed on news, events and

people in the archery industry.

52 28 34 ATA Action
10 Tips for Taking Better Photos
By Michaelean Pike / ATA

66 Industry 5Q
Five Questions on CenterPoint Archery
with Kevin Casey

22
66

60
8 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 9

INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 6

insidearchery.com Online Exclusives

Bowhunting

Getting Ready—Mentally, By Bill Krenz

Physical preparation is extremely important for
bowhunters, but it’s just as important for them to
prepare mentally. Read advice from the legendary
Bill Krenz about how to get into the right mindset
before the hunt.

Tournament Archery

2020 Olympics

As the World Cup and the Cup World Ranking Events
continue, archers are beginning to claim their spot
in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Learn more
about this renowned international tournament
and the athletes who have already ualified.

Industry Digital Strategies for
Products Improving Your Business

The digital revolution has opened up many oppor-
tunities for businesses to grow and improve. Learn
how to take advantage of the latest tools to help
your business get an edge.

Cutting-Edge Broadheads

As we’ve progressed through the year, many new
broadhead developments have been sweeping the
industry. Keep up with the new technology and top
broadheads on the market.

WebXtras: In this issue: “Inside Retailing” examines success at High Altitude

Archery; “Bow Report” tests the Bear Archery Divergent; and “Industry 5Q”
examines CenterPoint Archery.

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!

10 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE TRACK

Online Reviews and Contrary Comments Matter

I Ioften wonder how much stock to put into online reviews, whether it’s about
hotels, restaurants, house painters or the latest in luggage. Typically, you have
to read several pages of comments to start separating real issues from personal
preferences and personality problems.
For what it’s worth, I’ve found that reviewers who leave positive comments about prod-
ucts or services tend to offer better, more helpful specifics. hey also tend to give more
pro and con observations, apparently realizing that some factors truly vary by customer.
I read the negative comments, too, but start forgetting those that don’t recur.
Unless those comments target me or my business, of course. Then I go to full alert.
In some ways, it reminds me of my days behind my
archery store’s counter years ago. You generally know
when customers leave your place happy or simply sat-
isfied, or unhappy or clearly dissatisfied. ut those who
show neither leave you wondering. Do poker faces head
home and endorse you when talking with friends, or
do they start making hurtful, unfair phone calls as
they leave your lot?
Uncertainty is unsettling, but it’s probably better
than feeling 100% certain that a customer left in a huff.
I got thinking about all that while reading an article on
Inc.com about customer service. The article cited studies that found only 9% of unhappy
customers ever again do business with an offending company. issatisfied fol s also
tell nine to 15 people about their bad experience. Similarly, one negative experience is
why of consumers uit doing business with specific companies. n contrast, a good
experience inspires only 42% of consumers to buy again.
Therefore, we can’t be indifferent to how customers feel about our work, service,
attitude or products. The Inc.com writer believes it takes about 40 positive customer
experiences to compensate for one negative review. That’s a lot to overcome!
And he shared more sobering findings. ustomers who have a bad experience are highly
likely to share it through a bad review. In contrast, customers who have a positive experi-
ence consider it standard stuff, so only 10% of them share their experience through a good
review. If your business appears on sites that give 5-star reviews, and you’re striving for a
four-star overall rating, you need four 5-star reviews to compensate for every 1-star stinker.
ut that’s ust a small part of the challenge. f it’s true that only 10 of happy custom-
ers leave positive reviews, we need 40 of those 5-star reviews to make up for one grouch.
That doesn’t mean our situation is hopeless, but it suggests we need to swallow our pride
and remind ourselves of the maxim “The customer is always right” (even when he’s not).
That likely explains why manufacturers honor lifetime warranties with a smile, not
with questions or a cocked eyebrow. They know their customers and potential customers
read online reviews, and that of readers let reviews influence their buying decision.
In other words, online reviews matter, no matter how much we want to ignore them.
That means reviews and social media wield clout. It’s better to respect that power than
damn it.

Sherry Krenz
Publisher

12 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019



INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 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 | Cassie Scott | 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]

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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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.

14 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 15

MARKET TRENDS NEW & NOTABLE

Mission Crossbows Morrell High Roller 21
SUB-1 XR
Morrell has taken target foam
Mission’s technology to a new level with the
SUB1 release of the High Roller 21. The
XR improved formula creates an extraordinarily
o ers hard-hitting durable, self-healing target with easy and
accuracy and excep- e cient arrow removal. This target s impressive
self-healing capabilities make it incredibly long
tional stealth. Its lasting. Through su cient testing, the 13-by-
Benchmark Fire 13-by-13-inch High Roller 21 has been proven to
Control Technol- withstand arrows that reach speeds over 450
ogy allows shooters fps. Transportation is also easy, thanks to its
to safely de-cock the 10-pound weight and EZ-tote carrying handle.
crossbow with the push of a ■ Learn more at morrelltargets.com.
button. The precision stock has six
length-of-pull adjustments and 1.25 TruGlo Range-Rover Pro
inches of comb-height adjustment.
It measures 9.1-by-30.5 inches cocked TRUGLO’s Range-Rover Pro Duo mover features dual PWR-DOT LED aiming points. The 1.8-inch
and weighs only 7.6 pounds. The SUB-1 aperture provides a clean picture with precision aiming points. The center green dot covers ranges
propels bolts to 410 fps with an 80 from 20 to 50 yards, and it’s encircled by a ½-inch black reference loop. The bottom red dot can
percent let-o . The Removable Silent be used for aiming out to 80 yards. The
Draw System cocking mechanism with sight is “Lens Kit” compatible, allow-
an ambidextrous reel applies equal ing for 2X magni cation with
tension during cocking for further ½ diopter adjustment.
accuracy enhancement. ■ Learn The aluminum sight
more at missioncrossbows.com. includes second- and
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Gold Tip ments, luminescent
Black-Label Arrows peep-alignment ring,
and 11 brightness con-
Gold Tip’s Black-Label arrows feature the trol settings. ■ Learn
company’s Smart Carbon technology, and more at truglo.com.
they are laser-sorted at multiple points along
the sha to ensure straightness throughout the Rhino Blinds
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spi y new graphics make them stand out in a crowd.
They have a +/- .0025 straightness tolerance and +/- Rhino Blinds Rhino-500 has a ve-
.5-grain weight tolerance. They include FACT Weight hub design to maximize strength,
for customi able FOC, and you can nd them in 300, and it also has brush loops for
340 and 400 spines, wearing 2.71-inch vanes or raw. natural cover. This blind allows users
■ Learn more at goldtip.com. to shoot directly through the mesh
windows, and they can remain stealthy
with a “zipperless” entry. This 90-by-
90 inch blind can comfortably t three
hunters. It weighs 19 pounds and includes
a backpack, stakes and tie down ropes.
The Rhino-500 is o ered in Mossy Oak
Break Up Country. ■ Learn more at
rhinoblinds.com.

Continued on Page 18

16 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019



MARKET TRENDS NEW & NOTABLE

Continued from Page 16

Kudupoint Ripcord LOK
Contour Broadhead
Ripcord s new Lok o ers secure containment
KuduPoint Contour broadheads have a deadly and extreme accuracy potential. A deep
cut-on-contact design with concave cutting launcher fork and top retaining bar give it a
edges for deeper penetration. Variable-pitch limb-driven function and full containment. Hori ontal
single-bevel edges with a 40-degree baseline split and vertical ad ustments are uick and precise through
bone and create devastating spiral wound channels. the .003-inch-per-click micro ad ustment system. A precision double ball-
They have 100 percent stainless steel construction bearing drive ensures accuracy and smooth operation. Set-up and tuning are uick and
with .050-inch-thick 420 stainless steel blades. The easy through use of the in-line teardrop cord clamp. The slim-line launcher o ers
416 stainless steel ferrules are permanently bonded via improved vane clearance and less noise. ■ Learn more at ripcordrest.com.
a proprietary swaging process. All surfaces receive a
glare-free hard coating, and special factory edge treat- Tenzing TZ 2220

ment ensures ready-to-hunt sharpness The T 2220 provides 2,400 cubic inches of usable space, and
straight out of the package. ■ Learn it weighs only 5 pounds. Users can carry a bow in the foldout
more at kudupoint.com. boot and load on additional gear with webbing straps. This
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■ Learn more at tenzingoutdoors.com.

18 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY BUSINESS BLUEPRINT Sponsored by

Busting Business Myths
A re you familiar with the show Kinsey’s is the leading distributor to the outdoors
MythBusters? If not, it’s a TV show takes a lot of creativity, especially when and archery industry. Carrying items from your favor-
that ta es a scientific approach to the customer is truly mistaken—but it’s ite brands, in-stock and ready-to-ship, the company
see if certain “myths” are true or false, worth the effort. You’ll have happier and o ers domestic and international retailers a wide
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“The Customer Is Always Right.”
No matter how genuinely nice an indi- “We’re Back To Square One.” The knowledge you gained from trial and
vidual is, everyone in a customer service If you occasionally experience periods error is a valuable learning experience.
role gets frustrated with a difficult cus- where you start over or reevaluate your It assists in the next business decision,
tomer every now and then. Sometimes, business, then you are evolving as your process review or new venture that you
you just can’t see eye-to-eye, and you’ve needs change. Business changed at a undertake. Continue to review processes
probably heard a customer say this exact slower pace in the past—but today busi- and reevaluate your business model. It
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we’d never suggest proving your customer ate processes and policies. Reevaluating “Fake It Until You Make It.”
wrong. However, focusing on the issue can be hard, and it often seems like lit- t’s true that confidence can ma e a
of right versus wrong with the customer tle progress takes place. Sometime you big difference. However, when it comes
isn’t the correct approach. It either leads to go down a new path just to realize that to business practices, we do not believe
a frustrated worker or a disgruntled cus- something is in the way, and that can that you should fake it until you make
tomer. Coming up with a solution where feel defeating. But even if you haven’t it. Research and proper data analysis are
the customer feels heard and taken care reached your final desired outcome on essential to sound business decisions.
of is what matters. In some cases, this the first, second or even third attempt, This is especially true when you’re look-
you are not back to where you started. ing into new aspects of your business.
When starting a new venture, “faking it”
could easily lead to drained finances and
resources. You don’t need to know every-
thing before you start, but it is important
to have an educated next step. Addition-
ally, we live in an inauthentic culture. As
consumers, we easily see through lack of
authenticity. When we feel true authen-
ticity, we gravitate towards it. You can
create authenticity with your customers
by displaying passion, truly listening to
customers when they share, and being
willing to say, don’t now, but ’ll find
out.” It can be easy to feel like you need to
have all the answers immediately. How-
ever, giving an incorrect or vague answer
is worse than getting back to a customer
at a later time with good information.

20 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 21

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE RETAILING

Training-Focused Shop Sees Steady Growth

High Altitude Retailing Q & A Paul Williams, owner of High Altitude Archery.

Archery Inside Archery: What ma es igh Altitude Bowhunters only get one, so a lot of them
Archery uni ue want to learn to how to execute that one
Sto e ofi e shot more cleanly and confidently. his
Paul Williams: he concept behind the year, we even started expanding our in-
■ Headquarters: ongmont, olorado shop was to create an archery training ventory to appeal more to bowhunters.
center, not just a place where people can We’re including more hunting-specific
■ Owners: aul and erstin Williams buy stuff. o the main thing that ma es accessories and e uipment because of
us uni ue is our focus on training and where we are in the mar et and how the
■ Store Facts: igh Altitude Archery was introducing people to the sport. here business has evolved. o our training ap-
established in 2012, and the current own- are a few archery shops in our area, and proach certainly isn’t exclusive to people
ers too over in 201 . he shop is housed all of them have fine products and good who ust want to shoot recreationally or
in an 11,000-s uare-foot facility, and it people, but we are very inclusive and tend competitively.
will expand to 1 ,000 s uare feet once its to draw a lot of the people who are new
current renovations are complete. he to archery. Our whole goal is to introduce Inside Archery: How do you attract all
shop’s indoor range has lanes that go people to archery and help them grow, those new archers into your shop
out to 20 yards. and this approach has wor ed well for us.
hat philosophy is also on display when Paul Williams: t boils down to the way
■ ta fin he shop employs three full- someone wal s into the shop. hey’ll no- we thin about our competition. don’t
time and six part-time wor ers. tice that there are tons of lanes and tar- really consider the other archery shops
gets, and ust some e uipment. We believe in the area as my competitors. ather,
■ Bow Lines: pedition and iamond that the e uipment is there to support the
compound lines alaxy, W , Win archer, and we ta e a lot of time to match thin about the shop as a recreational
Win, oyt and pigarelli recurve and e uipment to the archer’s s ill level and business, and ’m loo ing at the ways that
target lines desire to engage with archery not ust people are spending their free time. y
sell them stuff off the shelves. real competitors are places li e ross it
■ Arrow Lines: aston, arbon xpress gyms, martial arts studios and yoga stu-
and old ip Inside Archery: oes your shop still dios. eep an eye on what they’re doing
appeal to bowhunters, or is it a primarily in order to mar et my business, and try
■ Inside Numbers: About 0 percent of recreational crowd to ma e sure that we are an option in that
the shop’s annual revenue comes from same mar etplace.
services. roduct sales account for the Paul Williams: Well, bowhunters need to
other 0 percent. train, too. arget archers get 0 arrows. Inside Archery: Have you found any suc-
cess with platforms li e roupon
The shop was established in 2012, and it’s located in Longmont, Colorado.
Paul Williams: don’t li e roupon. he

22 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

Sponsored by

Plano Synergy

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

The shop specializes in coaching and lessons, and its youth classes are very popular.

problem with it and similar sites is that of archery. People just come in and sign a We are growing our business
you are attracting people who only want waiver, and they can start shooting. We by being active—not just waiting
to make one transaction. We don’t want get lines out the door, and a lot of them are
to sell someone something and never trying archery for their first time. A lot of for things to happen.
see them again. Our goal is to help them our JOAD students and folks from our adult
evolve and continue using our services. We classes are on hand to make sure people on our website. That’s just how people
want to build a relationship, and the peo- are safe on the range, and they also expose interact with businesses these days. They
ple who generally use Groupon are only them to the lessons we teach. They’ll offer go online first, and if they see something
trying to find that one deal and move on tips on style and technique, and answer they like, then they come into the shop. We
the next deal. o while it’s great at finding questions about what it’s like to shoot com- want to meet them where they are in order
people for that one class or event, it’s not petitively. Last year, we had 600 new people to make them customers.
really good at finding repeat customers. come through the shop, and we got a lot
The business we built is reliant on repeat of new students from that. We might lose The shop’s inventory caters to a wide variety
customers, so strategically it’s just not a revenue that day, but we make it back up o archer ith different ki e e and oa
good fit for what we do. through our exposure to the community.

Inside Archery: So what is your approach Inside Archery: You have a great-looking
to marketing? website and newsletter. What role do those
play for your business?
Paul Williams: We’re on Facebook quite a
bit, and we buy Google AdWords that are Paul Williams: They play a huge role. I’m a
relevant to people searching for activities. technologist by training, so all of that stuff
We make sure that we are in the local pa- comes pretty naturally to me, and it match-
pers, showing people that this is a really es up really well with the way consumers
neat activity for those who don’t really fit are buying today—particularly the younger
into traditional team sports. We also host generation. They usually want to have ini-
open houses a couple times a year, which tial interaction without actually talking to
really helps bring the local community someone. So we have a lot of information
in to get a taste of archery. Our summer online, and it’s easy to book classes on our
camps have also been really successful. website. We also have our product catalog
We have them going on right now, and we
expect that about 25 percent of those stu- er it c rrent
dents will be return customers in the fall. renovations
are complete,
Inside Archery: Tell us more about your High Altitude
open houses. Archery will
have the largest
Paul Williams: They’re pretty straightfor- indoor range in
ward. Basically we advertise that we are Colorado.
having an open house, and it’s a free day

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 23

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE RETAILING

The shop carries compound bows The shop’s JOAD team gets ready for its latest lesson. Inside Archery: Do you see a lot of visible
from Xpedition and Diamond. results from those efforts?

Sho e o ee o and e e na i e Greg Henry, a USA Archery Level 3 NTS Coach, Paul Williams: Oh yeah. Most of our
a bow setup in the shop’s service area. warms up his level 1 youth class. classes are booked online. We never talk
to them; they just book a class and show
The shop’s 3-D tournaments provide fun for the whole family. up. A lot times, people will also come in
looking for products that they saw in our
online catalog. They already know what
we carry, and they might have specific
questions about certain products. They’ve
done their homework, and we need to do
ours, too.

Inside Archery: What makes you opti-
mistic about the future of your business?

Paul Williams: We’ve had 3 straight
years of growth, and that gives us a lot
of hope. We are seeing a lot more people
getting interested in archery, and I think
that will continue to grow, and we’re also
finding new mar ets with people who are
interested in archery. Because of all that,
we are adding new employees and in-
creasing the size of our range by another
5,000 square feet. We will have the largest
indoor archery range in Colorado when
that’s open, which will be in the next few

Our students’ experience

has to be top notch. That’s what

keeps them coming back.

weeks. At the end of the day, archery is
just an interesting hobby, and people
get passionate about it. I see no reason
why it won’t keep growing—especially
with the decline in contact team sports
from all the concerns about head inju-
ries. There are a lot of people exploring
alternative activities, and we will be a big
part of that as an archery training cen-
ter. A lot of other shops can be a part of it
too, if they make it a key aspect of their
business.

WebXtra ■ For more information

on High Altitude Archery visit us at
insidearchery.com/highaltitudearchery

24 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA RETAIL GROWTH INSIGHT

Trust Your Shot

BY KURT SMITH, COURTESY OF THE ATA

I f you’ve spent time on the are no winners or losers. And if there is and improve. Those that operate in com-
line at archery tournaments, no winner, it’s useless for businesses to petitive environments must always look
invest time and energy into “beating” a for ways to get better. Recognizing rivals

you’ve probably heard the phrase competitor. doesn’t mean you’re trying to beat them
“trust your shot” a few times. Its Although you can’t win, you can get at their own game. It means you’re con-
meaning goes deeper than simply tinually refining your business to attract
ahead by focusing on your business and new customers.
what you do best. Consider these ideas to

aiming and releasing an arrow. stay focused and stay ahead: Be Courageous – Have you ever watched

Have a Worthy Cause – Sinek recalls an archer stay at full draw until they

When archers trust their shot, they put insightful experiences from conferences shake uncontrollably? Such archers have

their entire focus on the one thing they he attended in the early 2000s for Apple two choices: hammer the trigger and

control: their own actions. The world’s and Microsoft. Apple was growing much hope for the best (which is seldom good),

best archers know that competing at the faster than Microsoft in the consumer or let down and start over. The latter op-

highest level requires blocking out dis- market, and Apple’s “cause” made its suc- tion takes self-discipline and, depending

tractions and executing each shot to the cess obvious. Apple focused on what it on the situation, courage. That scenario

best of their abilities. The same concept could do best: help students learn, help might be playing out in your business

applies to owning a business teachers teach, and help con- right now. You might be clinging to pro-

in today’s challenging and sumers enjoy technology as cesses and practices you’ve been doing for

ever-changing industry. part of their lifestyles. Micro- years, all the while hoping you can hang

The writer Simon Sinek, soft’s message was different: on long enough to punch that shot into

author of Start with Why, how to beat Apple. Apple fo- the 12-ring.

explained a similar concept cused on a just cause. Micro- Maybe it’s time to courageously con-

when addressing a 2018 leadership con- soft was trying to beat a competitor in a cede that it’s time to start over. When you

ference I attended. Sinek describes the game with no winner. need to make big changes to stay ahead,

business world as an infinite game in Recognize Your Rivals – Having a wor- make them! This game never ends, so

which rules are not strictly defined, and thy rival can be good, if you take a differ- don’t save anything for the final seconds.

players continually change. ent approach. Instead of viewing a rival Competition is good. It keeps the in-

That concept has many facets, but as a threat to eliminate, recognize that dustry’s manufacturers, retailers and

the one most relevant to archery busi- its existence gives you a reason to keep everyone else evolving for the better. In

ness is this f there is no defined set of improving. Businesses that operate with- that competitive environment, success

rules and the players often change, there out competition generally fail to innovate doesn’t come through eliminating or

defeating competition. Instead, focus on

yourself and get better daily. If you know

you’re doing your best, trust your shot

and eep doing it. f you’re not confident

in your current approach, be confident

that it’s best to let down and start over.

n any of this, you’ll benefit from a

coach or mentor. Log into the MyATA

ember ashboard to find A A onnect.

Start networking with your peers or

check out SCORE.org to learn about get-

ting a business mentor.

Meanwhile, as always, if you have

ideas about how the ATA can help you

grow your business, please contact

me at [email protected] or

(717) 478-5919.

26 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS

JWWaiomnrleGdsoALldructahztea2rny0d1C9hBHaramydupyniEdolnaliisshoinps James Lutz with the best in the world,”
Alongside James Lutz, Team Easton’s
ames ut capped an exciting finals day Brady
at the World Archery hampionships, Ellison Brady Ellison secured gold to become the
winning gold and the compound men’s first . . en’s ecurve World Archery
title. n ut ’s second ever international
event, his record remains undefeated. hampion since ic c inney in 19 .
uring the finals, his match scores aver-
ut outscored the World’s o. 1 and aged above world record pace.
2 ran ed archers on his way to the gold
final, where he met orwegian roo ie his is probably the biggest one ’ve
Anders augstad. ut dropped ust two won, llison said to World Archery. t’s
points over five ends to ta e a massive bigger than my fields it’s probably big-
win of 1 -1 . ger than my bronze at the Games at this
moment. ow need that Olympic gold
ut used lac agle Arrows’ - mpact medal. need a gold. es, want that
shafts, and the company’s leaders ex- Olympic gold and ’m going to get it next
pressed how happy there were for him. year. LEARN MORE AT WORLDARCHERY.ORG.

We are very proud of ames ut , TohfeRhGirnoowBthlinadnsd Success
said andy itts, president of lac
Outdoor roduct nnovations announced
agle Arrows. ecoming one of the five the growth and success of hino linds
en’s ompound World Archery since their purchase of the company in
201 . an easer, O, reports that the
hampions ever is uite a monumen- company has undergone steady growth
tal accomplishment. We are ecstatic and notable improvements in the last
for James and our organization, and it years.
proves that our products can compete
easer wor ed in manufacturing, and
Bear Archery Forms Independent Sales Force he wanted to apply his expertise to the
to Represent Top Tier Manufacturers outdoor industry, so he ac uired hino

Bear Archery announced their new business model, Archery, Neidlinger has served as the customer linds. ince then, different blind si es,
which is designed to serve retailers at the highest service supervisor for over 7 years and has camo patterns, window configurations,
level through the formation and fabric thic nesses have been added
of the Bear Archery Group. become exceptionally to the company’s line of over 12 blind
The Bear Archery Group, an familiar with the network models. hino linds provides ground
external sales force housed of archery dealers. Bear blind inventory for all inds of terrains
within the Bear Archery Archery Group customers and animals, all year long, so dealers
organization, consists of 13 can expect more contact never have to miss out on a sale.
top-tier sales representa- from their representatives
tives who are providing and open lines of com- Other blind companies generally bring
nationwide coverage to deal- munication resulting in a inventory in at the beginning of the year,
ers, distributors, major retail higher level of service.
chains and buying groups. and when they run out, it’s gone for the
“By having a much year, said an easer, O of Outdoor
The Bear Archery Group narrower portfolio of roduct nnovations. We always have
sales team will represent the brands to represent than inventory, and we try to ma e sure that
Bear family of brands, as well as a limited the traditional rep group, orders always ship the next day. t’s been
number of manufacturers in the outdoor industry. we will be able to give our customers a ey to our continued growth.
more attention, truly focusing on their needs
Leading the Bear Archery Group will be JR and provide a higher level of service,” said Dave Continued on Page 30
Neidlinger, as the newly appointed dealer sales Parker, Bear Archery general manager. | LEARN
manager. During his 15-year tenure with Bear MORE AT BEARAR ER . OM.

28 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 29

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS

Secretary Bernhardt Announces $78 Million in Funding for Wetland
Conservation Projects and National Wildlife Refuges

Continued from Page 28 The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission birdwatching, family farming and cattle ranching.
approved $78 million in funding for various wetland NAWCA provides grants to Canada and Mexico
Outdoor Product Innovations plans to conservation projects. $29.4 million of that was to ensure waterfowl and other birds that spend
continue acquiring companies they trust allocated for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and time in other countries are protected throughout
and believe in. Outdoor Product Innovations its partners to conserve or restore over 205,000 their lifecycles. The commission approved $33.6
hopes to be very aggressive in all markets acres of wetland and associated upland habitats million for 17 projects in those countries.
they enter, with many new ventures in for many species of birds in 22 states. Grants made
the works to be announced late fall to ear- through the North American Wetlands Conserva- The commission also approved more than $15.1
ly January. | LEARN MORE AT RHINOBLINDS.COM. tion Act (NAWCA) will be matched by more than million from the Migratory Bird Conservation
$77 million in partner funds.
Continued on Page 32 nd to con er e , acre or e nationa
NAWCA grants conserve bird populations and wildlife refuges with funds raised largely through
wetland habitat while supporting local economies the sale of Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and
and erican tradition ch a h ntin , hin , Conservation Stamps, or “Duck Stamps.”

The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
project alone will add over 2,600 acres to the
refuge’s public hunt program, expanding public
opportunities for white-tailed deer, sika deer,
turkey and waterfowl hunting. | LEARN MORE
AT FWS.GOV/BIRDS/

30 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 31

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS

Continued from Page 30 Dirk Dieterich

IMnotossSytrOaatkegaincdPOaruttnteercshhIinpc. Enter Quentin
R. Young
ossy Oa announced a strategic part-
nership with Outtech nc. Outtech’s team demonstrated success as a committee board
of sales and marketing professionals has member, and a history of building capacity
a high level of expertise in the manufac- in the nonprofit sector.
turers and products they represent, and a
true knowledge and passion for the out- Dieterich served on the board of the Pope
doors. ossy Oa offers its -year com- & Young Club as treasurer and then direc-
pany history of specializing in marketing tor, and currently serves on the advisory
and brand building with Outtech’s 0-year council for the Rawls College of Business
experience in representing some of the at exas ech. ieterich’s areas of focus
most successful companies in the outdoor include strategy, finance, board manage-
industry. ach company’s dedication to ment and program delivery. e stated that
the customer, the industry and continued it was easy to see that S3DA was the fu-
growth truly complement each other. ture of archery and bowhunting. ieterich
wants S3DA to have a presence in every
The momentum and exponential growth state and county.
of each company creates a relationship
that will positively affect the outdoor in- A also welcomed uentin .
dustry at all levels and in all categories, Young as the newest member of the
ranging from manufacturers to retailers
and consumers. n addition, ossy Oa A oard of irectors. uentin cur-
and Outtech’s deep focus on conservation rently serves as the vice president for
will further support the missions of Mossy finance and O at the niversity of the
Oa ’s exclusive partners in conservation. umberlands.
Quentin had this to say: “I would not be
t isn’t very often that the strengths and where I am today without the life lessons
missions of two established companies, learned through archery. believe in the
looking to join forces, align as well as they work and opportunities that S3DA is creat-
do in this case, said hris aradise, se- ing for the youth of today. believe we will
nior vice president and chief sales officer continue to see phenomenal growth over
of ossy Oa . We feel Outtech’s commit- the next few years. LEARN MORE AT S3DA.ORG.
ment to conservation, customer service,
innovation, and their desire to evolve and

adapt to changing retail environments are
parallel with the strategic direction of our
enterprise. LEARN MORE AT MOSSYOAK.COM.

S3DA Welcomes New Team Members

Scholastic 3-D Archery named Dirk Diet-
erich of Colorado Springs as president of
the A oard of irectors. ir ieterich
comes with extensive leadership experience,

32 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 33

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA ACTION

10 Tips for Taking Better Photos

BY MICHAELEAN PIKE

I f a picture is worth a thousand professional-grade camera. Simpler cam- 6. Capture the action. ynamic photos
words, what do photos on your eras wor fine. oint-and-shoot cameras that demonstrate action can be popular.
website and social media say about have a little larger sensor than cellphone
your business ood photos grab attention, cameras , so they gather more light and are f you can wor out the camera settings
and get an arrow leaving the bow, that’s a
communicating who you are and what value more forgiving in more lighting situations, cool photo, insmann said. recommend
shooting those photos outdoors where you
your shop delivers. eanwhile, bad photos Einsmann said. have lots of bright light. ou need a uic
shutter speed, which gathers less light, so
get lost in the internet’s digital clutter at 3. Learn your camera. Once you have your the photos will come out better if there’s
more ambient light.
best. At worst, they ma e your business loo camera, learn how to use its settings. ins-
7. Study the background. As you ta e your
bac ward and unprofessional. mann recommends watching ou ube tu- photo, pay attention to anything or any-
one in the bac ground. A couple of people
With a little effort and practice, you can torials to learn what those camera settings tal ing in the bac ground can be distracting,
and ruin an otherwise strong photo.
ta e great photographs for your website, your do. hat’s especially important when ta ing
8. Clean up clutter. Archery shops are
advertising and your social-media platforms. photos under fluorescent lights. insmann notoriously cluttered. ools, catalogs and pa-
perwor usually cover hori ontal surfaces.
et’s review 10 tips for ta ing better photos. warns that s in tones can loo unnatural if
any shops also hang calendars, banners
1. Study good photography. ou don’t need the camera’s white balance is off. and important notices on the walls. hose
items are great for day-to-day operations, but
to ta e photography classes to improve your 4. Lighting is critical. ighting is a vital they can ma e your shop loo messy and dis-
organi ed in photos. efore snapping photos,
s ills, but if you have the time, money and factor in ta ing good photos, and it can get move clutter so it won’t show up on camera.

inclination, chec out your options at camera tric y for retailers who mostly wor inside 9. Tell a story. insmann said it’s vital to
understand how and why the photos will
stores or community colleges. Or ust scroll under harsh fluorescent lights. or best re- be used. hotos you post online should say
something about your business. hey should
through nstagram occasionally. ote which sults, set up photos in your shop where the tell a story about you and what you do. t’s

photos ma e you stop scrolling to figure out lighting is best. hooting in natural light Continued on Page 36

what you li ed. A ma or plus of nstagram is on an outdoor range, or where light comes

that you’ll also see plenty of bad photos. nder- through your windows usually ensures the

standing why photos are bad is also helpful. best results.

2. Buy the right equipment. our cell- 5. People make photos better. When

phone probably ta es ade uate photos, but posting photos of your shop’s products,

buy a real camera. ome cellphones have you’ll engage more customers if the pictures

great cameras, but they’re a little more par- include people. hotos showing someone

ticular on lighting, said cott insmann, using a product is more interesting than

the A A’s digital manager. photos showing products on the shelf,

ou don’t need to drop tons of cash on a Einsmann said.

1. Look through PHOTO © UNSPLASH
Instagram andPHOTO © UNSPLASH
note what kind
of pictures catch
your eye and
what you like
about them.

2. Good photos
catch people’s
attention,
communicating
who you are and
the value your
shop delivers to
customers.

UNITING THE INDUSTRY ARCHERY TRADE ASSOCIATION
archerytrade.org

34 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 35

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA ACTION

Introducing ATA’s New “Resource Website” By Cassie Scott

Continued from Page 34 The “Resource Website” is an exclusive, members-only Start Exploring • Use the Downloads tab to search for
microsite that gives you access to hundreds of free resources organi ed by topic and membership category.
really important for retailers to showcase resources made speci cally for ATA members. All the resources are strategically named to help you
their people and the services they offer,” Eins- nd exactly what you re looking for. ou can also use the
mann said. “Take pictures of your bow tech- All the documents are geared toward helping ATA search function to narrow your results. Download as many
nician working on bows, someone interacting members grow or support their business. Resources resources as you d like, there s no limit and they re free
with a customer, or an archery coach teach- include legal documents, educational materials, com-
ing a group of people. Those types of photos prehensive guides, high-quality images and videos for Request a Resource • If you believe the ATA is missing a
are useful for marketing and in social media.” marketing e orts, and much more resource, contact Wendy Lang, ATA s senior membership
manager, at wendylang archerytrade.org with your sug-
10. Risk failing. ameras don’t re uire film, Everyone must request access to create an account gestion. She ll work with the Member Bene ts Advisory
so take lots of photos. “Just delete those you with the Resource Website. Once your account is cre- Team to explore the options.
don’t like,” Einsmann said. “Don’t be afraid to ated, it will automatically link to your MyATA Login
fail. Try different stuff and see what you like. account for easy access. Need Help? • If you have any questions or need help logging
If it looks good to you, it probably looks good in, please email [email protected].
to others. Experiment with different angles.” Ready to get started Here s how.

For more on what makes good photos, check Request Access for Login Information
out the video called “What Makes a Great Step 1: Go to resources.archerytrade.org
Picture?” on National Geographic’s YouTube Step 2: Click RE UEST ACCESS
channel. You can also get inspired by an Step 3: Fill in all of the re uired elds
online Sports Illustrated article called “The 100 Step 4: Click the red Re uest Access button to submit
Greatest Sports Photos of All-Time” on si.com.
Please allow up to one business day for your re uest PHOTO © ATA
till need help A A members can find pro- to be approved. Once you re approved, you ll receive an
fessional photos, and educational materials, email from no-reply archerytrade.org with your login
videos and other resources, through a new fea- credentials, including an automated password.
ture on the ATA’s website. Visit archerytrade.org
for more information. Change Your Password • Once you re in, you can The “Resource Website” is an exclusive, members-only
change your password by clicking My Settings, microsite that gives you access to hundreds of free
located in the menu bar. Then, click Change Password
and enter your new password before clicking Update ATA .
User. ou will be prompted to log in again.

36 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2019



PEOPLE

PowerTheofParticipation
Archery Industry Members Participating in the Sport

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO: Email [email protected], 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.

Mike Fitzgerald • KentuckyWhitetail

Fitz’s Archery, Owner

Bow: Elite Energy 32 Sight: CBE

Brian McFarlane • New Zealand Red Deer Arrow: Gold Tip Rest: QAD Ultrarest HDX

Shiver Shield, Owner Broadhead: NAP Killzone Release: T.R.U. Ball Short-N-Sweet’R

Bow: Mathews Monster XLR8 Arrow: Victory Archery VAP

38 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

From Right Patrick Meitin, Byron Ellsworth Jason Feiner • Wisconsin Whitetail
Idaho Black Bear • Inside Archery, Equipment Editor
Gearhead Archery, Production Manager

and Pro Staff Broadhead: Wasp Hammer Bow: Gearhead Archery T24 Carbon Sight: TRUGLO Range Rover

Bow: Bear Archery Moment Sight: Trophy Ridge React H5 Arrow: Carbon Express Maxima Red Rest: QAD Ultra Rest

Arrow: Easton 5mm FMJ Rest: Trophy Ridge HX Broadhead: Grim Reaper Release: Tru-Fire Hardcore

Howard “Skip” Halfacre • Black Bear Matt Hott • Virginia Whitetail

TenPoint, Pro Staff Mohican Sneak, Pro Staff

Crossbow: TenPoint Shadow NXT Broadhead: Slick Trick Bow: Bowtech Carbon Overdrive
Arrow: Carbon Express Maxima Red
Arrow: TenPoint EVO-X CenterPunch Broadhead: Mohican Sneak Project One

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 39

S ure, bows and their
accessories have become
more deadly. Other useful tools like scent
control, treestands and camouflage have also become
more effective and reliable. ut nothing changed the funda-

mental strategy behind hunting li e the trail
camera did. othing else gave hunters
an eye in the woods—an eye that
would remain vigilant 2 , and
show hunters exactly what it saw
when something crossed its path.

40 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM

Instead of relying on limited informa- first trail cameras to ever hit the mar et were able to adapt, grow and continue
tion or a gut feeling, hunters can now “Where I hunted was 5 hours away,” Mark innovating like Cuddeback. The company
organize their plan of attack with solid has kept pace with all the rapid and incred-
evidence. They can decide exactly when and said. “I would use my 2 weeks of vacation to ible improvements to camera technology,
where they should hunt, and they can feel go there, but by the time I found out where and Mark Cuddeback has continued to think
confident with the information their trail the deer were, my vacation was already over. outside the box to create purpose-driven and
cameras provided. Many of today’s hunters I wanted to make a device that would pat- effective new products.
take trail cameras for granted, and consider tern deer movement on trails. At the time,
them a vital part of the hunting equation. in the mid 80s, there was nothing like that Building a Better Mousetrap
on the market, so I spent the next 5 years
ar uddebac was one of the very first developing a device that we know today as a Cuddeback’s many years in the industry
clever minds to develop this game-changing trail camera.” serve as clear proof that the company is
piece of equipment. An electrical engineer doing things right, and one of the main
by trade, Mark connected the dots and saw Roughly 30 years later, Cuddeback is the factors behind the company’s success is its
how modern technology could be applied longest-standing trail cam manufacturer in truly innovative design approach.
to the needs of hunting. Here’s how Mark the business. It turns out that a few other
described the inspiration behind one of the companies also developed a trail camera in For Mark Cuddeback, a top priority has
the late 80s, but none of those companies always been making products that are
simple to use for everyone, not just the
Cuddeback’s team of dedicated experts includes, from left to right: technically savvy.
Mitch Radke, customer service manager; Whitney Conlon, lead product
specialist; Beth Lax, president; and Jared Peterson, sales manager. “My original goal was to design a trail
camera that was as simple to use as an old-
fashioned alarm clock,” Mark Cuddeback
said. “I didn’t want the user to have to read
a complex owner’s manual, or fight through
a bunch of menus to get the camera work-
ing. It all goes back to understanding the
consumer, and consumers haven’t changed
over the years. We all want good, reliable

42 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

products. We want them to last, and we Cuddeback and his team managed to capi- Established in 1989, Cuddeback has
want them to be easy to use. It’s easy to talize on this new breed of technology, and developed a handful of revolutionary
forget that, especially when you’re working they also managed to do it in a way that was trail cams and continually improved
with advanced technology. We’ve always a step ahead of the competition.
spent a lot of time simplifying things down upon its designs.
for the average user, and the interface on We weren’t the first to come out with a
our cameras has always been a lot simpler digital trail camera, but we were the first to trigger within a second. It took us until 2003,
than others on the market.” come out with one that actually triggered but we pioneered technology that allowed
fast enough to catch a deer as it walked by our camera to capture a deer on a trail, and
ar uddebac officially established his on a trail,” Mark Cuddeback said. “Other it was the fastest on the market at the time.
company in 1989, but he continued to build cameras of the time would take 5 to 10 sec-
his products on nights and weekends until onds to trigger, so they only really worked Our first digital camera helped blow the
1996, when he quit his day job as an elec- if they were sitting on a bait pile. I didn’t market wide open,” Mark Cuddeback contin-
trical engineer to develop and build his trail hunt over bait, and I knew that a lot of other ued. unters could finally get their pictures
cams full-time. hunters didn’t either. So I needed it to work instantly when they checked the camera.
on a trail, which meant the camera had to
By the early 2000s, trail cameras had gone hey didn’t have to fill up a whole roll of film
from a small, niche aspect of the industry and then take it to get developed—which
to a growing and important fixture. igital
camera technology was also getting smaller
and sleeker, and this provided an obvious
upgrade to the trail cams of the time. Mark

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 43

took so long that it made those photos much consumers that we did.” forest, and their range can reach over a
less valuable. hey could finally use that Cuddeback’s design approach and compa- mile in more open terrain. By connecting a
information for day-to-day scouting, and “daisy-chain” of cameras, hunters can easily
digital trail cameras became commonplace ny philosophy served as a solid foundation cover hundreds—even thousands—of acres.
after that.” when the trail cam market was drastically
changed again by cellular and wireless tech- This is how Mark Cuddeback outlined the
Cuddeback continued to incrementally nology a few years ago. Sure enough, Mark key advantages of CuddeLink:
improve its digital trail camera technology Cuddeback and his dedicated team took
in the following years. Along the way, the advantage of the obvious upgrades that wire- “CuddeLink does two amazing things for
company also stayed ahead of the game by less technology provided—but like before— hunters,” he said. “First, it saves them a lot
never losing sight of its dealers and con- they also did it in a smart, highly effective of time. Instead of going out and pulling
sumers. Looking back, Mark Cuddeback con- way. cards from 16 cameras, they only need to
siders the second part of that equation the pull a card from one to check all of them.
most important. Breakthrough After The second and more important advantage
Breakthrough is that they’re not out there spooking deer.
We were one of the first three companies They can check their cameras as often as
to start selling trail cameras in 1989,” Mark Cuddeback unveiled its revolutionary they want without chasing deer off their
Cuddeback said. “Those other two companies CuddeLink networking system in 2017. property, especially if they put their home
aren’t around anymore, and a lot of other Much like the company’s previous innova- camera in a nice location. I have my home
companies have also come and gone since tions, CuddeLink provides users with clear camera in my hunting cabin, for example,
1989. I think we survived and others didn’t benefits that nothing else on the mar et can so I can easily check all my cameras two or
because we always paid very close attention replicate. three times a day if I want.”
to what consumers wanted, and also what
dealers wanted. Some of those other compa- The technology behind CuddeLink is a An incredible amount of hard work and
nies didn’t have a dealer program, and they tad complex, but the result is simple: Users ingenuity went into the patent-pending
tried to keep prices high when they were go- are able to connect up to 16 cameras on a CuddeLink, and Mark Cuddeback couldn’t
ing down. Just like us, they were trying to single network, and each of those cameras be more proud of his team for helping him
make the best product they could, but they wirelessly transmit their images back to a make this incredible idea a reality.
didn’t have the same focus on dealers and central “home” unit. Cameras can be spaced
between ¼ to ½ of a mile apart in a dense “I have three absolutely brilliant engineers,
and the four of us developed CuddeLink tech-
Mark Cuddeback nology together over the course of 5 years,”
applied his training Mark Cuddeback said. “It was relatively
as an electrical easy for us to get it wor ing in our office.
engineer to That actually took us less than 6 months.
produce his first We could transfer images between camer-
trail camera in the as in the office or at home, and it wor ed
late 80s. Today, his flawlessly. ut once we too it out into the
main focus remains field where the cameras were up to a mile
on engineering apart that’s when things got difficult, and
and product it took us the rest of those 5 years to get it
development. wor ing flawlessly in the real world.

“It was the biggest challenge that we’ve
had in the 30 years of Cuddeback,” he con-
tinued. “We’ve spoken with others in the in-
dustry who tried to do the same thing and
couldn’t ma e it wor . t was a very difficult
task, and there were many times I thought
that we wouldn’t figure it out. ut after
years of hard wor , we finally did it, and it
works exactly like we hoped.”

CuddeLink has been on the market for
about 3 years now, and its notable ben-
efits have clic ed with a lot of consumers.
Just like Cuddeback’s previous innovations,
CuddeLink was also designed to be easy to
use for the average hunter.

“We made sure that hunters didn’t need to
be technical experts to use the system,” Mark
Cuddeback said. “They can easily deploy their

44 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

Cuddeback’s revolutionary CuddeLink is
undoubtedly one of the greatest innova-
tions in the company’s long history.

cameras and move them around without fully understand how to set it up. We give perform to deploy a CuddeLink camera:
worrying about re-programming them or them a little more education and show “The cameras have different channels,
losing signal. We know that we succeeded them our videos about it, and then they’re
because there have been very few com- right back on track.” just like a walkie-talkie,” Mark Cuddeback
plaints, and if we do hear from someone explained. “There are 16 channels to choose
who’s not happy, it’s just because they don’t or more specific details, here are the from, and all the user needs to do is make
three small extra steps that hunters have to sure that all the cameras are on the same

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 45

channel. The second step is optional, but to deploy a CuddeLink camera instead of a collect their pictures. Now, hunters can use
highly recommended. They can give each conventional trail cam.” the Dual Cell Camera as their home station
camera a unique number, and that makes to get all of their images sent straight to
it easy to identify which camera took each CuddeLink is clearly a groundbreaking their phone.
picture. For example, they might see a deer innovation, but Mark Cuddeback and his
at camera number 6, and then they know team didn’t stop there. Altogether, CuddeLink and the Dual Cell
right where to go. The third thing they Camera provide the perfect combination of
have to do is keep track of a signal meter to Coming to a Smartphone practicality, convenience and affordability.
verify that the camera is receiving a signal Near You
from an adjacent camera. If they go too far, “With the Dual Cell Camera, users can
the meter will show them that they’re out In order to sweeten the deal even further, now get all the images from their Cud-
of range. After that, they’re good to go. On Cuddeback recently released the new Dual deLink network delivered to them with only
average, it takes less than 1 minute longer Cell Camera. one cell plan,” Mark Cuddeback said. “They
can have access to 16 cameras with a single
With CuddeLink alone, users still had $10-a-month plan. With our competitors,
to physically go to their home camera to they would have to pay for 16 individual
cell plans to do that. It all goes back to our
consideration for the average hunter. They
generally can’t afford multiple plans, so we
decided that we needed to address that with
something everyone could afford.”

Like all successful companies in the industry, almost all of
Cuddeback’s employees are diehard hunters. Pictured here,
from left to right, are Luke Trudell, dealer service support
(and a picture below of his buck before he harvested it);
Jared Peterson, sales manager; and Mitch Radke,
customer service manager.

46 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

The Dual Cell Camera is also an excep- want to make use of CuddeLink. employ a full network on their property,
tional stand-alone product for hunters who “A lot of hunting locations are obviously and they can still receive all those images on
only need one camera. It’s equipped with
Cuddeback’s proprietary Dual Flash technol- pretty remote,” said Dan Schultz, VP of sales
ogy, which combines invisible “Black Flash” for Cuddeback. “Someone might have a piece
infrared illumination with long-range infra- of property with only one small area that can
red illumination to capture clear images at receive a cell signal. CuddeLink doesn’t rely
varying distances and remain undetected. It on a cell signal, so those hunters can still
also has a lightning fast .25-second trigger
speed, and it records 20 megapixel images.

Meanwhile, the Dual Cell Camera pro-
vides other great benefits for hunters who

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 47

their phone if they put their Dual Cell in one variety of different ways, an chult Dual Cell
of the areas that does have a cell signal. No said. ome people li e to watch videos to Camera
other device can wirelessly deliver pictures get assistance, and others would rather
from those remote locations.” read about it or speak with someone. Our makes sense. The company’s products and
goal is to be easy to deal with, so we have a mentality have guided it well for the past 30
Helping Hunters in Need plethora of resources in all those different years, and this trend is sure to continue.
mediums. We’re also committed to com-
Cuddeback’s innovative and highly effective municating with our customers in all those “We always say that we will win with
products speak volumes about the company’s different formats to figure out what they our technology, ar uddebac said.
relationship with its customers. Hunters want and need from us.” “We’re never trying to make a cheaper
want hassle-free tools that help them suc- product at a lower price, and we never
ceed in the field, and uddebac wants to i ewise, uddebac goes the extra mile adopt new technology just because it’s
provide them with exactly that. to support its dealers. new. We’re trying to make the best prod-
uct possible at an affordable price—and
But Cuddeback’s job isn’t over when a “We want to make our dealers’ lives eas- we only use technology that’s appropri-
product is sold. After all, these are highly ier, ar uddebac said. hey have a lot ate for the problem we’re trying to solve.
technical products, and customers are go- of different tas s and products to deal with, That’s why we’ve been able to keep doing
ing to need a little help from time to time to and we understand that they don’t have the this since 1989. We’ve succeeded by always
make the most of Cuddeback’s remarkable time to become complete experts on our building a good product, selling it at a good
technology. uc y for them, uddebac has technology. Obviously they can answer the price, and meeting consumer and dealer
them covered there, too. basic uestions, but we want them to feel demands throughout the process.”
free to send customers our way for support
“Education and customer service are a because we have a staff that’s trained for it.
very essential part of our business, ar We also have a dealer-only hotline if they
Cuddeback said. “We know that custom- need uic answers, and we maintain great
ers will have questions before they buy the margins to help them make a fair amount
product, and they will have uestions if it’s of money along the way.”
damaged or not doing something correctly.
With hundreds of thousands of cameras out Conclusion
there, we get a lot of phone calls, so we have
a large and properly trained staff that’s ded- It’s fair to say that the industry can con-
icated to providing customers with service tinue to expect great things from Cud-
and guidance.” deback. The company’s unique approach
to product design is impressive on its own,
The company also presents its educa- but Cuddeback’s leaders also place them-
tional material in an assortment of differ- selves in their customers’ shoes to deliver
ent formats to cater to different types of innovations that are simple, effective and
consumers. reasonably priced.

verything is so fast paced today, and or ar uddebac , this approach simply
people like to get their information in a

Cuddeback designs and ships its
products from a 10,000-square-foot

facility in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

48 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019

JULY 2019 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 49

MARKET TRENDS BOW REPORT

Bear Archery Divergent
BY PATRICK MEITIN

I ’ve come to deeply respect Bear the very fastest models I test each season
Archery’s bows in recent years. ’ve (a huge bonus). This became most notable

had an undying affection for the after Bear Archery’s purchase by Esca-
company’s entire traditional lineup since lade Sports in 2003. Many issues plagued

was a pre-teen, but lately ’ve also pic ed the company before Escalade pulled the

a ear compound as one of my select few iconic name from financial ashes, allow- The 2019 Bear Archery Divergent is powered
by a smooth-drawing and fast hybrid cam
models for each new bowhunting season. ing other companies to climb onto the top system.

imply put, ear Archery compounds podium spots. ut without exaggeration, and still provides steadiness at full draw.
The 6.5-inch brace height is also an ideal
have continued to impress. They have ul- I’ll contend that Bear compounds are as middle ground between speed potential
and forgiveness during clutch opportuni-
tra-sweet shooting characteristics gener- good as anything on the market today. ties. The hybrid cam system is buttery
smooth, ma ing it easier to snug into an-
ally my priority , and they’re also among he company produces bowhunter’s bows chor with cold, stiff muscles after hours on
a chilly stand. he ivergent is also deadly
that are generally easy to shoot, always uiet. rom our heaviest test arrows to
the very lightest, the ivergent produced
forgiving and uiet, and hard hitting. hey dull thumps that should minimize game-
spooking shot noise. I’d say Bear Archery’s
include proprietary technologies that are goal of an ideal whitetail hunting bow was
reali ed with the ivergent.
as advanced as any brand in the business,
Stable Platform
including many unique and patented fea-
he 2019 ear Archery ivergent is based
tures that truly set them apart. on the rock-solid BearCage Riser. This in-
cludes strategically placed recessed cut-
That said—Bear absolutely dominates outs and edge flutes to minimi e weight,
and the design also maximi es strength
the budget market. The company offers and stability by eliminating riser flex
at full draw and after release. What this
bows that give price-conscious bowhunt- translates into is increased accuracy and
less vibration. he ivergent is 100 per-
ers solid performance without emptying a cent dead in the hand after release. The

ban account. When wor ed retail, for in- ivergent’s ear age iser lends this bow
excellent balance, even with a full array
stance, we sold more ear pac age outfits of shooting accessories attached. Such

than all other brands combined. hey were

purchased by serious bowhunters who

filled el and deer tags, not ust wee end

warriors. hen there are ear’s mid-priced

The 2019 Bear Divergent’s version of the proven bows, which relin uish performance that’s
BearCage riser provides a super-stable, on par with many brands that cost hun-
well-balanced and ultra-sti platform. dreds of dollars more. The 2017 Approach

was one of these. considered it the best

budget-friendly bow of the year. t was an

affordable, well-rounded compound that

produced arrow speeds of up to 0 fps.

or 2019, ear gave us the ivergent,

which was designed specifically for serious

whitetail hunters who demand flagship

performance without the flagship price tag.

he ivergent includes many of ear Ar-

chery’s top technologies, compact dimen-

sions perfect for whitetail treestands and

blinds, impressive O ratings of fps

while also coming in at ust less than 00.

Bear Archery’s patented HingeGuard removes Whitetail Ideal?
torque from the riser at full draw, so shooters
can concentrate on aiming and not ghting to he ivergent measures 2 inches between
stay on target. the axles, providing plenty of maneu-
verability while hunters are inside tight
pop-up blinds or on confined treestands.
Its 3.9-pound mass is ideal for easy toting

50 INSIDE ARCHERY JULY 2019