Inside Archery August 2020

www.insidearchery.com

®

AUGUST 2020

INSIDE ARCHERY • AUGUST 2020 THE ARCHERY INDUSTRY AUTHORITY









INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020 | VOLUME 23 | NUMBER 7

People

38 Power of Participation
■ Josh Dahlke | HuntStand
■ Pierre Chapdelaine |
Londero Sport/Arcinter
■ Matt Bateman |
Grim Reaper Broadheads
■ Neil Kucich | Proline Archery Lanes
■ Tom Rainey |
Browning Trail Cameras
■ Curt Headington | Xpedition Archery

40 40 Martin Outdoors
On the Rise Again

50 By Daniel Allred

Market Trends

16 New & Notable
Archery products with
strong sales potential

50 Bow Report
Mission Archery Switch

38 By Patrick Meitin
52 Treestands & Blinds
Customers Want

The newest treestands and blinds

that boost sales and hunting success

By Patrick Meitin

64 Crossbow Report
CenterPoint Archery CP400
By Patrick Meitin

66 Showstopper Targets
Arrow butts designed to peak
customer interest and shortstop
today’s fastest bolts and arrows

16 34 By Inside Archery taff

INSIDE ARCHERY (Volume 23, #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 Apollo Creative Inc. PO Box 15827,
Colorado Springs, CO 80935. Periodical postage paid at Colorado Springs, CO 80935 and at additional offices. Postmaster please send address changes to INSIDE ARCHERY, P.O. Box 986, Levittown, PA 19055-9998.

6 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020 | VOLUME 23 | NUMBER 7

IInndsiudsetrtyhe

12 Inside Track
Something Positive

20 Kinsey’s Business
Blueprint

Catering To & Attracting

66 New Customers

22 Inside Retailing
Cumberland Sportsman Supply
By Josh Honeycutt

26 Your ATA Insights
Wants And Needs
By Kurt Smith / ATA

28 Industry News
22 Information that keeps you up

to speed on news, events and
people in the archery industry

34 ATA Action
Reap Archery s ear-Round enefits
By Cassie Gasaway / ATA

74 Industry 5Q
Five Questions on Killer Food Plots

52 with Nick Percy and Tracie Lynn

52 64
8
INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020 VOLUME 23 NUMBER 7

insidearchery.com Online Exclusives

Bowhunting ulletproo ng our owhunting
Tournament Archery ig For ow eason
Industry
Shooting The Inside Archery staff provides solid advice on bul-
letproofing your hunting rig ahead of the upcoming
bowhunting season to avoid mid-season disasters
and lost hunting time in the heat of battle.

ow Nock hoice and erving Fit
elp produce etter hooting

What’s in a nock? As far as tournament archery
goes, maybe everything—or at least much more
than you might have believed, creating that just-
right nock/serving interface for improved accuracy.

How To Develop A Professional
Attitude

Inside Archery’s Executive Editor offers sage advice
gained through outdoor retailing on learning to put
your best foot forward and helping put customers
at ease with a cheery and positive attitude.

ealistic raw Weight in The New
Millennium

Executive Editor Patrick Meitin provides thoughts
and insights into determining how much draw
weight is too much—and how modern gear makes
less poundage necessary.

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

Sportsman Supply; “Bow Report” tests the new Mission Archery Switch;
“Crossbow Report” tests the new CenterPoint CP400 Crossbow; and “Industry 5Q”
examines Kiler Food Plots.

Inside Archery Digital Edition

Now Inside Archery can be delivered to your door, viewed on your computer,
AND on your smartphone or tablet. VISIT INSIDEARCHERY.COM/DIGITAL

Fresh content daily
on social media!

10 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE TRACK

Something Positive

I n these trying times, with news cycles dominated by a dirge of divisiveness
and negativity, the archery industry has emerged as a bright spot in the daily
grind. Over and over again, while gathering information for this magazine
and talking to everyone from independent archery shop owners to major bowhunt-
ing equipment manufacturers, the word on the street is that business is booming! Pro
shops are backed up with service orders; bows, arrows and accessory sales are off the
charts; and manufacturers are inundated with orders. This is a complete turnaround
from the dire news just months ago.
For example, interviewing a large archery shop recently for an Inside Archery fea-
ture, I was told they were selling 20 to 30 bows daily, and that they had up to 100 bows
awaiting attention from their bow technicians. Some dealers were complaining of be-
ing completely overwhelmed—a welcomed alternative to a dead shop. Much of this
newfound business involves first-time buyers or those
who have returned to the sport after a long absence.
It is not difficult to fathom why the continued pan-
demic, with its associated lockdowns and enforced so-
cial distancing, has sparked a renewed interest in get-
ting back to nature. A shortage of basic necessities in
some regions also seems to have ignited a curiosity in
independence and collecting organic protein. Crossbow
sales have also surged after many discovered purchas-
ing a firearm is not uite as simple as the mainstream
media has presented; many purchased by folks who
had never previously contemplated owning a weapon. And while many Americans
undoubtedly needed that stimulus check for basic necessities, I’ve encountered some
individuals who could afford to spend on their favorite hobby. That government and
taxpayer money has funded many new bowhunting outfits!
Of course your hardcore bowhunting regulars, many of whom have been working
from home or deprived of normal routines since March (and might just be bored out
their minds), are chomping at the bit to get back to what they love. A new bowhunting
season, beyond its normal connotations and forged by the Wuhan virus, comes like a
birthday and Christmas all wrapped into one.
So which is the main reason for the surge? My bet goes on D: All of the above.
Whatever the root cause, it is wonderful to see our industry thriving with so many
new faces coming into the fold or returning to our awesome sport. Some of these new-
bies may not mirror your typical tournament archers or bowhunters, but we welcome
them all. It is this diversity of interests—from backyard recreational shooting to seri-
ous target shooting, from weekend warriors looking for increased hunting opportunity
to those who make bowhunting a lifestyle, or even rifle hunters using crossbows as
a stepping stone into the archery world—that keep our sport alive and healthy. It is a
welcome sign of things to come, as nothing will keep archers from enjoying the be-
witching flight of the arrow and all that entails.

Patrick Meitin, Executive Editor

12 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



Publisher

Apollo Creative Inc

Executive Editor

Patrick Meitin • [email protected]

Associate Editor

Daniel Allred • [email protected]

Copy Editor

Lauren Molenburg

Contributors

Kurt Smith | Cassie Gasaway | Josh Honeycutt

Sales & Marketing Director

Stephen Mack • [email protected]
(814) 341-9313

Design & Production

ER Graphics / Ed Rother • [email protected]

Graphic Designer

Tara Bondar

Website & Social Media

Stephen Mack • [email protected]

Account Manager

Pam Ludlam • [email protected]

Subscription Services & Change of Address:

Inside Archery® Circulation Department
Inside Archery, PO Box 986, Levittown, PA 19055-9998
Phone: (844) 862-9286 • Fax: (888) 965-9961
[email protected]

Publication ce

Inside Archery® / Apollo Creative Inc
P.O. Box 15827, Colorado Springs, CO 80935
Phone: (719) 495-9999 • www.InsideArchery.com

Inside Archery founded in 1998 by Bill and Sherry Krenz

Inside Archery® Copyright © 2020 Apollo Crreative Inc. All rights re-
served. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permis-
sion from the publisher is prohibited. Inside Archery® is a registered
U.S. trademark of Apollo Creative 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: Apollo Creative 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 envelope with sufficient postage. No contract, agreement,
term or condition provided by any contributor shall be binding on
Apollo Creative Inc unless it is signed and returned by the Editor.

Archery, hunting and bowhunting are inherently dangerous activi-
ties. Improper use of hunting or archery equipment may cause se-
rious injury or death. Always follow state and local hunting safety
rules, and get required permits or licenses before hunting. Apollo
Creative 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. Apollo Creative Inc is not responsible for researching
and investigating the accuracy of the contents of stories or advertise-
ments published in this magazine. Readers use the information in
this magazine at their own risk. Apollo Creative Inc assumes no li-
ability for any errors or omissions in the content of this magazine, or
arising from use by any person of the information in this magazine.

•—•ative inc Inside Archery®
is a publication of
p•—• ollo crea Apollo Creative Inc
Printed in the USA.

14 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



MARKET TRENDS NEW & NOTABLE

Kinsey’s Elevation Spot-Hogg Tuff Guy

The Elevation Altitude 46 TCS Case from Kinsey’s is designed to keep ar- New for the pot ogg Tuff uy is an inde nger
chery gear safe from harm and organized. It includes a rigid steel-banded release with a single closed aw that fully captures and
frame and holds up to two bows and ve li points including removable secures string loops. The release was specially designed
shoulder strap and padded carry handle) for easy handling. The lockable to provide trouble-free and accurate use with string loops. Like
zippers and roller wheels are heavy duty all Spot-Hogg releases, the trigger promotes improved accuracy
for durability, the exterior shell and through a zero-creep, zero-travel design. Trigger tension is fully
skid plates also all about long life and ad ustable to be set up for the lightest touch or a much heavier pull.
equipment protection. Separate sleeves The connection strap is micro ad ustable to t most hand si es the
accommodate most compound bows rigid connecting shank and head also locking back and out of the
measuring up to 43 inches, with pockets way when not in use. It comes with black or Realtree Edge buckle or
provided for accessories such as quivers, BOA wrist straps. ■ Learn more at spot-hogg.com
removed stabili ers and arrow tubes all lined with a so
interior and a string/cam cradle. The case is black. ■ Learn more at kinseysinc.com

Scent Crusher Covert Closet Ani-Logics Outdoors
Crush Ani-Signature
The Covert Closet by Scent Crusher is part of the Series Sugar Beet
new Halo Series. This versatile system provides a
scent-eliminating solution for traveling hunters—as Ani-Logics Outdoors Crush Ani-Signature Series Sugar Beet
a rolling bag while on the move, converting to an Granular is a high-potency deer attractant formulated to keep
whitetails coming back for more. Ani-Logics Outdoors and
enclosed closet on arrival. The system uses the new Lee and Tiffany Lakosky of The rush oined forces combining the
battery-powered Halo Generator to cleanse bag/ Lakosky’s passion for herd and land management and Ani-Logics
closet contents. The 32-by-20-by-13-inch, 15-pound bag scienti c approach to
includes new techno-lite fabric, heavy-duty reversed nutrition. Crush products
zippers and a weather-resistant base, all designed to offer superior attraction
seal out scent. It also features an insulated exterior pocket but also provide the added
for keeping snacks cool with added ice pack, an ozone-free bene t of providing
exterior pocket, rugged roller wheels, reinforced pull straps and exceptional nutritional
rigid rack support system. ■ Learn more at scentcrusher.com and needs for all deer
in the herd, as they
Victory Archery TKO contain key micro-
minerals, essential oils
Victory rchery s TK lineup offers consistency durability and reliable accuracy. n standard diameter and probiotics. It’s easy
sha s ictory s F TK is THE choice. They feature the industry’s only 45-degree, 3K carbon weave for to use and comes in
improved hoop strength and minimal tor ue. The F TK utili es percent woven high modulus convenient resealable
carbon construction and is treated to a slick ICE Nano-Ceramic coating. Patented MAXXKE low torque bags. Just pour it on the
technology helps maintain momentum downrange for improved penetration. F TK sha s weigh from . ground wherever you
to 9.5 gpi and come with several insert options, from standard aluminum to heavier stainless steel. Arrows are want deer to appear.
weight matched to . grain digitally spine aligned and . degree helical hand etched offered with ■ Learn more at
straightness specs of +/- .001, .003 and .006. ■ Learn more at victoryarchery.com anilogics.com

Continued on Page 18

16 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



MARKET TRENDS NEW & NOTABLE

Continued from Page 16 Veteran Innovative ine i e rc er
ro cts Nitro Split Limb
HALO Optics CL300 Combat Veteran Dampeners
aser an efin er
The ombat eteran roadhead Pine idge rchery s Nitro plit Limb ampeners offer
H L s L Laser ange nder is a compact package from P is made from an e pansion to the company s e ceptional bow
perfect for demanding bowhunts. The highly percent merican made and string dampening products. Wedge t Nitro
affordable unit provides uick and accurate yardages materials right here in the . . . Limb ampeners are easily installed without tools or fuss
for ranges out to yards on non re ective targets without The ombat eteran broadhead and hold tight even when installed on the most radical
all the e tra bells and whistles that can confuse the situation bridges the gap between ed and speed bows. The dampeners work to soak up and silently
when working under pressure. The L is accurate to mechanical designs a hybrid dissipate e cess vibrations and noise on vertical bows as
yard and includes crisp bright optics and magni cation head including omentum well as many crossbow brands such as avin rossbows.
so users can be con dent they are ranging the target animal Nitro plit Limb ampeners are offered in nine colors to
and not an intervening grass stem leaf or twig. The impact anagement Technol customi e any bow and match overall color schemes. Nitro
resistant case is ergonomically shaped for easy one hand ogy that eliminates the plit Limb ampeners are also affordable retailing for only
operation on the y and is water resistant to assure reliability limitations of each style.
in wet conditions. The unit comes with a year warranty carry The resulting blade . a pair. ■ Learn more at pineridgearchery.com
case and tether strap. ■ Learn more at halooptics.com combination is as accurate as it is
lethal producing a blood spilling
. by cutting diameter and
straight line pass through
performance. The ombat
eteran is lead by a cutting stainless steel tip and the
heavy stainless steel blades are held in an aircra grade
aluminum ferrule. ■ Learn more at veteranip.com

18 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY BUSINESS BLUEPRINT Sponsored by

NCaetwerCinugstToom&eArsttracting Kinsey’s is the leading distributor to the outdoors and
D uring these uncertain and archery industry. Carrying items from your favorite
ever-changing times your We hear them talking industry lingo brands in stock and ready to ship the company offers
business has undoubtedly ex- that goes way over our heads. It’s fun domestic and international retailers a wide array of
perienced some form of change over to nerd-out and talk shop with other products and services. Kinsey’s also owns innovative
the past five months. The changes seasoned professionals, but that is consumer brands including BlackHeart, Fin-Finder,
most outdoor retailers have witnessed not the best approach with new cus- Elevation and October Mountain Products.
include increased online sales, new tomers. Often, new customers are not For more information, please visit KinseysInc.com
curbside pickup procedures and an as experienced or in-the-know on a
increase of new customers looking to particular subject or topic. Don’t talk customers will be. Consider signage
experience the outdoors. Surprisingly over their heads and intimidate them that states, “Welcome New Hunters &
enough, the Coronavirus has helped with tech knowledge. Make sure you Outdoor Enthusiasts.” Consider hold-
to reignite an interest and reason for and your employees are welcoming ing virtual seminars, creating videos
many people to get outside and enjoy and friendly. Go out of your way to or online articles to let people know
the great outdoors. help explain the basics of what they who you are, where you’re located
Whether they are new outdoor en- need to enter the sport they’re look- and the products and services you of-
thusiasts or returning customers, it’s ing to enjoy. In doing so, you’ll begin fer. Specifically cater those signs and
important to remember to help edu- to build a trusting relationship that marketing messages to new custom-
cate and inform your customers. We’ll will foster future business. ers who may be interested in getting
discuss three important ways to help into hunting, fishing or ust getting
cater to and attract new customers, Go The Extra Mile With Service outdoors.

as well as how to retain customers Customers remember when some- It’s far too often we overthink or
during these uncertain times. one goes the extra mile and over-complicate what we need to do
helps them out. There’s no in order to attract and retain new
Be Welcoming and Friendly better time to do this than customers. Remember, what would
when a customer comes make you happy if you went into a
At some point we’ve all been there. through your doors. Once a new shop for the first time If you
We were a beginner amongst sea- customer has made the deci- were a novice at something, what
soned vets in a new activity or sport. sion to visit your location you would help foster excitement to re-
must do everything you can turn to a business ltimately, it s
to earn and retain their busi- about creating a positive experience
ness. Just think of experienc- and building a trusting relationship
es you’ve had—both good and with a customer. At the end of the
bad—where a business has day if you can take steps to be more
gone out of their way to earn welcoming, to go the extra mile
your business, or to lose it. We with your customer service, and
can all look back and reflect to market to new customers, you’ll
on what those businesses did steer your business in the right
direction. IA
to make us life-long customers, and
also places we will likely never re-
turn again.

Market to New Customers

To ensure you’re welcoming, put
messages wherever potential new

20 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE RETAILING

Kentucky Retailer Welcomes Compound and Crossbow Shooters Alike

BY JOSH HONEYCUTT

Cumberland Sportsman Supply

Store rofi e more of the day-to-day business to Dylan, Cumberland Sportsman Supply is owned and
who also works in construction and spends operated by ohn ilbert left and Dylan right , a
■ Headquarters: Burkesville, Kentucky more time manning the shop when weath- father and son team. ohn has plans to retire soon,
er is bad and prevents him from working leaving Dylan to take over day-to-day operations.
■ Owners: John Gilbert and Dylan Gilbert outdoors. Dylan’s involvement in shooting
ASA tournaments allows him to meet a lot John Gilbert: “Because of special permits,
■ History: Cumberland Sportsman Supply of people, which also helps bring in custom- we’ve always had a little crossbow business.
was started in Burkesville, Kentucky, by ers from across the state. The store includes
John Gilbert and his wife Wanda in 1994; a 20-yard indoor range. ut I m going to say about five or six years
their son Dylan Gilbert grew up working ago it really started picking up. Other than
and shooting in the store. More recently, ■ Years in Business: 26 special orders, when Kentucky established
John plans to slowly throttle back his in- the first crossbow season, that s when we
volvement in the store and enjoy retire- ■ Square footage: 2,100 (750 for shooting started carrying more crossbows and more
ment now that Dylan bought-in and be- lanes). accessories for them, such as scopes, cock-
came a full partner. John still works in the ing aides, bolts and so forth.”
store but says he eventually plans to leave ■ taffin Family-run, including John and
Wanda Gilbert and son Dylan Gilbert Inside Archery: From your observations,
what types of customers are making up the
■ Bow Lines: PSE, Mathews, Hoyt, Mission largest percentage of your crossbow cus-
and Bowtech tomers; youth, temporarily or permanently
physically impaired, or rifle hunters look-
■ Arrow Lines: Black Eagle and Gold Tip ing for additional hunting opportunities?

■ Crossbow Lines: SE, Raven and Excalibur. John Gilbert: “I’m going to say 85 to 90 per-

■ Inside Numbers: 40 percent of revenue
is generated by bowhunting, 10 percent by
crossbows, and 10 percent by target and rec-
reational archery.

Retailing Q & A

umberland Sportsman Supply has garnered a loy- Inside Archery: When did crossbows be-
al, multi-county following by offering unsurpassed come a major factor in your everyday busi-
customer service, including lifetime tuning services ness operation and what adjustments—if
to customers who buy bows and crossbows. any—were required to meet changing de-
mographics or customer needs?

umberland Sportsman Supply is located in Burkesville, entucky, and has been serving local customers since 1 4. In recent years,
crossbows have become a more significant portion of their business.

22 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020

Sponsored by

Plano Synergy

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

cent of crossbow customers are older, those Cumberland Sportsman Supply carries many popular archery brands. It also has an array of price ranges,
who might struggle with a compound be- from budget bows to top-end models, and crossbows from PSE, Ravin and Excalibur.
cause of a bad shoulder, or youth who maybe
can’t draw enough poundage to get out there. services we do. But there’s really not nearly as Inside Archery: In the big picture, would you
But youth shooters will probably convert to a much service as in compounds. We do what- consider crossbows easier or more difficult to
compound eventually. For the most part, our ever they want done, but still, it’s not nearly sell and service than compounds, and why?
bowhunters are bowhunters.” as much. Crossbows are so simple and so ac-
curate anymore. Even cheaper ones shoot re- John Gilbert: “Crossbows don’t create as
Inside Archery: How does the average com- ally well. After you sight them in, there’s not many sales as compounds for us, but they
pound bow customer differ from crossbow that much to do to them.” are easier to sell. And mostly, the guy look-
hunters and how do you adjust your service ing for a crossbow, whether it’s for his kid or
approach to accommodate each? his grandfather, a lot of them are settling for
that $300 to $400 model. That’s why the PSE
John Gilbert: “Well, there’s not nearly as Coalition sells so well for us, even the Fang.
much service with crossbows. Basically you Now, you do have those dedicated crossbow
have a kit. We’ll sight it in at 20 yards for hunters who will spend $1,400 on a Ravin, or
them, as that’s one of the biggest crossbow

Cumberland Sportsman Supply includes a 20-yard indoor range that is open to customers, There’s not a lot
allowing them to try new products or shoot when weather is inhospitable. of animosity between
compound hunters
and crossbow hunters...
There are enough people
against hunters. We
don’t need to be divided
amongst ourselves.

AUGUST 2020 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 23

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE RETAILING

even on an Excalibur priced somewhere in table amount of crossover
the middle.” between compound and
Inside Archery: It has been suggested that crossbow hunters in your
crossbows saved many independent archery area, or do each pretty
shops from bankruptcy during the recent eco- much stick to their chosen
nomic downturn. Would you agree with this weapons?
assessment, or have they only served as an
additional sales item? John Gilbert: “It’s pretty
John Gilbert: “I don’t believe crossbow sales
will ever be equal to compounds. At least, not much a divided line. They
here in Kentucky. But it does seem crossbow
sales are getting a little better. We do see a are usually one or the
few people convert. The guy who works out of
town, who just doesn’t have time to practice, other. Now, we see a lot of
but still wants to go hunting. We see some of
those guys converting to crossbows.” people who will go from
Inside Archery: o you find there is a no-
compound to crossbow—
Cumberland Sportsman Supply has been carrying
crossbows since the days when Kentucky required whether it’s injury-related Cumberland Sportsman Supply carries a wide selection of arrows from
special permits to hunt with them. Today, with a desig- or whatever—and then go old Tip and Black agle, including budget to top-end wares and shafts
nated crossbow season, crossbow sales have escalated. back to a compound. We
see some of that. But most- for everything from target archery to bowhunting.
The 20-yard range allows Cumberland Sportsman
Supply to provide one-on-one personalized service ly, it’s pretty cut and dry.
to any cutomer who wants to try a new product.
They either shoot a crossbow or a compound.” Inside Archery: Do compound and crossbow

Inside Archery: How do you help attract lo- hunters in your area tend to mingle well, or
cal crossbow business from a rifle-hunting do they remain in their respective groups?

demographic that may not be aware of your John Gilbert: “They mingle well. There’s not a

archery presence in their area? lot of animosity between compound hunters

John Gilbert: “Selling crossbows to gun hunt- and crossbow hunters, even when it comes
ers stretches the season out a lot more. For to guns, you don’t see it around here. There
the guy who hasn’t bowhunted, it helps to are enough people against hunters. We don’t
explain to them that they get so much more need to be divided amongst ourselves.”

time to hunt. You’re in the woods more by Inside Archery: Any other bit of advice you

yourself. The deer are less spooked. Every- can offer dealers or department managers in

thing about bowhunting is better than gun regard to crossbow sales and service?

hunting, in my opinion. You try to explain John Gilbert: “Try to know your customer.
that to them, and the fact that these cross- Try to meet their needs, whether they need
bows are like shooting a rifle out to yards. a $300 bow or a $1,500 bow. Don’t try to push
The accuracy is there.” the $1,500 bow if they can’t afford it. Just get

Inside Archery: How do you sway customers them into the sport. Then, you might upgrade

away from mail order or the big box stores? them. But get them into the sport.”

John Gilbert: “Our service. Our expertise. I’ve Inside Archery: hat s significant about your
been doing this for 26 years and have been business that others should know about?
shooting all of my life. Dylan started shoot-
ing a bow at 4 years old. We offer a lifetime John Gilbert: “We’re as much into service as
service policy on all bows we sell, whether it’s anything. You can buy anything at a big box
compounds or crossbows. If you want to bring store, but here you get it worked on and get it
it in and have it tuned up and checked out, it working right. We take a lot of pride in mak-
won’t cost you anything. We’ll re-tune it. Of ing sure everything is done right, starting with
course, the bow manufacturers mostly have paper tuning. Of course, if it’s a compound, we
a lifetime warranty on the product. We draw can’t sight it in for you. But we’ll do everything
hunters from three or four counties deep in we can do to make sure it’s right.” IA
every direction. We have steady customers
in Nashville, Knoxville and Louisville, but the WebXtra ■ To learn more about
core is three counties deep in every direction.”
Cumberland Sportsman Supply, please
go to insidearchery.com/cumberland

24 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY YOUR ATA INSIGHTS

Wants and Needs

BY KURT SMITH, COURTESY OF THE ATA

L ate summer and early fall bring heaps of business to archery our sport overnight, but they should

also know they can quickly achieve

retailers and manufacturers. The archery/bowhunting market has some level of success. Don’t discour-

always varied slightly year to year, but we’ve never before seen age a new customer by starting them
at 20 yards with a 60-pound bow and

change as drastic as we’ll see this year. telling them they must practice more
to become proficient. ake it easy

for them to hit the target, moving to

Quarantines and shutdowns have bowhunting! Ask questions and 10 yards and using a 30-pound bow.

created substantial obstacles for busi- show genuine interest in custom- They’ll soon want to extend the dis-

nesses and changed how consumers ers when they enter your store, call tance, increase their precision and

view the marketplace. Consumers, your business or send a message work up to a higher draw weight.

more than ever, are keenly aware on social media. Never forget that

that businesses are trying to convince customers want to buy something Customers Need to Make the Choice

them they need a particular product new and exciting. Ask about their Customers make powerful choices

or service. But archery equipment is desires. What would help them en- when doing business with brands

a “want” more than a “need” in most joy archery even more? or retail establishments.

cases, which should help you keep Customers expect you to Some of those choices

things in perspective while serving make recommendations disappeared the past few

your customers. based on their answers. months, reminding con-

How should your business cater to They also expect your sumers they don’t like to

your customers’ wants and needs? expertise to help them buy without options. There-

achieve results. fore, you must invest sig-
nificant time and effort finding ways
Nobody Needs a New Bow

Customers generally don’t “need” ar- Everybody Wants to Hit the Target to persuade current and potential

chery equipment. They want it. Ap- No matter a customer’s age, they customers to support your business.

peal to that desire. They want the desire and enjoy success. They like- That could include marketing efforts

fun and adventure of archery and ly understand they won’t master or customer service that makes cus-

tomers feel valued and part of some-

thing bigger. In contrast, you’ll likely

hurt your business if you try to con-

vince customers they need you. ake

your customer, not you, the hero, and

they’ll want to support you.

If you are seeking ways to com-

municate with customers, help them

succeed and keep them wanting to

support your business or brand, check

out the yATA earning enter. ou ll

find endless ways to learn from peers

and industry experts. Or contact me

at [email protected], and

tell me how the ATA can better serve

your business. IA

26 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS

Great American Outdoors super majority votes cast by our elected of- not listed in the All-Time or Velvet Edition
Act Becomes Law ficials - in the Senate and - in
the House,” Tawney said. “We are all public record books in the same manner as hard-
Following strong bipartisan votes in the land owners. Today we can give thanks that
Senate and House of Representatives, and our shared lands and waters will receive antlered animals. They were not ranked and
outspoken support by public lands sports- the funding critical to maintain important
men and women, President Trump signed habitat for fish and wildlife, uphold op- were listed by recording period, rather than
the Great American Outdoors Act into law. portunities for all to access and enjoy the
outdoors, and sustain our irreplaceable out- the largest scoring animal to the smallest
The Great American Outdoors Act, or doors legacy. Thank you, Mr. President, for
GAOA, ensures full and dedicated funding listening to the American people and sign- scoring animal. Lastly, velvet antlered ani-
at $900 million annually for the Land and ing this historic legislation into law.”
Water Conservation Fund, a popular and mals were not eligible for World Record sta-
successful program that funds conservation Passage of the Great American Outdoors
and public access projects across the United Act was made possible by a bipartisan group tus within their category.
States. GAOA also includes $9.5 billion over a of congressional leaders, including Sens. Cory
five-year period to address critical mainte- Gardner (R-CO), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Steve “With the assistance of our Records Com-
nance backlogs on public lands and waters. Daines (R-MT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Jon
Tester (D-MT) and Reps. Joe Cunningham mittee, we reviewed this long-standing
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Presi- (D-SC), Mike Simpson (R-ID), Xochitl Torres
dent and CEO Land Tawney commended Small (D-NM), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and policy in-depth, analyzing all potential is-
members of Congress and the President for Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), to name just a few.
championing the bill, while crediting grass- sues,” said Roy Grace, records chair of the
roots sportsmen and women for their unre- The Pope & Young Club
lenting advocacy in fighting for its passage. Revises Velvet-Antler Policy Pope & Young Club. “These discussions took

“Today we unite in celebration of our The Pope & Young Club is excited to announce several weeks to ensure all aspects were
public lands and waters,” said Tawney. a significant shift in policy on how the lub
“Success has many fathers and mothers, will address velvet antlered animals sub- covered. In the end, the Records Committee
and without the dedicated, unwavering mitted for all-time entry into the Club’s Re-
support of so many—ranging from rank- cords Program. While the Club has accepted unanimously agreed to recommend that
and-file hunters and anglers, outdoor recre- all species of velvet antlered animals since
ationists and business owners to members
of Congress and the President—we would , these trophies were never eligible for
never have achieved this hard-won victory. awards (top three animals in each recording
period). Additionally, velvet trophies were
“Conservation has never been the prov-
ince of a single party nor owned by a par-
ticular constituency, as illustrated by the

the P&Y Board change our policy on how we

deal with velvet animals. During the June

oard meeting in Reno, the oard

unanimously approved the change pro-

posed by the committee.”

Effective immediately, velvet antlered

animals will be treated exactly like all other

animals accepted into the Records Program.

Additionally, and most importantly, velvet

antlered animals will now be eligible for

World Record status within their respective

velvet category.

The Club is also accepting donations to

produce a revised Velvet Record Book, in-

cluding these changes, to be showcased at

the Reno, Nevada, convention April - ,

. If you would like to donate, please

President Trump signs the Great American Outdoors Act. Continued on Page 30

28 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS

Continued from Page 28

contact Lisa Kohlmeyer at the Pope & Young ark opeland is ready and able to be a in these uncertain times. e need to focus on
lub ffice, - - , or send an email to strong hairman of the Archery Trade Asso- telling our story. e need to find better ways to
ciation, Summers said. As a ice hair of communicate our benefits and expand the ac-
records pope-young.org. | TO LEARN MORE GO TO ATA, ark opeland has been involved in im- cess of tools for each category of membership.
POPE-YOUNG.ORG. portant industry decisions for a
very long time. e looks for every I m continually ama ed at the
ATA Announces opportunity to build bridges be- number of members unaware of
Board of Directors’ tween dealers and manufactur- the hard work conducted by this
New Executive Committee ers. Now that ark is hairman, small, dedicated ATA staff. They
I expect unprecedented coopera- work hard to create education
In April the ATA oard of irectors voted to tion between the most critical components, establish programs
delay the Executive ommittee election by segments in our industry. now- and secure partnerships that help
ing ark on a very personal basis, I recogni e build a strong base of archers
days so the ATA and irectors could better he is a man of integrity who is able to make who will grow into longtime consumers.
focus on providing the best possible member the best high-level decisions for the entire usinesses need resources and tools to as-
support during the I - pandemic. ith industry. e revitali ed the Retail ouncil sist them in the ever-changing landscape of
the delay scheduled to expire in August, the and provided a way for dealers to vote for our industry. None of us could have predicted
their own representatives on the ATA oard. the scope or impact of this pandemic. The As-
oard of irectors voted a new Executive sociation s ability to pivot and give guidance
ommittee into office. uring the recent elec- e then gave dealers a voice to speak, while is critical. nderstanding how to help some-
tion, the oard installed a new chair and two considering the impact on all other industry one move forward in a very challenging en-
new vice chairs to the committee. stakeholders. e is a fair and positive leader vironment, while looking for the positive les-
in this difficult time in world history. It s an sons or opportunities to grow, is important.
ark opeland, store director of ay s Sport- honor to pass the torch of ATA Chairman to e need members to become engaged, pro-
ing oods, was named as the new Executive such an accomplished and effective leader. vide open and honest feedback, and find the
best methods of sharing that information.
ommittee hair. ames c overn, owner of ark opeland discussed the larger issues e also need to look for ways to diversify
Rinehart Targets, and eff Adee, president of currently facing the industry. our revenue stream beyond the ATA Trade
Show. y personal goal has always been and
eadhunter ow Strings Inc., were voted into It s time to reflect on our strategic pillars, will continue to be keeping the retail voice
the vice chair positions. Those elected to the opeland said. e need to evaluate our ef-
Executive ommittee serve a two-year term. fectiveness and confirm they re still relevant

eparting the Executive ommittee are en
Summers of T.R. . all A E Archery and
Randy alk of oyt Archery.

Alec Wyman Joins Bear Archery as Marketing Manager

Bear Archery recently announced the hiring of tensive and proven marketing experience to our
Alec Wyman to serve as a marketing manager team and we are excited to capitalize on his data
for its legendary brands in the Bear Archery driven skill set to help drive our legendary brand
portfolio. As marketing manager Wyman’s pri- portfolio.”
mary objective will be supporting and imple-
menting marketing strategies and concepts Wyman formerly served as the Director of
while managing sponsorship, endorsement and Sales Marketing for Hennessey Performance,
pro-staff relationships. where he managed consumer engagement, drove
innovation across the brand’s marketing initiatives
Wyman will serve as the marketing manager and increased the brand’s identity within the auto-
of Bear Archery, Trophy Ridge, Fletcher Archery, motive industry.
a un Bowfishing, SI Broadheads and Rocket
Broadheads. He will also assist in ecommerce sup- “I am very excited to join the Bear Archery
port and coordinating special events, trade shows team,” says Wyman. “As an avid hunter and out-
and consumer shows. doorsman, I’ve been a follower of the Bear brands
for as long as I can remember. I’m eager to help
“We are thrilled to welcome Alec Wyman to drive the business forward as the team’s new mar-
Bear Archery,” says Ryan Shutts, Bear Archery’s keting manager.” |
Director of Product Management. “Alec brings ex-

30 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020

relevant. Archery has been a passion of mine having banner years, yet are struggling with “Randy Walk has spent nearly his entire
for many years and I consider it a blessing to their supply chains to get components and career serving the industry through service
be a small part of its growth.” finished product in-house to sell. Everyone is to the ATA board. In his most recent time as
struggling with getting employees back or hir- Vice Chair, I’ve come to rely on his vocal input
Newly elected McGovern added his ing more employees. The one thing that hasn’t on our most challenging issues. As we’ve seen
thoughts. “The world is an unpredictable changed is that everything has changed for our from so many of our Directors, Randy is espe-
place right now,” he said. “I look forward to members the last five months. The ATA has cially adept at advocating for the industry’s
working with the ATA to navigate a course done a very good job of giving advice, guidance best interest and encouraging his counter-
through this so we can continue to focus on and the necessary tools to aid members in sur- parts and our staff to maintain our priorities.
our future together.” viving these turbulent times, but there is still a
lot of work to do.” “Mark Copeland was a clear choice for his
Jeff Adee also made a statement about the fellow Directors to succeed Ben Summers in
election results. ATA President and CEO, Matt Kormann the role of Board Chairman. The fact that many
shared his thoughts on the election results. of our manufacturing members supported
“Assuming this responsibility after the ex- him speaks volumes for his ability to see clear
cellent job Ben and Randy have done is very “I’m incredibly grateful for Ben Summers’ paths through challenging times. Working for
daunting,” Adee said. “I’m glad that Mark (Co- service to the archery and bowhunting indus- a successful brick-and-mortar retailer, Mark is
peland) will be there to push me to measure try as a longtime Board and Executive Com- uni uely ualified to bring a diverse thought
up to the high standard that the three of them mittee member,” Kormann said. “He has been process to our leadership team, and we’re ex-
have set these last few years. I think that more consistently eager to challenge our staff to do cited to continue working with him.
than any other time since the Great Recession more for our members, and we’re fortunate
of 2010, the challenges facing the industry right to have had him at the helm for the last sev- “Rounding out our Executive Committee,
now are incredible. Some shops and manufac- eral years. While no longer serving as Board Jeff Adee brings a wealth of experience from
turers are still figuring out how to survive two Chair, I know we can count on Ben to con- his current role at Headhunter Bowstrings
months of ero cash flow from the pandemic tinue as a strong voice for all members. and his previous life in corporate America.
shutdown. Others are now running wide open

AUGUST 2020 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 31

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS

Jeff’s commitment to serve the Board has purchased (up to four valid redemptions per machined to ensure precise tolerances and
never wavered, even when he’s not held a seat person/address). This special offer comes just structural rigidity. TRU•CUT titanium tips cut
as a director. James McGovern has charted in time for bowhunters to save money on on impact, allowing the fixed or mechanical
a course for Rinehart Targets through chal- their preseason tune-up and broadhead prac- blades to create devastating wound chan-
lenging times for our industry, and has often tice sessions. nels. Titanium X heads are spin tested and
called into question the status quo of your ATA sharpness tested. All blades are precision-
in ways that have allowed us to evolve for the Titanium X broadheads are designed from sharpened and made from 0.031-inch-thick
benefit of our members. thread-to-tip for durability and maximum stainless-steel for excellent penetration.
penetration in all big-game species. The
“While change brings inherent challenges, one-piece, all-titanium ferrules are CNC- Several styles of Titanium X broadheads
I’m excited to work with this new leadership are offered to match specific needs and shoot-
team, and am confident in their ability to er preferences, including: Fixed 3-blade, Fixed
continue our long-range goals of bringing ad- 4-blade, Mechanical rear-deploying 2-blade,
ditional value to each of our members.” | FOR Mechanical rear-deploying 4-blade, BackFlip
MORE INFORMATION, VISIT ARCHERYTRADE.ORG. mechanical 2-blade and BackFlip mechanical
3-blade for compounds, and Fixed 4-blade and
Titanium X Broadheads Mechanical rear-deploying 4-blade, tested to
Mail-In Rebate Program 400 fps, for crossbows.

TRUGLO, Inc. announced a special, limited- All broadheads are packaged three per
time rebate on the current line of Titanium X package, and include a free set of replace-
fixed and mechanical broadheads, including ment blades and an installation safety
crossbow models. From July 1 through Octo- wrench. | FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REBATE
ber 31, 2020, bowhunters can receive a $5 re- PROGRAM, INCLUDING DOWNLOADING THE REBATE FORM,
bate on each pack of Titanium X broadheads OR TRACKING THE PROGRESS OF SUBMISSIONS, VISIT
TITANIUMXBROADHEADS.COM. IA

32 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA ACTION

eap rc er s ear o n enefits

BY CASSIE GASAWAY

A ttract customers through- of a small retail space. They relied on the
out the year to boost sales months around hunting season to sustain
them year-round. They couldn t offer les-

and bolster business. sons and they had few ways to market
archery s various disciplines. ut their

Would you prefer having four months business blossomed when they moved to a

of steady income or 12? Kind of a no- space with room for an indoor range.

brainer, huh? “Now we can take advantage of events

Although the buildup to bowhunting and activities year-round, which ex-

season is prime time for most archery pands our reach to hunters and target

businesses, it’s possible for retailers to shooters, elli lair said.

generate business that creates year- She said hunting is still much of their

round sales and customer traffic. focus, but the range expanded their op-

We spoke with Miles and Kelli Blair, portunities and attracted more business.

owners of The Arrow Shop in Dewey, Their hunting customers also like to

Oklahoma, to learn how they get the practice, shoot leagues and attend events

most from their archery business all during the offseason or bad weather. Ref-

year long. erence the ATA s Archery Range uides to including bowfishing, and encourage
them to shoot year-round to stay sharp.
weigh your options. The guides are avail-
The Blairs even tell customers about
Build a Range ■ The Blairs purchased their able on the ATA Store at archerytrade. shops and ranges that might be closer to
home, open at different times or stocked
business a few years ago and operated out org store. ATA members have access to with other products. They believe active
archers are good for the industry. They
free digital downloads. also share information about events to
encourage customers to branch out.
The Arrow Shop built an indoor range Try Something New ■ Many ar-
when they had the space and watched their Hold Events, Expand Opportunities ■
business grow. PHOTO © THE ARROW SHOP chers settle into a single discipline
soon after starting, so the Blairs ive people a reason to visit your shop
encourage customers to try differ- monthly. rovide opportunities to im-
ent archery disciplines. prove their skills, try something new and
stay engaged.
“Especially with newer custom-
ers or those who strictly hunt, we The Arrow Shop offers opportuni-
let them know about our indoor ties for all ages, including leagues, fun
range, elli lair said. Shooting shoots, indoor tournaments, individual
year-round can keep them in bet- lessons, couples or ladies-only nights,
ter shape and sharp for hunting corporate team-building events and hol-
season. iday parties for work or church groups.
Customers can also participate in Ex-
By helping customers partici- plore Archery programs or join the Ju-
pate in 3D, recreational or com- nior lympic Archery evelopment club.
petitive archery, the Blairs turn
one customer into two or three Also consider events that focus on a
when they begin buying gear for
other disciplines. on t assume Continued on Page 36
customers have only one archery
interest. Show them options,

UNITING THE INDUSTRY ARCHERY TRADE ASSOCIATION
archerytrade.org

34 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA ACTION

Continued from Page 34

season, like summer camps; or a holiday,
like Christmas or Valentine’s Day. Use the
ATA’s Event Planning Workbook to help or-
ganize your event.

Try Something Unique ■

• On-site Hunter Education Courses: The

Arrow Shop partners with the state wild-

life agency and a local game warden to

teach an on-site hunter education course

where participants can learn in a more in-

teractive environment than online cours-

es. The course also attracts newcomers,

which allows the Blairs to show potential

customers their range, products and edu- ncourage your customers to come back in for a bow
cational options. check up during the off season. PHOTO © THE ARROW SHOP
• Dinner and a Workshop: The Blairs have

invited a professional hunter from South

Africa to tell customers about hunting like to travel alone feel safe and support- push and expand business opportunities

overseas. They provide dinner and encour- ed at big events. into other months.

age customers to ask questions and visit

with the guest. BONUS TIP | Schedule Gear Check-ups ■ BONUS TIP | Hold Annual Sales ■ Kurt

• Jackpot Events: “Jackpot events” are good Nicole Nash, ATA’s range and retail programs Smith, ATA’s director of industry relations,

ways to attract busy people year-round. manager, encourages retailers to invite cus- recommends retailers schedule annual

Archers pay to participate in a same-day tomers to annual equipment check-ups. sales regularly.

competition to win the jackpot. The Blairs “People have an annual dentist and doc- ost big box stores have the same sales

hold week-to-week jackpot events in sum- tor exam visit, Nash said. hy not use around the same time each year,” Smith

mer when there s less foot traffic. These this strategy for your shop? Each time said. “Customers get trained to look for sales

flexible events don t re uire a league s someone buys a bow, schedule their re- and shop that time of the year. To capitalize,

multi-week commitments, which works turn in six months or the one-year mark schedule annual sales throughout the year
well for those juggling summer trips or ac- for a quick inspection. Use the appoint- and keep them consistent year to year. Pre-

tivities. ment to discuss bow maintenance or new dictable sales help during slower months.”

• Carpools: To help customers feel wel- products, and encourage them to attend a

come and comfortable, The Arrow Shop class or join your league.” Know the Commitment ■ Blair suggests

gathers a group to carpool or caravan to Blair also encourages customers to get retail shops strive for year-round busi-

distant events. Blair said road trips gener- their equipment repaired or serviced be- ness, but plan carefully and grow with

ate camaraderie and help those who don’t fore the busy season. This strategy helps caution while expanding offerings.

Extra year-round revenue is excellent

for business, but it has tradeoffs. Build-

ing a range or holding more events can

increase overhead expenses and re uire

additional liability insurance.

Plus, if you have a small operation and

few staff, be patient and balance your

business commitments. If you promote

recreational archery, you must accommo-

date newcomers who want to try it now,

even if it’s the middle of hunting season.

Events like date night, ladies night, or youth leagues are a great Unsure where to start? Contact Nicole
way to generate foot tra c year round. PHOTO © THE ARROW SHOP
Nash, ATA’s range and retail programs man-
ager, at [email protected]. IA

36 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



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 15827, Colorado Springs, CO 80935.

Josh Dahlke • Wisconsin Whitetail Matt Bateman • Utah Black Bear

VP Content, HuntStand National Sales Manager, Grim Reaper Broadheads

Crossbow ■ Mission SUB-1 XR Bow ■ Hoyt RX-3 Sight ■ Black Gold Ascent
Bolt ■ Mission Bolt Arrow ■ Gold Tip Pro Hunter Rest ■ Ripcord LOK
Broadhead ■ Rage Hypodermic Crossbow NC Broadhead ■ Grim Release ■ Spot Hogg Wiseguy
Reaper Pro 1 3/8-inch Stabilizer ■ Bee Stringer
38
INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020

Pierre Chapdelaine

• South Africa, Eastern Cape Blesbok Neil Kucich • Illinois Whitetail

Archery Specialist, Londero Sport/Arcinter President, Proline Archery Lanes, Inc.

Bow ■ APA Archery Mamba M7 Sight ■ Trophy Ridge React 5 Bow ■ Hoyt RX-3 Sight ■ Axcel Rheotech

Arrow ■ Carbon Express Release ■ T.R.U. Ball Champ Arrow ■ Easton A/C/C Pro Hunter Release ■ Scott Archery Pursuit

Mayhem Hunter 250 Rest ■ APA Twister CDX Broadhead ■ NAP KillZone Rest ■ QAD UltraRest MTX
Broadhead ■ Muzzy

Tom Rainey • Colorado Rocky Mountain Elk

Curt Headington • Iowa Whitetail Marketing Director, Browning Trail Cameras

VP, Xpedition Archery Bow ■ Hoyt RX-3 Turbo Sight ■ Spot-Hogg 5-Pin Hunter
Arrow ■ Gold Tip Rest ■ Hoyt UltraRest
Bow ■ Xpedition MX-16 Sight ■ HHA King Pin

Arrow ■ Victory Xtorsion Rest ■ HHA Virtus Kinetic Kaos/Lumenok Release ■ Scott Mongoose XT

Broadhead ■ Sevr Release ■ T.R.U. Ball Blade Broadhead ■ Muzzy Trocar Quiver ■ TightSpot

AUGUST 2020 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 39

On the Rise Again

Very few companies have been through an odyssey
like Martin Archery.

Established in 1951, Martin Archery has endured
seven long decades of highs, lows, changes and chal-
lenges. The company has shifted ownership more
than once since the passing of its legendary founder,
Gail Martin, in 2013. Compounding the problems al-
ready at hand, the company’s historic manufacturing
facility in Walla Walla, Washington, was devastated
by a fire in .

Despite these trials and tribulations, Martin Ar-
chery has emerged stronger than ever. The company
has literally and metaphorically “risen from the ash-
es,” and the company’s new leaders are proving to the
industry that Martin Archery is still a serious force to
be reckoned with.

Under New Management

ail artin is one of the first names that come to
mind when one thinks about the pioneers of the ar-
chery industry. His love for archery extended back to
1937, and after establishing his company in 1951 he re-
mained a major force in bow manufacturing for the
rest of the 20th century. His contributions to the sport
are countless, and he helped shape and grow the ro-
bust industry we have today.

The current leadership team of Martin Archery had
big shoes to fill, but they were certainly up for the task.

The company’s current leadership team includes:
Mark Edwards, president; Joel Miller, director of oper-
ations; Scott Romero, director of engineering and pro-
staff manager; Josh Lewis, director of plant operations
for Damon Howatt (Washington location); and Dennis
Lewis, director of plant operations for Obsession Bows
(Georgia location).

BY DANIEL ALLRED

40 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020

AUGUST 2020 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 41

A fascinating series of friendships and con- organi ed the purchase of the company.
nections brought this group together and in- artin Archery s new leadership team took
spired them to reinvigorate Martin Archery.
the reins in une of , and with the ATA
y first bow was actually a artin bow, Trade Show less than six months away, they
said oel iller, and I never could have imag- hit the ground running.
ined, back then, where I would be today. a-
sically it all started when my wife Shonda e had six months to design and produce
and I moved to Sumter, South arolina. That s six bows, Scott Romero said. Somehow we
where I met osh ewis and it turned out that managed to do it, and one of those bows was
we had a lot in common. e went to rival the Axxon . A few weeks later, obby Eyler
high schools in Atlanta. ur fathers went to won the egas Shoot with an Axxon . As many
the same law school and were in the military, of us know, obby ended up getting dis uali-
and then they both became attorneys in At- fied later, but he still proved the potential of
lanta. e also loved hunting, so we started the platform we managed to create. That same
hunting together and developing a really good platform has been improved on since then, and
friendship. That s also when I met osh s par-
ents, ark and eborah Edwards, who are artin has seen many more tournament wins
now the centerpiece of artin utdoors and on the ma or circuits in recent years.
maintain a key daily role on the team.
or the artin team, the competitive scene
Eventually, osh, Shonda and I started doing is an important proving ground for the com-
some television work together, iller contin- pany s bows and exclusive technologies. ut
ued. That s how we became ac uainted with for Scott Romero, it s a little more personal.
Scott Romero, an extremely talented competi- Romero started shooting competitively at age
tive shooter and mechanical engineer. e s the
founder of S AT roadheads, and S AT was , and in addition to other accolades, he was
our broadhead sponsor for the T show. artin awarded Shooter of the ear in .
was our bow sponsor, so we also developed a
relationship there. Eventually the opportunity Romero went on to shoot professionally for
to buy artin Archery came along. ark and almost more years, and now, as artin Ar-
chery s director of engineering, Romero is able
eborah Edwards sei ed that opportunity and to apply his experience and knowledge of high-
level archery to the company s bow designs.

I started shooting in competitions when I
was , but I also oined the military when I

42 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020

was 17,” Romero said. “Even though I shot purchased a bow from Damon Howatt in come full circle,” Miller said. “Back when
competitively, I served in the military for 1949. As Martin Archery grew and pushed we had that TV show, Obsession was ac-
27 years, and through the military I earned the envelope in compound bow technol- tually our bow sponsor before Martin
my mechanical engineering degree. After ogy, Damon Howatt remained side-by-side Archery, so Shonda and I knew Dennis
I retired from the military, I used my me- with the company and continued producing and Angela Lewis, the founders of Obses-
chanical engineering background to create iconic, handcrafted traditional bows. sion. We became friends and stayed in
SWAT Broadheads. Of course, that’s how touch over the years, and then the op-
I met Joel and the rest of the team. I still Today, Damon Howatt remains a key portunity came along this year to buy
operate SWAT, but now I also get to use my piece of the puzzle. the company. Dennis and Angela are
background to design bows that I know ar- still there, doing what they do best, but
chers can count on.” “We are determined to stay true to our
roots,” Miller said. “We’re doing that in a ■ Mark dwards left , president of
Anyone who’s shot one of Martin’s recent lot of different ways, and obviously an im- Martin Outdoors, meets with Tombo and Tasha Martin.
bows knows that there’s something spe- portant part of that is continuing to grow The Martin Outdoors team has established a partnership
cial about them. Simply put, they have the and develop the traditional bows at Damon with Tombo, and this will mean big things down the road.
features that bowhunters and tournament Howatt. Those beautiful traditional bows ■ Dennis and Angela Lewis are the founders of Obsession
shooters are seeking. They combine accu- are still being made out in Walla Walla, Bows, and now they are a key part of the Martin Outdoors
racy, adjustability and dependability. Washington. Josh Lewis, my good friend team. Obsession s facility in eorgia also brings a lot
who helped start all of this, is running the of powerful benefits to this family of brands. ■ Scott
All considered, it’s no surprise that Mar- Damon Howatt division of the company, Romero center , director of engineering and pro-staff
tin Archery has made a prominent return to and as the compound side of the business manager, discusses Martin s 2020 lineup with ohn Teigen
the spotlight. The company’s management has grown, the traditional side has grown, of 13 Hours fame. Martin is a big supporter of Teigen s
team is well suited for the task at hand, and too. For us, that’s really important. We Beyond the Battlefield foundation. ■ oel and Shonda
the company has produced revolutionary deeply admire what Gail and Eva Martin Miller have played essential roles in the reinvigoration
products that speak for themselves. did with this company, and we want to keep of Martin Archery. ■ The friendship between osh Lewis
building on what they created.” left and oel Miller right ultimately contributed to
But that’s really just the tip of the iceberg. Martin s current leadership team taking over. Today,
Martin Archery has big plans, and it’s mov- In an interesting turn of events, Martin osh Lewis is the director of plant operations for Damon
ing quickly. Archery recently made another addition to Howatt, and oel Miller is Martin s director of operations.
its family of brands when it acquired the
A Family of Brands assets of Obsession Bows on June 26, 2020.

Martin Archery has been connected with “The decision to purchase the assets
the Damon Howatt brand since Gail Martin of Obsession is something else that has

AUGUST 2020 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 43

this acquisition also means big things for in the company shutting down.
Martin Archery. We have a new, amazing fa- The leaders of Martin Outdoors have thor-
cility with nine CNC machines and in-house
decoration capabilities. These assets are go- oughly disproven that speculation. Martin Ar-
ing to provide Martin Outdoors with the abil- chery has grown considerably in recent years.
ity to deliver top-notch customer service to The company is selling more bows to more
our dealers and amazing color and decorat- dealers, and it’s helping more professional
ing opportunities to our Martin and Obses- shooters take home trophies.
sion customers. In addition to these benefits
to the company, Scott Romero has extra de- The reason behind the company’s growth is
sign freedom and an arsenal of tools at his simple: Martin Outdoors is making high-qual-
disposal. I think Scott has already raised the ity, dependable bows that archers can rely on.
bar in the industry, and this acquisition will
help him raise it even higher.” “For me, one of the most important as-
pects of a artin bow is its ad ustability,
And for the leadership team of Martin Out- Romero said. “Everyone shoots a little dif-
doors, no brand in the family is more impor- ferently, and I want to make it easy for cus-
tant than any other. tomers to make ad ustments and find their
own perfect feel. When I was shooting pro-
“The way I see it, Martin Outdoors, Damon fessionally, I would sometimes modify my
Howatt and Obsession are like three of our cams to create the holding weight I wanted.
kids,” Miller said. “We don’t love one kid more It was a long and complicated process, and
than another. We are going to promote each of now I can do all of that with a Martin bow
them and give them what they need to grow in about minutes. It ust works. There s no
and succeed. Martin Outdoors is a very mul- scratching your head, no going to the manu-
tifaceted company now, and I believe this is facturer for different modules and parts. We
the first time that two ma or compound bow have eliminated all of that, ust by making
brands have oined together under the same our bows highly ad ustable.
roof. We are extremely excited for this new
chapter, and we can’t wait to show the indus- As a team of passionate bowhunters, Mar-
try what we can really do.” tin Outdoors knows that these small details
can have a big impact when the moment of
Proven Technology truth arrives.

Martin Archery was understandably in a state “The geometry and features of Martin bows
of turmoil after the fire in , and many really help archers keep their pins steady,”
surely speculated that it could have resulted Romero said. “We sell a lot of hunting bows,
and we know the pin will be steady when the
buck of a lifetime shows up. I have my own

44

stories of lost animals and silly mistakes, eight Technology, which is a pivot system
and a lot of that was just the pressure of on the limb that allows users to easily
the moment, struggling to find my pin. ast change the draw weight in -pound incre-
year, I shot every deer in the heart. I m not ments. e ship the bows at pounds,
bragging when I say that. I m saying that pounds and pounds, but they can easily
my bow bailed me out. That s exactly what flip that pivot to bring the bow down to ,
I want my bow to do when I m out hunt-
ing or shooting in a tournament. I want or pounds ust in a few minutes.
to draw back, ease into my peep, take aim The A Series has our new RI am
with a steady pin, and shortly after that, system, which is also very ad ustable. The
my bow fires. ur shooters are having a cams feature our ass istribution System,
lot of success in - tournaments, and it s and this lets dealers and users fine-tune the
because they are experiencing the same cams to the arrows they re using, ust by add-
thing. They know they have to make an im- ing and taking away mass in the cam. ou can
portant shot, but they just ease into it and also ad ust the limb stop to change the holding
let the bow bail them out. weight from pounds down to pounds. If
someone prefers a -pound holding weight,
or , artin Archery has brought for example, then it s easy for them to find
some powerful new innovations to the ta- that. I believe all of these ad ustable ualities
ble, and they are sure to increase success for really improve accuracy, and they also save
many bowhunters this hunting season. archers and dealers a lot of time.

The A and A are two of our key Next Generation Planning
new hunting bows for this year, Romero
said. They incorporate a lot of the features ehind the scenes, artin utdoors is do-
and technologies that have helped our tar- ing much more than ust producing stel-
get bows perform so well, like our recise lar bows. The company s employees regard

■ A few members of the Martin Outdoors family gather during the workday,
including, from left to right elby rawford, Obsession Bows supervisor ohn Shelton, Martin sales coordinator Millie
Shelton, ne t-generation Martin enthusiast ames ilgore, Martin assembly supervisor and oel Miller, director of oper-
ations. ■ Makala Beckner helps organi e the company s vast manufacturing inventory. ■ Megan rawford helps things
run smoothly behind the scenes. ■ ames ilgore displays the variety of eye-grabbing finishes that can be created with
the company s in-house decoration capabilities. ■ Sherry Ross keeps track of inventory info for a batch of volution
bows from Obsession. ■ elby rawford inspects a collection of bows before they re organi ed for shipment.

AUGUST 2020 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 45

each other as family, and this dynamic plays is today. As far as I know, we are the only man-
a critical role in the company’s operations and ufacturer that awards contingencies for top-10
mindset. placement. We do it because we know what
they go through. They come home from work,
“Gail and Eva Martin placed an important kiss their kid on the cheek, hug their wife, and
emphasis on family, and that’s one of the then they’re out back shooting until it’s dark.
things that helped the company succeed for They do that because they have a national com-
so many years,” Miller said. “I think our cur- petition coming up, where they’re going to com-
rent team has been able to create a very simi- pete against 800 other shooters. Let’s say they
lar family dynamic. Mark and Deborah are end up getting 7th place, and they are short of
the husband-and-wife principal owners of the the win by just 5 points. If that happens, then
company now. They have three children, and they still get a contingency prize from us. If one
the five of them are a very active family togeth- of our shooters does that well, we think the very
er. In general, Martin Outdoors is extremely least we can do is cover their entry fee and buy
focused on catering to families and inspir- them dinner. We started doing that for the ASA
ing them to engage with the sport. We want two years ago, and this year we started doing it
to make archery fun, and we want to show for the IBO as well.”
families how fun our sport is. We want whole
families to shoot together, and we want to help Martin Outdoors has very notable and high-
inspire the next generation of archers.” performing shooters on its team, and many of
these shooters further exemplify the company’s
Martin Outdoors also treats its shooting staff focus on families.
like family by going above and beyond to reward
their success. “We are extremely happy to have Jeff Hop-
kins and his family on our team,” Miller said.
“One of the most important things we’ve “Jeff has won more than 60 national titles,
done is bring the competition staff back,” Rome- and he’s won 10 Shooter of the Year awards. In
ro said. “When we took over, there were almost
no Martin shooters at the big events, and now Continued on Page 48
you see green-and-black Martin jerseys all over
the place. Shonda has really taken a leadership ■ The Martin Outdoors team is fueled by its passion
role in the shooting program. We could not for bowhunting and the outdoors. Here you can see a
have grown the program to this level without collection of impressive harvests, including
her daily efforts in support of our shooting pro-
gram. Her daily attention to our shooters, com- Dennis Lewis with a turkey, Josh Lewis with a
bined with our top-10 contingency program, whitetail buck, oshua Miller oel and Shonda s son with
has really helped grow this program to where it a whitetail buck, and Shonda Miller with a hog.

46 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



Continued from Page 46 Conclusion

addition to being a great guy and an outstand- The team at Martin Outdoors has clearly been
ing shooter, Jeff Hopkins and his family are busy. In just three years, they have managed
really representative of the family dynamic to breathe new life into this historic, highly
we have going on here. He is always spending respected manufacturer. Martin Outdoors
time and shooting archery with his wife, Tara, has reconnected with countless dealers, bow-
and his kids, Scott and Jena. Jeff and Scott even hunters and tournament shooters. The com-
compete together in the Open Pro Division, and pany has proven that it can develop bows that
I don’t know of many other father-and-son perform at the highest levels and it has also
duos like them. They appear in so many facets shown that it’s committed to fostering and
of our business through their influential stat- growing the sport for future generations.
ure, their accomplishments, and just their per-
sonalities. We are absolutely thrilled to have Now, with Obsession Bows as a part of the
the Hopkins family on our team, and we are family, the sky’s the limit for Martin Outdoors.
excited to see what else they achieve.” The company has the team, the products and
the tools it needs to remind the industry that
Meanwhile, Martin Outdoors is using smart Martin Archery has been around a long time,
thinking and other key figures to help inspire and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. IA
more young shooters.
In the last 3 years, Martin has made a huge comeback
“Another important personality we have in the competitive arena. The company went from
teamed up with is Tombo Martin,” Miller minimal representation to consistent wins, and this
said. “Tombo was a career-long Major League trend should certainly continue in the future.
Baseball player, and now that he’s retired,
he spends a lot of his time hunting. He has a ■ Mark dwards left and Allen onner
magnetic personality, and young people really take a moment to chat about the day’s events at an
seem to bond with him. I think he’s going to ASA meet. ■ Richard Leftwich took second place in the
play a major role in the growth and develop- Senior Pro Division at this 2020 ASA event. ■ Scott
ment of the next generation of archers. We Romero left and pro-shooter eff Hopkins are long
have a new bow coming out that he helped time friends and competitors. Romero and the rest of
decorate, and we think it’s going to be a cool the Martin team are extremely excited to have Hopkins
bow that young shooters are going to want to representing them. ■ Allen onner left finished third
use. We also have our amazing Next Genera- at this 201 ASA event. Richard Leftwich right finished
tion Program, which Shonda Miller designed. in the top 10, still earning Martin’s contingency prize.
This program has proven to be a key ingredi- Mark dwards center was there to encourage his
ent in Martin’s journey to help motivate young pro-staff team.
shooters. In the future, we are going to keep
coming up with new ways to inspire young
shooters to join our sport.”

48 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020



MARKET TRENDS BOW REPORT

Mission Archery Switch
BY PATRICK MEITIN

M ission Archery bows all have a degree of versatility to fit many users and Ad ustments are centered on a straight-
couple traits in common that especially young shooters still experienc- forward ast it rotating module secured
ing growth spurts. ission bows are so by a single screw. raw lengths can be
switched in less than seconds, using
make them unique to the archery mar- adaptable (and so easily ad ustable) a sin- a / -inch allen wrench (the same used
to fasten most bow sight bolts). oosen a
ketplace: a high ratio of performance gle bow could be used by a single archer single screw on each cam, rotate the cam
for a lifetime, or by every member of a into the proper position (A through ) in
versus price, and the ability to fit a large family. There is no reason ission relation to a threaded tap, and retighten.

single bow to anyone from youth and Archery bows would not prove popular ritten and video instructions are found
on ission s website. In short, the cam
amongst serious bowhunters, as most was refined to offer uicker and more
intuitive ad ustments than ever before.
petite women shooters to adult men. models are certainly capable of respect-
raw length can also be set up in precise
This makes them a popular choice able bowhunting performance (most -inch increments.
amongst archers and bowhunters on a capable of breaking fps at I specs), The cam system provides a silky smooth
tight budget, or those looking for a wide but the brand tends to be most appealing draw cycle and -percent let-off ideal
to beginners, a family member choosing for beginning shooters who might have
trouble with erky cam rotation or higher
a bow for a beginning archer, or for the hold weights, or especially those sitting
for long hours on cold whitetail stands
entire family to share. when muscles tend to grow stiff and
unresponsive. The large cam profiles open
In a stable of versatile designs the the string angle at full draw to prevent
finger pinch with youth shooters releas-
ission Archery Switch proves the ing the string with fingers, or setting the
peep closer to the eye to increase the sight
most adaptable platform the company plane and create an open, light-gathering
view in low light. Split yolks at each
has produced yet. The Switch is powered buss-cable end help to remove tor ue and
allow fine tuning for center-shot. The
by a completely redesigned cam system stop system provided remarkably even
arrow velocities shot to shot, a trait
providing maximum ad ustability, but which should enhance accuracy, and the
rear wall was pleasantly solid.
also optimi ed performance throughout
Shootability
its wide range of possible draw weights
The Switch is based on a well balanced
and draw lengths. The Switch offers a and ergonomic riser, including a highly
forgiving / -inch brace height. y
compact, highly maneuverable and light- increasing brace height a bit of raw speed
is sacrificed, but arrows also remain on
weight package that elevates the shoot- the bowstring for a shorter period fol-
lowing release, giving any shooter less
ing experience by boosting shooting ease opportunity to introduce accuracy robbing
human error. The new slim grip design
The Mission Archery Switch is equipped with a and accuracy at any shooting level.

carbon-mounted, rubber bumper string stop. Fast Fit Latitude
The system provided dead even arrow velocities
and remarkable silence. Split yolks eliminate ission Archery s newly designed,
torque and boost accuracy. parameter-weighted S am system
includes ast it Technology, allowing

The Mission Archery Switch includes pivoting, uick and easy draw weight ad ustments
molded-composite limb pockets, extra long limb between and pounds. It is heavily
bolts and rotating steel limb-bolt barrels designed influenced by parent company athews
to allow a wide variety of draw weight adjustments, highly regarded rosscentric am a

starting at 10 pounds and going to 70. system that should need no introduc-

tions. raw weight increases in direct

relation to draw length. or example, at

the minimum draw length of inches,

draw weights span to pounds, while

at the longest draw length of inches,

draw weights span to pounds, mini-

mum to maximum, respectively.

50 INSIDE ARCHERY AUGUST 2020