www.insidearchery.com JUNE 2023 ®
4 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 24 12 32 34 38 46 36 53 54 48 50 56 58 INSIDE ARCHERY (Volume 26, #5) ISSN #1940-3879, USPS #024-412 is published 10 times per year (Jan / Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep / Oct, Nov, Dec) by 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. INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 | VOLUME 26 | NUMBER 5 People Hunters Mate / Lowdown Viewer Seeing is Believing By Michaelean Pike Market Trends New & Notable Archery products with strong sales potential Gear Report Gas Bowstrings High Octane Blackout Leading Archery Manufacturer BCY Fibers Gear Report Lumenok Lumen-Arrow Bolts Top Releases & Stabilizers for 2023 By Jack Borcherding Gear Report Odin’s Innovations Bear Hunting Scents Gear Report Vapor Trail Archery GI8X Leading Archery Manufacturer Antler King Gear Report NEXCAM Axis RG 360 Explorer Chair Gear Report Vapor Trail Scents The Vapor Maker Gear Report Cooper Hunting Bow Master+ Treestand Blind String Music Great Strings, String Accessories, and String Care By Josh Honeycutt 24 48 22 38 53 46
6 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 50 8 14 10 66 16 22 18 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 | VOLUME 26 | NUMBER 5 36 Inside the Industry Inside Track Welcoming Recreational Target Archers Kinsey’s Business Blueprint Unlocking Success: Harnessing the Power of an Archery Distributor for Your Business Your ATA Insights The It Factor By Kurt Smith / ATA Industry News The latest on news, events, and people in the archery industry Inside Retailing Lancaster Archery Supply ATA Action Top 10 Things the ATA Does for You By Cassie Gasaway / ATA Industry 5Q Five Questions with Alex Christianson from Vantage Point Archery. 58 56 insidearchery.comOnline Exclusives Fresh content daily on social media! WebXtras: Gear Reports: Gas Bowstrings Hight Octane Blackout, Lumenok LumenArrow Bolts, Odin’s Innovations, Vapor Trail Archery GI8X, NEXCAM Axis RG 360 Explorer Chair, Vapor Trail Scents The Vapor Maker, and Cooper Hunting Bow Master+ Treestand Blind. Inside Retailing: Lancaster Archery Supply. Inside Archery Digital Edition Now Inside Archery can be delivered to your door, viewed on your computer, AND on your smartphone or tablet insidearchery.com/digital 5 Steps To Make Your Bowhunting Outfit Opening-Day Ready 3 Things You Should Be Doing To Ensure A Productive Whitetail Season 3 Ways To Enjoy Summer Bowfishing & The Equipment Needed Amphibious Operations— Pursuing Bullfrogs With Bow 38
INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 Welcoming Recreational Target Archers canning through a stack of previously published Inside Archery magazines and looking at the numbers relayed in Inside Retailing columns, something struck me. Most participating retail archery shops report recreational or target archery as generating just 5 to 15 percent of annual gross revenues. I have certainly hung out in my share of bow shops over the years, and they are decidedly tenanted by bowhunters more interested in killing animals with arrows than poking holes in targets. Many certainly participate in 3D tournaments just to get outside and fling some arrows, but they are doing so largely in preparation for hunting. This isn’t so odd in and of itself, as bowhunting definitely drives the industry. What I did find odd was a single standout—The Archery Shoppe in Albuquerque, New Mexico, owned and operated by Mark and Gina Chavez. They reported the percentage of annual sales earned directly from recreational target archery as 40 percent in a recent Inside Retailing column. This number is odd only in comparison to the other shops included in that column. I happen to know Mark and Gina pretty well, as a past denizen of New Mexico and former customer. That 40 percent did not occur by happenstance, nor do I feel it is a reginal anomaly. The Archery Shoppe, Gina Chavez in particular, formulated a plan and actively sought that recreational/target business. Gina and several employees completed various instructor certifications, they contacted local groups such as 4H and scouting organizations, embraced programs such as JOAD, advertised archery as a fun activity to include in birthday parties and other group get-togethers. In short, they fostered and diligently attracted that considerable nonhunting business. Which gets me to wondering how much money some archery shops are leaving on the table by not more aggressively tapping into that recreational and target archery cash pool. This might start with a more welcoming approach to those outside the hunting fraternity—those who do not look or vote like you, or even share the same world views. There are certainly those who do not embrace hunting, or even eating meat, but who are still intrigued by the mesmerizing flight of the arrow. People who, indeed, want nothing more from shooting a bow than to poke holes in foam or paper for the pure challenge and relaxation provided. Any archery pro shop with adequate range facilities can tap into this market—a fresh demographic providing additional income outside the traditional bowhunting set. It is certainly worth considering, advertising all-inclusive, everyone-is-welcomed, beginners’ range days for those interested in shooting a bow for its own sake—if not necessarily bowhunting. Reaching out to a younger set is likely the best way to begin, providing archery-related activities parents looking for cheap entertainment for their youngsters can embrace, or welcoming interested college students from your town who might find archery interesting. The potential is certainly there, as well as additional income via equipment and range time. Patrick Meitin, Executive Editor S INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE TRACK
JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM Inside Archery® is a publication of Apollo Creative Inc Printed in the USA. Publisher Apollo Creative Inc Executive Editor Patrick Meitin • patrick@insidearchery.com Associate Editor Michaelean Pike • michaelean@insidearchery.com Copy Editor Kat Ainsworth Stevens Contributors Jack Borcherding | Cassie Gasaway Josh Honeycutt | Michaelean Pike | Kurt Smith Sales & Marketing Director Stephen Mack • stephen@insidearchery.com (814) 341-9313 Design & Production ER Graphics / Ed Rother • erother@mac.com Graphic Designer Tara Bondar Social Media Manager Jason Ashe Video Editor Marc Balistreri Account Manager Pam Ludlam • pam@insidearchery.com 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 customerservice@d3data.net Publication Office 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 © 2023 Apollo Crreative 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 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 magazine or its staff. Submission Guidelines: Apollo Creative Inc and Inside Archery® magazine 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 selfaddressed 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 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. Apollo Creative Inc uses reasonable efforts to include accurate and up-todate 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 advertisements published in this magazine. Readers use the information in this magazine at their own risk. Apollo Creative 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.
10 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 INSIDE THE INDUSTRY BUSINESS BLUEPRINT Unlocking Success Harnessing the Power of an Archery Distributor for Your Business from. For example, Kinsey’s Inc., an industry-leading archery distributor, offers access to more than 600 popular brands with more than 31,000 items available. Managing vendor relationships, new item setups, and billing and buying processes in-house would divert your time away from other important business tasks. Managing Inventory ■ Another way distributors can support your archery business is by assisting with inventory management. Your retail shop may have limited physical space to carry all the products and variations you desire. By partnering with a distributor like Kinsey’s, you gain access to their extensive inventory and warehouse space for storage. This enables you to offer essential product offerings in store while keeping your on-site inventory costs down. Leveraging the distributor’s warehouse benefit can improve your inventory turns ratio, ultimately contributing to your business’s bottom line and profitability. Kinsey’s also strategically communicates awareness of the most in-demand and seaunning an archery business comes with numerous challenges. Whether you’re managing inventory, vendor relationships, employees, payroll, or marketing and advertising efforts, there’s always something to keep you busy. However, one way to make your archery business more efficient and effective is by working with an experienced archery distributor. Distributors can streamline multiple processes, allowing you to focus more on your customers and your business’s bottom line. In this article, we will discuss the top three benefits of working with an archery distributor. Diversity of Products ■ One way distributors can assist your archery business is by providing access to a wide variety of products. Without a distributor partner, your business would need to manage multiple vendor relationships, set up new items, handle buying and billing processes, and perform other time and resource-intensive tasks. Distributors streamline the buying and billing process while offering a vast range of products to choose R sonally relevant products to help guide your inventory decisions. Freight Terms ■ Working with a distributor brings another important benefit: favorable freight terms. If you were to buy directly from vendors, their freight terms would typically only apply to larger orders or come with higher freight minimums. However, partnering with a distributor provides access to collective distribution freight cost reduction. The minimum orders and freight terms become smaller and more manageable for your business. For instance, Kinsey’s industry-leading freight program allows archery product orders of $300 or more to qualify for certain terms. Smaller order minimums enable you to maintain leaner on-site inventory while taking advantage of the distributor’s diverse product offerings to meet your customers’ wants and needs. In conclusion, there are multiple benefits of working with an archery distributor. Whether it’s helping you manage inventory, providing access to a diverse variety of products, or offering favorable freight terms, there are many reasons to partner with a distributor. Ultimately, distributors serve as streamlined, one-stop shops that can help you save time, money, and resources, allowing you to focus on your customers and your business’s bottom line. IA Kinsey’s is the leading distributor to the archery and outdoors industry. Carrying items from your favorite brands, in-stock and ready-to-ship, the well-established company offers domestic and international retailers a wide array of products and services. Kinsey’s also owns innovative consumer brands including Alpine Archery, BlackHeart, Fin-Finder, Elevation, and October Mountain Products. For more information, please visit KinseysInc.com Presented by
12 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 MARKET TRENDS NEW & NOTABLE SKB Cases Arrow Case 3304 E very traveling bowhunter or target archer needs a trustworthy arrow case to store and protect their arrows, and SKB Cases offers a quality solution. The Arrow Case 3304 from SKB Cases is a perfect companion to one of the company’s ultra-tough bow cases. This low profile arrow case is lightweight and includes a convenient molded-in carry handle and two secure nickel-plated buckle latches. The interior holds four high-density foam inserts with slots to keep 12 arrows up to 33.5 inches long safe from harm—arranged six arrows per 1.375-inch deep side. The hard-sided plastic case is made to last and tough enough to absorb hard knocks while traveling. It’s 33.75-inch interior length and foam inserts allows storing arrows with hunting broadheads installed, so bowhunters only have to load their quiver to start a hunt. The 34.25-by-5.25-by-3-inch case weighs 2.98 pounds. Learn more at skbcases.com. BCY Fibers Powergrip Serving B CY Fibers Powergrip Serving is used by some of the top custom bowstring makers in the business due to its tenacious gripping power and resistance to moving or creating serving gaps with hard use. It is ideal for both center and end serving. It is constructed from a blend of tightly braided Spectra and nylon yard to be tough, and resin coated to help keep it where it is served. It is available in .009-inch (approximate 25-pound breaking strength, 150 yards per spool), .014-inch (30 pounds, 120 yards per spool), .018-inch (35 pounds, 100 yards), .021-inch (45 pounds, 75 yards), .025-inch (47-pounds, 50 yards), and .032-inch (50 pounds, 40 yards). It is offered in black, white, red, royal blue, green, pink, medium brown/tan, silver, fluorescent yellow, fluorescent orange and fluorescent green. It is a product discriminating customers will ask for by name when ordering a re-serving job. Learn more at bcyfibers.com. Banks Outdoors The Stump Sequoia T he Stump Sequoia by Banks Outdoors is new for 2023 and the biggest hard-side blind the company has offered to date. The Stump Sequoia includes a 90-inch interior diameter and holds eight silent-swinging tinted framed windows. The overall effect is 360-degree viewing and ultimate comfort, whether hunting with bow, crossbow or firearm. The seamless polyethylene construction provides extreme durability, weather resistance and protection from the elements, while the spacious interior provides maximum comfort for multiple hunters of all ages. This blind is available as a base model, a complete accessory-equipped Pro Hunter, a Scout ground blind, or an Ice Fishing shelter. With more than 44 square feet of interior room, the family-friendly Stump Sequoia is perfect for spending quality time with loved ones, filming hunts and viewing wildlife from every direction. Learn more at banksoutdoors.com. Lancaster Archery Supply L ancaster Archery Supply is proud to be the exclusive distributor of CD Archery’s line of Weight Forward bows. CD Archery is a well-known name in the world of ILF archery equipment, especially barebow recurve risers. CD Archery’s variety of Weight Forward Recurve Risers are known for their increased forgiveness and have become a favorite among both beginner and professional archers. The CD Archery WF19 Stalker ILF Recurve Riser, for example, includes limb pad angles optimized for bowhunters, 3D archers, and short-draw archers. A built-in shelf rest called The Hump elevates the arrow for cleaner off-the-shelf shooting, though it is also drilled and tapped for an elevated rest. The added weight on the front of the riser equates to added stability. The 19-inch, 3-pound, 4-ounce riser allows creating a 60-, 62-, or 64-inch bow with short, medium, or long limbs, respectively. Learn more at lancasterarchery.com. Cooper Hunting Big Tom Ground Blind C ooper Hunting’s Big Tom Ground Blind with Mossy Oak NWTF Obsession 3D face provides concealment during run-and-gun hunts. The wet print prevents fading and the taffeta material eliminates snags and tears, and sheds water. Interchangeable covers are offered with other camo patterns to match various seasons/ terrains. The three-position blind measures 60-by-72 inches standing, 35-by-72 inch in the middle position and 24-by-72 inches in the prone position. The face holds six two-piece windows with camouflage mesh outside and a solid panel inside. Heavy-duty zippers create multiple shooting ports for bow or crossbow use. The 3D leafy mesh blends in any environment. The blind can be set up for stationary hunting, but is light enough to use as a stalking screen. The 7-pound blind folds to 4-by-54 inches to fit in its should-strap-equipped carry bag but deploys in seconds. Learn more at cooperhunting.com. APA Archery Black Mamba 29 A PA’s 2023 Black Mamba 29 is an ultra-compact, lightweight, high-performance bow made for serious bowhunting. The trim (29.125 inches) and easy-toting platform is equipped with APA’s exclusive features, like the Reverse Carry Handle, Tool Center, and field serviceability, making it the ultimate backcountry bow. The Black Mamba 29 weighs just 3.55 pounds, another plus when stalking remote areas or tackling rugged terrain. The Black Mamba 29 generates IBO arrow speeds of 355 fps while using a 6.25-inch brace height and 80 percent let-off dual-cam system. In all, this is one of the fastest, most compact compound bows around. The Black Mamba 29 should be a huge hit with performance- and accuracydriven bowhunters seeking a compact and well-balanced hunting outfit. Look for it in 40-, 50-, 60-, and 70-pound peak draw weights accommodating draw lengths from 24 to 30 inches. Learn more at apaarchery.com.
14 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 The It Factor oes your business have it? I don’t know how accurately I can describe the it factor in an archery business, but if you’ve been around a while, you probably know what I’m talking about. There are just some archery businesses (retail, wholesale and manufacturer) where you can feel energy as soon as you walk in the door. When you’re there, you feel welcome and the individuals working seem genuinely glad to be there. In this type of business, you just know good things are happening. On the flip side, when a business doesn’t have it … the atmosphere is stale and sometimes even tense. Everything seems quiet, and employees may seem to just be going through the motions. We can all agree that the former is the type of place where we would want to work or do business, but sometimes creating that environment is easier said than done. What factors will help your archery business boost the it factor? The Right Leader ■ It is no surprise that boosting energy and excitement in a business starts at the top. Employees thrive under good leadership, but what does that entail? A good leader is confident, yet humble. Leadership podcast host Craig Groeschel has shared that while those two qualities seem to be INSIDE THE INDUSTRY YOUR ATA INSIGHTS D BY KURT SMITH, COURTESY OF THE ATA opposites, they are both essential for an effective leader who can keep staff engaged and motivated. A leader who is confident in establishing a direction for the organization and identifying major goals each year will inspire confidence in their staff. Conversely, a leader who can be humble and reach out for help when faced with challenges, shows their team that no one person can tackle every situation. In turn, employees feel empowered to utilize their strengths, but comfortable seeking assistance when they don’t have the skills or resources to get a job done. The Right Balance ■ People are more than their occupation. They have friends, families, and hobbies that give them purpose and enjoyment. Organizations with the it factor not only allow but encourage a healthy work/life balance. Part of that balance is building a culture of working hard while on the clock, unplugging completely while off the clock, and using allotted vacation time to spend time with family and do things you enjoy. When this balance is supported, workers don’t waste time waiting to punch out at 5 p.m. They recognize what needs to be done and try their best to get it done with the time available. The Right Connection ■ Serving customers must go beyond just completing a transaction. Whether it’s a consumer or another business who purchases your products or services, getting to know them on a deeper level makes for more satisfied customers and fulfilled employees while contributing to the overall energy in the business. Behavioral researcher Vanessa Van Edwards refers to this as “Level 2” connection. This is where relationships go beyond casual small talk and you start to learn about the goals, values and motivations of an individual or organization. How does one build this type of customer connection? Start by changing up the questions you ask on a daily basis. Instead of “How are you today?” ask questions like “Do you have anything exciting coming up this week?” Changing up the script from what they’re used to hearing will get their brains working, build deeper connection and ultimately show customers your business has the it factor. To sum it all up, businesses with the it factor are led by effective leadership, foster a culture of healthy work/life balance and strive to connect with customers on a deeper level. But why does any of this matter? Businesses with it attract quality employees, making the energy and excitement within the organization even greater. These businesses also find more opportunities to create business partnerships and see more repeat customers. All of these factors build upon each other and contribute to overall growth and profitability, but to keep it takes work. Leaders must be constantly learning and encouraging everyone in their organization to do the same. Looking to get your business moving in the right direction to increase the it factor? Log in to your MyATA Member Dashboard to see all the tools and resources designed just for your archery business. You can also contact me at kurtsmith@archerytrade.org. IA
16 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 Bear Archery & Rothco Unite to Create Iconic Fred Bear Camo Apparel Two iconic brands have forged a powerful alliance as Bear Archery, a division of Escalade Sports, and Rothco proudly announce their collaboration on the highly anticipated launch of Bear Archery x Rothco Fred Bear Camouflage apparel. This momentous partnership, spanning multiple years, will bring the revered Fred Bear camouflage pattern to life on Rothco’s legendary apparel and is set to debut in the Spring of 2024. Renowned for their excellence in military, tactical, work, and outdoor footwear and apparel, Rothco stands as a trusted leader with its time-tested designs and superior quality products. By joining forces with Rothco, Bear Archery aims to amplify its brand’s presence in the marketplace through this exceptional partnership. “Rothco’s extensive industry expertise and unwavering commitment to delivering top-notch products make them an ideal collaborator. We are excited to see the throwback Fred Bear camo pattern come to life on Rothco’s innovative and cutting-edge apparel,” said Jon Lene, General Manager of Bear Archery. Recognizing the significance of collaborating with brands that share a similar iconic heritage, Scott Sincerbeaux, Chief Executive Officer of Rothco, said, “Fred Bear is widely regarded as a trailblazer in bowhunting and archery. For 70 years, Rothco has been at the forefront of providing high-quality footwear, apparel, and gear to retailers and consumers worldwide, including the outdoor industry. This partnership not only expands our market reach, but also introduces the Bear Archery consumer to the Rothco brand.” The Fred Bear Camouflage collection will encompass an impressive range of products, including outerwear, the legendary Rothco BDU pant, and a curated assortment of apparel and accessory items. Each item will be meticulously crafted usINSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS ing the iconic Fred Bear camouflage pattern, epitomizing the rich heritage and exceptional quality associated with both Bear Archery and Rothco. With a shared passion for excellence and a deep commitment to their customers, Bear Archery and Rothco are poised to make a resounding impact in the industry with the unveiling of the Bear Archery x Rothco Fred Bear Camouflage apparel line. Stay tuned for the official launch in Spring 2024, when consumers will have the opportunity to experience the fusion of two legendary brands. Founded by the iconic father of modern archery, Fred Bear, in 1933 with the intention of bringing archery to the masses, Bear Archery continues to produce legendary bows with the same focus on reliability and technology while maintaining its rich heritage of innovative leadership, quality products, and family values. Rothco is a trusted leader in the military, tactical, work, and outdoor apparel and gear industry. With a legacy spanning more than 70 years, Rothco is recognized for its unwavering dedication to quality, reliability, and functionality. From military uniforms to everyday essentials, Rothco offers a wide range of products that cater to the needs of active-duty professionals, public safety, adventurers, and outdoor enthusiasts. | FOR MORE ON BEAR ARCHERY VISIT BEARARCHERY.COM. FOR MORE ON ROTHCO VISIT ROTHCO.COM NASP Concludes 2023 National Tournament Series The National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) concluded the 2023 National Tournament Series June 13, in which 3838 participants from 36 states participated, in the Open Championship Tournament. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, hosted the final 2023 national-level tournament for the NASP. The combined Championship events saw archers competing in the Open Championship Bullseye and 3D Tournaments held June 8 through the 10. NASP President Tommy Floyd said, “We are thrilled to be back at the beach! This location continues to be a great event for our archers and their families. We are very grateful for the tremendous support provided by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources leadership and staff as they really got behind this event! “We continued our awarding of $500 scholarships to 20 randomly selected bullseye archers throughout the threeday competition. This brought our random give-away scholarship total to 120 $500 awards over the course of our three national tournaments, or $60,000 total! We believe this to be a tremendous benefit and incentive for the individual winners and their future. NASP is very grateful to its many Medal-level and Partner-level sponsors who continue to help make these scholarships possible for so many.” Ryan Bass, NASP IBO 3D Director said, “We are extremely optimistic about the continued growth of the NASP IBO 3D Challenge! We are thrilled to be back in South Carolina and are extremely grateful for the South Carolina DNR staff and leadership for their continued support for this event. We continue to be grateful to the many archers and their families who support the IBO 3D Challenge.” Open Championship Bullseye and 3D Results can be found at: nasptournaments.org/TournamentExplorer.aspx At the beginning of the Open Championship awards ceremony, a scholarship shoot-off was held among the top overall male and female individual bullseye archers. These archers were selected based on the combined results of the Western and Eastern National Tournaments. The winners of each gender division took home $5,000 in scholarship money for 1st place, $4,000 for 2nd place, $3,000 for 3rd place, $2,000 for 4th place and $1,000 for 5th place.
JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM All shoot-off qualifiers were guaranteed a $1,000 award. Results from the 2023 NASP College Scholarship Shoot-off can be found at naspschools.org/download/scholarshipshoot-off-results/?wpdmdl=13182 | FOR MORE INFORMATION ON NASP, VISIT NASPSCHOOLS.ORG. OR CONTACT TOMMY FLOYD Ed.D. VIA EMAIL AT TOMMY.FLOYD@ NASPSCHOOLS.ORG. QuietKat To Boost Conservation Efforts With Special Programs QuietKat Electric Bikes, a leader in off-road ebikes and a Vista Outdoor Inc. brand, is proudly working with multiple conservation groups across the nation to enhance habitats that promote healthy wildlife and improve public lands access for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Through strategic partnerships and various banquet programs QuietKat is the leader in donations to these organizations. “Conservation is at the core of QuietKat’s ethos. Without healthy wildlife populations and access to public lands there is no hunting; without hunting there is no QuietKat.,” said Logan Holtz, National Sales Manager for QuietKat. “Our partnerships and investment in these conservation groups is one of the many things that make QuietKat unique. Our conservation efforts in tandem with our support for youth hunter programs ensures our way of life will be around for generations to come.” Currently three groups are capitalizing on the QuietKat banquet program: the National Wild Turkey Foundation, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Safari Club International. Each one of these nonprofits work tirelessly to conserve wildlife in a variety of situations, working with local, state, and national agencies and recruiting volunteers to maintain and protect natural environments. Without their efforts much of what we currently have would be threatened. QuietKat has also partnered with The Ruffed Grouse Society to offer a special edition RGS bike where $1,000 from every bike sold is donated to habitat restoration. The team at RGS is also implementing QuietKats as utility vehicles in forest restoration projects. QuietKat is also the primary supplier of off-road ebikes to federal and state wildlife groups who protect our wildlife resources and enforce our game laws. This includes U.S. Border Patrol Special Operations, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and various state level agencies, game and parks, game commissions, and fish and game agencies. If your agency is interested in a fleet of ebikes you can find more information and contact details on their website. QuietKat will be donating products to help raise money for the International Hunter Education Association (IHEAUSA). IHEA-USA is dedicated to educating people of all ages and abilities about the benefits of hunting. Working with the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies and the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, as well as numerous nonprofit conservation groups, they help match experienced hunters and mentors with those hoping to learn more and hunt in their local area. To get help with your nonprofit conservation group or for more details on how QuietKat can help you with banquets, visit quietkat.com/pages/conservation-efforts. The QuietKat team will help you find the best solution to fit the needs of your organization and help you raise money for your favorite nonprofit. QuietKat was founded in 2012 by twin brothers Jake and Justin Roach in Eagle, Colorado, with the goal of helping people to enjoy the outdoors more quietly than other traditional motorized methods. QuietKat is now part of the Vista family of brands, which includes Goldtip, Primos, Hoppes, Federal Ammunition, and Remington. QuietKat has earned a reputation as a reliable and very rugged ebike built by hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, establishing them as the top trusted ebike brand in the country. | CONTACT QUIETKAT MARKETING DIRECTOR MICHAEL MAYER FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AT MICHAEL@QUIETKAT.COM OR JUSTIN MOORE AT JMOORE@DANGERSOUP.COM FOR PUBLIC AND MEDIA RELATIONS.. IA
INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE RETAILING 18 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 Iconic Archery Outlet Thrives By Showing Their Customer Appreciation and spend time with lots of other people who also love archery. This wasn’t advertised simply as a “sales” event. It was advertised as an “archery” event. The LAS Customer Appreciation Event is held every year in June. Emphasis is put on creating an atmosphere of celebration and entertainment. Lancaster Archery wants people to have fun. Sales will come naturally. Ahead of the event, organizers reached out to manufacturers to secure door prizes. This year, they gave away more than 100 door prizes. There was no charge to be eligible for the door prizes. Every customer who showed up was given a ticket. The main attraction for this event has become the Lancaster Archery Supply Steel Target Challenge. Lancaster had 10 steel animal targets custom made for this event. Each target had a hole cut in the vitals area, which is what the archers tried to hit. Established in 1983 by Rob Kaufhold, Lancaster Archery Supply (LAS) has the largest selection of archery focused equipment with more than 10,000 square feet of bows and shooting supplies, including hunting, target, beginner, and traditional bows, crossbows and more. Lancaster is proud to offer such a vast selection of archery focused equipment to their clientele from around the world. Lancaster Archery Supply held its fourth annual Customer Appreciation Event June 24, and it was a smashing success. Despite intermittent rain, the event saw record crowds and record sales. The key to its success was creating hype that the day would be enjoyable for archers looking to shoot their bows ■ Headquarters: Lancaster, PA ■ Manager: Chris Scott ■ Years in Business: 40 years ■ Square footage: 20,000 (total), 11,000 (store floor), 7,000 (shooting lanes). ■ Staffing: Full-time: 20. Part-time: 18. ■ Bow Lines: All major manufacturers. ■ Arrow Lines: All major manufacturers. ■ Crossbow Lines: All major manufacturers. ■ Inside Numbers: Estimated annual revenues: N/A. Percentage (estimate) of store’s revenue generated by bowhunting: 60%; by target and recreational archery: 40%. Store Profile Lancaster Archery One of the huge draws of Lancaster Archery's annual Customer Appreciation event is all the prizes attendees can win.
JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 19 Targets were spread out at varying distances on a field next to the pro shop. Customers were allowed to shoot these targets for free all day long. Every time an archer safely placed an arrow in one of the vitals holes, that archer could put a ticket into a bowl for a prize drawing. One big prize was secured for each target. This year, Lancaster gave away seven flagship compound bows—several of which included premium accessories— two complete saddle-hunting setups and a QuietKat e-bike. At the end of the day, tickets were drawn from each bowl to award each of the big prizes. Again, there was no cost to customers to compete for these prizes. Lancaster had multiple representatives from several manufacturers at the event all day to answer questions from customers about their gear and who also helped LAS sell equipment. Their normal workforce was expanded exponentially by having the manufacturers’ reps helping them throughout the day. LAS always invite celebrities to be part of their event. This year, they had Todd Graf and Justin Zarr from the web show Bowhunt or Die on hand to meet cusDespite less-than-favorable weather, Lancaster Archery's 2023 Customer Appreciation event proved a huge success. Lancaster Archery's annual Customer appreciation event is all about archery and shooting, with free targets available for attendees. tomers, sign autographs and pose for pictures. Lancaster Archery Supply is a sponsor of the Bowhunt or Die enterprise, so the guys were glad to come help them out. Providing food and beverages is critical to a customer appreciation event. It keeps people on site longer. And most communities have mobile food vendors who are happy to come out to a local event and sell food. It’s good business for them, and for you.
INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE RETAILING At Lancaster Archery Supply, we are fortunate to have the space and the farreaching relationships in the archery community to pull off a major event like this. But smaller dealers can replicate this event on a much smaller scale. Again, the key is to emphasize the community aspect of the event. Offering free door prizes is a great draw, regardless of the prizes. Then use your available space to create your own archery games—whether they involve shooting or not. People love to compete. And they love to compete for prizes. Manufacturers’ representatives exist to support dealers. Invite them to come help at your event. Smaller dealers can develop sponsor relationships with professional archers and/or athletes, or with social media influencers, in their area to invite to their own events. These people create an additional draw for your event, and can be than 428,000 views over the past three years. Not only does it advertise the event for LAS, but it shows the fun people can have if they come out. Whatever you have planned for your event, social media is key to creating hype and the fear of missing out. You want customers saying, “I have to be there.” The goal of these events is to get customers in your shop. The sales will follow. By creating and promoting an “archery community” event, you can develop a unique rapport with customers who will come to think of your business as “their” pro shop. Despite intense competition from other shops in the area, Lancaster Archery Supply has loyal customers from as far as eight hours away. Such customers spend plenty of their own money, but they also help bring in new customers. Our Customer Appreciation Event has great partners in promoting the event ahead of time. Costs associated with these celebrities vary. When you negotiate a sponsorship deal, you can ask that attending your event be part of the celebrity’s deliverables. If you don’t want to enter a sponsorship agreement, ask one of your manufacturers’ representatives if they have any sponsored talent they can loan to you for the day. Use social media before and during your event to generate hype for it. Beforehand, you want your social followers to be aware of the event. During the event, you can use social media to show those who aren’t there what they’re missing. To promote our first-ever Customer Appreciation Event at Lancaster Archery Supply, we produced a video showing several of our workers competing with one another by shooting at just one steel target. That video has attracted more
21 JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM WebXtra ■ For additional information about the featured retailer please go to insidearchery.com. grown each year, both in sales and in attendance. Something we stress each year is that this is an annual event. We have heard from customers who now mark this on their calendars as something they don’t want to miss. When you start such an event, don’t be discouraged by attendance and sales the first year. Give it two or three years to see if it’s a worthwhile endeavor. If it grows, you can dedicate more resources to it. Lancaster Archery Supply was founded in 1983 by Rob Kaufhold as a small pro shop in the heart of Amish country in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. A champion competition archer himself, Kaufhold’s goal from the beginning was to increase participation in target archery and bowhunting, and to provide quality equipment so his customers could be successful. The initial pro shop was located in a space on the property where Kaufhold’s dad owned and operated a machine shop. Through the years, the shop expanded to occupy more of the property, and it now encompasses the entire property. The Lancaster Archery Supply Pro Shop features a full-service pro shop, catering to those involved in bowhunting, compound and recurve target archery, traditional archery and recreational archery. Below the shop is the Lancaster Archery Academy, where archers of all levels can go to get instruction and/or to train. The academy regularly hosts competition leagues and tournaments, and offers more than 40 lanes for indoor shooting. Early in the business’ life, Kaufhold began traveling to archery tournaments around the country to sell archery gear there. That led to the creation of the LAS Express, which consists of two 40-foot trailers that travel across the country. The trailers are packed with the gear competing archers need to stay in the game, and they are staffed by knowledgeable technicians, who can help competitors select equipment and assist with repairs if needed. Kaufhold calls the LAS Express teams the “pit crews” for tournament archers. As the popularity of internet shopping grew, Lancaster Archery Supply launched a web-based business, which serves as a retail site for archers and bowhunters all over the world, and serves as a distributor to supply pro shops and archery dealers with the equipment they need to support their customers. That business is housed in an 85,000-square-foot distribution center located just a few miles from the pro shop. IA
22 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 Top 10 Things the ATA Does For You These member benefits add lots of value to an ATA membership BY CASSIE GASAWAY INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA ACTION ARCHERY TRADE ASSOCIATION archerytrade.org sages to those who want to use their voice for good. 2 ■ Tracks Industry Trends/Provides Data and Research : The ATA launched the new Retail Business Tracker Survey to better inform members of trends and provide them with data to help guide future decision-making. The survey collects quarterly information from retailers nationwide to provide timely updates. The ATA also tracks bowhunter numbers by state and does market and participation research for the industry. 3 ■ Creates Guides & Resources : The ATA creates many free resources for the benefit of its members, including the FET guide, range development guides, technical guidelines, and hunting mentor guide, to name a few. Curriculums like Explore Bowhunting, Explore Bowfishing and Field to Fork are available for members. Many of these resources are accessible through the Resource Library. The ATA also has many classes in the MyATA Learning Center, including the Archery Industry Masterclass. 4 ■ Offers Certifications : ATA offers the Bow Technician Certification course in the MyATA Learning Center and archery instructor certifications at the ATA Show. The recently created Bow Technician Certification establishes an industry standard and gives bow techs the skills to provide retail customers with a consistently positive experience. Meanwhile, an instructor certification trains pro staff on teaching proper archery form for improvement. 5 ■ Recruits New Bowhunters : The ATAowned and -operated organization, Bowhunters United, attends events nationwide to recruit and energize bowhunters. BU is the premier bowhunting organization in America today and it represents all bowhunters, regardless of why, how, when or where they participate. The ATA also partners with like-minded organizations to grow participation. 6 ■ Monitors State Regulation Changes : ATA staff continually monitor state bowhunting regulations to ensure they’re easy to understand and abide by. Recently, staff reviewed all 50 states’ 2022-2023 bowhunting regulations and encouraged state wildlife agencies to revise complex bowhunting laws, especially those regarding equipment metrics and specifications. As a result of ATA’s recommendations, 250 favorable changes have been made across 49 states since 2017. 7 ■ Hosts the Annual ATA Show : The ATA Show is the industry’s event, bringing archery professionals from across the world together under one roof. It helps members position themselves for the year by networking, strengthening relationships, writing orders and gathering new product intel. The ATA Show is closed to the public. Only ATA T he ATA is a member-driven organization, and we base our success on the success and satisfaction of our members. If you’re not a member, join now at archerytrade.org/membership to take advantage of all these member benefits. Renew your membership at archerytrade.org/login. Here are the top 10 things the ATA does to help its members thrive. 1 ■ Completes Advocacy Efforts/Uses Action Alert System : The ATA is always monitoring state and federal legislative initiatives that affect archery and bowhunting, and it works on behalf of its members to enact laws and policies that help the industry. ATA staff advocate for you on counterfeiting, land access, hunting regulations, and federal excise taxes. ATA also uses its Action Alert System to keep members informed and provide prewritten mesUNITING THE INDUSTRY Providing education opportunities, conducting archery and bowhunting advocacy efforts and hosting the annual ATA Show are some of the many things your ATA does for you. PHOTO © ATA.
JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM members can attend so they can focus on business. 8 ■ Maintains the Membership Directory : The ATA helps businesses connect by providing contact information in its free membership directory. Members must electronically sign a confidentiality agreement to view the document. Search for members by name, category, membership type or other filters. The dynamic directory helps members form and foster business relationships. 9 ■ Vets MyATA Service Providers : The ATA finds reliable companies for the MyATA Service Provider program to provide ATA members with exclusive marketing assistance, accounting help, health insurance, legal assistance, discounts on services, and other business support. The ATA vets each company and works with them to provide an annual educational offering for ATA members. 10 ■ Provides ATA Staff Support : ATA staff joined the organization to help improve the archery and bowhunting industry. They are passionate about their work and have dedicated themselves to serving members. If you need advice, have a question or want to discuss your business plans with someone, we can help. View the ATA’s membership page to see everything the ATA offers its members. Visit the archerytrade.org website to find more information about the initiatives and services listed above. The value of an ATA membership has never been higher, so join the ATA or renew your membership today! Renew Your ATA Membership : The ATA’s membership year runs from April 1 to March 31. The ATA opened dues renewals for existing members on March 1. Renew your membership online through your MyATA member dashboard. Join the ATA as a New Member : The ATA opened its 2022-2023 membership year to new members on April 1. If the benefits above interest you, visit ATA’s membership category page (archerytrade.org/ membership/membership-categories) and click the appropriate link to apply for a membership in your business category. You will need to create an account to apply for membership. Your application will be reviewed and approved by ATA staff within seven business days. ATA reserves the right to change your membership category based on the verification documents provided. Contact Sarah Haala, ATA’s Trade Show coordinator, at (507) 233- 8131 or sarahhaala@archerytrade.org. IA The annual ATA Show is the biggest archery Show of the year. PHOTO © ATA. The ATA and our new consumer organization Bowhunters United advocate for archery and bowhunting on your behalf. PHOTO © ATA.
24 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 By Michaelean Pike Seeingis Believing
JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 25 “A lot of hunters believe all trail cam viewers are junk,” Al Kaiser, president and CEO of Hunters Mate (makers of Lowdown Viewer), told me during our interview. Years ago, Kaiser would have agreed with that assessment. The trail camera viewers available on the market at that time were too small, too slow, and simply not worth the money. Even as trail camera use boomed and hunters needed to process hundreds—if not thousands—of images, there were few good options for convenient SD card viewing. But that was before Kaiser and Hunters Mate Vice President and Chief Product Engineer Joshua Caraway designed their High-Speed Trail Camera Card Viewer, the latest of which is the Advanced Features Lowdown Viewer. Now, Kaiser is determined to change the industry’s perception of trail cam viewers. He knows that stigma against viewers still exists, but he’s not worried. He knows, when it comes to the Lowdown Viewer, seeing is believing. And more and more hunters are beginning to see things his way. A Passion for the Outdoors Kaiser fell in love with the outdoors at an early age. His father loved hunting small game, particularly squirrels. “That was truly one of the fondest memories of my childhood,” Kaiser recalled. “My dad taking us out squirrel hunting and spending those beautiful afternoons in the woods. I loved everything about it. I just wanted to be out there.” Kaiser’s deep appreciation for the outdoors made bowhunting especially appealing. He began shooting a bow as a teenager. “I loved it,” he said. “If there’s one thing I’ll never give up, it’s archery and bowhunting. Archery is truly the sport where you’re there with nature. If you really love to be outdoors and spend time—and it’s a sport that does take time—you’re basically living with the animals in the outdoors, seeing everything that happens. That was my passion. I loved to learn how animals react, their habits, their behaviors. It makes you a better hunter. But I would say true hunters have as much love for the animals as for hunting. It’s not just about harvesting them.” Given Kaiser’s interest in wildlife and animal behavior, it’s little wonder that he paid attention to advances in the ability of hunters to observe wildlife. Of course, the first step in the evolution of what would eventually become today’s modern trail cameras was far from advanced. “The Stump Sitters actually had this unit where they pulled a string across a deer runway,” he said. “An animal would go through, and it would pull the string and stop the timer. So at least they knew what time the animal went through on the runway.” The drive to know more about wild animals would eventually change Kaiser’s life. But that would happen much later. First, he had school and a career to worry about. “After high school, I went to school for game and fish management, forestry, and outdoor recreation, just because I loved it,” he said. “I wanted to learn more, especially about wildlife. I wanted to know all about it. I worked one summer for a game warden, and worked in various fields in the outdoor industry off and on. I was also involved
26 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 in a family business growing Wisconsin ginseng for most of my life. But I’ve never lost the passion for the outdoors. That was the main focus of my life.” Viewing Frustrations As trail cameras evolved, hunters were able to learn more and more about the wild animals they pursued. But that information did not come without some issues. “We talked about the Stump Sitters, what they did with a crude device that triggered a timer so they could see what time an animal went through,” Kaiser said. “That’s what I consider to be the start of trail cameras. Then the outdoor industry wondered if we could take a film camera, set it up out in the woods and get it to trigger by motion. That was a great first step. But you were limited on how many pictures you could take. Then you pulled your film out and took it to be developed. It was time consuming and pretty costly.” The invention of the SD card made trail cameras far more cost effective to use. “The SD card was a great invention,” he said. “We could get rid of the film and quality viewers were. “As I got older, I started to get more selective in what I harvested,” he explained. “I wanted a nicer deer, or a bigger buck, or an older animal. And I was after one specific buck. It was a beautiful animal. I had my cameras up, and I had a little handheld viewer. It was during the rut, and I was checking the cameras quite often. Nothing. But when I finally looked at those pictures on a computer, there were two days in a row I had this buck coming through. I’d missed him on the pictures. He was in the background. All that work. “I was frustrated. I’d missed my opportunity that year to harvest that buck. And for years I wondered why trail camera companies didn’t create a viewer that really works, one where we can see the pictures and study them. I had that in my head for years. A lot of my hunting friends who were serious about the sport agreed there wasn’t a good way to look at those pictures.” Kaiser knew what the problems were, and he knew what would solve those problems. But he didn’t know how to turn that into reality. we could take more pictures. We didn’t have to worry about leaving the camera out there for just a couple of days. And we went from taking fifty to a hundred photos to thousands of pictures. But with that, we’ve created more problems.” For Kaiser, the biggest problem was simply processing the sheer number of photographs his cameras could now take. “In the beginning, people used computers to look at their photos,” he said. “Companies did create some viewers, but they didn’t spend a lot of time or money to do it. Most of them were very small and awkward to operate. If you had a thousand pictures to process, it took some time and it was really hard to see them. Then there was the cost factor. These units were pretty reasonably priced, but the expense of operating them started to stack up. One hundred percent of them used disposable batteries. And if you had a lot of pictures to look at, you could run batteries out in a day or two. In my family, we were spending hundreds of dollars on batteries a year.” Those frustrations were bad enough. But one specific instance made Kaiser realize just how much of a problem low-
27 JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM “I knew the industry really needed a good trail camera viewer,” he said. “I had no engineering experience, no expe - rience with electronics. But I knew the outdoors, and I knew what was needed to look at these pictures.” A Fortuitous Encounter Luckily for Kaiser, he met someone who did have experience with electronics. “I had someone doing a little computer work for me,” he said. “I could see he had good expertise. I got to be friends with him, and I told him that I would like to develop a product where I could look at my trail cam pictures.” That man was Joshua Caraway. With some seed money from Kaiser, Caraway bought some laptops to experiment with. From there, it was just a matter of devel - oping creative software. “He showed me what he developed to that point, and I thought we had some - thing,” Kaiser said. “I liked what I was seeing. I told him if we could develop a truly high-speed trail cam viewer that really works and does things I want it to do, I would take him on as a business partner and we’d see where we could go with this.” The two men officially launched Hunters Mate in March 2015 with their first viewer. “I told Josh there was one way we could test the market,” Kaiser said. “There’s a large sport show every year down in Madison. It gets about 15,000 to 20,000 people through there. We went down there with maybe twenty viewers and set up a booth. I’m telling you; we didn’t have that great a unit yet. But what we found was that everybody really loved what we were doing. It gave me confidence. I knew we were on the right path because it was what I wanted, but I wanted to see if oth - er hunters felt the same.” A Better Viewer While hunters loved the first viewer from Hunters Mate, Kaiser and Caraway continued to innovate. A second genera - tion viewer—the Lowdown—followed, and then the company came out with a third generation viewer, the Advanced A better viewer means trail cam enthusiasts can more easily process and study their photos. That ability helps hunters gain valu - able insight regarding their quarry, as many satisfied Lowdown users can attest to.
28 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 Features Lowdown Viewer. That viewer takes all the best qualities hunters loved about the first viewers and adds even more user-friendly features. One of the biggest benefits of the view - ers from Hunters Mate is the size. “I always thought early viewers were too small,” Kaiser said. “We tested differ - ent size viewers. We started with a 7-inch screen, but it was still too small. In the end, we went with a 9-inch screen. It’s big enough that you can really see and study your pictures, yet it’s small enough you can take it anywhere.” Hunters Mate had eliminated all tog - gle switches, opting instead for a touch - screen. “It’s fast and easy,” Kaiser explained. “We’re three times faster than anything else out there. I’m not saying every step is three times faster, but when you put it all together, I bet I can do it three times faster than anybody in the industry with our unit.” To ensure the unit operates quickly and easily, the company did not add memory to the viewer. Instead, the viewer uses a full-size SD card to save images to. “Once you load memory, it ends up slowing the unit down,” Kaiser said. “We tried to get rid of anything that slows the unit down. You can put up to a 128 GB card in the unit, which is more than adequate. People that shoot a lot of vid - eos—we have a pretty good staff of pro staffers that film their hunts—wanted a minimum of 64 GB. So we went to the next step to 128 GB.” The Advanced Features Lowdown Viewer allows the user to view photos in three different screen sizes. “The first screen size we have is called the Quick View Mode,” Kaiser said. “It shows eight pictures at a time. You can slide through as fast as you want just to see what you have. The pictures aren’t big enough that you can study them, but they’re just big enough that you can see what’s in the picture. We have a button that says ‘Select.’ As you slide through the pictures in Quick View Mode, if you see a picture of interest, you just tap on it and it will highlight it. It’s not saving the picture yet, but it’s putting it on standby
JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 29 to save. Hunters know they probably only want to look at about 10 percent of their pictures. The key is to pick out the pictures you want to look at and get rid of the rest. With the Quick View Mode, you can easily go through a hundred pictures a minute. Then you just hit the save card, and it will instantly copy those pictures onto your save card. It didn’t remove them; it just copied them. “Now we can tap on the save card, and we can go to three-quarters screen. Usu - ally, I just go to full screen. It’s got all the information on the screen. And then you can look at those pictures one at a time.” To make looking through photos even easier, Hunters Mate added a scroll bar to the Quick View Mode. “With the touch of a finger, I can go to the other end or the middle of that card,” Kaiser said. “I can touch that bar at one end, and it will instantly jump to that end of the SD card. Every other viewer, you have to scroll through the pictures to get there, and if you have a lot of pic - tures, that can be a real pain.” Another feature of the latest viewer is SnapShot. “I can blow up pictures on the screen,” he explained. “I can either spread my fingers apart to blow it up, or I can dou - ble tap on the screen and the picture will double in size. Once you blow that pic - ture up, you can take a screenshot of it. Just hit the SnapShot feature, and that’s going to save the picture I blew up. I can make a picture any size I want. If I want to blow that picture up twice the size again after I take that SnapShot, I can do that. It’s super versatile for studying any picture you want.” The company’s pro staffers asked if the viewer could freeze frame videos. Kaiser was pleased to say that, after much soft - ware development, this latest version is able to do just that. “The viewer always played videos with sound,” he said. “Now, any video they shoot, any place they want to freeze it, they just touch the screen and it will freeze that frame. They can play with it to get the perfect frame by using the scroll bar feature or just using their fin - ger. But after they freeze that frame, they can take a SnapShot of that picture. Then they can also blow those pictures up and take another SnapShot. You can save videos to your save card. Any time you go to your save card, you can play a video you saved, and if you wish you had Al Kaiser (center, back), his son Adam (left), and his business partner Joshua Caraway (right) are working hard to overcome the stigma surrounding trail cam viewers. Because many hunters need to see the Lowdown Viewer for themselves to fully appreciate the difference, the Lowdown team spends a lot of time at sports shows.
30 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 done a freeze frame of a certain animal, you can still do it on the save card, even if you’ve gotten rid of the picture on the camera card.” Viewers from Hunters Mate also solve one of Kaiser’s biggest frustrations with trail camera viewers—the battery issue. “We worked a lot of years at solving that problem,” he said. “I never wanted disposable batteries. We went with a lithium built-in battery bank. On a full charge, it’s going to run that viewer about four hours straight. Then you can recharge it. In the viewer kit, you get a house charging cord and an auto char - ger. I can look for three hours in the field. When I jump in the truck to go to the next property, I plug it in.” For Kaiser, the rechargeable battery is an important—and cost-saving—feature of the viewer. “The manufacturer tells us this battery should cycle four to five hundred times,” he explained. “How many times do you charge your viewer? We’ve done a lot of estimating on that, and we think fifty times a year is quite a bit. If you charge it fifty times a year, that’s quite often. If you do the math, that battery should last eight to ten years. We know they do. Not saying they can’t go to heck—they can— but if the battery goes to heck do you throw the viewer away? No. You call the company, and we replace those batteries. If you send it in to us, a service charge to replace the battery is $59.99. And that includes return shipping. So, we service them at a reasonable cost, too. “In the long run, you save a ton of money on batteries. That more than pays for that unit, and then you’ve got the high-end unit that really works.” In addition, the Lowdown Viewer does something many hunters don’t know they should be doing—it actually for - mats SD cards. “Formatting is the process of truly cleaning your SD cards,” Kaiser said. “If you are using your SD cards, you should be cleaning them at least once a month. That is the only true process to thor - oughly clean your SD cards. Deleting the pictures is not cleaning your SD cards. It just deletes the surface pictures. We worked for a couple years to get a true format system on the viewer. I wanted a universal format that was good for all cameras. So now we actually format your card every time you delete your pic - tures. Your SD card is going to work bet - ter in your camera and it’s going to work better in your viewer. Plus, the SD card is going to last a lot longer.” Exceptional Service Kaiser is well aware the Lowdown View - er is the most expensive trail cam viewer on the market. He believes in the prod - uct, and he believes the value it delivers to the end user is well worth the price. That said, he also knows that people who pay top dollar for a viewer deserve qual - ity customer service. “We decided if we’re going to do this, we’re going to stand behind our product,” he said. “We have a one-year warranty on it, but even after that, they can call us any day of the week and we’ll talk to them. I like to tell people that this will be the last trail cam viewer you buy. You’re not going to use this for a year or two and then throw it in the garbage. “I actually had a customer call me re - cently. He’d bought one of our first units about seven years ago. He said it was still working fine. We used to have to plug an adapter into it to read the SD card, and he was looking for more of those adapt - ers. We got them for him. We’re here for our customers.” Getting the Word Out For now, Kaiser and Caraway are work - ing hard to get the word out about the Lowdown Viewer. “With this viewer, seeing is believ - ing,” he explained. “We’ve hit the cir - cuit quite hard on sports and hunting shows, showing people what this thing can do. We’re doing what advertising we can. We took on a lot of pro staff, hunt - ers that like to test products and give us feedback.” For retailers interested in testing the waters with the Lowdown Viewer, the company has no minimum order at the start. However, Hunters Mate offers a fully equipped demonstration unit for
31 JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM stores the first time they order ten viewers. “We’re going to take a viewer, we’re going to set it up, it’s going to come in its leather case that doubles as a stand, we’re going to put a show card in it for them, we’re going to put a save card in it for them, and we’re also going to send them our 10-foot HDMI cable so if they have a flatscreen in the store, they can hook it up to their flatscreen,” Kaiser explained. “That’s another feature—we’re one of the few units you can hook up to your flatscreen. Ev - erything you can do on the Lowdown; you can do on the big screen.” A Bright Future Hunters Mate continues to grow as it finds the right people to help improve and better mar - ket the product. Doug Cantrell helps out with software engineering. Kaiser’s son, Adam, has taken on the role of social media manager and pro staff manager. Lucas Kincaid started as a pro staffer and is now part of the social media team. And Kaiser’s wife, Michele, and Cara - way’s wife, Naomi, have been instrumental in working sport shows and telling the Lowdown Viewer story. Kaiser knows he still has to overcome the stigma so many hunters have when it comes to trail cam viewers, but he’s optimistic that once they see the Lowdown Viewer, they’ll come around, just as so many customers have. They just need to see it. “Finally, there’s a trail cam viewer that works,” he said. “That’s how I feel. After a lifetime of not having a viewer that really works, we finally have one.” Learn more at lowdownviewer.com. IA
32 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 MARKET TRENDS GEAR REPORT N BY PATRICK MEITIN Gas Bowstrings High Octane Blackout Series WebXtra ■ For a closer look at this product and many others, check them out at insidearchery.com. While factory bowstrings have certainly become more reliable in the past decade— many major brands now holding big-name strings and buss cables—many serious competition archers and hard-driving bowhunters have learned what a premium set of strings can mean in terms of increased accuracy and solid reliability during a rough and tumble bowhunt far from the nearest archery pro shop. Also, the most serious archers and bowhunters shoot so much while honing their skills, their bows will eventually require a fresh set of strings. Custom, made-to-order bowstring sets drive this market and are undoubtedly the best money can buy. But the sharp-stick truth is these custom wares do not come cheap, retailing for up to $200 per set, and including wait times that can run into weeks for particular special order features. GAS Bowstrings offers a solution to the high cost of quality bowstrings, as well as ready availability. New for 2023 and due to hit the market by the time this magazine hits mailboxes, GAS Bowstrings is launching its first line of in-stock, ready-to-ship bowstrings—High Octane Blackout Strings. The object of the High Octane Blackout Series is to provide a high quality set of bow strings at a reasonable price (just $140 per complete set) and make them quickly available for those looking at a looming tournament or bowhunt but contemplating a damaged or cut bowstring or buss cable. GAS Bowothing is more frustrating in bowhunting than missing a fleeting opportunity at game due to a peep that does not come back square to the eye after hitting full draw, serving coming unraveled in the middle of a hunt, or a string or buss cable that stretches in the heat of battle to ruin a hard-earned bow tune at the worst possible moment. strings promises a fresh set of High Octane Blackout Series strings will be in stock and immediately available. They also provide an affordable option for those simply looking to keep a backup set of strings on hand for a big hunt or home shop. High Octane Blackout Series sets are crafted and kept on hand for more than 150 popular compound and crossbow models. Each full set of High Octane Blackout Series strings are made by GAS Bowstrings’ experienced craftsmen from field-proven BCY 452X, and include black bowstring, buss cables and preinstalled speed nocks. Ultra-durable Powergrip center serving comes standard on all GAS Bowstrings. High Octane Blackout Series bowstrings and buss cables are made using the company’s exclusive TTS (Total Tensioning System)—just like other string sets offered by GAS Bowstrings. The TTS approach eliminates unwanted peep rotation, serving separation and stretch, resulting in the exceptional performance GAS Bowstrings has made it reputation on. Each High Octane Blackout Series string set is backed by GAS’ one-year warranty, and if they are ordered before 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, they will be shipped the same day. Learn more by visiting gasbowstrings.com. IA
34 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 INSIDE THE INDUSTRY LEADING ARCHERY MANUFACTURERS It isn’t 100 percent creep-free, but creep proves minimal. BCY blended Dyneema with Vectran to produce a product with the strength of Dyneema and zero creep Vectran. Finally, BCY had a string material that would work for bowstrings, and the blend remains a strong seller to this day. As a sidenote, while Vectran was unsuited for bowstrings when used alone, strings made of pure Dyneema do not have that problem, its only drawback is the smallest amount of creep. Since recurve and crossbow strings need a little “give” to avoid limb damage, BCY offers 100 percent Dyneema for those purposes. The Dyneema/Vectran blend was well received by the industry, and BCY’s success bloomed, turning it from a textile into a bowstring business. Browne said there are several principles behind the company’s continued prosperity: standing behind their product, providing good product focus, and very attentive customer service. BCY offers a wide variety of strings that differ slightly from one another, as bows are so diverse that there is rarely a one-size-fits-all answer. BCY seeks to make products that appeals to archers based on real world feedback. “We respect not only the opinion of the bow companies, but we also get down on the floor and talk to the people who actually shoot,” Browne said. Ray and Roger Browne, and Bob and Chris Deston traveled extensively, both in the U.S. and overseas. There they found large concentrations of recurve shooters as well as bowstring producers. They talked to many archers to get a sense of what was wanted and needed in the industry. On home territory, the quest continued. The Brownes and Destons attended trade shows, from the ATA Show to the Vegas Shoot, to gather even more feedback. BCY then developed relationships through its magazine advertising campaigns, establishing relationships with overseas distributors. Today, 25 percent of BCY’s business is export. On the customer-service front, until recently, and given the specter of COVID, BCY owstrings are a key component to the entire archery setup because bows are worthless without them. Bowstring materials have evolved quickly and BCY has been at the cutting edge of many of those developments. String-makers—archers, pro shops, bow or high-volume bow string manufacturers—face two conflicting goals. They want something that is light and low-stretch to impart more arrow speed. But they also need a string to be durable and long lasting, for safety’s sake, at the very least. The industry can thank Connecticutbased BCY Fibers for many of the advances that have made bowstrings safer, faster, and a little more colorful in recent decades. Founded about 30 years ago, BCY existed as a textile company entering the archery industry. President Ray Browne purchased a small company in Bridgeport, Connecticut, that was versed in the wire and cable trade, evolving that into the textile industry. Bob Deston joined BCY a few years later. “We were making anything that nobody else wanted to make,” Browne said. Dacron was the original bowstring standard, but as newer, more radical compounds were released, Dacron strings held a higher risk of stretch or failure. BCY saw an opportunity to fix the problem. Enter Vectran. Vectran eliminated stretch and de-tuning, even when subjected to high temperatures or draw weights. BCY dove into the art of making bowstrings out of the new Vectran material, producing Streamline bowstring material and initiating testing. Unfortunately, the first iteration of that product proved unusable. Vectran does not flex well on its own and provides no indication of impending failure, making it dangerous. In order to produce a safe product, BCY needed to add something to the formula. That something was Dyneema, which is strong and highly abrasion resistant. B had a policy of shipping everything they could within seven days regardless of the size of the order. “Always, our policy has been that a customer is a customer,” Browne said, emphasizing the importance of retail shipments arriving on time in order to sell. BCY does not see a high volume of customer complaints, but every now and then a call comes in regarding a broken string. Browne said in most cases this involves user error. BCY will normally take care of the issue free of charge. Browne says waxing strings regularly provides better abrasion resistance and less chance of failure. A liquid wax is impregnated into the fibers at the BCY factory, but wax needs to be replenished over time. The current BCY facility in Middletown, Connecticut, includes 25,000 square feet. BCY’s machinery produces all its bowstring materials from beginning to end. Only certain raw fibers that cannot be secured in the U.S. come from overseas sources— for instance, Dyneema could once only be imported from Europe, but now is manufactured in the Carolinas. BCY’s 15 employees, not including the Brownes and Destons, turn large quantities of raw fiber into bowstring material— twisted, blended, color treated, waxed, and spooled at the factory. BCY uses only nontoxic, water-based coatings, as solventbased coatings can give stringmakers and archers rashes or itchy eyes. Water-based product is more difficult to work with but BCY prefers producing strings that are not harmful to the user. To increase string life, the wax used includes a small concentration of silicone. Browne said there is not much BCY can do to improve its products at this time, having refined the blends of Dyneema, Vectran and Spectra it relies on. Should a new fiber become available, BCY will network with other manufacturers to remain abreast of the latest developments. Every fiber BCY employs is certified to meet specifications set for strength and tenacity. Because BCY makes thousands of pounds of string material each week, inhouse staff tests randomly to ensure each batch meets strict breaking strength, abrasion resistance and visual appearance stanBCY Fibers
JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 35 dards. Few problems are encountered at this stage. Browne warns of lower-cost knock-off products, as they can prove unsafe. Currently, BCY’s best-selling products in - clude 452X and Dynaflight 97. The 452X materi - al is a Vectran/Dyneema blend, primarily used for compound bows. Dynaflight 97 is tough, safe and can be used on almost any bow. X99 was released about five years ago. While 452X has been around longer and is still the most popular, advances in Dyneema production called for an upgrade of this string material recently to make it even stronger. Along with bowstring material, BCY is a major supplier of center-serving and endloop materials. BCY regularly evaluates the serving materials it produces, seeking to find ways to help reduce serving separation and wear. A dozen different styles are available from the manufacturer. While serving material comes in just a few colors, BCY produces a wide variety of color options for bowstring materials. Browne em - phasizes the importance of customizability, as archers like to stand out and have indi - vidual preferences. Bow manufacturers also produce new colors for their bows over time and BCY works to match these new releases. With more than 50 solid colors available, BCY also offers two-color strings based on de - mand from big bow companies. Some colors are simply added to meet customer demand as well—pink for female bowhunters being a prime example. BCY also offers string-loop cord for creat - ing today’s popular D-loops. BCY’s material is highly dependable and formulated to elimi - nate fraying. The #24 Loop Rope made of poly - ester allows for strong D-loops that won’t slip through themselves. BCY X Wax is a siliconebased product that penetrates string fibers to prolong string/cable life and is recommended for all the company’s materials. The BCY team is happy with the place it finds itself within the industry, and is not looking to make any significant changes to operation, production, or location any time soon. BCY’s goal is to maintain the consis - tency they currently offer. As new fibers come onto the market, rest assured BCY will investigate and update products accordingly, always striving to remain at the forefront of bowstring technologies. Learn more by visit - ing bcyfibers.com. IA
36 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 MARKET TRENDS GEAR REPORT C BY PATRICK MEITIN Lumenok Lumen-Arrow Bolts with New Red Lighted Crossbow Bolt Ends WebXtra ■ For a closer look at this product and many others, check them out at insidearchery.com. the crossbow it is fired from. To that end, Lumenok offers LumenArrow Bolts to be compatible with the fastest crossbow models, while offering the features demanded by each unique model. Options include bolts measuring 20 (321 grains finished weight) and 22 inches (341 grains), holding flat or Lumenok Crescent (halfmoon), and Bohning 2-inch Blazer or 3.5 X Vanes. The factory-installed brass inserts help bump F.O.C. for straighter flight and improved penetration on game. Of course, each nock is one of Lumenok’s Lighted Crossbow Bolt Ends. Lumenok are the original lighted nocks, which require no magnets, glue, switches or any other moving part. This is a proven design that has been around since 2002, and are made for just about any arrow and bolt you can think of— more than 40 popular bolt models by my count. Lumenok’s Lighted Crossbow Bolt Ends are compatible with past and current production crossbolts, the new red version sized to fit inside diameters measuring up to .300-inch. Lumenoks include a simple circuit that depends on the conductive material of the bolt shaft, automatically activated when the bolt is launched. rossbow technology continues to evolve at a blistering pace, which in many cases is quite literal. Run-of-the-mill hunting crossbows now send bolts downrange at 400-plus fps, with top models now clocking 450- to 500-plus fps. Crossbolt technology has been forced to keep pace with these developments, as these high-performance crossbows ask much more of the bolt than was once required. This just simply isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario. To deliver top performance at ever more distant ranges with higher accuracy expectations, while also offering supreme reliability on big game at bone-crunching velocities, the crossbolt must be matched to Lumenok’s color selection has continued to grow, including HD Orange, Green, Pink, and, new for 2023, Red. The new Red Bolt Ends are offered in both flat-back and Crescent styles, the latter designed to replace Parker’s Capture nock and enhance bowstring safety while providing the same ear depth to fully encompass the bowstring for full engagement and to prevent dry fires. Contoured ends provide string engagement even if the bolt is inadvertently misaligned on the rail, providing an additional safety factor. All colors are super-bright, exceptionally durable and long lasting. If you manage to exhaust a Lumenok battery, replacements are available and easily installed. If my recent experiences while hunting with crossbows is any indication, I would say that the insane velocities generated by today’s high-performance crossbows make a lighted nock essentially mandatory to knowing how to follow up after a hit on game. Modern crossbows are simply too fast to know with any degree of certainty where you have hit an animal during an adrenaline-charged encounter. Lumenok feeds that need, with an ultra-simple, straightforward option that works every time and makes it easy to track blistering crossbow bolts in any lighting condition—now offered in HD Red. Learn more by visiting lumenok.com. IA
38 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 BY JACK BORCHERDING
JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 39 P erhaps the most important yet the hardest to test are releases and stabilizers, which have become essential equipment for every archer. This is true whether your customers are recreational shooters, hunters, or tournament archers. Having a release that fits and is customizable is invaluable. Adding a stabilizer can provide the archer with a significantly more pleasurable shooting experience. In no specific order, let’s take a look at some top archery releases and stabilizers. Ready Releases T.R.U. BALL n New for 2023 is the T.R.U. Ball Pointer Release. This wrist style release features an all-in-one hybrid trigger. What that means is that there are three different attachment locations that provide forward speed, straight comfort, and swept back comfort configurations. Simply remove the screen and change the trigger position to match your customer’s comfort level. The Pointer in the caliper designation is more of a single caliper that provides full closure. Travel adjustments on the Pointer release help the archer customize the release and find the perfect shot feel. The last feature to point out is the 360-degree Globo-Swivel solid rod connection. The Globo-Swivel allows archers to settle in no matter the angle. To learn more visit truball.com SPOT HOGG n Spot Hogg makes just about everything that attaches to a bow, including releases. The Spot Hogg Wiseguy Rigid’s claim to fame is as the lightest trigger of any hunting release ever created. The release doesn’t stop there, featuring adjustable length, a fail-safe trigger with zero travel, rigid body, and an open jaw style that makes it easy to latch on to a D-loop quickly. The jaw self-reloads, so shooters never have to worry about what position it is in when a shot opportunity arises. Most releases only have one available strap configuration, but the Wiseguy Rigid allows the hunter to choose between five different straps: a buckle strap, BOA Strap, Realtree Buckle Strap, Muddy Girl Strap or BOA Cameron Hanes “Keep Hammering” Signature series strap. No matter what, the Wiseguy is ready for the field. To learn more visit spot-hogg.com. TROPHY RIDGE n Trophy Ridge came onto the scene a couple years ago with releases to round out their renowned bow accessories. The Precise Pro is their most feature rich release. If a dual-caliper wrist release and a back tension release had offspring, this would be it. The four finger design and 360-degree swivel head are among its most popular features. The four finger design allows for significantly more drawing power with even less grip fatigue. Every archer is different, and the 360-degree swivel head helps smooth out any draw cycle, allowing every archer to settle into
40 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 that back wall at any angle preferred. Both the thumb trigger and the sear ten - sion are completely adjustable, making it easy to fine-tune that perfect feeling release. The included wrist strap ensures customers will never lose their release, and it will always be on their wrist when they need it most. To learn more visit trophyridge.com COBRA ARCHERY n The Cobra Archery Harvester simplifies the complex with a few new technologies. The new Har - vester features a Unified Trigger System (U.T.S.). To set the stage for most re - leases on the market, like the Harvester, you would need to adjust a set screw for every adjustment: length, rotation, and angle. U.T.S. technology eliminates that. Just loosen one set screw, move the thumb trigger to a desired location, and tighten one set screw. All adjustments are set automatically. The Harvester is a full capture hook release design and made from 6061-T6, 7075-T6 aluminum and 302, 416 stainless steel. The release includes removable finger configura - tions so that customers can make the release a 3- or 4- finger release. In addi - tion, the Harvester package has a wrist strap lanyard to keep the release handy while on stand or in a blind. To learn more visit cobraarchery.com . .30-06 OUTDOORS n The Mustang Ultra Compact release takes all the features of a full-size release and makes it even more compact. Featuring a precision lock-back trigger that is factory tuned, this release is ready for anyone of any size to strap on and shoot. The dual cal - iper-style head is attached to the wrist strap by an adjustable nylon strap, mak - ing it compatible with different hand lengths. The wrist strap itself is a leather buckle with multiple adjustments. In - side the wrist strap the leather is lined with a rubber non-slip layer for a com - fortable and sure fit while at full draw. To learn more visit 30-06outdoors.com. SCOTT ARCHERY n At first glance, the Scott Archery S2 seems like a strange T.R.U. Ball Pointer Spot Hogg Wiseguy Rigid Trophy Ridge Precise Pro Cobra Harvester Apex Gear Surge .30-06 Mustang Ultra Compact TruFire Edge FT Scott S2
41 JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM looking release with its snake fangshaped head design. However, once you dive into its features, you realize that the looks match the interesting characteristics. The S2 has an innovative design that helps separate D-loop tension from string tension. This release has a dual open hook design. The first hook wraps around the string, and the second hook wraps around the D-loop. This design helps eliminate string torque for the most accurate and smooth release. In addition, the dual sear locking technology makes its trigger pull super crisp and it has a full pound of trigger adjustment. Having shot many Scott releases over the years, in my opinion their wrist straps have always been the most comfortable on the market. Their adjustable nylon strap helps provide maximum flexibility in putting the trigger precisely where it is needed. If all those adjustments are not enough, the S2 comes with two different trigger shapes: one that has a longer, swept-back design and one that is a little shorter and straighter—just another feature to get the custom release customers want. To learn more visit scottarchery.com. TRUFIRE n TruFire Releases are always on the cutting edge, and the Edge FT is a new twist on the company’s most popular index-finger release. The TruFire Edge FT has a new forward trigger. The forward trigger is designed to maximize draw length, increase accuracy, and enhance shot comfort. By placing the trigger so far up the barrel of the release it can enhance the archer’s draw by up to one inch, while still allowing optimal comfort. TruFire explains that this results in less “floating” at full draw, a more solid anchor point, and increased accuracy. The dual caliper design features a spring forward auto closer, so the release head always stays in the closed position. Trigger travel and tension adjustments make customization easy, and the barrel length is adjustable with a single set screw. Like most TruFire releases, the Edge FT’s fit and finish are second to none, with anodized and precision machined internal components. Lastly, their patented foldback design stows the release out of the way until needed. To learn more visit feradyne.com/trufire/. APEX GEAR n The Apex Gear Surge Thumb Activated HandHeld Release is the perfect option for the bowhunter wanting a handheld release with great features. The thin head and jaw help reduce Dloop torque, and the ergonomic design and CNC aluminum case make shooting more comfortable and enjoyable. This Apex release allows dialing in the thumb barrel adjustment, individual travel, and sensitivity. This really helps to customize the release to best fit individual shooters. The Surge comes with a built in lanyard attachment to keep that release where you want it when you need it. To learn more visit apex-gear.com.
42 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 Steady Stabilizers STOKERIZED n The Stokerized Acrylic Hunter G2 provides proven performance with added style and functionality. Including patented acrylic rod technology, the high-density acrylic material is great at eliminating shock, noise, and vibration. Being made out of acrylic, the color options are also endless, and Stokerized has more than 13 color choices for the barrel, four choices of metal sleeves, and 11 different dampener colors. To learn more visit stokerized.com. PINE RIDGE ARCHERY n With the 5.5-inch version weighing in at 5 ounces and the 7.5-inch version weighing 6 ounces, the Nitro Hunter helps balance any bow while destroying shot vibration through Sawtooth Vibration Technology. With today’s radical speed bows, this technology is designed to channel the vibration outward and destroy it completely. Being available in two different sizes, the hunter can customize the balance needed in any bow and help increase downrange accuracy. To learn more visit pineridgearchery.com. VIPER ARCHERY n Many bow manufacturers have started introducing integrated mounting systems for Stokerized Acrylic Hunter G2 Pine Ridge Nitro Hunter Viper Archery Dovetail Riser Trophy Ridge Shock Stop
JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 43 not only sights and quivers, but also sta - bilizers. Many stabilizer manufacturers, like Viper Archery, are following in their footsteps to make parts that will work with these new bows. With that being said, we introduce to you Viper Archery’s Dovetail Riser Stabilizer. Available in three different lengths of 8, 10, and 12 inches, these stabilizers integrate with any dovetail riser mounting system. The main bar of the stabilizer includes all aluminum construction, the end hold - ing a coil rubber dampener to remove bow shock during the shot. A four ounce powder coated steel weight is included with every stabilizer. To learn more visit viperarcheryproducts.com. TROPHY RIDGE n You may not know it, but Trophy Ridge has probably put more stabilizers in the hands of archers than any other. Why? Because almost all the Ready To Hunt package bows from Bear Archery sold over the years have held Trophy Ridge stabilizers. Those stabiliz - ers are not as feature-rich as the new Shock Stop. The Trophy Ridge Shock Stop is an 8-inch carbon fiber stabilizer that helps eliminate vibration and improve accuracy shot after shot. The Shock Stop stabilizer comes with two remov - able one ounce weights, wrist strap and wrist strap mounting bar. The Shock Stop is a great stabilizer to use with a Hitman bracket or any other Trophy Ridge stabilizer. To learn more visit trophyridge.com . AXCEL ARCHERY n New for 2023, AXCEL Archery introduced the Antler Ridge Hunting Stabilizer Kit. AXCEL has taken their technology and know-how from the target industry and transitioned it into the hunting realm. These stabilizers from AXCEL are some of the most techno - logically advanced stabilizers available today. With vibration testing equipment, the company took all that technologi - cal testing and science and transferred it into their stabilizers. AXCEL’s design team developed an advanced-properties, bio-composite hybrid Archery Stabilizer using natural flax fibers and ultra high modulus carbon material. They worked on several wrapping patterns to find the best blend that reduced the most vibra - tion possible to create the best stabilizer possible. The Antler Ridge Hunting Kit comes with a 6-inch back bar and an 8-inch front bar, as well as a Center Lock Quick Disconnect System. Lastly, on both of the stabilizer bars is their Kryptos ARC Vibration Dampener. To learn more visit truball.com. CUSTOM BOW EQUIPMENT (CBE) n Cus - tom Bow Equipment, the choice of many top archers, introduced the CBE Carbon Micro in 2022. The TorX Micro Stabilizer is built for ultimate balance and stability with vibration-reducing technology in an even smaller and more lightweight design. The TorX can be purchased in in - dividual sizes of 8, 10, or 15 inches, or can be purchased in multiple kit options. The kit options come with tapering connec - tions on both the front and back bars to ensure that they don’t loosen once they are set. Either stabilizer can be quickly removed for storage with the quick dis - AXCEL Antler Ridge Hunting Kit CBE TorX Micro Kit Easton Halcyon
44 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 connecting brackets. Each stabilizer comes with two ounces of black stainless steel weights. To learn more visit custombowequipment.com. EASTON ARCHERY n Easton Archery, one of the world’s largest arrow suppliers, brings their perfection in arrows into the target archery market with their amazing stabilizer precision. The Halcyon Stabilizer is engineered and proven for recurve and compound bow use and is designed as a wind cutter stabilizer. The diameter of the Halcyon is 14.7 millimeters, providing an ultra-lightweight option that is nonetheless stiff and introduces exceptional vibration control. The Halcyon comes in a great variety of lengths: 33, 30, 27, 15, and 12 inches. To learn more visit eastonarchery.com. .30-06 OUTDOORS n One of the more interesting stabilizers on our list is the EVO eliminate felt vibration. This 8-inch stabilizer comes in five different color options, including black, carbon fiber, Dirt Road Camo, Muddy Girl Camo, and snow camo to add that extra color pop to any bow. To learn more visit 30-06outdoors.com. AXION ARCHERY n The Axion Archery Envy Pro Hybrid is an interestingly designed stabilizer unlike anything else on the market. The Envy Pro is CNC machined aluminum and features a heavily skeletonized look. The Envy Pro Hybrid holds an Axion Full Damper and two Axion Flat Dampers. These dampers give the archer maximum vibration dampening while also providing increased stabilization. They are available in black and Realtree EDGE. To learn more visit axionarchery.com. MATHEWS INC. n Always a leader in innovation and technology, Mathews has done it again, creating an integrated system on their bows that makes sights fit tighter, quivers more compact, and stabilizers that adjust like never before. Mathews introduced Bridge-Lock Technology and has expanded on it even more with new Bridge-Lock Stabilizers. BridgeLock Stabilizers connect directly into the bow’s riser to create a better balance point and stiffer connection. This balance point adjustment and stiffer connection from Bridge-Lock create a flush transfer of vibration out toward their Interlink Weight Technology System. The Interlink Weight Technology is simple to use and is designed to be threadless, including just one set screw for fast adjustments. Besides the weights, Mathews included an EHS Nanoharmonics stabilizer module to even further suck vibration out of every shot. Adjustments in 0.5-inch increments are possible in 8-, 10-, and 12-inch lengths. Like everything Matthews designs, there are a number of color options to choose from. To learn more visit mathewsinc.com. PSE ARCHERY n PSE is sharing a first look at their new, made-in-the-USA PSE Sta8-inch Stabilizer from .30-06 Outdoors. This stabilizer is a blade-style stabilizer, meaning it is not completely round or tubular and that wind will pass more readily while shooting in a breeze. The EVO 8-inch features three built-in dampening devices; one on the end in addition to the end weight for superior balance. It is made with a fully machined body, and bolts onto any compound bow to help .30-06 EVO Axion Envy Pro Hybrid
JUNE 2023 INSIDEARCHERY.COM bilizers. Designed with a matte .625-inch Radial X Weave Carbon rod, these stabilizers are incredibly durable, without sacrificing your customers’ shooting experience. The small cross-sectional area minimizes wind buffeting and features external end caps, 1-ounce removable weights, and PSE’s game changing KillShok vibration eliminating dampener. Kill-Shok is a state-of-the-art 3-dimensional damping system that takes vibration elimination to a new level, so shooters feel less vibration shot after shot. They will be available in four different lengths and multiple color options. To learn more visit pse-archery.com. LIMBSAVER n The True-Track is the newest LimbSaver stabilizer, constructed from high-strength carbon fiber and available in 8- and 10-inch versions. The innovative design features dampening weights incorporated into what the company calls the Navcom body. Proprietary Navcom dampening rubber dramatically reduces felt shock and vibration. The True-Track is a perfect stabilizer for long range 3-D shooting or bowhunting in thick timber. It is also available in two different color options—chrome or black. To learn more visit limbsaver.com. DEAD CENTER ARCHERY PRODUCTS n Dead Center’s newest and hottest stabilizer is the Dead Level Hunter XS Lite. This stabilizer is slimmer, lighter, and provides even better balance than ever before. The Dead Level Hunter features a 0.5-inch micro-diameter carbon tube and micro diameter machined aluminum end caps, making it the company’s thinnest, lightest stabilization solution to date. This specific kit features the rock-solid Diamond Series LITE mount, which is designed to utilize the lower rear stabilizer mounting hole on most hunting bows. This mount offers the ability to customize front or back bar however needed for the best bow balance possible. The Dead Center Level Hunter XS Lite comes with six 1-ounce weights, multiple length options, and is 100 percent American made. To learn more visit deadcenterarchery.com. IA Dead Center Dead Level Hunter XS Lite LimbSaver True-Track PSE Stabilizers Mathews Bridge-Lock
46 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 MARKET TRENDS GEAR REPORT BY PATRICK MEITIN Odin's Innovations WebXtra ■ For a closer look at this product and many others, check them out at insidearchery.com. up for Idaho’s spring season. Bear baiting is popular on Idaho public lands, meaning you have plenty of competition. Getting ahead of that competition starts with attracting attention to your bait site with powerful scents, as bears are ruled by their noses. That is where Odin’s new Liquid Scents came in—concentrated, oil-based synthetic scents that are not only powerful but long lasting. Peanut Butter, Jelly Donut, Blackstrap Molasses, and Anise Liquids were squirted on trees, stumps and logs around the bait barrel to ride air currents and lure bears from miles. After bait began to get hit hard, four or five bears emptying the cabled 55-gallon barrel every three or four days, Odin’s powerful Scent Beads really began to show their worth. With that bait 3 ½ hours from home and given the current price of fuel and work obligations, once-a-week visits were all I could justify. Yet even with an empty barrel, the trail camera showed bears continuing to appear every day, those long-lasting Odin’s Scent Beads (Cherry Pie, Jelly Donut, Peanut Butter, and Vanilla) holding bears tight to the area so they wouldn’t wander to someone else’s bait looking for additional food. In preparation for the hunt, I also placed camo duds, boots, and safety harness in a scent-free container and A Bear Camp Story The most exciting Gear Reports are those penned after I’ve extensively employed the products in questions on real-life bowhunts. That is the story here, because several of Odin’s latest scent products are directly responsible for producing a successful DIY spring bear hunt. The story began weeks ago, setting tossed in several of Odin’s Sheer Pouches (sold in 10-count packages) filled with Earth Scent Beads. By the time I reached camp my hunting gear was infused with the aroma of the moist forest floor, helping me better blend into my surroundings. Bears possess some of the most astute olfactory gear in the wild, so every little edge in keeping hunting sites scent free while accessing stands aids in success—especially on those hard-hunted public-lands. Every serious spring bear hunter knows one of the biggest challenges of sitting still while guarding a bear bait is enduring swarms of blood thirsty insects. Odin’s has a solution for that as well. Citronella Scent Beads, poured into one of Odin’s Mesh Bags and hung on a branch beside my stand, kept pesty insects to a minimum. It took some time, as all good hunting tales do, and I do not have the space here to cliffhang you. My target bear— an ancient, scarred-up cinnamon boar—sauntered in during legal shooting hours after many days on stand and passing several lesser bears. My shot was good and I found him 200 yards straight off an ultra-steep hillside after sliding onto his chest in mid-stride. Odin’s made its name with whitetail products but are now set up to conquer the bear-hunting market as well. Go to odinsinnovations.com and investigate the entire lineup. IA
48 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 MARKET TRENDS GEAR REPORT V BY PATRICK MEITIN Vapor Trail Archery GI8X WebXtra ■ For a closer look at this product and many others, check them out at insidearchery.com. more forgiveness to small tuning errors—both traits translating into greater downrange accuracy. Vapor Trail arrow rests have continued to evolve since that original version, much of this including tightening dimensions to better fit today’s bow models, refined materials that make the rests lighter, and the ability to activate the rest with top or bottom limb preferences. The newest iteration, the 2023 GI8X—Gen Integr8 X Series—is now compatible with the more streamlined Integrate Mounting System, and includes five patented features. The GI8X weighs just 4.1 ounces, this combined with the Integrate system improving bow balance. In addition to being one of the first to offer a limb-driven arrow rest to use the Integrate Mounting System, the GI8X includes micro-tune windage and elevation movements. The rest provides a full-capture rubber over-molded arrow cage with rubber containment flap. Click the arrow past the containment flap and the arrow is fully contained, automatically lifted and positioned during the shot cycle for no-look shooting. A rubber dampapor Trail Archery deserves much of the credit for making the limb-driven/ drop-away rest what it is today. The company’s original Pro-V became one of my favorites due to supersimple setup and accuracy. The limbdriven design allows initial height and center-shot setup to be conducted without wedging something beneath the launcher. The activation cord is then tied off to a top limb or outside axle yolk bushing, without the need to draw the bow multiple times to check launcher-lift timing. The launcher supports the arrow 50 to 70 percent longer than buss cable-activated systems, while its free-floating nature provides ener embedded in the launcher stop block ensures shooting silence, a rubber arrow-shelf silencing pad with arrow cradle/positioner offering further hunting stealth. Maybe most impressive to me was how easily this rest was installed. The GI8X proved considerably more straightforward to attach to the bow than other Integrate designs I have tried. Loosen a bolt, push the rest against the riser dovetail where it is wanted, and retighten that bolt. Micro elevation adjustments are built in, instead of using the dovetail itself for vertical movements. Everything was easy to reach while working around the chunky string stop mounting base of my bow and movements were positive (which I made with a Phillips-head screwdriver, instead of attempting to finger manipulate the tiny adjustment knobs). Adjustments were so simple and precise, the rest so forgiving, that bow was shooting clean arrows with my initial settings established using a bow vise, bow level set and laser center-shot guide. That initial tuning held up even after attaching broadheads to my arrows in anticipation to leaving for bear camp in just a couple days. I was ready to go in less than 15 minutes, start to finish. That is a real time saver for harried shop owners in the heat of the preseason rush. Check out the GI8X, and all of Vapor Trail Archery’s other fine arrow rests, by visiting vaportrailarchery.com. IA
50 INSIDE ARCHERY JUNE 2023 INSIDE THE INDUSTRY LEADING ARCHERY MANUFACTURERS variety of retail businesses in place. As part of the Kalmbach Feeds family of brands, Antler King operates out of seven facilities in total, giving them the capability of making all of their attractants, minerals, blocks, pelleted feeds, and textured feeds in-house. The success of Antler King has truly been a team effort. The product development team, sales teams, customer service, operations, and executive team all work together to create, manufacture and sell what they feel are the best products in the hunting industry. Integrating the Antler King business into the Kalmbach Feeds operations model was paramount in scaling the Antler King business to the level it operates at today. Additionally, they have also grown their sales and operations teams to meet demand in the growing marketplace. All Antler King products are developed, created, and manufactured in the USA. Some of the original products that helped put Antler King on the hunting map include Trophy Deer Mineral and Honey Hole. Both have been around for 30-plus years but are still popular with loyal customers today. Being able to utilize their Kalmbach research facilities, PhDs, and nutritionists, Antler King is positioned to bring products to the market that not only attract deer but are nutritionally beneficial for the health and growth of the herd. Bigger, healthier deer are more enjoyable to watch and hunt. Antler King is continuously utilizing the advantages of being owned by a large livestock feed company to create new products. Antler King will bring a new plant on-line very soon that will give them access to some new ingredintler King was established in 1987 and quickly became one of the first companies in the hunting industry to offer supplemental feed and food plot seed for the big game we hunt. Antler King founder Todd Stittleburg launched the company and operated it with his wife Kathy for more than 30 years, until its sale to Kalmbach Feeds in early 2019. The Kalmbach group had been searching for a proven and successful wildlife brand to round out their family of feed products, and Antler King proved the perfect fit, as the Stittleburg and Kalmbach families shared similar values. Kalmbach Feeds operates some of the most technologically advanced manufacturing facilities in the industry. This includes, for instance, its own molasses plant—a key ingredient in many of its products. Kalmbach has a long history of manufacturing expertise, plus a team of researchers with more than 40 degrees, including eight PhDs, and modern research facilities that help them remain on the cutting edge of ruminant nutrition and the attractiveness of different formulas and scents. The company also has a vast system of distribution in a A BY PATRICK MEITIN ents to help introduce additional new products in the Antler King lineup. With all Antler King’s product being made in the U.S., and given the company’s state-of-the-art facilities, Antler King did not suffer from the disruptions that COVID caused many other companies. In fact, Antler King suffered no supply-chain difficulties during a time when other industries struggled to meet the demand for product. The Kalmbach team plans years in advance for growth and reinvest heavily back into the company. The senior leadership continuously keeps their finger on the pulse of commodity demands and availability, while operations and sales keep the business running ultra-efficiently. At Antler King, blocks are a big item right now. The Grainiac Protein Block is one of the hottest items on the hunting market today. They offer very high protein levels, and deer absolutely love them. Blocks are easy to deploy and tend to last much longer in the field than loose feed product— however once deer find a Grainiac block, they tend to consume it fairly quickly. Grainiac Blocks are offered in 20- or 33-pound options, and are packed with deer’s favorite grains and loaded with protein (16 percent) and crude fat (5 percent). Grainiac Blocks make it simple to offer an easy meal in places deer frequent, or to increase traffic beneath a favorite stand. Grainiac Blocks are crammed full of corn, soybeans, black oil sunflower seeds and peanuts, and then infused with molasses for long range attraction and a sweet taste deer come back for. The Blocks also contain AMP—a proprietary digestive health supplement to help promote digestive efficiency and immune function. They can be used as a year-round supplement to normal browse and natural feed sources, or to create a focal point for hunting. They also contain calcium and phosAntler King