Inside Archery December 2022

www.insidearchery.com

®

DECEMBER 2022





INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022 | VOLUME 25 | NUMBER 10

People

24 Power of Participation
■ Jason Obermiller |
Rackology
■ Matt Tagget |
REK Broadheads
■ Andrew Marlin |
Vantage Point Archery
■ Travis Gardner |
Easton Archery

26 ■ Gina Chavez |
The Archery Shoppe
■ Danny Farris |
Ultimate Predator

26 SWAT Broadheads
Delivering Precision
By Michaelean Pike

54 Market Trends

34 Gear Report
Galaxy Archery Bullseye

Takedown Recurve Bow

36 2023 Early-Release Bows
By Josh Honeycutt

44 50 50 Bow Report
Mathews Phase4 29

48 Gear Report
October Mountain Products
Phoenix Fletching Jig

64 54 2022’s Top-Selling
Archery Products

22 By Patrick Meitin

INSIDE ARCHERY (Volume 25, #10) 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.

4 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022



INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022 | VOLUME 25 | NUMBER 10

IInndsiudsetrtyhe

10 Inside Track
Print is Still the Leader

14 Kinsey’s Business
Blueprint

Top 4 Tips to Navigate

the Winter Lull

24
16 Your ATA Insights

The Truth About Trade Show ROI
By Kurt Smith / ATA

18 Industry News
The latest on news,
events and people in

54 50 the archery industry
22 ATA Action

Sneak Peek at
#ATA2023 Education
By Cassie Gasaway / ATA

44 Leading Archery

Manufacturer

Maple Leaf Press

66 Industry 5Q
Five Questions with

44 Jake Mancel from HHA Sports

48 34
6
INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022



INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022 | VOLUME 25 | NUMBER 10

insidearchery.com Online Exclusives

Big Game Bowhunt

Bowhunting African Dangerous Game

The Dark Continent’s dangerous game represents the
pinnacle of big-game hunting. Executive Editor Patrick
Meitin talks about his experiences bowhunting leopard,
Cape buffalo, and elephant, including equipment tips
and what to expect.

Winter Hunting

Dressing to Survive Late-Season Cold

With late archery season upon us, Patrick Meitin
shares his approach to staying on stand and in the
game in the harshest winter weather. This includes
tips on efficient layering and the qualities to look
for in viable cold-weather bowhunting attire.

Bowhunting Equipment

Assembling the Ideal Bowhunting
Rig for Any Game Animal

Just as not all game animals are created equal, not
every hunting situation is alike. Inside Archery’s
Executive Editor discusses assembling a just-right
bowhunting outfit to give you the advantage with
common classes of game.

Bowhunt Trophies

The Trophy Snobbery Must Stop

There was a time when any animal taken fairly with
a bow was considered a trophy. Unfortunately, trophy
shaming has become the new normal in our sport,
something that shatters our unity and diminishes
bowhunting for many archers.

:WebXtras “Gear Report” tries out Galaxy Archery’s Bullseye Takedown

Recurve Bow and the OMP Phoenix Fletching Jig. “Bow Report” tests
Mathews’ 2023 Phase4 29. “5Q” chats with Jake Mancel from HHA Sports.

Inside Archery Digital Edition

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

Fresh content daily
on social media!

INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INSIDE TRACK

Print is Still the Leader

I ’ll admit up front I’m a decided technophobe. I didn’t plug into the internet
and email until late in the game and clung to film cameras well after it was
practical. I also allow my engineer wife to deal with things like program-
ming whatever is involved to coax the morning news out of cable television and
find cell phones incomprehensible and a monstrous imposition.
I got into this business when press releases, illustrative images, and writing
contracts were still exchanged via snail mail, which meant it was just as easy
to receive product and shoot my own photos. While all that postage provided a
welcomed tax write-off, it did require superior organizational
skills. Most business was conducted over the phone, and get
this, people actually answered their phones. Conversations are
now held by text or email, which many feel free to ignore.
To me, it’s preferable to hold a print magazine in my hands,
flipping through pages with my God-given fingers, not a mouse.
About the time I was forced to create an email account and
shelve $10,000 worth of film-camera equipment to embrace the digital world,
there were already rumblings that the internet would absolutely kill print maga-
zines. This refrain is still occasionally trotted out, usually by self-serving interests
with a “you’ll see” arrogance. I never really believed this, because as a freelancer
who early on learned to secure payment up front for any online work rendered
due to the short lifespan of most outlets, I lived in the real world where it was easy
to discern where my paychecks were coming from.
Obviously I carry my own biases, but apparently I am not alone. Those who
read largely prefer something tangible to hold onto, something durable that sticks
around, sometimes for months, with dog-eared corners and pages removed to
tack to bulletin boards for later reference.
Recently, a study by ThinkNewsBrands, a cooperative of Australian publishers,
came to my attention. It discussed the effectiveness of various media platforms.
This study investigated how an advertisement, product, or brand is perceived and
regarded, comparing these metrics across print and digital news, Facebook, You-
Tube, outdoor advertising, broadcast, and radio. Print ads were found to be signifi-
cantly more memorable than digital outlets.
This isn’t too surprising. When I watch something digitally—the highlights of
an F1 race, a review of a new bow or rifle, how to series-wire the dual batteries of
my camp trailer—any ad that pops up becomes infuriating. I impatiently await
the appearance of the Skip Ads box and deploy the remote angrily like a gangster
punch-shooting a foe in a Hollywood movie. These ads also become infuriatingly
repetitive, a condition the study labeled “user fatigue.”
So no, print has not died. Quite the opposite, print advertising has been proven
measurably more effective than digital ads. And I stand by my position that cell
phones are an afront to mankind, and a constant imposition.

Patrick Meitin, Executive Editor

INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022



Publisher

Apollo Creative Inc

Executive Editor

Patrick Meitin • [email protected]

Associate Editor

Michaelean Pike • [email protected]

Copy Editor

Kat Ainsworth Stevens

Contributors

Kurt Smith | Cassie Gasaway
Josh Honeycutt

Sales & Marketing Director

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

Design & Production

ER Graphics / Ed Rother • [email protected]

Graphic Designer

Tara Bondar

Social Media Manager

Jason Ashe

Video Editor

Marc Balistreri

Account Manager

Pam Ludlam • [email protected]

Subscription Services & Change of Address:

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

Publication 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 © 2022 Apollo Crreative Inc. All rights re-
served. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permis-
sion from the publisher is prohibited. Inside Archery® is a registered
U.S. trademark of Apollo Creative Inc. Opinions expressed in by-lined
articles or columns are those of the author and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the publisher, the magazine or its staff.

Submission Guidelines: Apollo Creative Inc and Inside Archery® mag-
azine assume no responsibility for unsolicited editorial, photography
or art submissions. Contributors submitting articles, photos or art
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Apollo Creative Inc unless it is signed and returned by the Editor.

Archery, hunting and bowhunting are inherently dangerous activi-
ties. Improper use of hunting or archery equipment may cause se-
rious injury or death. Always follow state and local hunting safety
rules, and get required permits or licenses before hunting. Apollo
Creative Inc uses reasonable efforts to include accurate and up-to-
date information in our publications; however, we do not make any
warranties or representations as to accuracy or completeness. All
information in this magazine is provided “as is” without warranty
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this magazine at their own risk. Apollo Creative Inc assumes no li-
ability for any errors or omissions in the content of this magazine, or
arising from use by any person of the information in this magazine.

Inside Archery®
is a publication of
Apollo Creative Inc
Printed in the USA.

12 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY BUSINESS BLUEPRINT Presented by

Top 4 Tips to Navigate the Winter Lull

A s an archery shop owner, you behind hosting these events is to offer Kinsey’s is the leading distributor to the archery and out-
are probably all too familiar your customers at-home, DIY bow-tech doors industry. Carrying items from your favorite brands,
with the winter lull. Business classes. For example, you might dem- in-stock and ready-to-ship, the well-established company
and foot traffic drop off significantly onstrate how to fletch arrows, set up a offers domestic and international retailers a wide array
during this time of year, which can bow, tie a D-loop, or any other bow tech of products and services. Kinsey’s also owns innovative
have a negative impact on your bottom 101 classes you can come up with. The consumer brands including Alpine Archery, BlackHeart,
line. Fear not, there are things you can goal here isn’t to teach your customers Fin-Finder, Elevation, and October Mountain Products.
do to help your shop survive the winter how to work on their own bows so they  
months. These are our top four tips for never need your services again, but For more information, please visit KinseysInc.com
keeping foot traffic and sales hot dur- rather to educate those who are inter-
ing the cold winter months. ested in tinkering with their bow dur- Winter Archery League ■ Finally,
ing the off season. The benefit to you
Demo Days ■ Demo days are an ex- is getting those customers coming into we can’t forget about the start of winter
your shop to buy the archery tools and indoor archery leagues. If you don’t al-
cellent way to lure customers into your accessories they need to work on their ready host one, you should consider it.
shop after the fall archery season and own equipment. And if you don’t have an on-site archery
before the spring and summer target range, look into partnering with your
archery seasons. At this point, most Late Season Archery ■ Another local archery club. You could provide
bow manufacturers have released weekly giveaway or raffle prizes, or gift
their new lineup of hunting and tar- thing worth mentioning is that most cards, to the winners of the league. In
get bows. By hosting demo days, you state wildlife agencies have a late ar- doing so, you will stay in your custom-
can encourage your customers to stop chery season. This is a good opportu- ers’ minds and continue to give them
by your shop to handle and shoot the nity to remind your customers via your reasons to drop into your shop.
latest models. To sweeten the deal, shop’s website, social, and email cam-
you could offer food at your event. For paigns about the late season archery The winter months are typically a
example, order a couple pizzas from a products you carry. Make sure all the slower time for archery shops. Unfor-
local pizzeria, or make a Crockpot of late season archery essentials are ful- tunately, it’s an inevitable part of the
your famous venison chili. Either way, ly stocked, too. Those products might trade. However, by hosting demo days,
hosting demo days is a great opportu- include insulated boots, warm socks, Cabin Fever Nights, winter archery
nity to bring people to your shop dur- thermals or base layers, camo, hand leagues, and stocking late season ar-
ing the winter. warmers, space heaters, and more. chery essentials, you can keep your shop
Stocking those late season archery es- busy and help people stay engaged in ar-
Cabin Fever Nights ■ Cabin Fever sentials provides a reason for your cus- chery all season long. Have you hosted
tomers to stop by during what might any of these events? If not, give it a try
Nights are another great way to bring typically be a slower time for sales. this year—the benefits could be huge! IA
customers to your shop. The thought

14 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY YOUR ATA INSIGHTS

The Truth About Trade Show ROI

BY KURT SMITH, COURTESY OF THE ATA

W e can’t wait to see you at #ATA2023! superficial “new products and show the opportunity to ask them questions
There will be concerts, new gear, specials” discussion that happens and learn about the challenges and op-
and tons of old friends. Of course, it’s also a countless times in the booth. Come portunities they encounter each day.
business show. prepared to do some socializing, but
make sure you bring ideas to the ta- Dollars & Cents ■ Just like the other two

ble about how you can work with the categories, looking at sales dollars or

While we’re certain you’ll have a great person or company in the savings as the main indi-

time, there must be a return on the in- future. cator of success requires

vestment (ROI) of time and resources to preparation. For retailers

make it a success. Before we talk about Knowledge ■ As part of to take advantage of show

ROI, here’s a spoiler alert: There are no ATA’s Outreach and Edu- specials offered by ven-

secrets being revealed in this article. cation team, I’m a little dors, they need to know

The truth about ROI for the ATA Trade biased on the value of the the profit margins they

Show, or any other show for that mat- Archery Industry Mas- require and when they ex-

ter, is that each attendee must know in terclass, Seminars, and Coffee Talks pect to sell inventory. Knowing these

advance what they want to walk away that take place at the show each numbers allows the retailer to choose

with from the experience. It doesn’t year. We feel these sessions provide the right deals, while making orders

matter if you are a retailer, exhibitor, a great opportunity for attendees to earlier may put them at the top of the

or supporting member, you likely have gain knowledge and real-world in- list when orders begin shipping. All

one of three takeaway goals. sights they can take home and put of this increases the odds of having

into practice within their own busi- product when it’s needed and selling

Relationships ■ For many show attend- nesses. But learning doesn’t stop at it before the carry costs start to eat

ees the biggest ROI is the number and this. Every time you visit a booth or away at their bottom line. Similarly,

quality of relationships with business interact with a potential customer, vendors need to know what types of

partners that are started or strength- you have the chance to learn some- programs they can offer for special

ened at an event like #ATA2023. These thing new. dating, discounts, or free freight op-

don’t just happen by chance, though. For retail attendees, speaking di- tions before they even step foot on the

Figure out who you want to spend rectly with manufacturer represen- show floor. Knowing what incentives

tatives gives them can be offered while remaining profit-

the chance to ask able will allow vendors to take advan-

in-depth ques- tage of meeting with customers who

tions so they can are ready to buy.

gain a more inti- Trade shows are work; there is no

mate understand- way around that. To get the most out of

ing of products any trade show experience, you must

they will eventu- be prepared. That means identifying

ally be selling to a key metric that can be used to de-

consumers. This termine the success of the experience.

allows them to This will be different for every busi-

truly become the ness, but what matters is that a goal

expert beyond is set, effort is behind it, and it can be

memorizing the evaluated afterward. If you have ques-

time with and reach out to them prior list of product features found on tions about the ATA Trade Show or

to the show. Setting up a meeting on packaging or website listings. Exhib- how you can increase your ROI, please

the show floor or even a dinner gives itors can learn throughout the event reach out at kurtsmith@archerytrade.
you the chance to go deeper than the as well. Every booth visitor provides org. See you in Indy! IA

16 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS USA Archery
Announces
Conservation Icon Johnny Morris past 20 years, it has been my pleasure 2023 National
Receives Inaugural Honorary to work with Johnny Morris. Johnny, Events Calendar
Life Director Distinction and by extension Bass Pro Shops, has
and continues to be an ardent supporter USA Archery is proud to
Bass Pro Shops Founder and CEO Johnny of the critical work that is being under- announce the 2023 national
Morris was given the distinction of Hon- taken by CSF. Johnny’s dedication to con- events schedule. Mark your
orary Life Director by the Congressional servation is what sets him apart from all calendar so you don’t miss these awesome events!
Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) at the 18th others and clearly demonstrates what he The Indoor Nationals events will return to 12
Annual Wine, Wheels & Wildlife event. has accomplished for America’s 55 mil- regional locations spanning six weekends. Indoor
The designation was created by the CSF lion sportsmen and women.” Nationals Finals are scheduled for March 2023.
Board of Directors to recognize an indi-
vidual who has made significant con- Bass Pro Shops Founder and CEO John- ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
tributions to conservation, hunting, and ny Morris himself made a statement: “If
fishing, and who strongly supports CSF’s it wasn’t for conservation, there wouldn’t Indoor Nationals
mission to work with congressmen, gov- be Bass Pro Shops. It is our obligation to ■ January 12-15: Lancaster, PA
give back, and I feel fortunate to have ■ January 13-15: Chula Vista, CA
Johnny Morris (center) is presented with had the opportunity to do just that for ■ February 10-12: Albuquerque, NM
the Honorary Life Director distinction the past 50 years. The conservation of ■ February 15-19: Madisonville, KY
by Richard Childress and Jeff Crane. wildlife and habitat has always been ■ February 17-19: Newberry, FL; St. Michael, MN;
a top priority for myself and the fine Sacramento, CA; Harrisonburg, VA
ernors, and state legislatures to protect people who make up our company, and ■ February 24-26: Fiskdale, MA; Mason, MI; College
and advance hunting, angling, recre- we are honored to have received this Station, TX; Salt Lake City, UT
ational shooting, and trapping. designation from CSF. Their work in the ■ March: Indoor Finals, date and location TBA
policy arena to find bipartisan solutions
As an unrivaled conservationist, John- to sporting-conservation issues is more ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
ny Morris has long recognized the need important than ever, and I encourage all
for citizens to take a strong position in sportsmen and women to educate them- USAT Qualifier Series Events:
the careful management and use of our selves on the policy work being under- ■ April 14-16: AAE Arizona Cup in Phoenix, AZ
natural resources for future generations taken on their behalf. ■ May 12-14: Easton Foundations Gator Cup
to enjoy. Using his entrepreneurial suc-
cess as a platform for that cause, he has Founded in 1989, the Congressional in Newberry, FL
contributed heavily both in time and Sportsmen’s Foundation is the informed ■ June 9-11: Easton Foundations SoCal
resources to many significant conserva- authority across outdoor issues and
tion causes and initiatives. Notably, in serves as the primary conduit for in- Showdown in Chula Vista, CA
2015 Johnny Morris co-chaired the Blue- fluencing public policy. Working with ■ July 28-30: Rebel Gear Buckeye Classic
Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Di- the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus,
verse Fish and Wildlife Resources which the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus , and in Dublin, OH
aided in the development of Recovering the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s
America’s Wildlife Act, one of CSF’s high- Caucuses, CSF gives a voice to hunt- ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
est legislative priorities. ers, anglers, recreational shooters, and
trappers on Capitol hill and throughout Outdoor National Championship Events:
CSF President and CEO Jeff Crane re- state capitols advocating on vital out- ■ May 18-21: USA Archery Collegiate Target
marked on the honor, stating: “For the door issues that are the backbone of
our nation’s conservation legacy. | FOR Nationals in Statesboro, GA
■ July 12-16: USA Archery JOAD Target
MORE INFORMATION ON CSF’S POLICY WORK VISIT CON-
Nationals in Des Moines, IA
GRESSIONALSPORTSMEN.ORG. ■ September 6-10: 139th USA Archery

Michaelean Pike joins Apollo Creative Target Nationals & U.S. Open in Malvern, PA
Team as Key Inside Archery ■ USA Archery Field Nationals,
& Inside Firearms Contributor
date and location TBA
The owners of Apollo Creative Inc. are ex-
cited to welcome Michaelean Pike to the ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Continued on Page 20 Championships—U.S. Team Trials
■ Single Stage Wednesday: April 12, 2023,

prior to AZ Cup

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

2023 World Archery Championships/
2023 Pan Am Games Recurve and Compound
■ Stage 1 in conjunction with AZ Cup
■ Stage 2 Stand Alone Event, May 10, 2023,

before Gator Cup
■ Stage 3 Stand Alone Event, May 10-11, 2023,

before Gator Cup

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

2023 World Archery Para Championships/
2023 Parapan Am Games
■ Stage 1 in conjunction with AZ Cup,
■ Stage 2 in conjunction with Gator Cup
■ Stage 3 Sunday, May 14, 2023,

in conjunction with Gator Cup

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

USA Archery is the national governing body for
the Olympic sport of archery in the country. USA
Archery selects and trains Olympic, Paralympic,
World Championship, and World Cup teams, as well
as developing archery at the grassroots level across

the nation. | FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TEAM TRIALS

AND SELECTION PROCEDURES VISIT USARCHERY.ORG. SEE

USA ARCHERY’S FULL EVENTS CALENDAR FOR MORE STATE,

REGIONAL, AND FEATURE EVENTS.

18 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022



INSIDE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS

Continued from Page 18

Michaelean Pike continue the strong tradition of providing
readers with hard-hitting and insightful
Inside Archery and Inside Firearms teams. profiles on some of the archery and shoot-
Pike was tapped to produce the magazines’ ing sports most influential players. | FOR
in-depth cover stories, a favorite among
readers of both publications. INFORMATION ON INSIDE ARCHERY AND INSIDE FIRE-
ARMS, GO TO APOLLOCREATIVEINC.COM.
“We hold our cover stories to a very high
standard,” said Patrick Meitin, co-owner Pope & Young and Howl for
and Executive Editor of Inside Archery and Wildlife Team to Become United
Inside Firearms. “We feel quite lucky to Voice for Wildlife Conservation
have landed Michaelean for this vital role,
with full confidence that she is up to the Pope & Young, America’s leading bow-
task.” hunting conservation organization, is ex-
cited to announce a strategic conservation
Co-owner Ed Rother remarked: “We are partnership with the organization Howl
fortunate to have Michaelean join the for Wildlife. The groundbreaking conser-
Apollo Creative editorial team. As an out- vation organization serves to enable users
door industry veteran, Michaelean brings to reach out to the correct governing au-
plenty of knowledge as well as her cus- thorities regarding attacks against hunt-
tomarily excellent editorial skills. ing and our heritage with a single click.
Michaelean was introduced to the
archery trade world through In- Howl for Wildlife provides streamlined
side Archery more than a decade tools and resources regarding issues sur-
ago and is quite familiar with our rounding wildlife, hunting, and fishing
editorial process and expected level management. They also provide the public
of quality, particularly our popular with streamlined access to officials, deci-
cover stories, which she will also sion makers, and influencers through in-
introduce to Inside Firearms. With dustry-leading technology. This technol-
this seamless fit, we look forward ogy removes the hurdles to finding who
to her contributions to our organization.” to contact on wildlife issues and instantly
connects the public with the correct peo-
Pike earned a bachelor’s degree in com- ple. In this way, they can make their own
munications from the University of Rich- voices heard in an effective and efficient
mond and a master’s degree in writing manner with personalized content rather
from the University of Memphis. She lives than utilizing a repetitive form letter.
outside Louisville, Kentucky, with her
husband and two children. Pike brings a As part of their joint effort to protect
well-rounded skillset to the table that will your bowhunting rights, every Pope &
Young membership purchased from
howl.org will receive a free paid Howl
membership.

Charles Whitwam, Founder/President
of Howl for Wildlife, said: “As a lifelong
bowhunter this partnership really excites

INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022

me. Pope & Young has been fully sup- gift for any archery or sports enthusiast.
portive of Howl for Wildlife even before | 100 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE—THE STORY OF EASTON’S
we launched it to the public, and now we
can finally work together for the same FIRST CENTURY IN SPORT IS AVAILABLE NOW EXCLUSIVELY
goals. This is necessary and really gets
the ball rolling for the future of wildlife AT EASTONARCHERY.COM.
conservation and hunting as a whole.” |
NASGW Announces Annual Donations
TO LEARN MORE AND GET YOUR JOINT POPE & YOUNG AND
HOWL MEMBERSHIPS, VISIT HOWLFORWILDLIFE.ORG/ The National Association of Sporting Goods
POPEANDYOUNGMEMBERSHIP. Wholesalers (NASGW), the association
representing shooting sports wholesalers,
NooffeEawxCcBeeonloltekunrRcyeeil,neEaAasrsecth:o1en0r’sy0SYteoaryrs manufacturers and their trade partners,
announced last week at their annual expo
One hundred years ago, Doug Easton donations to five shooting sports industry
started an enterprise that became the organizations. Recipients include The Na-
world’s foremost innovative archery tional Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF),
manufacturer. 100 Years of Excellence Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
chronicles Easton’s role in the modern (CSF), Walk The Talk America (WTTA), the
rise of archery and its vital part in the Youth Shooting Sports Alliance (YSSA), and
development of team-sports equipment. the American Suppressor Association (ASA).
While telling the story of the company’s
enormous impact on archery, hockey, “We are fortunate to have such great part-
ners in the shooting sports industry,” re-
baseball, and many marked NASGW President Kenyon Gleason.
other sports and industries, the book fol- “We are proud to support these organiza-
lows the story of an American family. It tions in the amount of $25,000 each to help
covers the power of entrepreneurship, them do great work for our industry.”
the drama of business successes and
failures, and the application of sheer ge- Donations were chosen by the
nius to solve seemingly insurmountable NASGW Board of Directors and an-
challenges. nounced during the Annual Appre-
ciation Dinner, an event that kicks
A compelling story that has been in off the NASGW Expo and celebrates
the making for a century is finally here: the top manufacturers and products
The definitive history of a company that for the past year.
changed the world of archery and many “We are excited to once again provide
other sports. 100 Years of Excellence is donations to our partner organizations
more than 200 hardcover pages of fact across the industry. The pandemic impact-
and photo-filled sports history. A perfect ed NASGW greatly and we have been un-
able to provide donations for the last two
years. I’m pleased that we can now sup-
port these groups in the form of a dona-
tion,” said NASGW Chairman Chris Means.
The National Association of Sporting
Goods Wholesalers is comprised of whole-
salers, manufacturers, independent sales
reps, media, and service providers—both
national and international—all of whom
are primarily focused on shooting sports
equipment and accessories. As a trade as-
sociation representing the business inter-
ests of its members, NASGW’s mission is
to bring shooting sports buyers and sellers
together. | FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT NASGW,
VISIT THE ASSOCIATION’S WEBSITE AT NASGW.ORG. IA

DECEMBER 2022 INSIDEARCHERY.COM

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY ATA ACTION

Sneak Peek at #ATA2023 Education

BY CASSIE GASAWAY

L earn about seminars, Coffee Talks, certifi- Aside from the 2023 Archery Industry AJ WILLOUGHBY • Digital
cations, and the Archery Industry Master- Masterclass, which features sessions Marketing Tactics for 2023
class at the 2023 ATA Trade Show, January 11-13. on Tuesday, January 10, most of other
educational opportunities will take Willoughby is the vice president of Titan
Digital, a digital marketing and website
place on Thursday and Friday, Janu- development firm with offices in Ten-
nessee, Missouri, and Colorado. He’s an
In ATA’s 2022 post-show survey, 83 per- ary 12-13. This is so attendees can fo- ATA-supporting member and has been a
consultant in the marketing industry for
cent of retail attendees said that educa- cus on buying on Wednesday, January more than 30 years. Willoughby joined
Titan Digital in 2012, where he helped
tion and learning opportunities were 11, a.k.a. Buyer Day. On days two and spearhead the archery and outdoor divi-
sion. He’s helped many businesses and
important to them. To give ATA mem- three, attendees can choose from nine organizations achieve record-breaking
marketing campaigns. In addition, he’s
bers what they want, ATA staff worked seminars and nine Coffee Talks. Topics an avid hunter, angler, and outdoors-
man, which makes him the perfect pre-
to organize educational offerings mem- covered will include marketing, ideas senter to share tips, advice, and strate-

bers can attend to better themselves for increasing profitability, digital ad

and their businesses. The 2023 ATA strategies, and using data to reach cus-

Trade Show brings back the Archery tomers. To give attendees an early look

Industry Masterclass and numerous at the show, two presenters, AJ Wil-

free seminars and Coffee Talks. Here’s a loughby and Peter Godlewski, shared

sneak peek at what you can expect. details of their educational sessions.

Learn about seminars, Coffee Talks, certifications and the Archery Industry Masterclass at the 2023 ATA Trade Show, January 11-13. PHOTO © ATA.

UNITING THE INDUSTRY ARCHERY TRADE ASSOCIATION
archerytrade.org

22 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022

gies on digital marketing. Willoughby Before starting Rungu, he co-founded a dustry Masterclass on archerytrade.org.
shared the following thoughts: company that went public nine years There you will find course dates, pre-
later and also turned around a software senter topics, and registration specifics.
Marketing post-2020, it’s a new business and lead technology and mar-
world. The strategies to survive and keting teams in Fortune 500 companies. Don’t forget about archery instructor
go big are not the same as they were He wants ATA members to better under- certifications! The ATA is offering Level
just a few years ago. How do you stand these products and the market. 1, 2, and 3 archery certification courses
market an outdoor industry in a Regarding the business of e-bikes, Go- in partnership with USA Archery at the
world that revolves around the com- dlewski said: 2023 ATA Trade Show in Indianapolis.
puter screen and your cell phone? Certification courses are easy to attend
How do you compete as a small busi- E-bikes are booming, and so is the and more affordably priced than courses
ness owner with the big guys? What marketing hype. With every e-bike offered outside the show. Take note that
tactics do you have to know to sur- brand declaring itself the best, how each course is a hybrid format, meaning
vive in the wild online world? Rely- can you tell one from the rest? My talk they include an online component that
ing on what worked in 2019 will leave aims to break down the hype and help must be completed before the show. The
you wondering what happened. I’ll you understand e-bike lingo in terms in-person portion is then completed at
break it all down, including the tac- of real-world range, capabilities, and the show itself. This approach gives you
tics that get you results, when to use the advantages and disadvantages of more time walking the floor. Reserve
them, and how to use them, as well different e-bike powertrains. I hope to your spot today. For more information
as which ones are starting to fade spend half the allotted time on Q&A, and to register online, visit the ATA’s cer-
away and what is on the horizon for so bring your questions. tification webpage at archerytrade.org/
2023 and beyond. We hope you plan to attend these Cof- trade-show/retail-certification.
fee Talks. Review the entire schedule of
PETER GODLEWSKI • Everything seminars and Coffee Talks to pick your To view all #ATA2023 educational offer-
You Always Wanted to Know About favorites and add them to your plans for ings, visit archerytrade.org/education.
E-Bikes but Were Afraid to Ask attendance. Educational session titles and focus are
For more information about the 2023 subject to change. Questions? Contact
Godlewski is the founder and president Masterclass visit archerytrade.org/mas- Kurt Smith, ATA Director of Industry
of Rungu Dualie Double Wheel E-bikes. terclass and read ATA’s article Details Relations: (507) 233-8138 or kurtsmith@
He holds engineering degrees from Carn- and Teasers for the ATA’s 2023 Archery In- archerytrade.org. IA
egie Mellon and Stanford universities.

Peter Godlewski will offer a presentation on e-bikes. PHOTO © ATA.

DECEMBER 2022 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 23

PEOPLE

PowerTheofParticipation
Archery Industry Members Participating in the Sport

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO: Visit insidearchery.com/pop or mail a color image with your name,
address, where the animal was taken, and archery gear used—both manufacturer and model—
to Inside Archery Power of Participation, P.O. Box 15827, Colorado Springs, CO 80935.

Jason Obermiller • Colorado Elk Andrew Marlin • South Africa Blue Wildebeest

Co-Owner, Rackology, LLC Field Staff, Vantage Point Archery

Bow ■ Mathews V3X 29 Sight ■ HHA Tetra RYZ Bow ■ Hoyt Nitrum 34 Arrow ■ Victory VAP TKO

Arrow ■ Easton Axis Pro Broadhead ■ Magnus Broadhead ■ VPA 125-grain Rest ■ Trophy Taker

Release ■ T.R.U. Ball Black Hornet 4-blade Vented 2-Blade Quiver ■ G5 Outdoors

Rest ■ QAD Mathews Edition Release ■ Tru-Fire

24 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022

Danny Farris • Colorado Mule Deer

Owner, Ultimate Predator

Travis Gardner • Idaho Elk Bow ■ Hoyt RX 7 Ultra Broadhead ■ Muzzy Trocar

Accounting, Easton Archery Sight ■ Spot-Hogg Fast Eddie Arrow ■ Easton Sonic

Bow ■ Hoyt Ventum Pro 33 Sight ■ Black Gold Accent 4 Pin Quiver ■ Hoyt SuperLite Rest ■ Vapor Trail Pro V

Arrow ■ Easton Broadhead ■ Kudu Point Decoy ■ Ultimate Predator Stalker Decoy
Axis 5mm Match Grade Rest ■ Hamskea Epsilon

Quiver ■ Tight Spot 5 Arrow Quiver

Matt Tagget • North Dakota Whitetail  Gina Chavez • New Mexico Elk

Co-Owner, The Archery Shoppe

President, REK Broadheads Bow ■ Hoyt Spyder Broadhead ■ QAD Exodus

Bow ■ Mathews V3 Arrow ■ Gold tip XT Hunter Sight ■ Spot-Hogg Arrow ■ Easton FMJ

Sight ■ HHA Tetra Broadhead ■ REK Broadhead FX4 Quiver ■ Hoyt Rest ■ Trophy Taker
Stabilizer ■ Hoyt
Rest ■ QAD Ultra Rest Release ■ Tru Fire

DECEMBER 2022 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 25

26 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022

SWAT combines an engineer’s eye for detail with a veter-
an’s work ethic to produce incredibly deadly broadheads,

all assembled by veterans here in the United States.

Precision is a word that gets tossed around quite a

bit in the archery industry. Products in practically every catego-

ry promise archers and bowhunters greater precision. But when

I spoke with Scott Romero, founder of SWAT Broadheads, it was

clear that for him, precision is much more than a word to throw

around in ad copy.

Romero speaks with precision. He shoots with precision. And he
designs broadheads that fly, cut, and kill with precision. Since he
launched SWAT Broadheads in 2016, Romero has sold those deadly
broadheads to countless bowhunters, solving several major frus-
trations in the process.

Designing a better broadhead
Romero started bowhunting at a young age. When he joined the
military, his bow went with him, although he wasn’t always able to
use it as much as he wanted. While in the military Romero earned
an engineering degree. When he retired in 2013 after 27 years of
service, he joined the Army Corps of Engineers as a mechanical
engineer. But one bad hunt changed the course of his career.

“I had one incident where I felt like I hit the deer really well,”
Romero said. “I could see the deer through my binoculars. I was us-
ing a two-blade mechanical broadhead, and it left a two-blade slit
in the animal. It looked like it was at the heart, but evidently it was
a little low, maybe an inch or half an inch. That deer walked out of
my life and I never found it.”

Many bowhunters have experienced frustrating losses like that.
But as a mechanical engineer, Romero knew that there had to be

By Michaelean Pike

DECEMBER 2022 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 27

a better way to design a broadhead. With with a secondary internal deployment,
some encouragement from his family, he and produced an impressive blood trail.
got to work.
It’s safe to say he delivered on all
“I had talked about designing a broad- of that.
head, but I’d put it off for several years,”
Romeo continued. “My son Jake con- Performance packed features
vinced me to do it. He said, ‘Dad, you
should sit down and design the broad- We’ll start with that impressive blood
head you’ve been talking about.’ My wife trail, which comes from the perpendicular
also encouraged me to do it. I said, ‘Do two-blade entry, four-blade exit configu-
you know what the patent is going to ration. That configuration is critical for
cost and what the materials will cost to eliminating what Romero calls the par-
get started?’ She stood behind me and allel wound—which he defines as what
said, ‘Do it.’ happens when a two-blade broadhead
goes in horizontally, parallel to the vitals.
I started working on the design of what
I thought would be the perfect mechani- “If it goes in vertically, it could be at the
cal broadhead. It would go in two blades liver,” Romero explained. “A liver shot is
and come out four and have a perpendic- deadly, but you could have gotten lungs,
ular cut to it.” which is even more deadly. If it goes in
horizontally just below the heart or if
What Romero wanted was a broadhead it goes in high, it could go in just above
that was accurate, penetrated well, was the lungs and you’ll never recover your
consistent, durable, deployed on contact deer. But with a two-blade entry, four-
blade exit broadhead, depending on how
A big part of SWAT's success is the encourage- the first two entry blades enter, the per-
ment and support of Romero's family. From pendicular blades would cover any other
left to right: daughter Melody, son Levi, and direction.”

wife Kimberly help ensure SWAT continues to While four perpendicular blades ensure
meet increasing demand. a devastating cut, four blades open on im-
pact can negatively affect penetration.

“When you hit an animal with a four-

28 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022

Although SWAT has only been on the scene since lina,” he said. “I thought it was ironic eighteen broadheads at the beginning of
2016, the company has quickly become a major that when I would shoot a deer with a the year just so I could have three or four
player in the broadhead category. From left to rifle and the impact didn’t kill him and that would spin good enough for me to
right: Bill McCall of Full Draw Adventures, owner it was a shot through the lungs—in the hunt with,” he said. “Most of those broad-
Scott Romero, and son Jake. same spot I would shoot with a bow—the heads just didn’t spin well. So, I had to
deer would basically run around in a cir- buy so many and the ones that spun well
blade broadhead, especially a fairly large- cle spraying blood everywhere and then were the ones I could hunt with.”
cutting four-blade broadhead, you might fall over dead. I would almost always see
not get the penetration you need,” Romero them go down. I thought it would be nice Romero doesn’t want his customers to
said. “The answer to the equation was to if you could do that with a bow. Which is have to do that.
go in two blades and come out four. You’re the way it should be. You should be able
never guaranteed an exit wound anyway. to shoot them and see them go down. And “With my broadheads, I guarantee
You can shoot the smallest fixed-blade after I shot a few deer with the SWAT A4, they’re straight,” he said. “If they’re not,
broadhead and hit opposite shoulder I realized I was draining them. Quickly. It you contact me and I’ll replace them. We
quartering away—which is a perfect shot. was a lot of blood. And that’s where ‘Drain have a straightness guarantee for that
So, the best equation is a two-blade entry, Your Game’ came from.” reason.”
four-blade exit, or to get a two-blade entry
and have a nice entry wound blood trail SWAT broadheads are also designed There was another reason Romero had
and extreme internal damage with four to deliver superior accuracy, even at the to buy so many broadheads—every time
blades. That internal damage is critical.” highest speeds. he shot an animal with one of those
heads, it bent and had to be discarded. He
Numerous stories from SWAT custom- “When I designed the very first A4, I wanted his customers to be able to reuse
ers back that up. designed the ferrule as I would want an broadheads even after they killed a deer.
extremely accurate field point to be de-
Romero shared more of his own expe- signed,” Romero explained. “It has a long, “We use the best materials,” Romero
rience: “We had a really nice deer taken parabolic shape. We know in tournament said. “I always say if you build an alumi-
in Ohio with a crossbow. The broadhead archery that those are the most accurate
went in horizontal and high—backstrap points. Then I designed my blades into
area. When you see the wound, you the ferrule. I knew once I started shooting
think, ‘You should never get that deer.’ it how accurate it was, but I didn’t realize
Perfect horizontal slit. The secondary at that point how accurate it would be at
blades opened up, and one of the second- high speeds. About that same time cross-
ary blades clipped the top of the lungs. bows started taking over, and there were
Deer went 60 yards. It’s the difference. It’s some tests with air bows done. We’re
the game changer.” talking speeds over 600 fps. Still extreme-
ly accurate, no pre-deployment.”
That devastating performance in-
spired the company’s slogan: Drain Your While designing his initial heads,
Game, something Romero came up with Romero sought to address other frustra-
after testing the broadheads on several tions he had with existing products on
game animals. the market.

“I started rifle hunting in North Caro- “Every season, I would buy twelve to

DECEMBER 2022 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 29

num broadhead out of 6061, it’s dispos- lem with mechanical closures is they tinued to innovate, building an impres-
able. If you build it out of 7075, it’s most require a certain amount of force to get sive line of broadheads that meet his ex-
likely reusable. So, my broadheads are the blade open. And if each blade is closed acting demands.
either made out of 7075 aluminum— with a mechanical closure, then you can
which is twice as strong as 6061—titani- just multiply that by how many blades The original flagship, the A4, remains
um, or hardened steel. Just for durability you have. Plus, you can’t see a mechani- a bowhunter favorite and one that
purposes. All with that parabolic shape cal closure. So, the broadhead is always Romero continues to hunt with. The A4
for accuracy.” prone to pre-deployment. Or, in some has been joined by models like the popu-
cases, no deployment.” lar Juggernaut.
To ensure his broadheads deploy when
they’re supposed to without fail, Romero Proven, military-grade durability “The Juggernaut is built on the A4
uses a specially designed strap to hold the patent,” Romero said. “It goes in two
blades closed until impact. On the durability and reliability of his blades and comes out four. But I would
products, Romeo said: “We use a military- feel comfortable saying it’s the best-
“Mechanicals are really transition- grade strap. It’s the same material the penetrating mechanical broadhead ever
ing to these mechanical closure/locking Navy SEALs use to secure their equipment made. It actually penetrates better than
systems,” Romero explained. “The prob- whenever they use the strap. It doesn’t de- several of the four-blade fixed-blade
teriorate over time and it doesn’t change models that we tested in clear gel. Be-
top: Son Luke Romero helps with sales and with temperature. You can see it. You can cause it goes in two blades and comes
assembly. bottom: Every SWAT broadhead is get in your treestand or in your ground out four, and the way the blade angle is
touched—assembled, sharpened, or checked— blind, and you can see that it’s on there. and the way it’s laid back, it really pen-
You can see that all the blades are closed, etrates before it goes into the four-blade
by a veteran before it leaves the shop. The that it will keep them closed at the high- configuration.”
company's attention to detail ensures excep- est speeds. I guess there’s a .45 caliber
gun that shoots bolts at over 1,000 fps. In addition, SWAT offers a hybrid series.
tional quality control. “We sell quite a few hybrids,” Romero
I’ve never seen it, but I’ve gotten said. “It can be shot as a fixed blade. We
reports from people who’ve shot have a steel version that cuts 2 ⅜ (inches
it. They’ve shot my broadheads wide). We have a titanium version that
at over 1,000 fps with no pre- cuts 2 ⅝ (inches wide). Probably 70 per-
deployment, and the only force cent of our customers shoot it as a fixed
it takes to get those blades open blade—if they’re going to shoot a me-
is the amount of force it takes chanical head, they’re probably going
to cut that strap off. Then the to shoot one of our other heads. But be-
blades are free, and the broad- cause of the low blade surface area, it’s
head is allowed to operate as it’s field-point accurate. A lot of people claim
designed to. It allows the broad- that, but in this case it’s true. It doesn’t
head to function and operate ex- have the blade surface that it would take
actly as it was designed without to create a wind-planing broadhead. But
having the unknowns. You’re re- it’s still very durable.”
moving variables anytime you’re
removing a mechanical closure. Broadheads for crossbows

I’ve gotten rid of basically all SWAT also produces broadheads for
the problems that bowhunters crossbow shooters. “The crossbow indus-
have experienced. Durability try has really taken off,” Romero said.
of a broadhead. Accuracy of a “Crossbows now are extremely accurate.
broadhead. Straightness of the But it doesn’t matter how accurate your
broadhead. And the lethal blow crossbow is if your broadhead planes. It
of the broadhead. And that’s just so happens our broadhead is rated
how we’ve been competitive in for unlimited speed—for a reason. It’s
this market.” extremely accurate. Guys who shoot
these high-speed crossbows contact me
A packed lineup all the time. They send me pictures of
groups they’re shooting at 125 yards. Very
From his original patent and tight groups. Very accurate. And it’s the
launch in 2016, Romero has con- same as their field points.”

30 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022

Commitment to excellence SWAT's proven results and
and attention to detail devastating game-draining
SWAT’s weighted collar is another hot cutting ability have won
item. “Heavier broadheads are becoming over a range of industry
more popular,” Romero explained. “The professionals and celebrity
problem from a manufacturing stand- hunters. Clockwise from
point is having to manufacture all these bottom: Former NFL player
different weighted broadheads, where you Colin Jones, Blake Garrett,
can just add a collar to mine and change Brandon Reyes, Jake
it from 100 to 125 grains. That’s been a big Romero, Bill McCall,
selling point for us. The nice thing about and Jeff Hopkins.
the collars is they will fit a lot of manufac-
turers’ broadheads. So, some people buy 31
just the collars and use them with other
manufacturers’ broadheads. They’ll prob-
ably buy our broadheads later anyway.”

And even though his products have
won over some of the most demanding
shooters in the industry, Romero isn’t
done developing broadheads that get the
job done, time and time again.

“There’s always room for improve-
ment,” Romero said. “As great as the A4
still is, it can be better. Over time, the
broadheads got a little heavier. Change in
materials, that sort of thing. With some
research, I realized I could probably make
them even more accurate. They were ex-
tremely accurate, but everything can be
better. We went with more of an aerody-
namic/aerospace design on the ferrule. It
allowed us to reduce weight on the design.
But it wasn’t just about weight reduction.
It was about exact weight. This is our Pre-
cision Series for 2023. The A4 is now 100
grains. It’s been advertised as 100 grains,
but over time it crept up to 103. Now we’ve
got it in the Precision Series at 100 grains.

The rear blades used to be pinned. For
production, pins are fine. But the custom-
er wants something that makes it a little
bit easier to change blades. So, the rear
blades are now held by screws. The rea-
son we still use a pin on the front blades
is that any time you have a screwhead on
one side and a shank on the other, it cre-
ates a little imbalance in the broadhead.
Especially downrange. So, for balance
reasons we like to keep a pin in the front.
So that’s on the A4-X.”

The Precision Series also includes the
X-MAG-X and the MINIMAG-X. SWAT also
made additional improvements to its

DECEMBER 2022 INSIDEARCHERY.COM

chisel-point models. to keep the business running smoothly. a standard—Rockwell hardness. I know
“The chisel-point models already had “They help in the shop,” he said. “They as a bowhunter, if my blades are going to
hit something hard, I want them to give.
a lot of those design characteristics,” he help with packaging and assembly, and a To bend, but not break. If your blade bends
said. “But they didn’t have the rear-blade lot of the day-to-day things that need to a little, you’re going to get better penetra-
screws. We changed that. So, the chisel- be done. They come in after school or over tion if it hits something hard. And you’re
point crossbow, magnum chisel point, the the summer.” still going to get cutting. But when a blade
mini-mag chisel point, and the A4 chisel breaks, you’ve lost all your hemorrhage
point all have rear-blade screws now.” Aside from his family, all of Romero’s capability. So, if you want to pull a broad-
employees are veterans. And while that’s head out and shave the hair off your arm,
SWAT also offers the 6-PACK, which al- something Romero is proud of, he also that blade is the hardness of a razor. And
lows the consumer to save a little money believes it drives his company’s success. if you’ve ever messed with a razor blade,
and receive a free practice tip. you know they’re brittle. Brittle blades are
“It just makes sense for us,” he said. “I just not what a broadhead needs. So, we
Finally, SWAT is introducing the Jugger- live in a big military area. I think it’s great take our hardness very seriously.
naut ST 150 and the X-MAG ST 150 for 2023. to have an environment where veterans
can hang out and work together. But they There’s a secret to getting the blades
“Utilizing our new Mass Impact Tech- also have a certain work ethic. When the right hardness and hunting sharp-
nology, we designed the ST models. Those it comes time to get the job done—like ness. And we have a lot of success be-
are 150 grains and hardened steel—the July—when you’re getting broadheads cause of these little things that we do.
same hardened steel we use for the hy- out for hunting season and shops want to Take a guy like Craig, my shop foreman.
brid,” Romero said. “There are not a lot of know where their broadheads are, I know He’s obsessed with doing a good job. He
150-grain broadheads on the market. I think the people who work for me are fully doesn’t bowhunt. This is what he does. He
that’ll be a good seller for us this year.” committed. They’re willing to do whatev- builds and oversees the building of what
er it takes to get the job done to meet de- we would consider the best broadheads
Veteran-owned and operated mand. We never fall behind. I can’t say I on the market.
Romero’s family not only encouraged him would get that with any other workforce.”
to get started, but they also help out as Every broadhead that we package is
needed. His wife, Kimberly, and his chil- Craig Peterson, the shop foreman for touched by a veteran, is looked at by a
dren Jake, Luke, Levi, and Melody do a lot SWAT Broadheads, brings his own exact- veteran, and has a certain level of quality
ing standards to SWAT. Take blade sharp- control. Craig did quality control for tank
Romero attributes much of the company's ness, for example. repair in the Army. So, we have a process
success to the incredible work ethic of his for quality control. And that goes into ev-
team, which is made up entirely of veterans. Romero filled in the details: “All our ery package that’s shipped. That’s why we
From left to right:Craig Peterson, Brian Gay, blades are hand-sharpened by a veteran. don’t have a lot of customer service com-
We have a technique we use. There are dif- plaints. And the ones that we do have,
Scott Romero, and Jeff Wiltse. ferent sharpness levels, just like anything.
There’s a standard. And there are different
hardness levels of blades too. And there’s

32 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022

they go right to the top of the list. I don’t 33
want any bowhunter to experience what I
had to experience for years as a consumer
when buying broadheads. We want cus-
tomers for life,” Romero concluded.

There’s a long list of diehard SWAT cus-
tomers that range from professional ar-
chers to pro football players to well-known
industry professionals.

“Brandon Reyes, director of marketing
for T.R.U. Ball, has shot SWAT broadheads
for many years,” Romero said. “He started
out shooting the Hybrid Steel and now has
taken several trophy animals with the Jug-
gernaut. Bill McCall from Full Draw Adven-
tures has shot the SWAT Hybrid and the
SWAT Hybrid TI and has taken multiple
big game animals with both broadheads.
Jeff Hopkins, World Champion archer, has
taken several trophy animals with SWAT
broadheads. Blake Garrett, well-known
social media and TV personality, has had
bad experiences in the past with other
brand names, but once he started shooting
SWAT, he never stopped. He shoots the Hy-
brid and the Juggernaut. And most recently
Colin Jones, former NFL player and now
avid bowhunter, has taken multiple giant
whitetails this year with the Juggernaut.”

Retailers have also taken note of SWAT’s
impressive lineup, top-notch customer ser-
vice, and profitable margins. SWAT Broad-
heads will recognize all their top dealers
this year, including their No. 1 dealer pro
shop John Miller of J&J Outdoors in Pier-
pont, Ohio, as Dealer of the Year.

“He sells a lot of crossbows in that area,”
Romero said. “And he sells a lot of SWAT
broadheads.”

Romero plans to continue designing,
testing, and producing the most precise
broadheads he possibly can. But at the end
of the day, he doesn’t lose sight of what he
wants his customers to get in every pack-
age of his broadheads: Success.

“We’re confident they’re going to have
the most success hunting with a SWAT,”
Romero said. And that’s his goal: Hunting
success. IA

New dealer inquiries please contact
[email protected]

DECEMBER 2022 INSIDEARCHERY.COM

MARKET TRENDS GEAR REPORT

TGaaklaexdyoAwrnchReercyuBrvuellsBeoywes

BY PATRICK MEITIN
L ike most Gen-Xarchers, Iwas introduced
to bows and arrows via a recurve bow. The Bullseye Takedown Recurve is allowing removal of the
offered in 48-, 54-, and 62-inch models. limbs after unstringing
for more compact stor-
All are available with 15-, 20-, 25-, and age when not in use or
while traveling. The
Later, I made my first bowhunting ef- 29-pound draw weights (recurves gain
knurled limb bolts also
forts while toting a recurve, first on 3 to 4 pounds per inch of draw length, allow assembly in only
minutes when ready to
small game like cottontail rabbits, and stated draw weights at AMO-stan- shoot.

soon after desert mule deer and black dard 28 inches). Lancaster Archery Lancaster also sells
stand-alone Bullseye
bears. This early initiation left an in- labels the 48-inch model ideal for ar- Recurve risers and limb
sets. The takedown de-
delible mark, and I relish recurve bows chers 5 to 8 years old, the 54-inch for sign allows beginner or
youth archers to pur-
to this day. 7 to 12 years of age, and the 62-inch chase additional limb
sets as they mature and
I’ve long contended a quality re- for 11 to 15 years old through adult. grow stronger.
Risers are offered in
curve is the best way to introduce These aren’t hunting bows but are left- or right-handed con-
figurations. The laminat-
new archers to shooting. Not some ideal for recreational or competitive ed wood riser includes a
crowned arrow shelf, mean-
fiberglass toy with a glue-on handle, target shooting with appropriately ing a high spot in the middle,
and slopes front and rear to
but a true recurve, including wood spined arrows. offer cleaner arrow launch with
less contact while shooting feather-
The Bullseye is affordable ($90s fletched arrows. A stick-on rest is also
supplied for shooters who prefer an
to low $100s for complete bows), elevated rest for increased forgiveness,
while allowing for the use of a cushion
but not cheaply made; they’re plunger. The riser is milled for sight
and stabilizer mounts.
rock solid and attractive. Each As a starter bow, the Bullseye is a
great option, but this recurve is also a
model features an aesthetically- solid alternative for adults who wish
to poke holes into paper or foam. To
and fiberglass. A recurve, in my opin- pleasing, laminated wood riser see this model and other traditional
options, visit galaxyarchery.com. IA
ion, more solidly instills fundamen- and wood-laminated limbs with

tal shooting form, and is ultimately white fiberglass backing and

more fun to shoot. faces. Bows come with a Dacron

Customers with an aspiring archer bowstring, but they will accept

on their Christmas shopping list will FastFlight strings for faster, qui-

find the Galaxy Bullseye Takedown Re- eter shooting thanks to their

curve Bow from Lancaster Archery an reinforced phenolic limb tips.

ideal choice. It is perfect for the entry- These are takedown designs,

level archer, thanks to its portability, as the label implies, with

toolless assembly, and affordable price. knurled limb-bolt knob heads

WebXtra ■ Totakeacloserlookat

the Galaxy Bullseye Takedown, please
visit insidearchery.com.

34 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022



A hot lineup of bow models

New compound bows make the
archery world go ‘round, as
no other product category cre-
ates quite the excitement and
brings customers through your doors as effe-
cively. Even if customers hold onto their bows
for another year or two, they’ll make a visit to
see what new technologies they can look for-
ward to when they save up the cash for a new
purchase. Bowhunters everywhere greedily
anticipate the release of each manufacturer’s
latest models.

Of course, now that a new year is on the ho-
rizon, bows for the coming year are beginning to
trickle out. Every fall and winter, bow companies
reveal their newest offerings, the latest models
sure to awe and impress bowhunters worldwide.
This year’s class of bows is no different and offers
advancements customers can benefit from in the
real world. This includes improved performance,
easier setup and tuning, more shooting forgive-
ness, quieter shots, and in some cases, additional
arrow speed. Here’s a first look at some of the lat-
est bows available for the coming year.

BY JOSH HONEYCUTT

36 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022

DECEMBER 2022 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 37

• MATHEWS ordered in 80 or 85 percent. The Phase4 • ELITE ARCHERY
29 includes a speed rating of 340 fps,
The big news at Mathews is the ex- the 33 rating to 336 fps (IBO; Interna- Elite Archery’s new Era combines ad-
citing and completely reconfigured tional Bowhunters Organization). The vanced manufacturing techniques,
Phase4, including design features that 29 has a 6-inch brace height and ac- high-modulus carbon fiber, and tight
are a true first in the industry. This commodates draw lengths from 25.5 to tolerances to create a foundation with
model is engineered to include revo- 30 inches, while the 33 has a 6.5-inch precision control, forgiveness, and cus-
lutionary Resistance Phase Damping brace height and accommodates draw tomizable comfort. This bow incorpo-
(RPD) Technology which drastically lengths from 27 to 31.5 inches. RPD rates premium carbon in the riser and
reduces vibration in the limbs by in- minimizes vibration and its innova- integrates Elite’s signature dual cage
troducing a band of dampening mate- tive design decreases excess energy in riser. Like Elite’s highly machined alu-
rial sandwiched between two each of the limbs, which significantly dead- minum risers, this option adds rigidity
the eight limbs, arranged in the typi- ens and silences post-shot vibration. throughout key transition areas. It offers
cal quad configuration. It’s also built The new Bridge-Lock Stabilizers offer the ability to fine tune let-off from 70 to
to accept new Bridge-Lock Stabilizers, improved balance, enhanced stabiliza- 90 percent and includes Elite’s acclaimed
incorporating the same concept as last tion, and dampened vibration. The 29 S.E.T. Technology (Simplified. Exact.
year’s through-the-riser Bridge-Lock weighs 4.48 pounds and the 33 weighs Tuning.) to ensure clean arrow flight
Technology sights. The Phase4 is avail- 4.68 pounds. These bows are available and superior accuracy. Drilling down
able in 29- and 33-inch axle-to-axle in eight finish options. Find out more on specs, it features a 31.25-inch plat-
lengths. Peak draw weights include 60, at mathewsinc.com. form, a forgiving 7.25-inch brace height,
65, 70, and 75 pounds, and let-off can be draw-weight ranging from 25.5 to 31

Mathews Elite Elite
Phase4 Era Omnia

38 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022

inches with 0.25-inch adjustments, and gle cam and draw-length module. Find more efficient machined limb pockets.
peak draw weighs of 40, 50, 60, 65, and out more at elitearchery.com. Diving deeper, the revolutionary riser
70 pounds. The feathery Era weighs just design features a new swing arm cable
3.95 pounds and thanks to the new syn- • BEAR ARCHERY guard and Shock Management System
chronized, high-performance SP Cam, it (SMS), which results in a dead-in-hand
comes out of the gate at 336 fps. Bear’s 2023 Archery Execute 32 brings and quiet shot experience. In addition to
to the table standards found in some the SMS, the Execute 32 comes with two
The Elite Omnia is the company’s of the best designs in archery. It sports grips, including the Slim Grip and an all-
other flagship bow for 2023. Elite’s revo- compact, 32-inch axle-to-axle and 6.375- new Soft Touch Grip, which has a thicker
lutionary S.E.T. Technology boosts tun- inch brace height specs, which make palmswell.
ability and adjustability. Features imple- this bow highly maneuverable, com-
mented into this bow further dampen fortable, and accurate. It hits speeds up Bear’s new Legend XR RTH offers a
any felt residual vibration, resulting in to 340 fps, thanks in part to the proven smooth-drawing hybrid cam that de-
a pleasant, smooth, and whisper-quiet and hugely adjustable EKO Cam system. livers a great shooting experience. It
shooting experience while producing IBO Plus, you can enhance the performance checks in with a 32-inch axle-to-axle
arrow speeds of 347 fps. Another excel- of the Execute 32 even more because ev- length and 85 percent let-off from the
lent feature is the ability to fine-tune ery Execute ships with a limb stop to cre- new DHC-XR cam. Combined with a
holding weight down to a single percen- ate a more solid rear wall. Furthermore, 6.25-inch brace height, the Legend XR
tile within the 70 to 90 percent range. the bow fits draw lengths ranging from is incredibly forgiving and comfortable
It’s also easier to be exact with 0.25-inch 27 to 31 inches. It also has a new paral- on the range or on the hunt. Further-
draw-length adjustments within a sin- lel limb design with wider limbs and more, the XR can accommodate draw

Bear Bear Fred
Execute Legend Eichler
32 XR RTH Signature
Take
Down

DECEMBER 2022 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 39

weights from 14 to 70 pounds, and draw tem. The 2023 Eichler Signature riser can • APA ARCHERY
length ranges from 18 to 31 inches to ac- be paired with Bear’s #1, #2, and #3 limbs
commodate nearly any archer. Overall, to create a Take Down recurve with 58-, The APA Black Mamba 29 is another new-
this system provides more adjustability 60-, or 62-inch tip-to-tip AMO (Archery for-2023 offering and is an ultra-com-
than previous Legend models. Plus, the Manufacturers Organization) dimen- pact, lightweight, high-performance
new Legend XR offers an immense val- sions. The durable and ergonomic de- design loaded with APA’s exclusive fea-
ue with its offset string suppressor and sign of the bow is the result of immense tures. Paired with special features and
KILLERwave in-limb dampeners. It even testing and input from Fred Eichler. As weighing only 3.55 pounds, it creates
has a complete suite of Ready to Hunt the first individual ever to complete the an ideal backcountry bow or option for
accessories from Trophy Ridge, includ- Super Slam—all 29 of North America’s any archer seeking something lighter.
ing a four-pin sight, Whisker Biscuit big game animals—with a traditional This 29.125-inch axle-to-axle bow comes
V arrow rest, 5-Spot quiver, stabilizer, bow, Fred Eichler’s knowledge and first- with 40, 50, 60, or 70-pound peak draw
peep sight, and D-loop. hand experience in the field with a re- weights and a draw length range of 24
curve is second to none. The low wrist, to 30 inches. A generous 6.25-inch brace
Finally, Bear partnered with world- slim grip design, adjustable strike plate, height is also incorporated, making it
famous traditional bowhunter Fred and customizable shelf radius are criti- very forgiving. It produces an impres-
Eichler to bring us an all-new-for-2023, cal components that give bowhunters sive IBO speed of up to 355 fps via an
first-of-its-kind aluminum Take Down the flexibility to tailor the riser to their 80 percent let-off. Overall, the Black
riser. The Fred Eichler Signature Take individual wants and needs. Find out Mamba 29 offers easy toting and barn-
Down features a 17-inch machined riser more at beararchery.com. burning arrow speeds. Find out more at
with Bear’s patented Fred Bear latch sys- apaarchery.com.

APA PSE Obsession
Black Mach XBR
Mamba 34
29
INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022
40

• PSE ARCHERY spacers that can be easily removed and
repositioned in precise increments. The
The Mach 34 by PSE includes a new ap- revolutionary axle system even pre-
proach from the company: Their first vents overtightening, which is a prima-
carbon bow also incorporating PSE’s ry cause of bearing wear. Find out more
Full Draw Stability system. This pro- at psearchery.com.
duces a highly stabilized bow and helps
reduce torque at full draw for better • OBSESSION BOWS
precision, more accurate shooting, and
efficient power transfer. The Mach 34 The new XBR by Obsession launches ar-
offers peak draw weights of 50, 60, 70, rows at 340 fps (IBO) and measures 30.5
or 80 pounds. Looking at variations, the inches axle-to-axle with a 6.375-inch
E2 option includes a 7.125-inch brace brace height. It has draw weight options
height and draw length range of 29 to 33 from 50 to 70 pounds and draw lengths
inches. It shoots 335 fps. The S2 features span 24.5 to 29.5 inches. The bow weighs
a 6.75-inch brace height, draw length 4.6 pounds. This riser is available in
range of 26.5 to 30.5 inches and shoots 16 colors and strings are available in
340 fps. This is a longer, 34-inch axle- nine colors, with black cams. Over-
to-axle bow weighing 3.65 pounds. The all, this bow is stable, smooth shoot-
Mach 34 also allows quick bow tuning ing, and forgiving. Find out more at
and has cam-lean adjustment and snap obsessionbowsrefueled.com.

Martin Athens
MTX Elevate
29

DECEMBER 2022 INSIDEARCHERY.COM 41

• MARTIN ARCHERY 28.5 to 30 inches, depending on module Athens features like the TCS (Tunable
chosen. The MTX 29 weighs 4.9 pounds. Cable System) roller guard, Limb-lok
MTX stands for Martin Technology Ex- Find out more at martinarchery.com. pocket system, 1-inch wide split limbs,
treme, which speaks for itself. The Mar- and X-Out limb dampeners by Mountain
tin MTX 29 is fast, spitting arrows out • ATHENS ARCHERY View Products for virtually shock-free
at up to 347 fps. This bow boasts speed, and silent shooting. Find out more at
no cam lean, angled dual rear stabilizer Athen's Elevate is a sweet shooting bow athensarchery.com.
mounts, and more. It’s also easy to tune. offering speeds up to 345 fps. This mod-
The MTX Cam features dual-mod stops el measures 32 inches axle-to-axle and • DARTON ARCHERY
and dual limb stops, and can be set up has a 6-inch brace height. Draw lengths
in either configuration for maximum range from 24.5 to 30.5 inches, and bows The new Prelude E 32 by Darton is craft-
adjustability. The bow comes with a re- can be ordered with peak draw weights ed with a new riser design that adds
movable molded grip and a low-torque from 40 to 70 pounds (Including 65 lb strength and stability. Improved pat-
roller guard as well as Martin’s mass peak weight options). New for 2023, ented cam technology produces speeds
weight riser system, which distributes the Elevate includes a new Low Profile up to 347 fps. It’s a balanced bow, thanks
mass for improved bow balance. It also molded grip, an updated RT-X cam with to the patented Equalizer Cable System
includes 29.375-inch axle-to-axle specs, the Rev 2 module, 55% larger draw stop, technology (E System). This model also
a 6.125-inch brace height, and 90 percent adjustable let off from 79-90%, a pica- has a removable/adjustable draw mod-
let-off. Peak draw weight ranges include tinny rail mounting system, and a QAD ule with 0.25-inch draw length adjust-
45-55, 55-65, and 65-75 pounds with Integrate dovetail mounting system. ments and three sets of draw stops that
draw lengths ranging from 25 to 28.5 or This model is also packed with standard provide eight different holding weight

Darton Hoyt Prime
Prelude VTM REVEX
E 32
INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022
42

options. With dual cable stops and ad- features. The VTM was built not only technology, which brings the strings
justable roller guard, it offers more to seamlessly integrate with accesso- and cables in line with each other and
control over draw length and hold- ries but also engineered to be a better creates balance throughout the draw
ing weight. The split yoke system also bow with them included. During testing cycle. Additionally, Prime’s CORE Cam
equalizes and stabilizes the limbs and with Hoyt In-Line accessories, the VTM System features draw-length-specific
reduces the load on the cam bearings showed a significant vibration reduc- mods that allow the REVEX to reach
for a smooth shooting experience. It in- tion. Those who shoot it will see the in- maximum efficiency at each draw
cludes Team Darton custom bowstrings. credible impact this new system offers. length, which range from 26 to 31.5
This 32-inch axle-to-axle bow has a The VTM 31 measures 31 inches axle-to- inches. The REVEX also incorporates two
6-inch brace height and 80 percent let- axle and has a 6-inch brace height. It new accessories designed specifically
off, with draw-length ranging from 27 shoots 342 fps and weighs 4.65 pounds. to be integrated into the bow—a snug-
to 30.5 inches and peak draw weights The VTM 34 measures 34 inches axle-to- fitting TightSpot quiver, which attaches
of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 pounds. It shoots axle and has a 6.25-inch brace height. It directly to the riser, and a limb-driven
up to 342 fps actual speed with a 30-inch shoots 334 fps and weighs 4.8 pounds. Hamskea rest that integrates into the
draw at 70 pounds and a 350-grain ar- Find out more at hoyt.com. riser. These two customized accesso-
row. The Prelude weighs 4.9 pounds. ries elevate this bow to new heights.
Find out more at dartonarchery.com. • PRIME ARCHERY The bow holds a new carbon string stop
that eliminates sound and vibration
• HOYT The REVEX by Prime is available in 32-, and Prime’s Nano grip, which utilizes
34-, and 36-inch axle-to-axle configura- NASA-inspired materials to provide a
The new VTM by Hoyt has countless tions. It incorporates the beloved cen- warm-to-the-touch grip. The REVEX is
R&D hours invested in it. It was made ter-gripped riser design, effectively giv- available in two new finishes. Find out
to build beyond past Hoyt successes and ing the REVEX increased stability. Other more at g5prime.com. IA
is infused with new, groundbreaking features include Prime’s cam-balancing

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY LEADING ARCHERY MANUFACTURERS

Maple Leaf Press ing and fulfillment for the target line.
This continued for a decade, and in 1987
BY INSIDE ARCHERY STAFF talks of Doug purchasing the company
began. In 1988 ownership transferred to
I f you have punched paper lately, par- portant assets in aiding Doug’s efforts Doug and Vicki Patterson.
ticularly in organized competition, in becoming an official target supplier
Initially, Doug attempted to purchase
for the NFAA. In addition, Ken Rogers another small target company along
you likely have Maple Leaf Press to thank paved the way for IFAA approval. with a printing company, but it ultimate-

for the target you were shooting. The Pattersons believe all ly proved too small and provided little
potential, so the sale fell through.
archers deserve to shoot offi- Doug and Vicki were convinced
they could make a serious run
Maple Leaf Press is the official target cial targets exactly like those in the archery-target trade and
worked to maintain their gen-
supplier for World Archery, NFAA, IFAA, found at NFAA, IFAA, USA Ar- eral printing accounts—85 per-
cent of sales—and added
Vegas, Rushmore Rumble, and others. chery, and World Archery Tour- an archery target division,
covering the remaining 15
They’re the only official manufacturer naments during official com- percent of sales. The Pat-
tersons soon moved inven-
of these faces in the Western Hemi- petitions. They endeavor tory into a small warehouse and
started looking for ways to in-
sphere, and the world’s only official to provide targets that crease sales and improve target
offerings.
NFAA/Vegas target manufacturer. If meet all standards re- This is a family business,
and the Patterson children play
you look for the official logos of sanc- quired by these organi-
a vital role. Doug’s eldest son, Brad,
tioning parties on competitors’ tar- zations and to maintain contributed his skills as an artist by
designing the current NFAA animal
gets you won’t find them. Maple Leaf official status. Other target
line during his early years of col-
Press also supports archery with royal- companies may claim their lege while pursuing a Bachelor of
Fine Arts degree. The Pattersons’
ties, donations, and sponsorships that targets meet official-size or younger son, Matt, started them

equal approximately five percent of the color requirements, but they out in the technology realm
by creating their first website
company’s total sales. have not passed the tests re- while attending college for
computer science. Through the
The company operates out of three quired for official sanctioning, years, family has played a key
role in day-to-day operations.
facilities including their warehouse in do not hold an official logo, and Doug’s daughters-in-law each contrib-
uted as well, with Matt’s wife Lindy
Grand Haven, Michigan, where order are therefore not official products. taking on a supporting role in manag-
ing order fulfillment and shipping.
fulfillment and shipping take place Maple Leaf Press is the only offi- From his experience in the printing
industry, Doug knew the first thing
and where the company’s offices are cial supplier for the groups listed he had to do was increase run sizes to
help lower costs. This allowed Maple
located. There’s also a stock and fin- above as well as others. Leaf Press to have a stronger presence
alongside unofficial competitors that
ish warehouse in Michigan and a stock Phil Wheeler, a retired Dupont often did little to support archery’s
future. Maple Leaf Press also began
warehouse in Missouri. executive, and his schoolteach- appealing to dealers and distributors

Maple Leaf Press is led by er wife launched Maple

co-owners Vicki and Doug Leaf Press in 1969 as

Patterson. Vicki handles a tree-tag printer

billing accounts re- headquartered

ceivable and payable in Oxford, Ohio

while Doug handles and later in Dewitt,

purchasing, produc- Michigan. Initial cus-

tion, and order fulfill- tomers were mainly in

ment. The Pattersons Canada. Originally it was

credit many people with just a recreational ven-

helping them become an ture, but the couple eventu-

official target manufacturer, in- ally expanded their product line

cluding Jim Easton, Don Lovo, Al Wills, to include archery target faces. As com-

and Tim Austin, who were instrumen- petition grew in the tree-tag market,

tal in helping the company obtain of- Maple Leaf expanded its target line to

ficial licensing for World Archery. Ken 12 animal targets and four spot targets.

Rogers, Wally Rueger, Bruce Cull, Brian In the late 1970s, Phil started working

Sheffler, and Tim Austin were also im- with Doug Patterson to do his print-

44 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022

with larger discounts rather than con- 45
centrating on the final consumer as the
previous owners had.

By 1990, Maple Leaf Press was the first
FITA face licensee in the world. In 1996
they supplied targets for the Olympic
games in Atlanta, Georgia. That expe-
rience revealed a need for a more du-
rable waterproof target material. After
a couple test runs on multiple stocks,
they came out with a polypropylene
version for several of their target faces.
This material is more tear resistant
than the previously-used Tyvek, will not
stretch like many plastics, and has the
added benefit that water will not cause
shrinking or expansion of the material.
It has been tested many times since its
release, but its value was solidified dur-
ing the 2016 Rio Olympics, where rain,
heat, extreme humidity, and blazing
sun put the targets to the ultimate test.

In 2002, Maple Leaf became the exclu-
sive NFAA manufacturer and met with
the IFAA to get their approval on their
faces as well. Soon after, Maple Leaf
Press also became the official Vegas
Shoot target manufacturer. During this

DECEMBER 2022 INSIDEARCHERY.COM

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY LEADING ARCHERY MANUFACTURERS

time the company began to shed most 100, 500, 2,500, and 5,000 targets. Imprint The company has transformed from
of its general printing customers and custom targets have also been produced a small company selling targets to indi-
reversed its business model so archery for larger manufacturers, dealers, and viduals with a very limited product line
targets represented 80 percent of total ranges. Maple Leaf offers faces in multi- to the go-to source of a huge variety of of-
sales and general printing 20 percent. It ple stocks from their lightweight 7-point ficial target faces. To do this, Maple Leaf
wasn’t long before Maple Leaf’s original stock, which is roughly double the thick- changed production to appeal to distribu-
warehouse became cramped, prompting ness of copy paper, to multiple weights tors and dealers and increased product
several expansions. in cover stock as their heavy weights. offerings to a line of nearly 100 target
The company also makes waterproof, faces. All Maple Leaf Press target faces
With the addition of the Rushmore extremely tear-resistant polypropylene and NTP signs are printed in the U.S. with
Rumble, private label, and Maple Leaf’s stock for outdoor and extended-use faces. 80 percent of the stock used coming from
NTP (no trespassing) signs, Maple Leaf The polypropylene will outlast other fac- U.S. or Canadian mills and synthetic ma-
stocks more than 100 different targets es many times over and water will not terials imported but then converted and
and six NTP signs. These targets and cause the targets to go out of tolerance purchased from U.S. companies.
signs are stocked bulk on the shelf, and like paper or toughened faces can.
they offer mix-and-match price breaks at Maple Leaf Press was thrilled to see
things open for business again following
COVID-19-related shutdowns, when colleg-
es, schools, ranges, dealers, and tourna-
ments were closed or cancelled. The com-
pany was plagued with extreme paper
shortages during this period as well as the
cost of raw goods increasing up to or more
than 100 percent between late 2021 to mid-
2022. Lead times for stock went from three
to four weeks to three to four months,
with transportation issues further hinder-
ing business by slowing shipping. Those
times have fortunately passed, and Maple
Leaf now stocks more paper than ever and
keeps options on most of their target faces
in stock. If one stock option is unavailable
for a particular target, Maple Leaf usually
has another stock option available to keep
people shooting.

They grew from a very small target
company with just a few targets, to a tar-
get powerhouse that stocks more than
100 options in multiple paper stocks
and weights. They also went from a tar-
get company with only local sanction-
ing to obtaining three national and two
international target sanctions. Maple
Leaf Press supports archery with funds
to help it continue to grow, both locally
and worldwide. They have supplied faces
for the Olympics, World Cups, National
Championships around the globe, and
Vegas, as well as state and local tour-
naments. Maple Leaf Press targets are
printed in the U.S.A. and no one in the
world has as many official targets. IA

46 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022



MARKET TRENDS GEAR REPORT

POhctooebneixr MFloeutcnhtianignJPigroducts

BY PATRICK MEITIN
B eing accuracy-obsessed and someone
who has long lived in the “boonies,” hesion. The jig can be set up to
produce 120-degree three-fletch

I’ve been fletching my own arrows for decades. or 75-, 90-, or 105-degree four-

fletch—an increasingly popular option

This allows me to choose the fletchings since the proliferation of drop-away plastic, which is prone to breaking if
dropped. The Phoenix Jig includes all-
and preferred color schemes needed for arrow rests. metal T6065-grade aluminum construc-
tion made to withstand years of hard
a particular job and apply them with The Phoenix Jig is equipped with du- use. The oversized base plate prevents
tipping if bumped, and the organization
great care. Pro shops and arrow man- rable 6.5-inch stamped steel clamps trays are a nice touch, allowing one to
lay out everything before starting a
ufacturers generally provide quality for straight offset fletching or with a fletching job so packages don’t have to
be accessed between fletching changes.
fletching services, but doing it myself right/left helical clamp. Packages are Screw holes are provided should a cus-
tomer wish to mount the jig perma-
instills more confidence that the job is available for purchase in all three con- nently. For me, the five-degree offset is
best suited to field-point shooting or for
done precisely right. figurations and additional clamps use with hunting arrows tipped with
streamlined mechanical broadheads.
There are plenty of fletch- can be purchased separately. Since I shoot a lot of fixed-blade broad-
heads for hunting and am a huge tra-
ing jigs available, but Oc- A stout M30 magnet pro- ditional archery fan who fletches a lot
of natural feathers, I would spend the
tober Mountain Products' vides positive positioning, extra money and invest in additional
clamps to complete the set.
(OMP) new Phoenix and the sides are bev-
I also like the fact that the Phoe-
Fletching Jig has eled for easy cleaning nix Jig’s rugged, precision construc-
tion and laser-etched adjustment
emerged as an ultra- and laser etched for marks guarantee repeatable results.
A jig that applies fletching exactly the
durable, super-adjustable, and easy- consistent positioning. The easy-view, same every time equals better accu-
racy and tighter groups—especially
to-use option. Ruggedness comes from quick-load nock receiver is secure and at longer ranges or while shooting
broadheads. The Phoenix’s adjustabil-
die-cast/machined aluminum parts. includes a cut-out for arrow collars. A ity also makes it compatible with all
available arrow shafts, from 27-series
The Phoenix Jig allows applying natu- fixed/slotted arrow tower and click- line cutters to micro-diameter hunt-
ing arrows. Check it out by visiting
ral or plastic fletchings with up to five detents also ensure precision repeat- octobermountainproducts.com. IA

degrees of offset in one-degree incre- ability for consistent finished arrow

ments and with right- or left-wing ori- impacts. Also, an oversized base plate

entation. Its channeled clamp tower with four padded rubber feet provides

holds centerline adjustment screws stability and includes four accessory

and a fletch-spacing adjustment knob, cutouts to keep glue and loose fletch-

holding shafts at 20 degrees to keep ings organized and handy.

nocks seated and ensure consistent ad- Many fletching jigs are made of

WebXtra ■ To take a closer

look at the OMP Phoenix Fletching Jig,
please visit insidearchery.com.

48 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022



MARKET TRENDS BOW REPORT

Mathews Phase4 29

BY PATRICK MEITIN

M athews has been leading the march technology needle has been moving in
toward compound-bow perfection larger increments for the past several

since its inception in 1992. years, with Mathews models such as
the 2018 Triax, 2019 Vertix, 2020 VXR,

Mathews has introduced more com- 2021 V3, and 2022 V3X bringing

pound bow technology firsts than can marked advancements. These

be fully discussed here, though these are the bows that regularly

advancements are likely familiar to cause reviewers to declare com-

the average gearhead who obsesses pound bow design can be taken no

about bow performance. Even so, the further.

Of course, this is Mathews, and by

extension, the genius of Matt McPher-

son, so we have learned to expect

more with each new season.

For 2023, that "more" is the Phase4

series, including 29- and 33-inch

axle-to-axle models with 6- and 6.5-

inch brace heights, respectively. The

Mathews' Centerguard Cable Containment system shorter Phase4 provides a draw length
includes Reverse Assist buss-cable rollers and brings span from 25.5 to 30 inches, the longer
the buss-cable contact point to the precise center of version accommodates draw lengths
the riser for easier tuning and superior balance. from 27 to 31.5 inches. The Phase4 fur-
ther refines the innovation introduced
Like last year's Bridge-Lock Sight Technology, the 2023 with the V3—long-bridge-riser/short
Bridge-Lock Stabilizer system routes the stabilizer limb geometry, Nano 740 Harmonic
through the center of the riser for better balance and Damper and Centerguard Cable Con-
improved positive mating. tainment—and the V3X’s total acces-
sory integration.


■ Further Integration
Mathews' unique perspec-
tive on accessory integration
began with the introduction
of Integrate arrow rest technol-
ogy, made by Quality Archery Designs
(QAD). A dovetail milled into the rear
of Mathews risers allows adding a

50 INSIDE ARCHERY DECEMBER 2022