best 2010 scents and scouting cameraS August 2010
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Inside Archery • Volume 13 Number 7
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30 Power of Participation
Bob Poth, Gun Shack/Crosswind Pro Shop
Isaac Wissestad, Mathews Inc.
Matt Eggert, Old 45 Archery
Todd Levings, BowTech
Leo Grant, Kwikee Kwiver
Dudley McGarity, Quake Industries
32 Cover Story: Ripcord
52
Bill and Sherry Krenz
Keith and Don Dvoroznak have made Ripcord a success by blending
their longstanding passion for archery with hard-nosed self-discipline
and a sincere consideration for their many customers.
M a r k e t
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26 New and Notable
Archery products with strong sales potential.
40 Field Test: Gorilla Exo Tech G30 Safety Harness 42 Selling the Scent System!
Michaelean Pike
The best way to maximize your sales of scent-related
bowhunting products is to sell the idea of a system.
52 Bow Report: TenPoint Turbo XLT
42
54 Field Test: Leupold Vendetta Archery Rangefinder 56 Using Scouting Cameras for Year-Round Profits
Dan Smith
With a good scouting camera in hand, the “hunting” season becomes endless.
Inside Archery 4 August 2010
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10 Inside Track
Don’t Make Your Customers Angry
14 Industry News
Information that will keep you up to speed on the latest news,
events and people in the archery industry.
54
18 Inside Archery Dealer School
Customer Service as Your Customers See It 42
22 ATA Action
Boomerang Money Makes Arrows Fly
64 Marketplace 26
66 Retail in Detail
Darron McDougal
Scouting Cameras Produce Profits
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Inside Archery ( Vol.13, No. 7) USPS #024-412 is published ten times per year by Zebra Publishing Inc., 2960 N. Academy Blvd, Ste. 101, Colorado Springs, CO 80917. Periodicals postage paid at Colorado Springs, CO 80917 and at additional offices. Postmaster please send address changes to: Inside Archery, P.O. Box 9010, Maple Shade, NJ 08052.
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Inside Track
Don’t Make Your Customers Angry
Archery’s largest retail selling season is upon us. Bowhunters everywhere are funneling into archery outlets, looking for new gear, gobbling up information and guidance and just generally building on their own personal enthusiasm for the upcoming bow seasons. One of the best pieces ever of retail advice is don’t make your customers angry. That may seem overly simple and obvious, but there are so many things in the retail experience that can upset a customer. A partial list includes such things as stock shortages of key items, poor service and questionable advice. I remember once walking into an archery shop and asking for fletching glue, only to be told that they were out. “Out?” I questioned. “How in the world can an archery shop be out of fletching glue?” I was instantly upset. I had fletching to do and would now have to go home, order the stuff and await delivery. The only consolation was that at least I’d be sure to get the glue that way. Archery consumers rely on archery shops and stores to have what they need. Little exasperates customers more than finding out that basics—like glue, extra nocks, broadhead blades and even common arrow sizes—are not available. Planning, attention to inventory levels and quick-refill distributors all make such shortages inexcusable. It’s no secret that archery consumers also rely heavily on local archery retailers for service and advice on a wide range of topics. Getting shortchanged on either of those things can send customers over the edge and looking for another retailer. Salespeople who fail to even acknowledge a customer, act bored or rude or otherwise disappoint will drive your customers up a wall and possibly right out the door. “We’re out of glue right now, but we have more coming in on Tuesday. If you’ll give me your cell number, I’ll personally call you when it arrives and will set aside a tube for you,” would have quickly quenched my no-glue annoyance. One of the biggest advantages that local archery shops have over many of the Big Box stores and even Internet sales is readily available expertise. “Which broadhead will be best with my setup?” In a good pro shop the answer will be thoughtful, caring, straightforward and clearly explained. That’s what consumers want and can detect. Long-winded, overbearing and condescending answers will raise customer eyebrows and ire. Keep your customers happy with a satisfactory inventory, proper service and helpful expertise, and you’ll keep your customers.
Bill and Sherry Krenz Editor and Publisher Inside Archery 10 August 2010
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Inside Archery 12 August 2010
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Industry News The Easton Foundations Reach $10 Million Mark
The Easton Foundations announced that over the last year it has funded over $4.8 million in grants and programs. The Foundations’ funding supports archery, youth baseball, softball and cycling, as well as education and medical research. Since 2007, total grants and programs of over $10 million have been provided to community and non-profit organizations. Some of the grant program recipients include: 2010 Archery World Cup, Newberry Sports Complex, Olympic Archery in the Schools, National Field Archery Association Foundation, Bowhunting Preservation Alliance, National Archery in the Schools Program, US Archery Association and more.
finish and were designed with the hunter in mind. “Dollar for dollar, the Ultra-Lite Series are the best accessories available, unsurpassed in features and performance by any others in their price point,” states Jerid Strasheim, national sales manager. “We are really looking forward to the new and different opportunities the Ultra-Lite Series can bring to our product offering.”
The new Diamond Ultra-Lite Series includes 3- and 5-arrow quivers as well as an ultra-light stabilizer that removes vibration while promoting a balanced shot. For more information, log onto diamondarchery.com.
TenPoint Pro Staffer Takes Second Leg of IBO Triple For more information about Crown
the Easton Foundations, log onto eastonfoundations.org.
Diamond Introduces Ultra-Lite Series of Aftermarket Accessories
Today’s hunters are always looking for lightweight equipment for their bows without sacrificing functionality and durability. At the 2010 Archery Trade Show, dealers discovered a new accessory line that does just that with the release of the new Ultra-Lite Series of Diamond accessories. All of the new Ultra-Lite Series accessories are extremely lightweight, have a durable all-weather
On June 11-13, 2010, TenPoint Pro Staffer Fred Flati won the second leg of the 2010 IBO Triple Crown in Fairview, Pennsylvania. Shooting with a TenPoint Phantom CLS, Flati finished the round with a total score of 415, including an event-high 21 X’s. His winning score placed him 13 points above second place in the field of 16 participants. Flati, a police officer from East Liverpool, Ohio, said he plans to shoot the third leg in Nelsonville,
Inside Archery 14 August 2010
Ohio, as well as the World Championship and Archery Festival in August held in Ellicottville, New York. For more information, log onto tenpointcrossbows.com.
Cooper Hunting Industries Uses New Fulfillment Service
Cooper Hunting Industries has announced that it will be teaming up with Shopatron.com to build a bridge between the company and its retailers. Since its inception, Cooper Hunting has been selling products on its website. And in so doing, it was competing with its authorized dealers. With the wholesale growth developing within the company it has become necessary for Cooper Hunting Industries to become more in tune with dealers and work more toward building their sales, thus increasing its wholesale market. In order to accomplish this, Cooper Hunting Industries joined with Shopatron—a popular provider of global e-commerce for consumer goods. With Shopatron, orders placed on branded websites are offered to a managed network of over 5,000 global partners for fulfillment, typically for assignment to local retailers. Local fulfillment translates to faster order delivery and motivated fulfillment partners who stock more inventory. It also facilitates local in-store Continued on page 16
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pickup, a convenience valued by many online shoppers. Shopatron enables commerce where shoppers want it. “By teaming up with Shopatron, our retail partners will have another avenue for moving their inventory by fulfilling orders placed on our website. This also provides added convenience to our customer,” said Dan Cooper, president of Cooper Hunting Industries. For more information, log onto cooperhunting.com.
Kinsey’s Hires Scott Bakken
Kinsey’s, a popular distributor of archery, black powder and general hunting products, recently announced the hiring of Scott Bakken for the position of buyer. Bakken, a previous manufacturer’s representative for Steve Kaufman & Associates Inc. in the Wisconsin and Michigan area, brings a wealth of archery product knowledge and technical buying skills to Kinsey’s. Bakken’s experience working with manufacturers, combined with his retail background from Scheels All Sports, will be a valued asset to Kinsey’s purchasing team. “We feel very fortunate to have Scott join our team. We know his
Scott Bakken
talents and passion for archery and the outdoors will add great value to our team,” said Dave Parker, sales and purchasing manager at Kinsey’s. For more information, log onto kinseyarchery.com.
for whitetails full time. For more information, log onto sitkagear.com.
Sitka Brings in New Whitetail Expertise
Lucky Bums, a new entry in the youth hunting clothing and gear market, has introduced the first in what is to be a long line of quality clothing and gear specifically designed to meet the needs of the young adventurer. Today, hunting is undeniably growing as a family affair, and few people understand the need for gear that keeps children warm, dry and safe like Lucky Bums founders Jeff and Julie Streeter. As both parents and avid outdoor enthusiasts, the Streeters strive to create products that make outdoor adventures more feasible and enjoyable for families.
Sitka Gear announced the recent hire of Jeff Simpson as its Midwest sales manager. In his new role, Simpson will work with key retailers in the Midwest as Sitka continues to increase its presence among whitetail hunters.
“We were looking for a passionate, hardcore whitetail expert that understands the importance of quality hunting apparel and could effectively articulate that message to other whitetail fanatics,” said Sitka Gear President Kevin Sloan. “Jeff fits the bill perfectly.” “I have always been impressed with the quality of Sitka Gear and their management staff. I am thrilled to be part of such a winning team, and look forward to growing their whitetail segment,” said Simpson. “I have probably spent more time in the Sitka System than any whitetail hunter around. As a Sitka Athlete, I understand its value and am excited about helping bring such a solid clothing solution to the whitetail market.” Prior to joining Sitka Gear, Simpson was president of Fencepost Films, as well as host and producer of Heartland Bowhunter. He also served as the sales manager for Cerner Corporation, a medical software company, prior to pursuing his passion
Inside Archery 16 August 2010
Lucky Bums Sets New Quality Standard in Youth Hunting Apparel
With its real-gear-for-kids mentality, Lucky Bums taps into technological advances to create quality hunting gear tailored specifically for kids ready to play as hard as their parents do. Lucky Bums gear is engineered to excel in performance, function and protection. Based in Boise, Idaho, Lucky Bums has grown into an outdoor gear company with year-round products for snow play, hiking, camping, fishing and now hunting. Lucky Bums products are appreciated by outdoor enthusiasts and available in over 1,000 stores throughout the US, Canada, Europe and Asia. For more information, log onto luckybums.com.
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Dealer School I read an article the other day in which the author argued that one major problem many retailers have is that they see customer service differently than their customers see it. The explanation was vague and honestly unconvincing. That’s not to say that I don’t agree with what the author was trying to say—I just couldn’t see, from his explanation, what the difference is in how retailers and customers view customer service.
Customer Service as Your Customers See It
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Yes, there are plenty of little extras that shoppers appreciate, but those aren’t the things that drive customers through your doors.
”
So I started looking around on the Internet. I began to understand that author more when I found numerous articles online offering advice full of “feel-good” words like empathy and respect. There have been very few times when I’ve walked into a retail establishment looking for empathy. Hard-to-find items? Yes. Solutions to various problems? Yes. But empathy? Not really. The more I read, the more I thought about what it is customers actually want when they walk through the doors of any retail store. As a customer, I appreciate friendly, courteous cashiers. But having someone smile at me as I walk through the door isn’t as important to me as the overall experience is. Does the store have the products that I want, and are those products in a logical, easy-to-find location in the store? If I have questions, is it easy to find the answers? Can I walk in, get what I
Inside Archery 18 August 2010
need and walk out without wasting a lot of time unnecessarily? Too often I think retailers get caught up in the fluff and forget the basics. Yes, there are plenty of little extras that shoppers appreciate, but those aren’t the things that drive customers through your doors. What makes customers come back again and again? Try looking at customer service the way your customers do, and you’ll find the answer to that question.
Proper Inventory
Your customers might love you and your shop, but if you don’t carry the products they want, they’re going to have to find someone who does. It’s critical that you stay on top of what equipment your customers want. Know what your customers are reading, what they’re watching on TV and what they’re talking about with other archers. Speaking with other archery dealers can be helpful as well. Next month’s issue of Inside Archery will include the results of our annual Best Buy Awards, which are awarded to the best-selling products based on votes from archery retailers across the country. Check out those results to see if your selling experiences match those of other dealers. Few things frustrate a consumer more than bare shelves. Once you have an idea of what products will sell, make sure you keep those products in stock, especially during your hottest selling weeks. The reports
we’re getting on archery equipment sales from manufacturers, retailers and consumers have been overwhelmingly optimistic. Many consumers who put off buying new equipment last year are looking to upgrade this year, so make sure that you’re prepared for a strong second half of 2010. Buying through
a distributer can help you maintain your inventory levels no matter what happens in the next few months.
Logical Merchandising
Many retailers assume that shoppers will ask a sales associate for help if they can’t find what they’re looking for. Those retailers don’t worry overmuch about ensuring their stores
Dealer Survey Questions Archery dealer input is sought for the next Inside
Archery Dealer School. Your comments are invited on a variety of specific Dealer School topics. All you need to do is fill out and send in the easy-to-use Dealer School Response Card found on this page. Selected comments will be published in an upcoming issue of Inside Archery’s Dealer School. Your shop and location will be listed. In every issue a participating dealer will win a new Hoyt bow! To have a chance at this bow, all you have to do is participate.
Win!
a MAXXIS bow from
Inside Archery 19 August 2010
Th Montis Winn h’s er! Mor
gan D
Xpert Arch ugger Farmington ery , NM
How do you know what your customers want and will buy in the area of arrow rests? The following are selected responses from the Inside Archery Dealer School Survey presented in our May 2010 issue. Are you interested in participating Comment and possibly winning a FREE 2010 Hoyt bow in the process? See page 19 of this issue for more information. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We watch magazine ads and local shoots. Some people want to try everything while others shoot what everyone else is shooting. Dealer
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”
Tom Selby • TVS Archery - Garden City, KS
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We try to stay on top of the latest rests by attending the ATA, Mathews and Kinsey’s Shows and reading all the latest magazine articles. We also find that a lot of our customers want to shoot what we use.
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Bruce Houck • Clarence Archery - Snow Shoe, PA
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––We tend to sell the most rests based on which are most highly advertised in archery magazines or most commonly used on TV.
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Michael McDonald • Performance Shooting Inc. - Constable, NY
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Our pro staff members shoot sample rests and then report back on them. That gives us firsthand knowledge of how the rests perform—poor performers don’t make it onto our shelves.
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Jim McMullin • Bighorn Archery - Dixon, IL
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Arrow rests are trendy. One will be hot for awhile, and then another one will sell well. It seems to be based on which rests are most heavily advertised and what everyone else is shooting.
Morgan Dugger • Xpert Archery - Farmington, NM
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We stock a number of arrow rest brands and models. The ones that are advertised the most usually sell the best.
Jenna Christisen • Blevins Archery - Perryville, MO
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Most hunters want either the latest and greatest or something that has already been proven in the field.
Cade Penney • Jorgensen’s Inc - Richfield, UT
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We talk to our customers and visit websites to see what people are interested in.
Jake Morgan • The Archery Shop - Victoria, TX
”
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The amount of advertising for any given rest helps, and tried-and-true rests pretty much sell themselves.
Dave Bontrager • Outback Archery - Goshen, IN
Inside Archery 20 August 2010
are laid out in a logical fashion, with products located in places that make sense. But consumers these days have little time or patience to spare on finding what they want in a store. Even if they ask a sales associate for help on one trip, they may decide the confusing store layout is too much of a hassle and find a different retailer for future purchases. Are your products arranged logically? Think of the types of products that your customers tend to buy together and then make sure that if they’re buying one of those products, they can find the others easily.
Providing Information
The Internet has changed the way people shop. Before I make any major purchase these days, I jump online and visit Amazon, Consumer Reports and other websites that offer ratings and consumer reviews. I can find out a great deal about a product, but I sometimes wish I could find all the information I want in one place. Your customers want more information on the products they’re interested in, so why not provide it for them? If you see bow reports or field tests in magazines on products available in your store, cut them out, laminate them and post them near those products. If you find online reviews of products you sell, print them out and make
those available to your customers. Many online retailers offer incentives to their customers to leave reviews of products they’ve purchased. You could easily do the same by offering an hour of free range time or small savings coupons in exchange for wellwritten reviews.
Friendly, Knowledgeable Staff
Of course, having the right staff is still critical to your success, and the best way to ensure that your staff provides exemplary customer service is to hire the right people, treat them well and invest heavily in their training. After all, they’re not selling archery equipment—they’re selling solutions to equipment problems. It’s not enough for your salespeople to be able to rattle off a list of features and benefits for every piece of equipment in your shop. They also need to be able to pick up on the problems that have brought a customer into your shop and then be able to find a solution to those problems. The more they know about archery, bowhunting, equipment and your customers, the better they’ll be able to do that. In the end, all components of customer service are important. But if you’re able to see the experience of visiting your shop from your customers’ perspective, you’ll be better able to provide them with what really matters to them.
Some customers spend no more than 10 minutes in your shop, store or department on each visit. Others spend hours. This is admittedly difficult, but estimate the average D e a l e r time (in minutes) customers spend in your Comment shop, store or department each time they come in. In other words, on average how long do they stay? The following are selected responses from the Inside Archery Dealer School Survey presented in our May 2010 issue. Are you interested in participating and possibly winning a FREE 2010 Hoyt bow in the process? See page 19 of this issue for more information. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
“ “ “
The average customer spends 20 to 30 minutes in our store. We have a lot of merchandise in a limited space, and we also sell quite a bit of used equipment so our inventory changes daily.
Mickey O’Kane • Gem Sport Supply, Inc - Syracuse, NY
”
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Clients generally spend 20 to 30 minutes unless they’re waiting for a bow to be set up. We like to have the clients available during the set-up and tuning process so that the bow is set up correctly for them.
”
Neal Kiehne • Archery Unlimited - Etna, NY
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Our archery department is part of a much larger store, but my customers will always drop in just to say ‘hi’ while they’re shopping other departments. So my customers are usually here for just 15 minutes unless they’re making a new archery equipment purchase. Then their visit is much longer.
”
Ron Hale • Hale’s True Value Hardware - Dowagiac, MI
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
“
I would say about 30 to 40 minutes. It really depends on the time of the year too. During the off-season, guys are more likely to drop their bows off for service rather than wait since we provide next-day service whenever possible.
”
Sam McKinney • McKinney’s Bowhunting - Mason, WV
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-–—–
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”
I have kept a log on that and found that customers spend an average of 47 minutes in my shop.
Mike Barrandey • Bowlero Archery - Van Horn, TX
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Our customers deserve great customer service, and that service can sometimes take time. I’ve found that taking the time to explain what I’m doing helps to create repeat business.
”
Josh Roetemeyer • Cabela’s - Hazelwood, MO
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Our shop is small in size, but we have a lot of products to look at. I would estimate customers spend about 20 minutes on average per visit.
”
Wendell Adkins • Adkins Archery & Bait - Huntington, WV
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Our customers spend an average of 25 to 30 minutes in our shop. We try to address each customer that comes in and carry on some type of conversation with them.
”
Randy Morgan • The Archery Shop - Victoria, TX
Inside Archery 21 August 2010
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Action Boomerang Money Makes Arrows Fly
The ATA works with state wildlife agencies to ensure that the money invested in federal excise taxes is used to effectively grow archery and bowhunting and to increase shooting opportunities across the country. Boomerang money—a fun phrase for investments with works: Less than a decade ago, the archery and bowhuntreturns—is a concept anyone with minimal scruples can ing industry had little interaction with state and federal embrace. Everyday, private investments are made with wildlife agencies even though its member-companies expectations of returns. You invest $1.29, you get a were paying more than $30 million annudozen eggs for your “investment.” You buy ally in federal excise taxes (FET). These Apple stock and, right now, you’re taxes were distributed by the U.S. Fish doing pretty good. You bring LeBand Wildlife Services to individual state ron James to the Cavs and you get agencies. The funding was used locally The ATA is committed to strong partnerships with state wildlife a championship or, ur, actually, yeah, for wildlife management research; the agencies and using FET dollars to investments don’t always go as we plan. selection, restoration, rehabilitation create long-term archery programs and shooting opportunities around Still, the modern investment with and improvement of wildlife habitat; the country. the most elusive returns is money and related public education. paid in taxes. Yet that’s the boomerSo the tax money was going in, ang model we’re working on here at the Archery Trade that was the law and that was that. But Association. Clever, right? why not stay involved in that investment? What if the Here’s a bit of history on how this investment model ATA chased the money? The industry knew where it was
The ATA is working with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department to launch community-based archery strategies in the country’s fourth-largest city.
Inside Archery 22 August 2010
going. Now, if only we could guide it, orchestrate a U-turn of sorts and get it to come back. Boomerang! With this in mind, the ATA is well on its way to building strong partnerships with state wildlife agencies and using those FET dollars to create longterm archery programs and shooting opportunities around the country. “State agencies have contacts and relationships statewide with local and county programs,” said Mitch King, the ATA’s director of government relations. “Those networks are forcemultipliers. With state agencies and recreation departments on board, you have the land, staff, programs and experience to launch and maintain archery. If one person falls, someone is there to take their place.” The first step in the ATA’s strategy was taking ownership and management of the annual ATA Trade Show. The savings created by this move now generate much of the revenues needed to grow archery and bowhunting and increase shooting opportunities. Next, ATA leadership agreed the best ways to grow participation was through school, after-school, recreational and community-based programs that reached prospective archers of all ages. This would require training more teachers, retailers and community leaders to be archery instructors. This also meant manufacturing simpler introductory equipment to make the sports easier to teach and learn. The ATA has learned from past mistakes involving the investment in individuals and privately run programs and organizations. From 1993 to 2000, $5 million was provided to archery and bowhunting clubs and other private groups to promote the sports and, today, there is little to show for the effort and investment. “Often, we’re asked, why not clubs?” said King. “The fact is, we gave it a go,
and it didn’t work. That doesn’t mean the ATA doesn’t appreciate the great work of individuals and private organizations, but it’s difficult to build longterm programs with volunteer help.” While volunteer-based programs have great intentions, the ATA has
Inside Archery 23 August 2010
witnessed these programs disappear overnight when key people move or simply lose interest. In contrast, wildlife agencies are constant. Today, the ATA considers itself an “investment partner” with state and federal agencies rather than a grants
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Action donor and investor of private programs. Staying power is the first of three vital attributes the ATA values in its government partnerships. State agencies also… • control and regulate bowhunting seasons, including bag limits, equipment restrictions and special hunting opportunities. • control how to use revenues collected from hunting-license fees, federal FET contributions and legislative appropriations. The ATA is equally focused on developing archers and providing shooting opportunities. Archery and archers are as valuable as hunting and bowhunters to state and federal wildlife agencies for two reasons: • Archers and archery, not unlike bowhunters and hunting, generate revenue for state wildlife agencies because archery equipment is subject to FET. • If a person is shooting a bow and using archery equipment, that individual has a better chance of becoming a bowhunter than someone who has never picked up and used the equipment.
Houston, Texas: A Case Study
The ATA is watching its partnership strategy pay off, most recently in Texas, where the association is working with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department to launch communitybased archery strategies in the country’s fourth-largest city. The city of Houston alone is home to 2.2 million people, and its Parks and Recreation Department has a budget of nearly $60 million for managing 39,000 acres of land that includes 350 parks, 200 green spaces, 57 community centers, 38 pools, seven golf courses and nearly 80 tennis areas. But if not for the relationships the ATA established with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) in recent years, it wouldn’t have had the “in” to forge this partnership with Houston. “Connecting with Houston would
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have been very difficult if not for the guidance we received through our partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD),” King said. “That’s a critical step in the process. That allows ATA and TPWD to capitalize on each other’s help and expertise, and then efficiently merge those talents with Houston’s parks-and-recreation staff. Houston had the leadership and infrastructure to quickly join that partnership. That also allows the state and ATA to complement Houston’s existing programs, not duplicate them.” The boomerang investment in Texas began to pay off May 5-7 when 14 employees of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department completed the ATA’s first Archery Academy, made possible by a generous grant from the Easton Sports Development Foundation to the ATA to grow the sport. Completing the academy qualifies participants to teach archery through Parks and Recreation programs, and it qualifies them to train other archery instructors. As more instructors come on board, archery’s reach will expand. “The ‘training the trainer’ concept creates a domino effect that will help bring the sport of archery to the very doorstep of many more youths who might otherwise never have the opportunity to become involved,” explained Michelle Doerr, ATA director of archery and bowhunting programs. Doerr, along with Dee Falks, the ASA federation director and a USA Archery elite coach, were the academy instructors. During the three-day academy, participants received training on topics such as range safety, archery equipment, how to set up a program, coaching positions and archery games. They were also given the opportunity to attend workshops on subjects such as the ATA’s Explore Bowhunting
Program, coaching tips and how to design an archery facility. One of the more popular workshops, Doerr said, was the bowhunting program. “We often see the assumption that interest in bowhunting is low in large metropolitan areas like Houston,” Doerr said. “But that’s not the case. Attendees with little or no exposure to bowhunting were interested in how the activities in Explore Bowhunting could be used to keep kids engaged and expand on what they might learn in archery class. The key seems to be, if it’s fun and safe, all forms of archery will be embraced.” Academy attendee Kay Joshua, the city’s recreation programs division manager, said, “The professionalism of the ATA staff and those who assisted with the academy was outstanding. The academy will allow our trained managers to introduce archery as a new program and take this sport to a higher level to reach youths and teen audiences we have not been able to before.” The ultimate goal of the ATA, and the archery and bowhunting industry the association represents, is to elevate archery to a level on par with other mainstream urban school and community sports such as baseball, volleyball, tennis, soccer or swimming.
“There is no reason why archery cannot become as popular as those other sports activities,” Doerr said. “Eventually, I believe it will.” The ATA expects faster growth in the years ahead as it strengthens its relationships with state agencies and broadens its work with urban parks-and-recreation departments. When King analyzes each state to determine its recruitment efforts, the number of projects under way, the support shown by its agency director and the presence of ATA members in each state, he sees more states than ever growing their recruitment efforts, and the ATA is there to help. States showing great potential in the years ahead are Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Virginia, Texas and Tennessee. About the Archery Academies: The Archery Academy is a joint program provided by the ATA and its members and made possible by a generous grant from the Easton Foundations. The ATA and Easton Foundations work together on a number of projects designed to grow archery and bowhunting participation. These growth projects would not be possible without the support of ATA members and the Easton Foundations.
Inside Archery 25 August 2010
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New&Notable New & Innovative Products to Watch
Flextone Fan Dangler 1
Wild turkey is arguably one of the most challenging animal to bag with a bow, so when success comes you want to exhibit the accomplishment. Flextone’s Fan Dangler provides all the needed tools to dry, position and mount the colorful fan of a hard-won gobbler. The simple and effective Fan Dangler includes an effective drying mount to prep feathers for the wall—just attach the fan to the drying mount within 12 hours of taking the turkey, hang it upside down and the plumage spreads into a regal and symmetrical fan. The fan can either be mounted to the wall with the drying mount or even used in a decoy setup to fool the next tom. For a more substantial display, the Fan Dangler also comes with a Trophy Mount. The Trophy Mount displays the beard, spurs and fan of a bird along with the Flextone logo. The Fan Dangler can turn your fall turkey hunt into year-round aesthetic satisfaction. For more information, log onto flextonegamecalls.com.
2 Muzzy Phantom-MX 85
Confidence in the field often comes from brand names that you trust. The Phantom-MX 85 fixed-blade broadhead offers everything you have come to expect from the folks at Muzzy. The two-blade, cut-oncontact head features a 1.12-inch cutting diameter, and similar to its older cousin, the original PhantomMX, the MX 85 offers a shorter profile with less blade surface for better tuning and maximum accuracy. Even with high-speed bows, the MX 85 will fly like a dart, and the scary-sharp steel blades will devastate the toughest of game. This new and impressive broadhead from Muzzy is straightforward and effective. For more information, log onto muzzy.com.
Fuse Pilot M-Series 1
The new Fuse Pilot M-Series sight packs a bevy of features into an effective addition to any accuracy junkie’s bow setup. The sight comes with an option of three, five or seven adjustable pins that can be easily micro-tuned. Second- and third-axis adjustments allow for boosted aiming precision, and an advantageously placed sight light allows for shooting in darker conditions. The Pilot M-Series is lightweight, tough and comes in Realtree APG and black options. Shock Rod Technology is integrated directly into the Pilot M-Series resulting in valuable vibration control and noise reduction. For more information, log onto fusearchery.com.
2 Badlands Sacrifice
With the Badlands Sacrifice pack, you sacrifice nothing and gain an extremely light pack capable of venturing across the toughest terrain and through the most adverse conditions. High-load hunting packs tend to be a bit heavy, and sometimes even cumbersome. Badlands has revolutionized the hunting pack world with the introduction of the Sacrifice. This ultra-light pack weighs in at a mere 3.9 pounds with a comfortable internal-frame design. Sweat and discomfort are mitigated by the Sacrifice’s hypervent suspension. Well-known backcountry bowhunter Cameron Hanes teamed up with Badlands to design the pack, and his expertise has helped Badlands come up with a product that delivers the ultimate in lightweight durability. For more information, log onto badlandspacks.com.
Inside Archery 26 August 2010
Mathews Passion Electric Teal 1
The Mathews Passion bow, designed with female archers in mind, now has a fresh new color option. The Passion Electric Teal adds a stylish new flare to the popular bow model. The Passion is 29.75 inches from axle to axle, sports a brace height of 6 inches and weighs in at an easy-to-carry 3.6 pounds. The Passion features Mathews’ SphereLock Pivoting Limb Cup System, Perimeter Weighted Passion Solocam, SE4 Composite Limbs System, Harmonic Damping System and quick-change axle. The Passion is available in draw lengths from 22.5 to 29 inches and in draw-weight options from 30 to 70 pounds. Other color options include camo, pink, electric pink and teal. For more information, log onto mathewsinc.com.
2 Bohning Custom HD Arrow Wraps
Bohning Custom HD Arrow Wraps are a slick new way to add a customized style to your arrows and trademark your business. Send your own artwork and design to Bohning, and it will create custom wraps with that artwork—logo included. If you don’t have custom artwork for a background, just send Bohning a logo and it will utilize one of its vibrant stock backgrounds integrated with your logo. These sharp Custom HD Arrow Wraps create a perfect marketing tool for your business. Custom HD Arrow Wraps can be ordered in quantities of 250 to 5,000 of one design, and price is determined by quantity. For more information, log onto bohning.com.
Hot Shot Infinity 1
Among the hottest new index-finger releases for 2010 is the impressive Hot Shot Infinity. The Infinity uses a new cutting-edge Lever-Link trigger mechanism that is crisper and has less trigger creep than ever before. With this new innovative actuating mechanism, Hot Shot has managed to decrease the friction that occurs with roller bearings and further protect from performancedefeating dirt and dust. The Infinity’s Cat’s Eye hook design ensures a speedy hookup in the heat of battle. You can fine-tune this release to your exact preference with the adjustable trigger tension and travel. This smooth release is available with either magnetic closure, standard buckle or a Velcro. The release is one of the key factors in consistent shots and the Hot Shot Infinity’s new features are sure to bolster the performance of all archers. For more information, log onto hotshotmanufacturing.com.
2 Southern Outdoor Technologies Bale Condo
The new Bale Condo from Southern Outdoor Technologies pushes the limit of what features a transportable blind can have. The extraordinarily roomy 78x76x65-inch layout of the Bale Condo allows multiple hunters to use the blind at the same time while protecting them from the senses of game and weather conditions. Six windows line the walls of the Bale Condo and ensure visibility at all angles but still conceal interior movement. With all that is included in the Bale Condo’s repertoire, it’s hard to believe how transportable it is. The 300-pound Bale Condo comes with built-in runners that make moving it a simple task of hooking it to an ATV and motoring on to your next hunting area. The Bale Condo’s mobility pumps up its versatility; it can be used on whitetail, turkey, bear, pronghorn and more. Just hook it up and cruise. You can even sleep in the Bale Condo to get the extra jump on that early morning buck. For more information, log onto sportsmanscondo.com.
Inside Archery 27 August 2010
New&Notable TNT Archery Revolution Bow 1
This tiny bow packs a punch. Designed by backcountry hunters that continually faced long hikes, long days and tough terrain, the TNT Archery Revolution offers many unique features that make this the perfect bow for trekking into the deep woods or high mountains. It weighs a mere 3.25 pounds with an axle-to-axle length of 22 inches, but it still can obtain plenty of killing speed. Repair and maintenance can also become issues in the backcountry—if you are miles out and can’t repair a string, you could be in trouble. But the Revolution’s design allows for a quick string replacement with nothing more than a common wrench. It also works great in blinds where there is only a small amount of space to position yourself for a shot. In a departure from the speed-happy culture of bow engineering today, the Revolution sets itself apart by focusing on comfort. For more information, log onto tntarchery.com.
2 Alpine Archery MR2
The Alpine MR2 stabilizer has tremendous vibration dampening and balancing properties. The MR2 sports an adjustable Six Shooter head that offers the ability to change the weight of the head by adding or subtracting included 158-grain .357 caliber slugs. The slugs can be added to one side or the other of the head to further balance the bow and each shot. By utilizing Doinker Flex Coupler technology, the MR2 drastically reduces recoil and quells vibration. The 5.5-inch MR2 comes with multiple color options and can be adjusted in weight from 7 to 9 ounces. For more information, log onto alpinearchery.com.
Inside Archery 28 August 2010
CIrcle #197
P E OP L E
Archery Industry Members Participating in the Sport SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO: Email a color image with your name, address, where animal was taken and archery gear used to popphoto@insidearchery.com or mail to Inside Archery Power of Participation, 2960 N. Academy Blvd., Suite 101, Colorado Springs, CO 80917.
Bob Poth • Maryland Whitetail
Isaac Wissestad • Texas Blackbuck Antelope
Archery Staff—Gun Shack/Crosswind Pro Shop
Sales Representative—Mathews Inc.
Bow: Black Widow PSA Take-Down Arrow: Beman MFX Classic
Bow: Mathews Z7 Arrow: Easton Full Metal Jacket
Broadhead: Zwickey No Mercy Quiver: Great Northern
Inside Archery 30 August 2010
Sight: Sword Acu-Site Rest: Mathews DownForce Clothing: Lost Camo
Todd Levings • Texas Whitetail Pro Shop Manager—BowTech
Matt Eggert • Iowa Whitetail Sales Manager/Bow Technician—Old 45 Archery Bow: Elite GT500 Arrow: Carbon Express Maxima Broadhead: Muzzy MX3
Sight: HHA Optimizer Lite 5510 Rest: G5 Expert II Stand: Lone Wolf Hang On
Bow: BowTech Destroyer 350 Arrow: Gold Tip Broadhead: Muzzy
Sight: Spot-Hogg Rest: Octane TripWire Release: Carter
Leo Grant • Michigan Black Bear
Dudley McGarity • Montana Elk
Vice President—Kwikee Kwiver
CEO—Quake Industries
Bow: Darton Pro3000 Arrow: Victory Broadhead: Rage 2-Blade
Bow: G&L Archery Mantis Arrow: Cedar
Rest: QAD Ultra-Rest Release: Tru-Fire Edge Quiver: Kwikee Kwiver Kwik-3
Inside Archery 31 August 2010
Broadhead: Wensel Woodsman Elite Sling: Quake Claw
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onsideration is the shortest distance between any business and its customers. Consideration keeps the two close. “After high school and a tour in the Marine Corps, I spent 11 years working in a sporting goods store in Dillon, Montana,” says Keith Dvoroznak. “It’s interesting how experiences tend to shape your life and your thinking. The Marine Corps taught me self-discipline and pride in my country, and instilled the notion in me that there was little I couldn’t do if I put my mind to it. “All those years in retail also had a big effect. I learned about consumers, how they desperately wanted to be treated, what they expected and how they viewed both retailers and manufacturers. And, of course, I learned about retailing, what worked and what didn’t, what helped and hurt and how manufacturers of all sorts and sizes worked and interacted with retailers. What I really learned in that phase of my life was that a sincere consideration between all of the parties involved––consumers, retailers and manufacturers––was the key to success. Everyone yearned to be treated right.” For Keith Dvoroznak, archery and bowhunting was in the blood. Keith’s father, Don Dvoroznak, has now been shooting a bow for over 50 years. In the last three decades, Don has made a living in the archery industry as a sales rep, manufacturer’s representative and bowhunting writer. Don first put a bow in Keith’s hands almost before Keith could walk.
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“I remember shooting arrows and stalking gophers and birds around our farm in Colorado when my bow was bigger than me,” Keith recalls. “Even then I began to feel just how special archery and hunting with a bow really were. Later I came to see what a personal thing both endeavors could become, how archery and bowhunting could draw you in to shape a perspective, even a lifestyle.” With that foundation it was no surprise that Keith would eventually seek to combine things––the discipline of the Marine, the consideration of the thoughtful businessman and a personal passion for archery and especially bowhunting. “For over a decade I had listened intently to our retail archery customers in Dillon, sifting through what they wanted and needed and deserved. And one of the things that struck me was their preoccupation with arrow rests. Beyond the bow itself, the arrow rest was the center of so much of the bow’s performance. Arrow flight, accuracy, speed, even shooting confidence could be helped or hurt by the choice of an arrow rest. I found all that fascinating, and I began thinking about the notion of a new arrow rest that would actually help bowhunters shoot better.
Inside Archery 34 August 2010
“In my mind I set several performance objectives based on what so many archery customers had discussed with me over the years. I wanted an arrow rest in which the arrow was completely contained before and during the shot. Fumbling with or knocking an arrow loose during the excitement of a hunt or shot was a constant fear for so many bowhunters. I also wanted an arrow rest that almost automatically delivered perfect arrow flight and superb accuracy. And, of course, it had to be a rest that was rough and tough, and 100-percent reliable in every imaginable weather condition and bowhunting scenario. All of that was a lot, but gradually a mental picture of the mechanics of such a rest began to develop. “What eventually formed was a total-containment arrow rest that was also a very effective fall-away rest. I’d personally used various fall-away arrow rests for years and had come to believe in the basic concept of complete fletch clearance for improved flight and accuracy. By combining that with total arrow containment, I felt I had everything that bowhunters wanted and needed.” In the summer and fall of 2003, Keith Dvoroznak began developing prototypes for testing. “I took my ideas to a good friend who had the machining capabilities to make small-run parts, and together we made and assembled a handful of my new arrow rests. I quickly enlisted my father and a handful of close bowhunting friends as field testers with the instructions that they should beat my prototypes to death. I
told them all that they should do with my prototypes whatever they needed to do with an arrow rest, they should not baby it in any way and they should shoot and bowhunt with it as hard as possible. Then I asked that they report back to me with an honest appraisal, to which I pledged to listen with a ready pencil and an open mind.” By December of 2003 Keith’s new arrow rest had undergone several changes, and Keith felt that he was finally ready to launch the product to the bowhunting public. He took out a business loan from a local bank, made up 500 arrow rests and proceeded to formulate a Marine-like introduction plan. “My father had been a Marine before me, and together we cooked up an action plan. First, I called the Archery Trade Association to inquire about an exhibitor booth at the fast-approaching ATA Archery Trade Show. It was December, and that January show was just a month away. We knew we were late, but we really wanted to launch at that industry-wide trade show. “Next we asked for and received an archery dealer list from the Archery Trade Association, complete with phone numbers. Then Dad and I burned up the phone lines. In the two weeks just before the show we called nearly every dealer on that list, briefly explaining the concepts behind our new arrow rest and inviting them to visit our booth at the show. “The Marines had taught both my father and me that you went to war by hardening your resolve and then taking a full 30-inch step with your left foot. We took pretty much that same approach outside of the show hall at the 2004
Inside Archery 35 August 2010
ATA Archery Trade Show in Indianapolis, Indiana. We marched in and immediately began selling ourselves and our new arrow rest.” Keith had decided to call the rest the Ripcord. “That, too, was born out of military influence. When you jump out of a perfectly good airplane you rely on your ripcord to open your parachute. Pull the cord and it better open! I felt that it was essentially the same thing with the activation cord on our arrow rest. Pull the cord and the rest would fall reliably every time, with every shot. “Dealer reaction at the show was overwhelming. Our 500 Ripcord Arrow Rests were gone in just two days. The preshow phone campaign we’d worked so hard on had driven
dealer traffic to our booth, and the rests had practically sold themselves. I even remember the very first Ripcord dealer order we took at that show. It was with John Thomas of Mount George Archery in Danville, Arkansas.” The Ripcord sales pitch was simple. “The Ripcord Arrow Rest offered indisputable advantages. Essentially, the Ripcord combined the best of both worlds––the arrow security of a total-containment rest and the complete fletch clearance and improved arrow flight and accuracy of a fall-away rest. The tongue-in-cheek tagline we used at the show was that it was a ‘Biscuit with Gravy.’ That turned heads and made people smile. The Ripcord Arrow Rest was so well received that it was included in
Inside Archery 36 August 2010
Inside Archery’s prestigious ‘Talk of the Show’ list and magazine article about that list for 2004.” Today, seven years later, Ripcord the company is booming, and the arrow rest is hugely popular with serious bowhunters. Located in the Big Sky Country of Dillon, Montana, Ripcord consists of a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility––complete with CNC machining centers––warehouse and offices. Don Dvoroznak heads up the sales efforts out of his home office while Keith presides over the entire operation. “We know that the backbone of our operation,” says Keith, “is really made up of the talented people who manufacture the precise components and handassemble each and every Ripcord Arrow Rest. Heading up the machining team is Bryan Mackie. Natasha Kearney, Anders Lundberg and Aaron Miller do the lion’s share of the careful assembly and packaging. And Lindy Walker is office manager.” 2010 is a landmark year for Ripcord. Now one of the most popular bowhunting arrow rests of all time, the original Ripcord Arrow Rest has been redesigned, significantly improved and renamed the Ripcord Code Red. The new Ripcord Code Red delivers all of the advantages of the original Ripcord. It features, for example, the exclusive Ripcord Arrow Containment System. When an arrow is loaded and the launcher arm is cocked into its upright position, an overhead containment bar holds that arrow in place at all times, no matter what. You could even turn the bow upside down and not dislodge or lose the arrow. It also sports an offset activation cord. By offsetting the activation cord a full 2 inches from the center of the launcher arm, the cord won’t ever interfere with arrow clearance or flight. Easy installation has long been a hallmark of the Ripcord Arrow Rests. Unlike many fall-away arrow rests, you don’t need a bow press or serving to install a Ripcord Arrow Rest. Ripcord’s exclusive football clip conveniently attaches the rest’s activation cord to the bow’s cable. Lightning-fast fall-away time continues to compensate for less-thanperfect shot execution and bow torque, making all Ripcord Arrow Rests among the most forgiving
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bowhunting rests ever. And then there’s the rock-solid Ripcord guarantee. Every Ripcord rest is built to last. It’s precision machined from blocks of aircraft-grade aluminum and features rounded edges and contoured surfaces for a finished, professional look. But if the original Ripcord owner has a part break for any reason at all, it will be repaired or replaced at absolutely no charge. No questions asked. On top of all that, the brand-new-for-2010 Ripcord Code Red offers additional features and benefits. There’s a new Slimline Launcher on the Code Red that enables additional right-to-left launcher adjustment. That new launcher is made of heavy-duty Delrin so it’s virtually unbreakable. Maybe the biggest new-launcher news of all, though, is that the new Code Red launcher is over-molded with a soft red material that silences and dampens this new Ripcord like never before. The over-molding
Inside Archery 38 August 2010
completely eliminates the need for extra moleskin. Right out of the package, the Ripcord Code Red Arrow Rest is ready for bowhunting without a sound. Equally big news with the new Ripcord Code Red is the rest’s advanced Internal Brake System. Extensive testing utilizing special high-speed photography has shown that a key issue in proper arrow clearance with some fall-away rests is a phenomenon known as launcher bounce-back. With too many fallaway rests, the launcher arm falls away as it should but then quickly bounces back up into the path of the arrow, clipping the vanes as the arrow passes. That sneaky bounce-back can negatively impact both arrow flight and downrange accuracy. To eliminate all possibility of launcher bounce-back, Ripcord developed and integrated an Internal Brake System within the new Ripcord Code Red. That brake system captures and locks the Ripcord Code Red launcher arm into the down position after the shot. That innovation results in easier initial tuning, better clearance, more consistent arrow flight and enhanced accuracy. “All told, the new Ripcord Code Red Arrow Rest is really something!” It’s rare to find a manufacturer that also has the retail experience of someone like Ripcord’s Keith Dvoroznak. All that time as a retailer infused Keith with a thorough understanding of how and why retail works and what can clog up the process. “My conclusion,” Keith explains, “is that it all boils down to treating people the same way you’d like to be treated. It really is that simple. When I was a retailer I learned how annoying and even disastrous it could be to get run around by a manufacturer. And that includes back orders. At Ripcord we pride ourselves in exemplary customer service, a huge respect for dealers and the important job they do and no back orders, ever. In fact, in the last six years we’ve not had a single back order. We know that our number one priority is to carefully consider and take care of our dealers.” Pulling together complementary operational elements is often the mark of a successful business. Ripcord blends a long-standing passion for archery with hardnosed self-discipline and a sincere consideration for its many customers. For more information on Ripcord, please log onto www.ripcordarrowrest.com.
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Inside Archery 39 August 2010
M a r k e t
T r e n d s
Field Test By Bill Krenz
Gorilla EXO TECH G30 Safety Harness
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he old saying, “Easy as falling off a log,” applies to treestands. It’s oh-so-easy to fall out of a treestand. I know because I’ve done it. The fall happens fast. Really fast. Shockingly fast. In spite of what you’d think, there’s no time to catch yourself or twist around to grab something or align yourself for the impact. Things happen much too quickly. You teeter, gravity grabs you and you’re down. I broke my shoulder. Others have not been so lucky. There is NO good excuse today for not wearing an approved safety-harness system when hunting from a treestand. NO excuse. Such safety systems can save your life in more ways than one. A proper full-body harness system will, of course, keep you from hitting the ground in the event of a fall. But there’s more. A quality full-body harness will also arrest your fall, cushioning the shock of an otherwise abrupt midair stop, and it will keep you upright and reasonably comfortable after that stop so that you can recover and escape from the suspended position. In addition, the best of today’s treestand safety-harness systems are relatively easy to put on and utilize. Since my own treestand fall, which was about 15 years ago, I have religiously used most of the best treestand safety-harness systems on the market, and I have watched those harness systems evolve, getting better and easier to use all the time. My most recent acquisition is Gorilla’s new EXO TECH G30 Safety Harness. It’s a new system that I really like. The very first full-body treestand safety-harness systems were a royal pain to put on and get properly adjusted. They had more floppy straps than a circus tent, and untangling and donning such a first-generation harness in the dark at the base of your tree at 5 in the morning was about as easy as threading a needle in a hurricane. Fortunately, the second-generation harness systems that followed solved much of that by transitioning to a vest-type arrangement that kept things ordered and organized. The new
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Gorilla EXO TECH G30 is a third-generation safety harness. It utilizes a trimmer, more comfortable harness system and a host of even more advanced safety-system features. For me, donning the new Gorilla EXO TECH G30 is as easy as putting on a quality high-end backpack, and it feels just as comfortable. There’s no excess cloth to snag or bind on the clothing I’m already wearing. The unbuckled EXO TECH G30 simply slides into position just like a backpack. Then the padded waist belt buckles securely and adjusts quickly to a snug and comforting fit. Next the leg loops are looped around each leg and buckled and snugged in place. This is probably a good place to mention those EXO TECH buckles. They’re metal, super strong and secure, and they can be snapped shut almost silently. I really like that silent part. A conventional plastic buckle snapping shut can sometimes sound like a rifle shot in the predawn quiet. Finally, the shoulder straps are tightened and the sternum strap is buckled shut and snugged up. That’s it. Ready to go. The Gorilla EXO TECH G30 really is as easy and fast to get into as a quality backpack and just as comfortable. Still, ease of putting on and comfort is one thing, while safety is another. The Gorilla EXO TECH G30 is loaded with advanced safety features for climbing a tree, sitting or standing in a treestand and even for escaping safely from a suspended position should you fall. For safely climbing the tree, the EXO TECH G30 features an integrated Lineman’s Climbing Strap. That Lineman’s Climbing Strap is conveniently squirreled away, when not in use, in a storage pouch that attaches to the harness’s hip belt. To utilize the climbing strap you simply pull out the strap and attach one end to the
bright red side anchor on the waist belt, wrap the strap around the back of the waist belt and through the red side anchor on the other side of the belt. Then you continue to wrap the climbing strap around the main trunk of the tree and attach its end with the supplied mountaineering-grade carabiner to the original red anchor. An adjuster buckle is used to conveniently regulate the length of the climbing strap. As you climb the tree, the Lineman’s Climbing Strap is simply bumped up ahead of you, keeping you reasonably secure at all times. Once on your treestand, and while remaining attached to the tree with the Lineman’s Climbing Strap, a supplied nylon tree strap with D-loop is securely attached around the tree’s truck and the EXO TECH G30’s advanced tether is locked into that D-loop. The tree strap is then positioned and tightened above head height when standing to limit free fall to the shortest possible distance. The unique 30-inch SAS (Shock Absorbing System) Tether on the EXO TECH G30 has been specifically designed to cushion your fall. Should that fall occur you will find yourself safely suspended below your treestand but above the very hard ground. That’s good. But it is also troublesome. You’ve now got to extricate yourself from that suspended position. Hunters with varying degrees of physical fitness may require different plans to recover and escape from prolonged suspension. With any treestand safety harness, some hunters may be able to simply swing around and climb back up the tree. Others may not. A cell phone, a two-way radio or a whistle which allows you to call for help is always a good idea. So are any number of products or systems that allow for slow user descent to the ground after a fall. Should you be unable to climb back up onto your treestand or contact help, the Lineman’s Climbing Strap supplied with the Gorilla EXO TECH G30 can be used to relieve the load on the lower extremities should you remain suspended. To do that simply remove the Lineman’s Climbing Strap from its storage pouch and adjust the strap loop size until you can step into the strap loop to relieve the load on your lower extremities. With even the best life-saving treestand safety systems, like the Gorilla EXO TECH
G30, it’s important to have a rescue, relief and recovery plan. Full-body treestand safety harnesses have continued to improve over the years. The most advanced systems today, such as the Gorilla EXO TECH G30, are easier and quieter to put on, more comfortable in all weather conditions
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and they offer added features like a Lineman’s Climbing Strap and even a suspension-relief strategy. Don’t climb a tree without the latest and best safety harness available. You life is not worth it. For more information, log onto gorillatreestands.com or call Gorilla Treestands at (877) 685-7817.
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The best way to maximize your sales of scent-related bowhunting products is to sell the idea of a system. Explain it this way. You can’t overestimate a whitetail’s sense of smell. But you can occasionally fool that keen sense if you do everything right. And the surest way to do that is to create a personal system comprised of the best scent-elimination products, cover scents, attractant scents and the most effective scent dispensers. Great bowhunters make use of all four to manufacture their bowhunting success. Sell the system. Point out, for example, the first-step advisability of proper scent-elimination products, including how the best of those products should be used.
Selling Scent-Elimination Products
Before leaving home your customers should remove odor from their skin and hair by showering with Muzzy’s Shampoo & Body Soap. Available in Unscented and Earth Scent, Muzzy Shampoo & Body Soap comes in a 16-ounce bottle that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. After showering with scent-eliminating body wash and shampoo, they can keep themselves scent free with Deer-Odorant from Hunting Science. This fragrance-free deodorant provides 24-hour protection from body odor, improving your chances of hunting success. Hunter’s Specialties offers a complete line of powerful ScentA-Way products, including Scent-A-Way
spray, soap, shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, mints, field wipes and laundry detergent. Point out Hunter’s Specialties’ $2 mail-in rebate on 12-ounce bottles of Scent-A-Way spray and $5 mail-in rebate on the 56-ounce Scent-A-Way Bonus Pak, the 84-ounce Scent-A-Way Valu-Pak and Scent-A-Way Laundry Detergent. Might a carbon suit be too expensive for some of your customers? They can make their own carbon suits with Natural Predator TRU-Carbon H2O. They just add Tru-Carbon H2O pellets to 2.5 gallons of water and dip their hunting clothing into the mix. The powerful activated-carbon pellets infuse clothing with carbon’s scent-eliminating properties. Reapply Tru-Carbon H2O as needed for long-lasting scent protection. The new SilverScent Products Vanish Laundry Ball is a totally unique laundry product that will help get hunting clothing cleaner and eliminate odors in the wash. Natural ceramics in the Vanish Laundry Ball emit ions that weaken the adherence of foreign material on clothing, while antimicrobial properties remove pathogens, germs and both organic and inorganic odors. Invisible Hunter offers an exceptional line of scent-elimination products that counter human odor, allowing the user to hunt undetected. A number of formulations in a variety of field scents are available, making it possible for hunters to select the scent product that is ideal for their particular hunting environment. Check out Invisible Hunter Laundry Detergent, Stick Deodorant, Bath and Face Soap, Shampoo and Boot Spray, all available in Fresh Earth, Sage, Cornfield, Wheat, Cactus, Pine and Aspen field scents. Electronic scent eliminators offer a great way to eradicate odor on clothing and gear. One great electronic scent eliminator is the
Buck Country Products Oxy Elim-A-Scent Electronic Scent Eliminator. This device emits activated oxygen and negative ions to destroy odor, mold, mildew and pollutants and is available in three different sizes for optimal scent elimination in spaces of all sizes. Another electronic scent eliminator worth checking out is the Xterminator. Developed with the help of NASA technology, the Xterminator quickly destroys odor at the source. Activated oxidation plasma—among other top-secret technologies—shreds odor-causing organic compounds into their base atomic elements. Run the Xterminator in a closet or small room to create a decontamination chamber for hunting gear. Genuine scent-elimination clothing has been a godsend for bowhunters. The Dream Season Silent Shell Jacket and Pant boast Cold Fusion, the latest apparel technology from ScentBlocker. Cold Fusion garments feature micro-powdered activated carbon fused onto the fabric for uniform odor containment. A water-repellant, breathable polyester shell and a micro-fleece inner lining make the Dream Season Silent Shell Jacket and Pant both durable and comfortable. Russell Outdoors offers a full line of hunting garments, including many with scentcontrol properties. Among these are the Ladies’ Base Layer Top and Pant. Based on Russell Outdoors’ bestselling base layer for men, these garments have been redesigned to meet the needs of female hunters. Comfortable polyester stretch knit wicks moisture away from the skin, while an antimicrobial finish helps keep you scent free. New for 2010 is the Scent-Lok Dual-Fleece Jacket and Pant. Available in Scent-Lok’s ultra-effective Vertigo camouflage, the Dual-Fleece Jacket and Pant provide both visual
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concealment and 360 degrees of scent containment. Soft and quiet, Dual-Fleece garments offer convenient pockets to keep gear organized. New from Hunter’s Specialties are ScentA-Way Tek 4 garments. Woven into the fabric of these quality garments are nylon threads permanently encapsulated in pure silver for scenteliminating properties that will last for the life of the clothing. Tek 4 garments wick moisture away from the body, keeping you dry and comfortable. Base layer tops and pants are available in both light and heavy weights, as well as in Realtree AP HD camo and champagne. SilverMax Technology ensures that your customers will stay scent free in Medalist SilverMax Underwear. SilverMax fibers feature a 360-degree layer of pure silver to inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria. In addition, SilverMax helps to regulate body temperature to keep hunters cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold. In the field, scent-elimination can be taken to even higher levels. Scent-eliminating sprays are easy to use and effective in the field. But spray bottles can leak and spill en route, and hunters trying to avoid excessive checkedbag fees can’t just pack liquids in a carry-on bag. The new ScentBlocker Ti4 Dry Pack will help you avoid the mess and hassle of travelling with liquid sprays. This handy, compact product packs all the power of the original ScentBlocker Ti4 into a convenient powder. When you reach your destination, simply mix with water in a spray bottle and you can enjoy a scent-free hunt. New for 2010 is the Vanish line of scent-elimination products from the scent expertsat Tink’s. Vanish products incorporate rev-olutionary Byotrol Technology, which destroys over 300 odor-causing compounds and creates a microscopic barrier to prevent new odor
from sticking to skin and clothes. The Vanish line includes the Odor Eliminator Spray, Hair & Body Soap, Concentrated Laundry Detergent, Odor Eliminating Field Wipes and alcohol-free Odorless Hand Sanitizer Foam. Last year, Wildlife Research Center introduced Super Charged Scent Killer, which independent testing has found to be over 99-percent effective at eliminating replicated human odor. New this year is the HighOutput Trigger Sprayer, available on the 12-ounce field bottle in the Super Charged Scent Killer Quart/Combo. This unique sprayer delivers more spray with every pull of the trigger, and the ergonomic fit allows for more consistent coverage. Best of all, the High-Output Trigger Sprayer offers a shut-off feature to prevent leaks during transport. In addition to high-quality scenteliminating clothing, Scent-Lok offers Odor Eliminating Field Spray. Multiple enzymes attack odor compounds, breaking up the molecular chain to destroy odor on equipment, boots and clothing. Odor Eliminating Field Spray is biodegradable and safe to use on skin. If you’re hunting from a ground blind, you need to check out Ambush Triple-X Ground Blind Spray. This innovative scent-elimination product uses a powerful silver-based polymer to adhere to the fabric of your blind, destroying foreign odor and protecting your blind from moisture for up to 60 days. Primos Silver XP Continuous Spray Earth Blend destroys both bacteria-caused odors like body odor and non-bacterial odors like smoke. The continuous spray function sprays at any angle and provides complete product coverage. Silver XP Earth Blend works on contact. The Buck Stop Scent Stop Trigger Spray Odor Eliminator with Dirt Essence is a highly effective scent-elimination spray with a built-in
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Continued on page 46
Continued from page 44
cover scent. Available in a large 27-ounce bottle with convenient trigger sprayer, Odor Eliminator with Dirt Essence is great for use on clothing and equipment. To optimize their chances of success, your customers need to be scent free in all conditions, but cold temperatures can make it difficult or impossible to use liquid scenteliminating products. Fortunately, Code Blue EliminX Stealth Dust goes on dry and penetrates the fabric of clothing to remove odor. Simply shake Stealth Dust onto your clothing or use the included sock applicator. Eliminate odors and protect yourself from both animal- and human-borne diseases with Dead Down Wind Scent-Free Hand Sanitizer. This FDA-certified sanitizer disinfects in seconds and completely eradicates all odors, including contact odors like smoke or food odors. Use Dead Down Wind ScentFree Hand Sanitizer in the field, after field-dressing, at home and anywhere else you’d like to stay germ free. Keep your gear scent free while walking in to your stand with the new ScenTote Day Pack. The ScenTote Day Pack features over 1,000 cubic inches of storage space and conveniently sized pockets to organize gear. ScenTote’s patented activated-carbon web and scent-proof zipper protect the contents of the pack’s main compartment from foreign odors. The lightweight shoulder straps are ultra-comfortable, and a chest strap distributes the pack’s load evenly to keep pressure off of your shoulders. As your customers walk to their stands they could potentially be leaving behind a trail of scent from their boots. Fortunately, the Elimitrax Overboot System, which consists of leggings and a special overboot, utilizes new plastics technology to create a barrier between your stinky boots and the
ground and brush you come into contact with. For continuous in-the-field odor elimination, take a look at the new Ozonics HR-200. This electronic device accompanies hunters into the field to prevent odor from reaching game animals. Utilizing odor-destroying ozone, the HR-200 features two output modes for optimal performance in both treestands and ground blinds. In ground-blind mode, the HR-200 eliminates nearly 100 percent of odor in your blind. The O3 Ozone boost mode means you’ll get 50-percent more output for enhanced scent elimination in your treestand. The quiet and lightweight HR-200 operates on a rechargeable battery. You may be scent free at the start of your hunt, but how do you know how long you’ll stay that way? If you’d like to know how well your scent-elimination regimen is working, simply wear a Black Canyon Instant Alert Badge on your outermost layer of clothing. The Instant Alert Badge detects amino, ammonia, nitrogen and other vapors and changes color as those vapors become more concentrated, letting you know when it’s time to get out of the woods.
Selling Cover Scents
If your customers hunt around oak trees, Tink’s Acorn Cover Scent will help them blend in and put whitetails at ease. Featuring a convenient pump spray, Tink’s Acorn Cover Scent can be applied to their treestands to cover foreign odors. The natural acorn scent also helps draw deer in. Also available from Tink’s are Pine Cover Scent, Earth Cover Scent, Cedar Cover Scent, Bandit Coon Cover Scent and Red Fox-P Cover. Buck Stop Pine with Deer Musk is an effective cover scent that works in pine forests all over the country. A flip-top applicator makes applying this cover scent a breeze. If your customers would rather avoid dealing with liquid scents, check out the Wildlife
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Research Center Earth Trophy Leaf, a conveniently packaged cover scent that smells like dirt and decomposing leaves. This leaf-shaped pre-scented wafer features vents for optimal scent dispersal. The Wildlife Research Center Trophy Leaf is also available in Pine and Acorn cover scents. Mrs. Doe Pee’s most popular cover scent is Fresh Doe Urine. The scent of a doe has a calming effect on other deer in the vicinity. Other cover scents from Mrs. Doe Pee’s are also undiluted and extremely potent and include Earth, Cedar, Corn, Apple and Acorn scents. Code Blue offers a number of great cover scents. Look for Code Blue Cover Scents in Acorn, Cedar, Fresh Earth, Pine, Coon Urine and Fox Urine to help hunters stay undetected in the woods.
Wildlife Research Center. This kit allows you to create a realistic scrape in two easy steps. First, the Hot-Scrape Mock Scrape Conditioner eliminates unwanted odors from the soil and adds a fresh scraped earth smell. Next, Hot-Scrape Scrape Activator adds a combination of deer smells found in a natural scrape for a convincing scrape that will fool even mature bucks.
Attractant Scents
Avoid leaks and spills from liquid attractants with the Scorpion Venom Dab-A-Deer Buck Lure Stick. This long-lasting, water-resistant whitetail attractant comes in stick form, so it’s super easy to apply. Simply rub it onto a drag cloth to lay a trail or apply it to the base of your tree to bring bucks in close. Tink’s Natural Attraction Deer Lure simulates a new food source in the area for a lure that is effective even into the late season. Natural Attraction piques the curiosity of bucks and does alike to get more deer within shooting range. The scents in the Scrape Juice Deer Attractant line from Muzzy contain a secret solution originally used by trappers that is irresistible to deer. Bowhunter’s Set-Up is an allseason lure that works on bucks and does of all ages. Dominant Buck features the territorial smell of a rutting buck to act as a potent buck lure. Hunting over a scrape is a great way to see more trophy bucks. If a conveniently located scrape isn’t available to you, make your own with Hot-Scrape Mock Scrape Kit from
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The Scent Shield Still Steamin’ Buck Blast Atomizer and Fogger combines powerful Still Steamin’ lures with the convenience of an aerosol dispenser. The Buck Blast can be sprayed intermittently to keep scent fresh around you or dispensed at full power to create a scent “fog.” The Buck Blast is available in Still Steamin’ Doe Estrus and Still Steamin’ Dominant Buck.
Mathews Pure Heat from Real Scent is one of the freshest whitetail urine attractants on the market today. Officially licensed Mathews Pure Heat is collected from whitetail does at the peak of their estrous cycle, filtered, bottled and then refrigerated immediately to maintain the integrity of the pheromones. Real Scent’s innovative 4-ounce aluminum pump spray bottle further ensures that Mathews Pure Heat stays fresh until use. For best results, keep Mathews Pure Heat refrigerated. A great buck lure that works pre-rut, during the rut and post-rut is Mrs. Doe Pee’s bestselling Doe in Estrus Special Blend. To create this potent lure, Mrs. Doe Pee’s collects estrous urine at the peak of the rut, keeps it fresh in a patented freeze-dried state and then blends it with fresh doe urine for a combination bucks cannot resist. The 2-ounce nasal spray bottle allows you to dispense this attractant in three ways. First, lay down a scent trail by holding the bottle upside down and dripping Doe in Estrus as you walk. Second, squirt Doe in Estrus on a drag rag and let the bucks follow the trail in. And third, mist Doe in Estrus on foliage where you want the buck to stop or let the wind carry the scent to bring the bucks to you. New for 2010 is Buck Stop Estrus Doe Urine. A special binding agent is added to potent estrous doe urine for a long-lasting scent that works for hours. Use during the pre-rut and the rut to lure bucks in. The Border Crossing Scents Trio Hunter’s Package contains everything needed to fool the nose of even the wariest whitetail. The Trio Hunter’s Package includes VS-1 Estrus Attractant to draw in bucks during the prerut, Ever Calm Deer Herd in a Stick to keep deer relaxed and Rutting Buck in a Stick to issue a challenge to dominant bucks. These scents come in a convenient,
mess-free stick form. A great mock-scrape maker is Code Blue Scrape Mate, which allows hunters to create a scrape or revitalize an old one. Scrape Mate contains natural deer gland secretions to get the attention of your neighborhood’s big bucks. Code Blue Scrape Mate is effective all season long. The problem with real urine is that it can break down over time. Primos has actually duplicated whitetail urine in its Truth Serum Dominant Buck and Truth Serum Doe Estrus scents. Featuring a strong, powerful scent, Truth Serum stays fresh and won’t break down. Whitetails love acorns, and the Buck Bomb Acorn Rage Bomb takes full advantage of that fact. Buck Bomb teamed up with Wildgame Innovations to create the Acorn Rage, which can drift over a quarter of a mile with just a 3 mph breeze, sticking to everything it comes in contact with to create a scent trail that leads right to your shooting lane. The name says it all—Doc’s Sweet Demise #7 is a deadly whitetail lure that works on bucks and does alike. Because it keeps does in your hunting area, Sweet Demise is extremely effective during the rut. Sweet Demise is available in a 4-ounce pump spray bottle and a 2.5-ounce aerosol can. Pete Rickard’s developed Original Indian Buck Lure over 60 years ago, and it’s still helping bowhunters bring down whitetails today. This naturally strong attractant covers human scent and is irresistible to whitetail bucks. Russ Trading Post has designed a lure specifically for bowhunters hunting in the early season. Bowhunting Deer Lure is made of 100-percent all-natural ingredients for a premium attractant scent. Deer Quest Scent Sticks resemble sticks of incense and operate in much the same way. Simply push a stick into the ground,
Inside Archery 48 August 2010
light it, let it burn for a few seconds, blow out the flame and then cover the stick with the Deer Quest lightweight, collapsible bucket. The Scent Stick will continue to smoke, sending scent downwind for long periods of time. A wide variety of scents are available, including the Food Combo package containing corn-, apple-, carrot- and acorn-scented sticks. Hot-N-Ready XXX from Black Widow Lures is collected from does at the peak of the estrous cycle for a super-hot attractant. Black Widow actually offers its lures under two labels—Gold Label lures, which are collected exclusively from northern whitetails, and Red Label lures, which are collected from southern whitetails—to ensure that your attractants fit into your hunting environment. Scented candles are perfect for permeating the home or office with a pleasant aroma, and they can do the same thing for a hunting area. The scent from Hot Trails’ Scented Hunting Candles can drift up to 500 yards away. Used with the Hot Trails Mini Lantern, these candles will burn safely for up to five hours. Hot Trails scented candles are available in a wide variety of scents, including Doe in Heat, Dominant Buck, White Oak Acorn and Persimmon. Trophy Blend Scents offers a number of excellent whitetail attractants in stick form. Resembling sticks of deodorant, Trophy Blend Scents are potent and easy to apply. Trophy Blend Whitetail Estrus is made from 100-percent doe-in-heat urine.
scent output and normally shuts off in rain or bad weather to save scent. Tink’s Scent Bombs are an efficient and effective way to disperse scent. Simply remove the cap, pull up the wick and hang Scent Bombs from tree limbs to broadcast the chosen scent. Scent Bombs work with all cover scents and lures and double as trail and yardage markers.
Scent Dispensers
Scrapes can be kept active with the Magnum Scrape Dripper from Wildlife Research Center. The Magnum Scrape Dripper operates for two to three weeks on 4 ounces of fluid. This innovative dispenser drips scent only during the day, conditioning bucks to visit your scrape during hunting hours. The Magnum Scrape Dripper gradually intensifies
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Your customers can use the Wick Stik from Pine Ridge Archery to disperse scent in three different ways. Once the Wick Stik is saturated with their favorite scent, they can drag it to create a scent trail, hang it from a tree to bring bucks in or stake it in the ground when a tree branch is not available. The high-quality Wick Stik also makes a great yardage marker.
Lightweight, waterproof and durable, The BuckMister from Old Faithful Outdoors is a highly effective scent-dispersal system utilizing a programmable clock and timer. The clock and timer allow hunters to program The BuckMister with the exact date and time for scent disperal— days, weeks and even months before a hunt. That eliminates the risk of leaving behind human odors and makes it possible to “train” whitetails to visit a hunting area exactly when you want them to. The BuckMister works with highquality Buck Bomb scents. The Code Blue Temptation Electronic Scent Warmer heats scent to a deer’s natural body temperature for a more realistic scent. The Temptation Scent Warmer can be placed on the ground or hung from a tree limb to deliver far-ranging, fresh-smelling scent vapors. Use with Code Blue’s Whitetail Doe Estrous or other Code Blue deer urines and scents. The Temptation uses four AA batteries. The Smell-Right Reusable Scent System from Hunt Rite Accessories makes it easy to disperse whatever scent is most appropriate for each hunting situation. The adjustable Smell-Right is worn as an arm or leg band, or can be attached to a treestand, backpack or other piece of equipment. A durable plastic scent cage holds a high-saturation scent pad, which can be changed out as necessary for different hunts. Simply dip the pad in your favorite liquid scent, lock it into the scent cage and you’re ready to go. The Sportsman Scent System can deliver liquid scent from specially designed canisters a full 25 feet. This water-gun-like device allows hunters to shoot a stream of scent from a treestand to create a scent trail without leaving human scent behind. Acorn Scent, Doc’s Sweet Demise #7, Doe in Season and Dominant Buck liquid scent cartridges are available for use with the Sportsman Scent System. The Stink Stick from Scent Sticks is a fiberglass wick in a leak-proof plastic tube. Simply add the scent of choice to the wick and, once at a hunting site, open the bottom part of the tube to disperse the scent. The quality fiberglass wick won’t stiffen up or deteriorate like cotton or felt wicks. New for 2010 is the Pink Stink Stick produced in cooperation with the Pink Arrow Project. A portion of the sales of the Pink Stink Stick will go to breast cancer research.
Selling the System
The way to sell more scent-related products is to promote the notion of a complete scentprevention and scent-use system. Within that system are scent-elimination products, cover scents, attractants scents and specialized scent dispensers. Sell the notion of the interplay of all four and you will sell more of all four.
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Z
Learn More About the Best Scents
For more information about the best scents, contact the following manufacturers: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Ambush candsglobal.us.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Black Canyon blackcanyonllc.net –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Black Widow Lures blackwidowdeerlures.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Border Crossing Scents bordercrossingscents.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Buck Bomb buckbomb.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Buck Country Products buckcountryproducts.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Buck Stop Scents buckstopscents.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Code Blue Scents codebluescents.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Dead Down Wind deaddownwind.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Deer Quest deerquest.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Doc’s Deer Products docsdeerscents.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Elimitrax elimitrax.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hot Trails hottrails.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hunt Rite Accessories huntriteaccessories.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hunter’s Specialties hunterspec.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Hunting Science huntingscience.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Invisible Hunter invisiblehunter.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Medalist medalist.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Mrs. Doe Pee’s Buck Lures mrsdoepee.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Muzzy Products Corp. muzzy.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Natural Predator naturalpredator.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Old Faithful Outdoors thebuckmister.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Ozonics ozonicshunting.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Pete Rickard’s peterickard.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Pine Ridge Archery pineridgearchery.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Primos primos.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Real Scent realscent.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Russ Trading Post (607) 359-3896 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Russell Outdoors russelloutdoor.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Scent Shield scentshield.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Scent Sticks stinkstick.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Scent-Lok scentlok.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ScentBlocker scentblocker.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ScenTote scentote.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Scorpion Venom Archery scorpionvenomarchery.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– SilverScent Products silverscentproducts.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Sportsman Scent System sportsmanscentsystem.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Tink’s tinks69.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Trophy Blend Scents trophyblenddeerscents.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Wildlife Research Center wildlife.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Xterminator xterminator.us ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
M a r k e t
T r e n d s
Crossbow Report By Bill Krenz
TenPoint Turbo XLT A
s crossbow-hunting opportunities have increased significantly in recent times, plenty of manufacturers have jumped on the crossbow bandwagon. Rick Bednar, CEO of TenPoint Crossbow Technologies, however, has been shooting and designing better crossbows for over 25 years. His record of achievement in the crossbow field includes thirteen key crossbow patents with at least seven more in the works. Few people have worked as long and as hard to improve the handling, safety and performance of the modern hunting crossbow. Today TenPoint Crossbow Technologies offers a host of crossbow models, from deluxe and high-end types to bare-bones, readily affordable versions. Situated somewhere in the middle is the brand new TenPoint Turbo XLT. The TenPoint Turbo XLT is a remarkable hunting crossbow. What’s so remarkable is that the Turbo XLT manages to combine the very latest in crossbow technology–– including a radically compact bow assembly and a lighter weight stock and barrel setup—with high-end performance. All at an attractive price. It’s as though everything crossbow hunters dream of has been wedged into the new Turbo XLT without sending the price through the ceiling. How Rick Conveniently located on the butt stock of the Turbo Bednar did that, I don’t know. But what I XLT is the ACUdraw 50, a leveraged rope cocking device that automatically retracts out of the way do know is that the new TenPoint Turbo after use. XLT handles, operates and performs like a million bucks. Maybe the most outwardly striking feature of the new TenPoint Turbo XLT is its unusually compact bow assembly. At rest, that assembly measures just 17.5 inches from axle to axle. Cock the Turbo XLT and that width shrinks to a suddenly handy 13.5 inches. If you’ve ever so much as stalked a groundhog with a cockedbut-unloaded crossbow or sat in a brushy treestand with a typical crossbow, you will instantly appreciate the long-and-narrow The radically compact bow assembly on the new Turbo XLT has a wingspan of just 17.5 inches. When footprint of the Turbo XLT. cocked, that shrinks even further to a highly Excessive mass weight has also long maneuverable 13.5 inches. been a shortcoming with many highperformance crossbows, making them burdensome to carry and difficult to hold up and aim for any length of time. The 2010 Turbo XLT features a lighter weight stock, a lighter weight riser, shorter and lighter weight
limbs and even a lighter foot stirrup. The net result is that this crossbow weighs a pleasing 7.6 pounds. Long on technology, narrow in width and with loads of comfort and performance, the new-for-2010 TenPoint Turbo XLT is unmistakably one of the most remarkable hunting crossbows ever offered.
How It Shoots
Crossbows are normally cocked in one of three ways. You can grab the bowstring with both hands and manually cock the bow. You can use a leveraged rope cocker, which is easier. Or you can go all out and use a ratcheted cocking device. My test Turbo XLT came equipped with a unique leveraged rope cocker called the ACUdraw 50. The patented ACUdraw 50 takes rope-cocking to an all-new and easy-to-use level. First off, the ACUdraw 50 is built right into the butt stock of the Turbo XLT, and the necessary elements automatically retract back into their housing after use. That completely eliminates searching for, untangling and fumbling with a loose rope cocker. In addition the leveraged ACUdraw 50 reduces the cocking draw weight of the Turbo XLT by about half. That makes cocking this crossbow faster and easier. The other thing the ACUdraw 50 does is ensure a more consistent cocking action. One of the real keys to super-accurate crossbow shooting is to cock the bow so that the trigger mechanism engages the bowstring in exactly the same position with every shot. Cocking by hand makes that difficult. Cocking the Turbo XLT with the ACUdraw 50 makes that almost a sure thing. If so desired, Tenpoint’s ratcheted cranking mechanism, the ACUdraw, can also be ordered with the Turbo XLT. As the bowstring nears the full-cock position with the Turbo XLT, it engages another patented TenPoint technology called the Dry-Fire Inhibitor (DFI). One of the odd things about shooting a crossbow is that it is surprisingly easy to forget to load an arrow in the bow before releasing the safety and trying to take the shot. Because there is such a tremendous amount of stored energy in any cocked crossbow, firing a crossbow without an arrow in place to accept that energy can be disastrous. The Turbo XLT’s DFI prevents any chance of a dry-fire. Great idea. Yet another safety factor is the Turbo XLT’s ambidextrous automatic safety. As this crossbow reaches full cock, the safety is automatically engaged and moved to the safe (white-dot) position. To fire the bow
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Quick Notes
TenPoint Turbo XLT ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Stock Ergonomics - Comfortable feel. High cheekpiece results in natural sight picture.
Ease of Cocking - ACUdraw 50 gets high marks for convenience and ease of use.
Safety - Ambidextrous safety auto locks, and is positive and reassuring.
Trigger Pull - No noticeable creep and a light, crisp release.
Sighting System - Pro-View Scope with 20-, 30- and 40-yard crosshairs is ideal.
Shot Noise/Vibration - A surprisingly quiet and tame crossbow, given its arrow speed.
Accuracy - Ping-pong-ball-sized groups at hunting distances no problem.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Arrow Speed
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 20-inch Test Arrow - Easton XX75 Razor 2219 Arrow Weight - 415 gr. Kinetic Energy - 92.0
you must first slide the safety forward to the fire (red-dot) position. It’s a positive and reassuring system which is employed on all TenPoint crossbow models. The patented PowerTouch Trigger on the Turbo XLT is a marvel. Unlike lesser crossbow triggers I’ve tried, it exhibits optimum trigger creep for safety and accuracy, and a light and crisp release. The Turbo XLT comes complete with a three-power TenPoint Pro-View Scope. This bright and clear scope features three stacked crosshairs with dots, calibrated for 20, 30 and 40 yards. Right out of the box I found those crosshairs almost perfectly set up for shots at that distance. In fact, with just a bit of horizontal fine-tuning I was quickly stacking arrows in ping-pong-ball-sized groups at all of those distances. Shot noise with some crossbows is admittedly a bit excessive, but not so the TenPoint Turbo XLT. By comparison, this crossbow is one of the quietest I’ve ever shot. In short, the new TenPoint Turbo XLT drills ‘em! It’s compact, well-balanced and handy, convenient to cock, reassuringly safe, fast, accurate and relatively quiet. And all that at a moderate price.
Key Features and Benefits
Arrow Speed - 316 fps
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Compact, Lightweight Design
Specifications
With a width of just 13.5 inches when cocked and a mass weight of barely 7.6 pounds, this handy and highly maneuverable crossbow is ready for serious hunting.
Length with Stirrup
38.25 inches
ACUdraw 50 Cocking Device
Width – Axle to Axle
17.5 inches
Width – Cocked
13.5 inches
Draw Weight
180 pounds
Power Stroke
12 inches reflex
Conveniently integrated into the butt stock of the Turbo XLT is this patented, leveraged rope-cocking device. It reduces the cocking pull weight by 50 percent, perfectly aligns the bowstring for an accurate shot, is fast, safe and secure and automatically retracts out of the way after use.
TenPoint Turbo XLT –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Mass Weight w/o Accessories 7.6 pounds Finish
Mossy Oak Break-Up Infinity
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For more information, log onto tenpointcrossbows.com or call TenPoint Crossbow Technologies at (330) 628-9245.
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To fire the Turbo XLT you must first push the safety forward to the red-dot “fire” position, as shown here. In the safe (white-dot) position, the trigger is locked and will not release.
Dry-Fire Inhibitor Introduced by the company in 1996, the patented TenPoint Dry-Fire Inhibitor prevents dry-firing of the Turbo XLT when no arrow is loaded on the flight deck.
PowerTouch Trigger This is a great crossbow trigger—unusually light and crisp with no creep. All of those things promote accuracy.
Ambidextrous Automatic Safety When the Turbo XLT is cocked, the safety automatically engages. To fire you must first push the safety forward to the red “fire” position. It’s positive and secure.
Pro-View Illuminated Scope This bright and clear three-power scope was specifically developed by TenPoint for serious crossbow hunting. It features three stacked crosshairs preset for 20, 30 and 40 yards and illumination that can be adjusted in intensity and to either red or green.
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Field Test By Bill Krenz
Leupold Vendetta Archery Rangefinder
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o many things have changed for bowhunters over the years. Chief among those things have been improved opportunities and better equipment. The equipment changes are easy to spot. We now all enjoy significantly better bows, arrows, broadheads, arrow rests, sights, treestands, bowhunting clothing and a whole lot more. In addition to all of that, one of the most momentous equipment advances for bowhunters has been the advent of accurate laser rangefinders. A hunting arrow, even from today’s fastest bows, has an arcing trajectory. Misjudge the distance to the target by even a little bit and you will miss the spot you’re aiming at. In many bowhunting situations a compact, easy-to-use laser rangefinder can give you that exact distance. And that’s a huge help. I’d almost rather forget my boots than my laser rangefinder when I go bowhunting. But as wonderful as conventional hand-held laser rangefinders can be, they are not perfect. The mist was swirling and the big caribou bull was moving in from my right. He was fairly close, but how close? I knew that he was well within my shooting range, but the mist and the lack of cover made judging the distance tricky. Was he 32 or 41 yards? I just didn’t know. Slow as a cat I reached with my right hand for the rangefinder in the pouch on my belt, fumbling a bit to get that pouch open and the rangefinder out. The bull kept moving. As I slowly swung the rangefinder up to my eye the bull caught the movement and stopped. Not good. He stood staring. The readout said 42 yards. But dare I move again? After a bit of a standoff, I began to ease the rangefinder back toward its pouch with my right hand while simultaneously raising my bow with my left hand. That big, tall, wide, gorgeous bull was having none of that. He shot out of there like his tail was on fire, disappearing
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into the mist and fog in just seconds. I sat down in a dejected heap. There are times in bowhunting when a hand-held laser rangefinder just doesn’t work. They’re awkward to get out, too slow and they take far too much motion to put into play. Enter the brand new Vendetta Archery Rangefinder from the optics experts at Leupold. The Leupold Vendetta is a next-generation laser rangefinder, one that actually mounts to your bow. The Vendetta can even be used while you’re at full draw. Oh, how I wish I’d had this rangefinder with that caribou. The Vendetta will mount on virtually any compound bow, right- or left-handed. Mounting is easy. A sturdy, universal mounting bracket locates the Vendetta just behind the upper portion of the bow’s riser and just slightly above the view of your sights. In that position, the Vendetta is well protected. The unit is barely 3 inches tall and weighs less than 10 ounces. One of the most unique features of the Leupold Vendetta is the unit’s detached Power Button. That button is on the end of a short electrical cord which allows you to precisely position that button on the front of the grip of your bow where it can be conveniently activated while you are either simply holding the bow out in front of you or even when you have the bow at full draw. Think of that! I could have slowly come to full draw as that caribou appeared, ranged him with the Vendetta and shot him, all in just seconds and without any extra gamespooking motions. Ranging an animal with the Leupold Vendetta is easy. First a series of simple-to-follow rangefinder adjustments are made (think of it as sighting-in the rangefinder) so that the Vendetta’s laser is aligned with your view of the top sight pin of your sight when you are at full draw. Clear, included written instructions walk you through this rangefinder-adjustment process. A video tutorial of the entire process is also available on Leupold’s website (look under Leupold TV).
Once that alignment is made, all you do is come to full draw, put your top sight pin on the animal to be ranged, depress the conveniently located Power Button one time to power up the unit and one more time to tell the Vendetta to take the distance reading. Then you simply read the distance in the LED display, pick the appropriate sight pin for the distance and shoot. It’s just that fast and just that simple, and all with no added game-spooking movement. Furthermore, the distance provided by the Leupold Vendetta Archery Rangefinder is angle compensated. That means that the Vendetta automatically takes into account any decline or incline in the shot and instantly calculates the true distance that you should shoot for to make that shot. Leupold calls it the TBR (True Ballistic Range) System. It eliminates all the guesswork involved in shooting downhill or uphill or down from any treestand. Just range, read and shoot with the Leupold Vendetta. By the way, the maximum ranging distance with the Vendetta is 70 yards. Quite often the following bowhunting scenario occurs. You draw on a buck as he approaches, but he keeps moving. If you had utilized a conventional hand-held rangefinder to pre-range a few trees and stumps beforehand you’re left hoping that he will stop right at one of those marks. Some chance! But with a bow-mounted Leupold Vendetta Archery Rangefinder things just got a whole lot easier. With a Vendetta Rangefinder all you do as the buck moves is keep your top pin on him and hold down the Vendetta’s Power Button. As long as you keep that Power Button depressed, the distance to the moving animal will constantly update. Whenever he stops within range, you simply read the distance, pick the right pin and shoot. The Leupold Vendetta operates off of a single CR2 lithium battery which provides thousands of activations to probably last through several active seasons. There is a low-battery indicator. When the CR2 battery reaches one-quarter capacity, the Vendetta quietly informs you of that situation. It should be noted that this type of electronic, bow-mounted rangefinder is legal for recreational archery in all 50 states and
for bowhunting in a little over half of those states (see the Leupold website for a list of those states). Be sure to check your local regulations to confirm whether this sort of rangefinder can be used where you bowhunt. The Leupold Vendetta is a remarkable
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archery rangefinder. It mounts to your bow and can tell you the exact distance to your target. Next time take the guesswork and the game-spooking movement out of your bowhunt with a Leupold Vendetta. For more information, log onto leupold.com or call Leupold at (800) 538-7653.
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aintaining a reasonable cash flow on a year-round basis is not easy for any archery pro shop. In fact, for decades the seasonality of bowhunting has plagued archery dealers. For most dealers, summers are busy and profitable as bowhunters actively prepare for the upcoming hunting seasons. That makes cash registers ring. In the fall sales boom as bowhunters stock up with all those last-minute items. Who buys scents early, or even broadheads? Fall is peak selling season. Then things slow down. Winter winds whistle and cold weather descends like a wet blanket. In some locales, winter indoor leagues get going. But many bowhunters simply hang up their bows. Spring is better. The super-serious want to know what’s new, but most shops don’t start jumping again until after the 4th of July weekend. The seasonality of bowhunting can be a bitch. Fortunately, some things can help temper that arduous rollercoaster ride. I mentioned winter indoor leagues. Bowfishing, when presented properly and pushed, can create a springtime sales boost. Varmint calling is also on the uptick. Spring turkey hunting is big news in some locations. Competitive archery can also help, although most outdoor competition takes place in the already-booming summer. What’s really needed is something that turns your customers into year-round enthusiasts. One viable solution is scouting cameras. With a good scouting camera in hand, the “hunting” season becomes endless. Your seasonality-busting mission, should you choose to accept it, Mr. Phelps, is to turn your shop into scouting-camera central for your customers. That begins with a proper selection of the right scouting-camera merchandise. It continues with offering the sort of scouting-camera expertise that your customers need and want. But it doesn’t end there. To be scouting-camera central you need to offer even more. Plenty of savvy archery retailers have discovered that one of the surest ways to build year-round scouting-camera excitement is to make a place available in your store for your customers to display their best and most interesting scouting-camera photos. Almost nothing builds scouting-camera enthusiasm 12 months a year like a steady stream of new scouting-camera photos! Some shops even hold monthly scouting-camera contests. Big-buck contests, if you will, without the buck being present. Another approach is “Most Interesting Scouting-Camera Photo of the Month.” That opens it up to even more participants, as a trio of everyday playful raccoons can occasionally steal any scoutingcamera show. Build year-round excitement, offer the necessary expertise and stock a broad range of scouting cameras and accessories. Definitely don’t forget all those scouting-camera accessories— batteries, memory cards, memory-card cases, card readers and picture viewers, camera mounts, camera cages, theft-prevention devices and more. There’s a lot to sell to keep your scouting-camera customers going year-round.
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It all starts with the right cameras. Here’s the best of the best for your sales. Every camera can teach you something. Every company can be a fount of information and scouting-camera ideas.
BuckEye Cam
BuckEye Cam is a veteran when it comes to wireless scouting-camera technology, and the BuckEye Cam Orion series continues its tradition of quality. The features on the Orion will make any scoutingcamera junkie salivate. The Orion comes with four different resolution settings, time-lapse mode, flexible timing schedules, vast delay settings and video lengths from 5-60 seconds. If you prefer burst mode, the Orion can take from two to six pictures per burst, which diminishes the possibility of un-photographed game happening by your camera. And now the Orion comes in an XIR version with a completely invisible flash, so there is no chance of spooking any unwitting creatures at your hunting grounds. Add all of these options with the wireless capabilities of a BuckEye Cam Cell Base, and you can scout all year without having to leave your living room
because the photos can be viewed right on your computer at home. With the Orion and Cell Base combo you can leave the animals undisturbed and yet continually monitor their activity with multiple cameras, and there are numerous accessories from BuckEye Cam that can elongate battery life and enhance your scouting camera experience. For more information, log onto buckeyecam.com.
Bushnell
Bushnell’s 2010 Trophy Cam packs numerous features into a compact and highly effective scouting camera. The model has been upgraded for superior nighttime images by going from 24 to 32 night-vision LEDs. The trigger speed on the Trophy Cam comes in at a lightning-fast one second, and the PIR sensor coverage area has tripled from previous Bushnell camera models, boosting the chances of snapping a shot of a thick-racked monster. This camera has burst mode, video mode and multiple resolution options spanning up to an impressive 8.0 megapixels. With all of the capabilities of the Trophy Cam, the one-year battery life is quite astounding. If you can’t wait to get back home to see the photos, the Trophy Cam comes with an optional built-in viewer that shows the image and a stamp with time, date, temperature and moon phase when the
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shot was taken. For more information, log onto bushnell.com.
CamTrakker
CamTrakker’s new MK-10 model was designed for those bowhunters who take
their scouting seriously. The MK-10’s passive infrared technology equates to calm game when the picture is taken. The MK-10 has a quick trigger speed, variable resolution and an all-glass wide-angle lens. The high quality of the technology utilized in its construction produces crisp pictures that can then be viewed in a 2-inch fullcolor LCD screen while in the field. A long-lasting rechargeable lead-acid battery powers the MK-10 unit and will ultimately save you money from having to continually buy alkaline batteries. This is one heavyduty camera. For more information, log onto camtrakker.com.
working the field near a distant treeline or that elk herd meandering discreetly into an alpine meadow. This setup also allows you to see how game is moving to better plan your hunting strategy. For more information, log onto day6outdoors.com.
DLC Covert
It’s small, rugged and functional. The DLC
Cuddeback
Cuddeback’s popularity comes from creating an easy-to-use camera with exciting features at a reasonable price. You won’t miss a photo of a single buck when using the Cuddeback Capture IR with its infrared flash, hair trigger and well-disguised bark-textured case. Cuddeback designs its cameras for intuitive use, and because of the Capture IR’s rotary switch control it is touted as being “as easy to operate as an alarm clock.” The flash ranges 40 feet out, and the delay on the Capture IR can range from 30 seconds to 30 minutes for extreme flexibility. Low power usage leads to extra-long battery life, and the 5.0-megapixel resolution means sharp shots every time. The Capture IR has Centered Subject Technology— a unique feature that ensures fewer pictures of noses and more images of full-bodied specimens. Cuddeback also offers the Capture in a standard flash if you prefer greater flash range and colored images at night. A one-year warranty is also included with all Cuddeback cameras. For more information, log onto cuddeback.com.
Day Six Outdoors PlotWatcher HD
Day Six Outdoors brings a new angle to the scouting-camera lens. In large fields, food plots and open spaces, animals may be out of range of sensors found on typical scouting cameras. Day Six’s PlotWatcher HD shoots pictures at timed intervals and creates a 10-minute time-lapse video for viewing, so there is no need to worry about whether or not the animals come into range. You will still get that thick-racked loner buck
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Covert II Assassin packs everything you need into a unit that is just 5 ½ inches tall by 3 ½ inches wide. Equipped with 24 high-intensity infrared LEDs, the Covert II offers a 40-foot range and a 50-degree dispersion angle. The Covert II features trigger speeds of just over a second and photo-resolution variability that goes up to 5.0 megapixels. The PIR motion sensor
offers adjustable sensitivity for flexibility in diverse scouting environments. The Covert II has the ability to record videos of up to 60 seconds long. A wired remote control allows for simple programming, and a standby mode provides extended battery life. For more information, log onto dlccovert.com.
Hunten Outdoors
The Hunten Outdoors GSC10-70 7.0-megapixel scouting camera gives you the option to go from standard strobe flash to an infrared flash depending on the circumstances. The infrared gives you a 50-foot range while the strobe flash goes out to 60 feet and can provide you with crisp color images, even during the night. The GSC10’s snappy trigger fires off shots in the blink of an eye, and the six-volt battery ensures many hours of power in the field. This is a great all-around camera that can be used in all environments. For more information, call (877) 994-4454.
Leaf River
When it comes to scouting cameras, Leaf River delivers, and the IR-7SS is no exception. The IR-7SS offers up an undetectable infrared flash, 7.0-megapixel resolution and sound recording when
in video mode. The IR-7SS has a convenient internal viewing screen featuring zoom and pan options that allow crisp viewing of even the tiniest details. The IR-7SS has a recently improved trigger speed, and there is a Quick Shot mode that takes up to three pictures with a single trigger. Leaf River also produces a 5.0-megapixel model, the IR-5. For more information, log onto myleafriver.com.
Moultrie
Moultrie’s Game Spy I-45 features 4.0-megapixel resolution, a quick trigger and an infrared flash with an effective range of 50 feet. Video capabilities, multi-shot mode and a 32 MB internal memory are all part of the Game Spy I-45’s attractive package. This camera can be used with Moultrie’s Game Management System to more efficiently track the behavior of game in your hunting area. With the Game Spy I-45, you can also purchase the GPS Game Spy Connect and have access to all of your photos anywhere in the world. While there are other cameras with this capability, Moultrie pulls it off at a very reasonable price, and with the added GPS capability, you can more intensely monitor the location of animals. For more information, log onto moultriefeeders.com.
Predator Trailcams
The TrailEye XP by Predator Trailcams offers an adjustable infrared range that goes out to 50 feet along with a PIR motion sensor
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that reaches 75 feet out—an impressive combination. Most traditional infrared cameras have a red glow when they snap a picture, potentially frightening game. The TrailEye XP has Dragon IR Technology with no red glow. It is capable of shooting three-picture bursts and can capture 5and 15-second video clips. Pictures can be taken in 5.0-, 3.0- and 1.3-megapixel resolutions, so you can go for higher quality shots or a higher number of photos, whatever is your preference. For more information, log onto predatortrailcams.com.
Primos
Primos has laid a solid foundation with its well-known calls, blinds and other fine hunting products. Now it is offering a line of scouting cameras that includes the Truth Cam 46. Still shots and videos can be taken with this easy-to-use camera, and all the images will show date, time, temperature and even moon phase. The 1.5-second trigger speed will capture anything moving through the forest, even when the game is traveling at a quick clip. Truth Cam 46 sports a 50-foot extended night-range flash and is fully adjustable for optimum performance in your specific hunting area. Ease of use and remarkable flexibility make the Truth Cam 46 a quality scouting-camera choice. For more information, log onto primos.com.
Recon Outdoors
Recon has long had a strong selection of quality scouting cameras, and the new Viper IR further bolsters its lineup. The first thing you notice about the Viper is its size. It’s tiny. It’s one of the smallest scouting cameras on the market. You won’t even feel this one in your pack when heading into the field. But it doesn’t skimp on the features. The Viper has an invisible infrared flash that won’t scare game and a lickety-split trigger speed. The high-definition images and video taken by the Viper are crystal clear, and set-up is a snap with an easy-to-navigate interface. For more information, log onto reconoutdoors.com.
Reconyx
Reconyx has struck another victory with
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the HC600 HyperFire. If you have a need for trigger speed, then the HyperFire’s 1/5 of a second timing should get your attention. The HyperFire’s small 4 1/2- by 5 1/2inch case makes it extremely compact.
No-Glow high-output infrared night vision captures the image of animals out to 50 feet. The HyperFire is perfect for hunting extreme conditions because it functions from -20 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and comes with a one-year warranty. For more information, log onto reconyx.com.
Smart Scouter
The Smart Scouter is a cellular transmitter and camera all in one. All you need is a Smart Scouter camera and a monthly wireless subscription and you can manage your camera and get your photos all from your own personal account. Although the Smart Scouter is a remarkable remote trail-scouting system, it can also serve as a traditional non-wireless scouting camera. It takes high-quality 1.3-megapixel color photos by day and black-and-white photos by night, and the three Smart Passive Infrared motion sensors pick up the slightest hint of movement. The Smart Scouter’s easy-to-use control panel and simple setup make it worth taking note of. For more information, log onto smartscouter.com.
SpyPoint
The SpyPoint Pro-X takes exceptionally clear pictures with a 12.0-megapixel system that snaps high-quality daytime color and nighttime black-and-white photos. Equipped with 46 LEDs, the Pro-X provides optimal nighttime illumination with adjustable detection sensitivity from 5 to 45 feet. The Pro-X is also capable of recording crisp video with sound. The 3-inch screen makes for easy viewing, and the date, time, temperature and moon phase are printed on every image. The Pro-X offers 32 MB of built-in memory, plus the option of up to 8 GB of external memory, so there’s ample room to store those big-buck images. For more information, log onto spy-point.com.
Stealth Cam
The Prowler HD from Stealth Cam makes for incredibly colorful and sharp daytime shots thanks to its adjustable 8.0-megapixel resolution. A 40-foot range is produced by the 54 infrared emitters provided on the Prowler HD. The re-engineered BurstMode technology takes up to nine photos per
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triggering. The Prowler HD is capable of recording high-definition video clips of up to 300 seconds in length with audio. In addition to the 64 MB of built-in memory, the Prowler HD will accept an SD card of up to 4 GB. An auxiliary power jack supplements battery life. If high-quality images are your main priority, you need to check this one out. For more information, log onto stealthcam.net.
Wildgame Innovations
The Wildgame Innovations D8 gives you the ability to choose from numerous programming options and enjoy the clarity of 8.0-megapixel resolution. The D8 can take still shots and video, and the flexibility in its flash lets you choose between infrared and strobe, allowing you to make the camera active 24 hours, day or night. The D8 comes with 64 MB of onboard memory as well as a secondary onboard battery supply that retains date and time settings when the camera is turned off. The D8 features an external battery port to connect to an external power source. The D8 is for hunters who like a lot of programming options in their scouting camera. For more information, log onto wildgameinnovations.com.
Wildview
If you are not very tech savvy and don’t want to spend a lot on a scouting camera, the Wildview EZ-Cam is the perfect option. It is incredibly simple to operate and is easy on the wallet. The EZ-Cam features a 30-foot flash range, wide-angle coverage and an external power jack for extended life. It is already pre-set to take three-picture burst shots—just one switch turns it on. This is an extremely user-friendly camera and has a fool-proof test mode for proper camera placement. For more information, log onto wildviewcam.com.
Keep Your Customers Active Year-Round
To improve your cash flow on a 12-month basis, you need to turn your customers into year-round enthusiasts. Promoting the use of scouting cameras can help. With scouting cameras, the hunting season becomes endless and so does your selling season.
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Marketplace
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Marketplace
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I n s i d e
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Retail in Detail by Darron McDougal
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couting Cameras Produce Profits • Archery retail stores that possess the ambition required to succeed in today’s economy are constantly seeking ways to enhance performance, profits and, most importantly, customer traffic. One way to do that is with technology. Today, the majority of buyers simply love technology. Fortunately, there is some form of technology in nearly every bowhunting and archery product on the market. There is, however, one technology product in particular that seems to be making a huge splash in the archery industry right now—scouting cameras. Currently, scouting cameras are making substantial technological advances each and every year, and you can be sure that your customers will covet the features that these newest cameras have to offer, driving those customers to purchase the latest and greatest models. Clearly, it’s important to offer an exciting selection of the newest scouting cameras in your store. But which ones should you inventory? Approach that question in four ways. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Research • Research is crucial in making effective purchasing decisions, particularly when considering scouting cameras. There is often more than meets the eye in the world of electronics. Conduct some in-depth research before taking on any line of scouting cameras. Remember that your evaluations could affect your yearend income statement considerably. If the cameras you elect to order do not offer what your customers specifically want, they will quickly become dust collectors. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Price • Economic instability has plagued every industry in the past few years. Luckily for archery retailers, people seem prone to hunt regardless of fluctuations in the economy. The tendency is for driven bowhunters to continue to buy archery products, but maybe decrease the total amount spent annually on such merchandise. That makes them more discriminating in their purchases.
Contemplate the demographics of your customers when considering scouting cameras. What will they realistically spend on a camera? Although you might move a few of the most expensive cameras, you likely will not sell a ton. Consider stocking a broad price selection of scouting cameras so that you can offer something for every customer who walks through your door. The bulk of your potential scouting-camera customers will probably look for affordability. Still, never base your purchasing decisions solely on price. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Functionality • Bowhunters want functionality in scouting cameras. What that means is that they want new cameras with lots of features and setting options, but they also want those cameras to be easy to operate. The most advanced cameras on the market feature timely trigger speed, variable delays between shots, great battery life and infrared lighting to inconspicuously capture clear images at night. Those are the sorts of things that will deliver high-quality images for your customers. The best way to find a camera that offers ease of operation is to field-test a variety of them. You should also talk with hunters who actively use scouting cameras. Ask them what they like and dislike about the cameras they already have. Consumer feedback is invaluable when you’re trying to decide which cameras to stock. Often when you can blend genuine functionality with a lower price tag in a scouting camera, your profits will soar. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Availability • Make sure that the cameras you plan to carry are readily available. I’ve gone through the pain of dealing with two scouting-camera manufacturers that had everything together on price and functionality but were lacking in other areas. One lacked the means to produce and ship the cameras I ordered within a reasonable amount of time. The other failed to provide acceptable customer service to both its dealers and its end-users. Either is a calamity that can and will damage the reputation your store has worked so hard to build up. In recent years, with prices decreasing and user-friendly functionality increasing, it is safe to say that a huge percentage of the bowhunting community either now owns a scouting camera or has plans to purchase one. Scouting cameras typically offer a good mark-up, and inventory turnover is relatively quick. Offering these technologically advanced devices in your store holds the potential to increase your annual sales by thousands of dollars. That is especially true when you make it a point to stock and sell all of the scouting-camera accessories that bowhunters need, including batteries, memory cards, picture viewers and theft/bear boxes. Let customers know you stock the very latest in scouting cameras. Put it up on your reader-board. Put it in your ads. List it on your website. Post your customers’ best scouting-camera photos. Create attractive scouting-camera displays. Do what it takes to show customers that you handle more than just bows and arrows. Be ambitious enough to make your store scouting-camera central.
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