Dan Ellyson
A-1 Archery
Hudson, Wisconsin
Usually about 4 weeks. I obviously don’t hunt every single day for 4 weeks straight. Instead, I try to be smart about when I go and head out in smaller blocks of time. Most of the 4 weeks are used up in November during the rut.
My biggest individual challenge with getting away is balancing my family life and the pro shop. My wife has a full-time career and we have three daughters. As our daughters get older, it makes it easier to get out.
Having the right employees in place also makes it possible. When our shop was a lot smaller, it was very, very difficult to take time off to go bowhunting. As the shop grew, we hired more people and began assigning employees to specific roles so everything gets accomplished whether I’m at the shop or not. Ordering is one example. If I was the only one ordering, it wouldn’t be possible to leave, or I’d have to figure out a way to do it while I’m gone, which would make my time away less enjoyable and purposeful.
Taking time away to bowhunt is important because it’s one of the reasons most archery shop owners opened their stores in the first place. When I go, I want to make sure I have quality time in the field, whether that means hunting with family or going to an area where success is more achievable. I put a lot of focus on maximizing each opportunity and having the best possible experience.
Nathan Reider
Xtreme Archery
York, Pennsylvania
I honestly haven’t gotten to bowhunt much in the last 3 years with balancing home life and three young children, plus keeping everything at the shop running smoothly.
When I get away to bowhunt, I often hunt in the mornings before the shop opens. Another way I get away is by booking a hunt with an outfitter. If I have money already invested up front, then I make sure to go. When I’m on a hunt, we cut back the store hours a little bit and staff it with some of our staff shooters who step in and help out.
In order for me to keep my sanity, I have to get in the woods (chuckles). That is where and when I do some of my best thinking, too. It’s very important for a shop owner to go bowhunting because it’s a passion we all have. I’ve also found that a lot of customers are OK with me being out of the shop for a little bit. They understand because they have the same passion. And, they realize I’m testing products while I’m out there, which makes me a credible source of product information.
That being said, I’ve always strived to put my customers before myself. That’s what I’m in business to do. So, my greatest challenge with going bowhunting as a shop owner is the mind game I wrestle with while I’m out there. A feeling of selfishness looms when I’m in the woods, almost as if I’m putting my needs above my customers’ needs. That’s a tough pill to swallow. Sometimes, I pull all-nighters for a few days and get caught up on everything so I can hunt in the mornings here and there. It’s hectic, but it alleviates a lot of the stress and pressure so I can enjoy my time in the woods.
Britt Franks
Timberwolf Archery Pro Shop & Range
Rockvale, Tennessee
This is my first fall since purchasing the shop. My plan is to hunt one to two afternoons each week. I have an excellent group of people who work for me. Everybody I have is top-notch at what they do. I’ve surrounded myself with good people and have full confidence in them when I’m away. The other thing is we’re closed on Sundays.
Product testing is the main reason why it is important for me to bowhunt. Customers depend on my knowledge. I want to test everything out myself so I can give my customers honest opinions about the products they’re inquiring about. The second reason is it is a relief to get out and spend some time in the woods and think about how I’m doing, and how my businesses are doing. In addition to the archery shop, I own three construction companies. Archery is a passion of mine that I’ll retire into, and bowhunting is a great way to take a break from all of the other stuff I have going on.
One thing that is challenging when taking time off to bowhunt is I worry about my businesses. I want to make sure everyone is doing what needs to be done, and that my clientele is being served the way I want them to be when I’m not around. I leave a little agenda with my employees, and then I have to trust them to carry it out. But, I also check in with them when I’m away to make sure everything is running smoothly.
