Archery Business Jan-Feb 2012
Most shops we asked were hard pressed to put a precise figure on the benefits of their hunting contests And yet all seemed to consider them a valuable even integral part of their business plan At a minimum youre virtually guaranteed to have more face time with a larger customer base and youll also likely benefit from increased credibility ment lasted two days with the winner being decided by the most fish entered I should have known something was wrong when the top team had 800 more pounds of fish than the second place team Weaver said We heard later that they met up with another team that didnt enter our contest and they were shooting for them We gave them too much time and leeway After that Weaver tightened the format so the stores bowfishing contests last one night with each team weighing its heaviest five fish stringer In addition each bowhunter can enter one fish for the lightestand heaviest fish categories Deer contests present different challenges Brunett said he checks each contestants entry ticket and deer license tag against their drivers license number to ensure theyre not using someone elses ticket Ive caught people trying to sneak in he said I also had a guy take a buck he entered here and let his buddy register it in another shops contest Brunett also requires the entire deer be brought in for registration Each entry ticket alerts contestants that their deer can be inspected and tested to verify they were shot with a broadhead not a slug or bullet Our rules are clear he said We have to see the whole deer We wont accept just the head and hide Marvin emphasizes the importance of clear simple rules and enforcing them fairly We used to allow weigh ins at different locations but then we found discrepancies between our scales he said Now we require everyone to register and weigh their deer at our store It should go without saying but we also require they shoot their deer while following all state regulations Marvin continued Things can get heated Weve had people in the top five withdraw after we had a face to face conversation about something they did You have to enforce your rules to make it fair for everyone We havent yet involved the Department of Natural Resources but our contestants know well contact the DNR if theres a question about the legality of their deer The best way to drive traffic to your store is to show customers the rules apply to everyone Bottom Line Do Contests Pay Although its difficult to determine how much bowhunting contests improve a stores bottom line owners and managers agree theyre worth the time and effort Clanahan said his store doesnt operate
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