By Tracy Breen
Every January, all things archery can be found at the Archery Trade Associations’ annual trade show. This year, the show was held in Louisville, Kentucky, and like every year beforeit, I found some amazing archery accessories that bowhunters everywhere will want to put on their must-have list. Below are a few of the latest and greatest archery gizmos and gadgets.
HUNTMORE 360
Hunting from pop-up ground blinds is now more popular than ever. The problem is many of the stools and chairs people use in pop-up ground blinds are uncomfortable. As a result, hunters often head home early because their backside hurts. HuntMore has solved that problem with their new 16-inch 360 chair. The HuntMore 16-inch chair weighs 10 pounds, swivels in 360 degrees, is whisper quiet and very comfortable. The chair has large feet that keep the hunter stable so they don’t sink into the ground. If you are a hardcore ground hunter, you will be pleased with this chair. www.huntmore.biz.
MOULTRIE PANORAMIC 150
Moultrie has a new state-of-the-art scouting camera called the Panoramic 150 that is unlike any scouting camera on the market. This camera contains three different motion sensors. Each sensor covers a 50-degree detection zone which gives a 150-degree coverage area, which is reportedly more than any camera currently on the market. When motion is detected, the silent slide rotating lens pivots to the area where the motion has been detected and takes the picture. This camera has two modes: single image mode and panoramic. In single image mode, the camera takes a single picture. In Panoramic, the camera takes three pictures from three angles and assembles the images together which provides a panoramic view. This camera is awesome. www.moultriefeeders.com
FLYING ARROW TOXIC BROADHEAD
Flying Arrow Archery is a new broadhead company with a broadhead that will force you to do a double take. Their broadhead called the Toxic is a 100-grain fixed blade head with three half-moon coring blades. These curved blades provide almost five inches of cutting surface and are said to create extra large wounds. The unique curvature of the blades provides great aerodynamics in flight which results in superior accuracy, even when shot out of today’s extremely fast bows. www.flyingarrowmontana.com
CARBON EXPRESS LAUNCHPAD NOCK
Carbon Express has a new lighted nock called the LaunchPad that is said to be one of the lightest lighted nocks on the market, so it does not interfere with front of center balance. A built-in alignment system ensures the nocks fit perfectly and fly like a dart. The LaunchPad requires no magnets for activation, lights automatically when the arrow is shot and is extra bright. Its simplistic design ensures trouble free use. www.carbonexpressarrows.com
THE VELOCITIP
For the last several years, I noticed the Velocitip and this year I took a closer look. The Velocitip is a field point that records all the data from the bow as it is being shot into a target. It is an electronic bow-tuning device. Some of the information it records includes Arrow Drag to precisely measure launch and impact speed and energy retained for use in comparing bow performance and arrow spine. The unit precisely records time-of-flight in milliseconds. It is completely portable for indoor and outdoor use (not for use in rain or snow). It is available in U.S. or Metric units: this can be selected by the user. If you are a techno junkie or own a pro shop, this is the perfect product for you. The handheld device plugs into a computer so you can check all the data. www.velocitip.com.
EZ HUNT & HAUL
Most bowhunters enjoy hunting from a ground blind from time to time; either for deer or turkeys. The new EZ Hunt & Haul Trailer I spotted at the Mathews Show is like a ground blind on steroids. The EZ Hunt & Haul is a hard-sided trailer that comes in Lost Camo. The trailer can be used as a field hunting blind for geese and ducks and as an ice fishing shanty. It even has a doggy door. In addition, the blind is collapsible and can be used as an ATV trailer. When you are done using the blind, break it down, load your ATV and you are ready for a road trip. www.ezhunthaul.com.
PINE RIDGE ARCHERY
Brightly colored products are the rage these days. Everyone wants to add bright colors to their bow setups. Pine Ridge Archery is offering several accessories that come in over half a dozen different colors. They offer the Nitro String loop that can be purchased in pink, green and many other colors. They offer the Sawtooth stabilizer that is available with red accents, blue and other colors. Archers who want to add a little speed to their bow should consider their brightly colored XL Nitro Buttons. Nitro Buttons get added to the string of the bow and can add several feet per second of speed to the bows’ performance. www.pineridgearchery.com
So there you have it! Start saving your pennies and maybe by fall, a few of these items will be hanging in your closet or your man cave.
The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance website is designed to provide valuable articles about hunting, fishing and conservation for members of AFL-CIO affiliated labor unions and all sportsmen and sportswomen who appreciate hunting and fishing and want to preserve our outdoor heritage for future generations. If you would like your own story and experience from the outdoors to be considered for our website, please email us at[email protected].