Where's the customer service?

What a couple of weeks! Getting the new designs, shirts, website, partnership agreements, ect. ready to go for Feb. Along the way, I can't believe some of the business "BS" I had put up with.

Just for a little history, I worked with a screen printer on our first designs and put out 5,000 shirts. Not sure, but pretty confident I was one of their larger accounts. So, I called the son that seems to be running things...leave message...nothing. Call again, reach him and talk about business and a new run. He said he would touch base the following Mon. Nothing Mon., I call Tues., speak to the mother and she says how they're extremely busy. The father will call me after 4. Nothing, next day nothing, finally I say to hell with it. Make some calls and find another screen printer happy to do business and looks as though is more professional. The father did finally call me back a couple days later and spoke just how busy he was, but excited to see what I had coming out. I'm sorry, but in today's time, you had better be working better and harder than the next guy. It doesn't take much to make a quick call, email, text msg.!

It seems like customer service has become so diluted that we are pleased when someone does something they say they are going to do. It used to be going "above and beyond". Here is an example...maybe one I shouldn't post, but we sent out an order and it was lost. Customer emailed me after six days to let me know he hadn't received his order. The order should've been there and I asked if he could wait a couple days and again email me to let me know if he hadn't received them. I thought I may have been asking too much, so I offered another shirt for his inconvenience. To sum this up, the shirts never arrived, he let me know, I sent him out another order, and he "thanked" me.

Couldn't believe he thanked me, but the moral of the story is just "do what you say your going to do" and if you really care "go above and beyond". I'm trying to do both and I'll see where it gets me.

NSSF Promotes Its Safety Programs in Chicago Trib Ad

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- A full-page advertisement in today's Chicago Tribune is designed to raise awareness about major programs sponsored by members of the firearms industry and how they promote safe and responsible firearms ownership and storage to America's more than 80 million gun owners.

Sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the advertisement reads, "Learn What's Being Done About Gun Safety" and highlights NSSF's Project ChildSafe, First Shots and Don't Lie for the Other Guy programs and their Web sites.

"It's important that all Americans understand how members of the firearms industry are working to encourage the safe and responsible use and storage of their products through NSSF's nationally recognized programs," said Stephen L. Sanetti, president of NSSF. "Chicago is the first of a number of major cities where NSSF will run this educational ad and where we also will bring our industry's safety programs such as Project ChildSafe, First Shots and Don't Lie for the Other Guy to demonstrate our industry members' commitment to safe firearms ownership and storage."

Project ChildSafe promotes safe storage of firearms to help prevent accidents, particularly among children, and has distributed 35 million gun lock safety kits and safety education materials. Over 1,000,000 firearm safety kits have been distributed in Illinois alone and gun owners can receive a free firearm safety kit from many local law enforcement departments. Project ChildSafe's Web site is www.projectchildsafe.org.

First Shots provides an introduction to safe handgun ownership for first-time shooters through education and training seminars and supervised live-fire instruction at shooting ranges across the country. Three First Shots seminars are scheduled in the greater Chicago area on Saturday, Feb. 7, with others to follow. Find a First Shots seminar at www.firstshots.org.

NSSF's Don't Lie for the Other Guy assists the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with educating federally-licensed firearms retailers about how to better detect and prevent illegal firearms purchases, thereby helping to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Don't Lie for the Other Guy will also bring its message of "Buy a gun for someone who can't and buy yourself 10 years in jail" to Chicago in March.

Ref: The Outdoor Wire

The World Has Enough Camo!

I received a call recently from a friend of someone, who knew my uncle, that married the daughter of my third-grade math teacher. You get the point. He'd been working on a pattern and giving it to his friends. Everyone loved it and he wants to partner with me and use the name "Field Dress". I had to respectfully decline since there is already "TOO much camo in the world".

Bring on the heat...I can take it. I'm trying to raise my kids "oldschool" so I might as well carry it over into my passion as well. Point #1 - I don't think Davey Crockett, Daniel Boone, Teddy, Tonto and the rest of the "old" gang had $400 "head-to-toe" camo. Point #2 - The Deer "Sight" Theory. Come 'on, admit it, your're really dressing for the "photo op". Point #3 - I've somehow taken a nice buck virtually every year with my bow. My stocking cap is generic, jacket is a dark green Realtree something, and pants are a "WWII" flight suit pant from my grandfather...warm as hell.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in the essense of "camo", however all the "hyped BS" over this pattern or that just doesn't carry much weight. And don't get me started on the scent "blocker"! Ugh. Camo is great stuff. Makes you and I look cooler than we really are and gives us the edge in the field. However, unless I add a little girth to "the shed I'm building for my tool", the latest pattern and technology will have to stay on the rack.

Buck Knives Introduces Boone and Crockett Classics Series

MISSOULA, Mont.-A knife represents a hunter's commitment to utilize the harvest. This timeless truth is the foundation of a new partnership between Buck Knives and the Boone and Crockett Club.

Together the two partners have introduced a new Boone and Crockett Classics Series of seven knives honoring heroes of conservation, and Buck is donating a portion of each sale to support the Club's work advancing fair-chase hunting ethics, big-game management and wildlife conservation.

"This collection is a tribute to America's conservation movement, which began with hunters and still depends on hunters to this day. That's a real source of pride for us, as are the many Boone and Crockett Club members who've helped shape every facet of conservation for over 120 years. We're grateful that Buck is helping us honor these traditions with this knife series," said Keith Balfourd, director of marketing for the Club.

"Like the Boone and Crockett Club, Buck is committed to helping protect America's wildlife resources and hunting heritage, and this partnership gives us a great way to honor that commitment," said C.J. Buck, president of Buck Knives.

The first knife in the series commemorates the Club's founder, Theodore Roosevelt. The Model 905 T. Roosevelt is a dramatic fixed-blade featuring Roosevelt and an outdoor scene acid-etched in 24 karat gold and black on the 6-7/8" mirror-polished clip blade. The ironwood handle is inlaid with a bronze Boone and Crockett medallion, and has a nickel silver guard. Overall, the knife is 12-3/4" long and weighs 16.9 oz. Only 250 will be made. Each comes with a serialized certificate of authenticity and walnut display case.

The Club's namesake heroes, Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, are also commemorated.

The 923 Davy Crockett has a 4-1/2" drop-point blade featuring an acid-etched image of Crockett. The curly maple handle is inlaid with a bronze Boone and Crockett medallion. Overall, it's 9-1/4" long and weighs 10.1 oz. A total of 500 will be made. Each comes with a serialized certificate of authenticity and a walnut stand for display.

Daniel Boone is honored with a 12-1/2" Bowie knife with a classic scene etched in black on the 8-1/8" clip blade. The Model 916 has a stag handle, nickel silver guard and a stainless steel pommel inlaid with a Boone and Crockett medallion. It weighs 9.6 oz. A total of 500 will be made. Each comes with a serialized certificate of authenticity and a walnut stand.

The series also includes four smaller knives, each customized for the Boone and Crockett Club.

The 525 Boone and Crockett Gent is a classic slimline pocketknife. This compact 2-3/4" lockblade has a 1-7/8" drop-point blade and weighs only one ounce. The Club logo and motto are laser-engraved on one side of the brushed stainless steel handle. The other side is ideal for engraving and makes a nice gift.

The famous Buck 110 Folding Hunter has been customized in three versions, described below. Each comes with a brown distressed-leather sheath and has a 3-3/4" drop-point blade made of 420HC stainless steel. Closed, they are 4-7/8" long and weigh 6.3 oz. Each comes with a serialized certificate of authenticity. Only 500 of each will be made. For the collector who can't decide which one to choose, all three come as a set in a wood display box.

The "Fair Chase" model has a brass bolster and redwood burl handle, inlaid with a bronze Boone and Crockett medallion. "Hunt Fair Chase" is engraved on the handle. The "Conservation Success" model has a box elder burlwood handle to stage the inlaid medallion, and the blade carries the slogan "Job Well Done; Managed Conservation." The third model is a "National Parks" tribute, with a maple burlwood handle and inlaid bronze medallion. Etched on the blade: "National Parks; America's Playground." The Boone and Crockett Classics Series was introduced at the 2009 SHOT Show.

About the Boone and Crockett Club; Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the National Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.booneandcrockettclub.com.

Released by The Outdoor Wire

Tales from the Field

As a boy growing up in North Dakota, hunting and fishing was like drinking water. From the time you could walk you're wanting to go hunting with daddy. So, over the course of thirty-five years, I'm pretty condfident I have a few stories that might bring a smile to a Mon. morning start. Starting today, I'm dedicating Mon. morning posts to "Tales from the Field"...a look at the campfire stories of a child, teenager, adult, and man. Sounds pretty dramatic eh?

My life from a very young age was all about archery, pheasant hunting, fishing, water skiing, and baseball. My first real memory I can think of relating to hunting was a rebellion against the system. I have a brother three and half years older, who always got to do everything with dad. They were going hunting, I didn't get to go, I swallowed a marble, it got stuck in my throat, dad "fish-hooked" it out, I got a "whoopin'", and I still didn't get to go hunting. Although I failed to overthrow the system, it set the tone for future hunting trips. Leaving me behind wasn't an option anymore...they were too afraid of what I might do.

So my earliest memories, when I was in the 5 yr. old range, are full of sitting in a tree-stand with dad, carrying an empy short-barreled .22 cal. rifle, and driving for pheasants. Not driving like you might be thinking, but actually driving dad's "monster" truck along the draws and tree-rows for pheasants. Dad would drop it in low and I would keep it going in the direction he left it. He and my brother could walk faster than the truck would move, but who cares. I was driving! Wish there was an accident or Nascar experience to "relive", but I didn't want to lose my priviledges. Accidents and Nascar experiences didn't come to much later, but believe me, they were there.

Anyways, thinking about how I grew up and how we're losing our kids to TV, video, phones, computers, and anything else "techie", don't be selfish with your time in the field...take a child and get them started loving the outdoors.

Illinois Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Announce Accomplishments

Bloomington, Illinois - Illinois' 45 Pheasants Forever's (PF) chapters, 17 Quail Forever (QF) chapters and 10,000 dedicated PF/QF members completed 1,266 habitat projects in 2008, impacting 13,938 acres for the benefit of pheasants, quail, and other wildlife across the state.

In 2008, PF/QF chapters spent $448,053 to complete 351 nesting cover projects that restored 5,042 acres and also improved 2,777 acres of degraded nesting cover; provided 5,897 acres of wildlife food plots; restored five wetlands totaling 63 acres; and planted 58,061 trees and shrubs as parts of wildlife winter cover plantings. Chapters spent an additional $175,655 sponsoring 3,381 Illinois youth at shooting events, conservation days and mentor hunts.

Since 1982, Illinois PF/QF chapters have raised and spent $11.1 million to protect, restore and enhance more than 275,000 acres of wildlife habitat. "The passion and dedication of our Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever volunteers has made us the most successful conservation organization in the state at turning local dollars into local habitat projects," explains Matt Bradshaw, PF/QF Regional Representative in Northern Illinois, "After 26 years, our members and volunteers continue to put in wildlife habitat one acre at a time."

To start a chapter, join an existing chapter or for more information about PF/QF in Northern Illinois, contact Matt Bradshaw at (217)386-4324 or via email at MBradshaw@pheasantsforever.org. To start a chapter, join an existing chapter or for more information about PF/QF in Southern Illinois, contact Tim Caughran, PF/QF Regional Wildlife Biologist, at (618)467-2586 or via email at TCaughran@pheasantsforever.org. You can also find information at www.illinoispf.org/.

PF/QF chapters promote local, state, and federal conservation programs that help landowners protect environmentally sensitive acres for quail and other wildlife. They also employ a unique model of empowering local chapters with 100 percent control of the chapters' locally-raised funds to complete habitat and youth education projects in the chapters' own communities.

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. PF/QF has more than 130,000 members in 700 local chapters across the continent. For additional information please visit http://www.pheasantsforever.org/ and http://www.quailforever.org/

The Outdoor Wire

THREE Locked-Horned Whitetail!

After a recent post and pictures of two locked-horned whitetail got me thinking, which is a rarity, I decided to take a search to see if there has ever been three or even four locked-up whitetails. I'm sure its happened, once the rut starts, little "horny" bastagegs would fight about anything. Didn't take long to find some great pictures of three found this past year on a ranch in TX.

Can't believe I never saw this...quite an amazing site. Apparently, two were dead and third exhausted. Once cut loose, I'll bet the "champion" wasn't in much of a mood for a victory party. Anyone know the "actual" story, would love to hear more about it.

Pics found at http://www.buckmanager.com/

Build-the-Brand

• Brand Identity
• Brand Image
• Brand Awareness
• Brand Solutions
• Brand Marketing
• Brand Management
• Brand Consulting
• Brand Strategy
• Branding..."Holy Brand Batman"! Everyone in business talks about building the brand.

I think a lot of people get confused. Especially when you look at all the "brand" phrases out on the market being pushed into every business owners mailbox. Personally, I don't know how all the Fortune 500 businesses in the world today survived all these years without a "Brand Manager" on staff. Company's are behind the times without a "Branding Consultant" on retainer. When do you have time to sell?

I read this recently at the brandidentityguru.com regarding branding; "A gap between your brand identity and brand image can cause major concerns with your overall brand." Give me a break. Simply put, I think this means what you are and what people's perceptions are about you.

Is there a need, possibly. However, a quality marketing specialist would provide you with more. Why? Let me make things clearer. A marketing specialist in your field or discipline. I'm a firm believer at staying within ones field for knowledge and feedback. Most, if not all "branding firms" cross-over into all disciplines. I'm wasting my time if I have to educate one in the outdoor industry to gain the branding knowledge.

In the end, create the product, define your customer, do some kind of market study, bring the product to market, and sell...sell...sell! Your "brand" just might define itself.

Kentucky Black Bear Hunt Approved for the 2009 Season

Frankfort, Kentucky - In half a century, Kentucky's white-tailed deer herd grew from 1,000 animals to a million today. Wild turkeys increased from about 800 birds to a quarter-million, and we are now home to 10,000 free-ranging elk, the largest elk population east of the Rocky Mountains. All are now hunted in Kentucky.

A new big game species came closer to joining that list this week when legislators approved a pending regulatory amendment that will create Kentucky's first black bear season in more than 100 years.

"Sportsmen and sportswomen of Kentucky should be very excited," said Steven Dobey, black bear biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. "Bears are now well established in eastern Kentucky and research shows that population growth has risen steadily over the last 20 years."

Historically, the range of black bears throughout much of the eastern U.S. was diminished significantly by habitat loss due to wholesale logging and unregulated harvest. Today, however, black bears are more abundant than at any point since the mid-1900s, and Kentucky is no exception. Once logged forests have naturally matured and now offer excellent bear habitat throughout much of the southern Appalachian region of the Commonwealth.

"The 2009 hunt quota is a conservative one of 10 bears, or 5 females, whichever limit is reached first," said Dobey. "The 2-day season will occur on the third weekend in December and bears may only be hunted within a 3-county bear zone of Harlan, Letcher, and Pike counties. Research clearly shows that Kentucky's bear population can sustain a hunt."

The League of Kentucky Sportsmen and others have pushed for a Kentucky black bear hunt for several years. League President Rick Allen recently testified before a legislative committee in support of creating the state's first bear season. A decade-long University of Kentucky black bear population study is supportive as well.

The timing of this hunt is critical, as ongoing tracking of radiocollared bears shows that most females enter dens during the first week in December. As such, the hunt will concentrate efforts on male bears. The bear zone was identified based on a decade of population monitoring and research that indicates this area of the Pine, Cumberland and Black Mountain region has the highest bear densities.

The 6,000-acre Hensley-Pine Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Letcher County will be closed to all bear hunting and serve as a sanctuary for denning females. On an additional 12,421 acres surrounding this wildlife management area, bear hunting will be limited to landowners, their spouses and dependent children hunting on their own property.

Collectively, the bear sanctuary will stretch from the town of Cumberland to the northern end of the wildlife management area, bounded by KY 160 and U.S. 119 along either side of Pine Mountain. "Since 2006, 77 percent of all radiocollared female bears have denned on Pine Mountain," Dobey continued. "Minimizing hunting pressure in this area will protect critical denning habitat for females and greatly assist in our ongoing management efforts."

The purchase of a $30 black bear permit will be available only to Kentucky residents. All bears harvested must be Telechecked and taken to a department-operated check station. All bear hunters will be required to call an automated telephone number by 9 p.m. after the first day of the hunt to learn whether the quota has been reached. If the quota is met on day one, then the season will be closed. Baiting for bears and the use of hounds will be prohibited.

From The Outdoor Wire

Uberti Celebrates 50 Years of Gunmaking Excellence!

ACCOKEEK, MD -- In 2009, A. Uberti, the world's premier manufacturer of classic replica American firearms, will celebrate its 50th Anniversary. A. Uberti, S.r.l. was founded in 1959 by gunsmith Aldo Uberti in his home village of Gardone in the Italian Alps. Planning for the centennial of the American Civil War, Uberti's first replica firearm was an exact reproduction of the famous Colt Model 1851 Navy Revolver. Over the years, as the quality of his factory and the experience and skill of his craftsmen grew, Uberti expanded into replicas of other classic cap-and-ball revolvers and Old West-style lever-action rifles.

Fifty years later the Uberti line now includes Winchester lever-actions, single-shot target and hunting rifles, slide-action Colt rifles, Sharps breech-loaders, from carbine to Buffalo Rifle and faithful copies of the frontier army's Trap-door Springfields. Uberti's extensive list of handguns now includes scores of re-created landmark handguns, including Colt & Remington black powder cap-and-ball models, early cartridge conversions and more than 100 variations of the Colt 1873 Single-Action Army revolver. Other handguns include .44-caliber Schofield style top-break revolvers and a selection of exciting new Single-Action Army small-bore and hand-tuned full size models.

All Uberti firearms are exacting replicas, down to the finest detail, but with modern machinery and materials, they're actually better and safer than the originals. Uberti cartridge arms are fully capable of standing up to all modern commercial ammunition loads. From Civil War reenactments to Cowboy Action Shooting, Uberti makes the guns of the past both affordable and available to modern shooters. Now, as a member of the Benelli USA family of companies, Uberti firearms are available in America directly from the source. Only Uberti firearms marked "Stoeger" are fully warranted for 5 years and can be serviced by factory-trained gunsmiths using genuine Uberti parts right here in the U.S.A.

Please join us this year in celebrating the first half century of Uberti, the gunmaker that has restored the joy of owning and shooting many of the greatest historic firearms ever designed. "I know that I can speak on behalf of the entire Benelli family of companies, and I'm sure, for fans of historic recreation firearms everywhere, in congratulating Uberti on their landmark 50th Anniversary," said Stephen McKelvain, Benelli's VP of Marketing & Communications." Over the past half-century, Uberti's superb recreations have restored the ability to own and shoot many of the greatest American firearms ever made."

The Outdoor Wire

I feel the need...!

"I feel the need...the need for speed." Great '80's Top Gun movie quote, but in this case it reads "I feel the need...the need for Icefishing?" My father, god-bless him, has a group of friends that can talk him into anything. Their bright idea this past weekend...ice fishing.

Now, this really isn't that big of deal, since they are in North Dakota and it is that time of the year. However, this year the snow gods and "global warming"(ha) has turned the lake into a snowmobilers playground. So getting to the "house" is the problem. If you've ever seen "Grumpy Old Men", thats pretty much what you see. One main road leading to a little "town" or what I like to call "main street". However, with all the snow this year, the road was completely covered and nowone had the "courage" to take the plunge.

I'll give it to my old man. "One" of his sayings has always been "Sh*t, I can do that", so when he pulled up, looked out onto the ice, and put the peddle down, it shouldn't have surprised me to learn he planned for the result. He, Doc, and LQua brought the tow ropes and with LQua leading the way in the oilfield truck, pulled a three-way tow train till they made it to "main street". He was awfully proud as onlookers, without the necessary testosterone to take the chance, came by the "house" to thank them for opening up "main street". "Bunch of kids", they laughed. Not much success, one seven pound walleye, but another memory for the summer campfire.

Pic. found at GeekArmy

Locked Whitetail Bucks Rescue

Just received these pics of a rescue this past Nov. in South Dakota. Apparently they were spotted from a couple in their car and when they honked to get the bucks attention, noticed it didn't raise its head. Walked up and found them locked and one dead. Buck got excited and pulled the dead one out from under the fence. Failed attempt at prying them apart and finally used a hacksaw. Once he was loose he decided do give the dead one a few parting shots for good measure. Dandy buck to see once he was loose.

American Designs...Now American Made!

A question I posed to the outdoor forums not too long ago was "American Made vs. Overseas Manufacturing." The results were mixed as the perceived value of "just a t-shirt" didn't really make a difference in the purchasing decision. However, in the end, I have made a very difficult decision. Tags will now say AMERICAN MADE on new Field Dress apparel.

The whole decision making process has been a difficult one. I beleive in today's economy, the customer is not going to spend $19.95 for "just a t-shirt". A few years ago, just about anyone could come up with a design, slap it on a shirt, and sell it for twenty bucks...great example is "Cafe Press". So I have been getting the Field Dress name to the industry with solid pricing. Where else can you find quality t-shirts for $4-$8 bucks with amazing designs. Now, I am going to have extremely high quality shirts (long sleeve and short sleeve) to match what I consider to be the highest quality design work. They're going to have a more retro look and feel and separate Field Dress from the typical manufacturing company on the market. So, time to take a leap of faith, build the brand, commit. Wish me luck and make sure you visit http://www.fielddressed.com/ in February to view more great designs like the new "Chase" line you see above.

Pass It On Outdoor Mentors Receives Endorsement

Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors , Inc. received endorsement from the National Forum on Children and Nature as one of 30 projects nationwide that demonstrate new and creative ways to reconnect kids with nature.

Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors partners with youth mentoring organizations and outdoor groups to recruit mentors who share their love and passion of the outdoors with a child. Targeting “at-risk” youth, Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors gives children who have limited opportunities the chance to experience first-hand the thrill of time spent afield to learn to hunt, fish, camp and hike under the tutorage of a caring adult mentor.

“We are honored with this endorsement by the National Forum on Children and Nature,” commented Mike Christensen, President of Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors, Inc. “We look forward to working closely with the Forum to build upon our past successes and to expand the Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors program to give children across the country more opportunities to enjoy time outdoors with a mentor showing them the way.”

Children have a basic right to a healthy, whole childhood. Despite major advances in medicine, education and other fields, however, kids today are developing chronic health conditions--such as obesity and depression—earlier and more frequently than ever before. Growing evidence links the decline in children’s health, in part, to their disconnect with nature, including less active time outdoors.

Recognizing an urgent need to reconnect kids with nature, The Conservation Fund launched the National Forum on Children and Nature in 2007. The Forum includes 51 dynamic public and private leaders and is chaired by Governors M. Jodi Rell (CT), Edward Rendell (PA), Mark Sanford (SC) and Brian Schweitzer (MT), with honorary co-chair Richard Louv, bestselling author of “Last Child in the Woods.” The mayors of Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago are Forum members, as are the CEOs of The North Face, REI and the National Audubon Society, among other organizations.

The Forum’s mission is to: elevate the issue of reconnecting children with nature to the highest levels of our national consciousness; connect the fast-growing grass-roots side of this movement to some of the most powerful engines of American society – public, private and nonprofit; and make real for every American—through nationally significant demonstration projects—ways that each of us can help reconnect children with nature.

Over the past year, the Forum received 560 proposals from projects seeking endorsement. Forum advisory panels culled the best ideas for investment in children’s health through nature, particularly in the areas of education, technology and community. Ultimately, the Forum endorsed 30 projects, based on their relevance, impact and sustainability. Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors, Inc. is one of these 30.

Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors began as a joint effort between Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to get more kids outdoors. With the support of its founding sponsors, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the program has grown to the point where it spun off as a separate non-profit organization, working with youth mentoring organizations in a number of states across the country.

“The National Forum on Children and Nature proudly endorses Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors, Inc. for its vision, creativity and commitment to the well-being of future generations,” said Larry Selzer, president and CEO of The Conservation Fund. “Collectively and individually, these demonstration projects are a platform for advocating for change locally and nationally.”
By endorsing these projects, the Forum commits to raising visibility and support for them. To learn more about the Forum and projects, see www.forum-on-children-and-nature.org.

For more information contact: Michael Christensen, (316) 290-8883 mchristensen@outdoormentors.org

Press Release provide by Pass It On- Outdoor Mentors

How much is your "Lease" really worth to you?

I've been hunting for over twenty-five years now and have never had to pay to enjoy the "Great Outdoors". Thank God for North Dakota, friends, family, and building relationships with land owners that have stood the test of time. Something I never gotten used to hear in Texas is the idea of having to pay for my god-given "right". Several reasons I will never pay to hunt whitetail deer in Texas:

1- Shooting a TX deer is like shooting a yellow lab compared to the size of deer I've taken in ND.
2- I don't get excited about hunting over feeders.
3- Blind hunting seems a little like ice-fishing.
4- The kill doesn't excite me as much as the actual hunt.
5- I can get the same thrill of the hunt on public land.
6- I would rather save my money, travel to ND and actually hunt the monster whitetail that has eluded me all these years.

Personally, I think we get caught up in killing "trophy's" and have gotten away from what hunting is truelly about. Enjoying our passion and providing food for the family. In the end, that is what hunting is all about for me. So what is the "lease" really worth? I can buy more quality venison to fill the freezor with the money spent on a lease and enjoy public land to fullfil my need to experience the "hunt".

Design Of New L.L. Bean Turkey Vest Inspired By Their Most Popular Fishing Vest

Vest Features Quiet Brushed Fabric Offering
Superior Mossy Oak® Obsession® Camouflage Print Resolution

FREEPORT, ME - The Magalloway Vest, L.L.Bean’s most popular fishing vest, provided the foundation for the development of a new turkey vest, the Double L Turkey Vest, that combines comfort, organization, functionality and storage.

One of the more interesting design features borrowed from the Magalloway Vest is the unique suspension yoke system, incorporating flexible, stretchable fabric around the neck offering maximum comfort and load distribution all day long. The pocket system is also one of the keys to this vest and includes a quiet box call and chalk pocket; a pocket that holds slate or glass pot calls with abrasives for call tune-ups; two front slash pockets; run-and-gun diaphragm call pocket; and large zip pocket for assorted calls and strikers. The vest’s fabric also offers advanced camouflage resolution, providing for a more realistic pattern.

“Going directly from manufacturing to the consumer enables us to produce a functional, high-quality vest, rich in terrific features and benefits at an incredible price,” said Mike Gawtry, Product Line Manager for L.L.Bean’s Hunting and Fishing division. “The design of our Magalloway Fishing Vest has proven to be a favorite with customers for its comfort and functionality, so it was a matter of adapting the basis of this vest by adding the elements we knew demanding turkey hunters required.”

Other amenities include three interior storage pockets, slide up/down padded seat, large storage pouch on the back for decoys and an orange safety vest, which is zipped away in an upper back pocket when not in use.

L.L.Bean, Inc. is a leading retailer of quality outdoor gear and apparel. Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, the company began as a one-room operation selling a single product, the Maine Hunting Shoe. While its business has grown substantially, L.L.Bean still upholds the values of its founder and continues his dedication to quality, customer service and a love of the outdoors.

The Double L Turkey Vest sells for a suggested retail price of $89.00. For more information on products from L.L. Bean, please visit www.llbean.com.

Press Release: Skinny Moose Media

Elite Archery Sold to Elite Outdoors

Immediate Release:

Rochester, NY; The newly formed Elite Outdoors, LLC. has purchased the assets of Elite Archery from the College Place, Washington based J2 Archery. Elite Outdoors, LLC will maintain its current manufacturing partnerships with J2 Archery and Grace Engineering to continue producing the finest quality bows in the archery industry. Elite Outdoors, LLC will be lead by Peter Crawford as president of the company. Peter has worked in the archery industry for nearly a decade, most recently as the National Sales Manager at G5 Outdoors. Garret Armstrong, formerly the Brand Manager of G5 Outdoors, will head up the marketing department as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Maggie Armstrong, Denny Sharrone and Missy Sharrone also join the Elite Outdoors team; each bringing years of hunting and archery industry experience.Existing Elite Archery employees, Kristin Cole and Greg Taylor, will be working with Elite Outdoors and continue to service the Elite customer base. The original designer of Elite Archery bows and the inventor of the patent pending twin track binary cam system will continue working with the new Elite Outdoors, LLC to bring cutting edge technology and high performance bows in the future.“We look forward to focusing on the current dealers and providing excellent customer service not only to the Elite dealers, but also to the end consumers,” stated Crawford. “ The current Elite bows are fantastic, stand alone products and we will make sure the entire world knows about it through an extensive marketing strategy and competitive sales,” said Garret Armstrong. The Elite line includes four bows; the GT 500, Z28, XLR and Cuda, ranging from 23 to 31 inch draw lengths and 30 lb. to 90 lb. peak weights.The Elite line will only be sold in dealer pro shops and will not be available for online purchase, through distributors or at large retail chain stores. Elite Outdoors will make its first appearance at the annual Archery Trade Association show this week in Indianapolis, Indiana at booth number 3245.For more information on Elite Outdoors please contact the College Place office at 877-503-5483 or visit www.elitearchery.com. Media questions can be directed to Maggie Armstrong at Maggie@elitearchery.com The new headquarters for Elite Outdoors will be moving to Rochester, New York within the coming weeks. All contact information will stay the same.

The Big-Box Dilemma

Getting started in the retail industry shouldn’t be one you dive into headfirst. I received a call from a buyer for a major sporting good big-box retailer inquiring about a 10,000 unit test order for their over 100 outlets. Can you say “ching-ching.” At least that was my initial thinking.

Thought I finally hit the big-time. I just knew I had the product and it was just a matter of time before I took it to the masses. Then came the reality…how much were they really going to pay for the product. After negotiating over the course of several days, I determined the reward was not worth the thought of cheapening the brand. The price point they wanted to sell my line didn’t sit well with where I felt the line warranted compared to the competing lines. A couple of sleepless nights came to this concesus:

Positives
10,000 units = CASH
Major Retailer = Brand Awareness
Get in one and others may follow

Negatives
10,000 units = Little CASH
Big-Box Retailers can crush the “little guy” with regulations (delivery, bar coding, hangers, ect.)
Initial price-point can determine your company’s future worth
Thinking short-term profitability can undermine your long-term goals

In the end, my long-term goals weren’t worth sacrificing the future of the “brand”. Take the time and build the brand with customer service and loyalty and you’ll dictate to the retailers, not the other way around.

First Giveaway Winner Goes to Jodi!

Will work on getting the numbers up, but the winner is Jodi. Come back often and look for monthly giveaways from http://www.fielddressed.com.

Hope everyone had a safe and Happy New Year!