MeatEater Acquires Dave Smith Decoys
MeatEater, Inc. recently announced the acquisition of Dave Smith Decoys (DSD), an industry leader in ultra-realistic hunting decoys and gear. The move marks the company's newest strategic acquisition in high-performance outdoor products, following the company's acquisition of technical hunting apparel brand First Lite in 2019, FHF Gear in 2020, and Phelps Game Calls in 2021.
For 20-plus years, DSD has set the bar when it comes to lifelike decoys. The company first specialized in waterfowl decoys (for field hunting), then expanded into wild turkey decoys, and finally whitetail deer decoys. From life-size, incredibly detailed, full-body whitetail deer to a full-spectrum of hen and gobbler turkey poses, to nearly every species and subspecies of goose that's hunted around the world, DSD is known for creating poses and finishes that flat-out work in the field.
According to MeatEater Founder Steven Rinella, MeatEater will aim to expand DSD’s offerings and bring its unique products to a larger customer base.
"We have a track record of bringing trusted brand partners into the MeatEater fold and helping them expand their products and reach," said Rinella. "I've been using DSD for a bunch of years. Their decoys are high-quality and look more realistic than anything on the market. When we had the chance to introduce even more people to this exceptional brand, we jumped at it."
DSD Founder Dave Smith said, "With our commitment to making ultra-effective decoys in mind, and our passion for conservation and ethical hunting, we would only agree to a partnership with a company who we feel we are aligned with in all these things. In MeatEater, we have found that partner."
"Maintaining the quality of our products is a top priority to all of us while simultaneously promoting hunting in a positive light to preserve our hunting heritage," added DSD co-owner Brad Cochran.
Under the leadership of Smith and DSD co-owners Cochran and Greg Hogan, DSD will continue to expand its line of premium A.C.E. Decoys in its Oregon-based plant as part of this new venture.
"We have some great new products in the works, and we're excited to work with the MeatEater team to bring these to market," said Greg Hogan, co-owner and manager of operations for DSD.
Pope and Young Name Hall of Fame Inductees
Pope and Young recently inducted seven highly deserving P&Y members into its Hall of Fame during the 33rd Biennial Convention.
At the 32nd Biennial Convention, Pope and Young announced the creation of their Hall of Fame and inducted its first five members. Becoming a part of the Hall of Fame, for an organization with so many iconic hunters and conservationists, is something to be held in high regard. Each of this year’s inductees have played a major role in the promotion and preservation of bowhunting, and Pope and Young is proud to induct them into the prestigious Hall of Fame.
This year’s Biennial’s Hall of Fame Inductees include:
C. Randall Byers
Randy joined the Pope and Young club in 1971 and started serving on the Board of Directors in November of 1983, and served continuously until his death. Randy became the Club’s President in April of 2002 until his passing that same year in August. Randy computerized the entire records program while the records office was in his home in Moscow, Idaho. He was also very influential in getting the records office combined with the secretary’s office and moved to Chatfield, Minnesota.
Kevin Hisey
Kevin joined Pope and Young in 1985 and became an official measurer in 1988, where he served as a Panel Judge for 11 Bienniums. He served as the Executive Secretary for 15 years, his tenure in that role is the longest in the Club’s history. He started working for the club in 1982, and his involvement with Pope and Young spanned 34 years of dedicated service.
Larry Streiff
Larry joined Pope and Young in 1973 and in 2021 was awarded the Lifetime Emeritus Senior Membership. Larry served on his first panel in 1979 in Salt Lake City and served on 23 consecutive panels since then. In 1993 Larry was elected to the Board as Director role, before he completed a full term, he was appointed Records Chairman and filled that position for 6 years. He worked hard to write the typical and non-typical chapters of the first Pope and Young measuring manual, and much of the general measuring section. Larry still serves very faithfully in helping the office staff anytime they ask for his assistance.
G. Fred Asbell
Fred first joined Pope and Young in 1966 and his first term on the Board of Directors, began in 1978. He served as the Director for 6 years until 1984, which is when Fred ran for President and served as President from 1984 to 2002. Fred was the leader of Pope and Young for 18 continuous years, the longest serving President in the history of the club. But to us as members of the Pope and Young, he was more than a director, a member, or a President. Fred was not only a legendary bowhunter, but he was also our dedicated leader and friend. He saw to it that ethical behavior and fair chase practices remained the backbone of our organization.
Glenn Hisey
Glenn joined Pope and Young in 1975 and became a Lifetime Senior Member in 2016. Glenn became an official measurer in 1981 and has been on nearly every panel since 1981, as well as eight Boone and Crockett panels. It goes without saying, Glenn is one of the elite measurers within the system having trained more than 700 Pope and Young measurers. He was also a major player in the writing and development of the Measurers Manual. Glenn has held and served in many capacities inside the Club including serving as the Executive Secretary for 11 years, 1st Vice President, Director of Records, and Records Chairman.
Marvin and Judy Clyncke
Marv joined Pope and Young in 1969, with Judy following in 1981 and was just the seventh female bowhunter to be accepted as a Regular Member in 1999. Marv and Judy have both been active participants in Pope and Young auctions. Marv has donated several beautiful scrimshaw pieces for the auction and various other awards. Both have helped with the actual auctions in one way or another. Marv even demonstrated his prowess as an auctioneer on several occasions. Marv donated more than 100 bows and arrows to the Pope and Young Museum. They have actively mentored young and old alike during their bowhunting careers. They have often given bows and arrows to young people to get them interested in bowhunting and the outdoors. Both Marv and Judy have received “Lifetime Achievement Awards” from the Colorado Bowhunters Association.
Olympic Games Athlete Selection Procedures Announced
We are less than 500 days away from the start of the archery competition at the 2024 Olympic Games, and USA Archery has unveiled its path to Paris.
Who competes in France as part of Team USA will be determined at the conclusion of the 2024 Olympic Games U.S. Team Trials, which begin with the 139th USA Archery Target Nationals in Malvern, Pennsylvania, between August 30-September 2, and conclude in May 2024 per the 2024 Olympic Games U.S. Team trials schedule.
The newly released 2024 Olympic Games Athlete Selection Proceduresexplain in detail the rounds that will be competed in stage of the U.S. Team trials and how cumulative ranking points will be awarded. USA Archery has also announced its 2024 Olympic Games Staff Selection Procedures.
"USA Archery is excited to announce the schedule for the 2024 Olympic Games U.S. Team Trials," said Chief of Sport Performance & Operations, Mary Emmons. "The Stage 1 event is an open tryout for anyone looking to vie for a spot on the U.S. team and will feature the nation's top archery talent and is a great opportunity for fans to cheer on their favorite athletes, as they compete for coveted spots on the 2024 Olympic Archery Team."
While the U.S. Team Trials athlete selection process determine who will compete for Team USA, USA must also earn quota slots for the 2024 Olympic Games. The first qualification tournament will be held at the 2023 World Archery Championships in Berlin, Germany, this July, followed by the 2023 Pan American Games in November, which is a Continental Qualification event.
The Final Qualification Tournament will be held with World Cup 3 in June 2024, after which any final remaining quota slots will be allocated based on team world rankings.
The archery venue for next year's Olympic Games is Invalides, a stunning green space by the banks of the River Seine. Archery historically begins on the morning of the Opening Ceremony but will instead start a day before, on July 25, due to Invalides' proximity to the Seine, on which the Opening Ceremony will take place. The Olympic Games-Archery will involve 128 competitors, with an equal split of 64 men and 64 women, and finishes on August 4, a week before the Olympic Flame is extinguished.
Rock Ridge Outdoors Names Janette Palmer VP of Sales
Rock Ridge Outdoors, manufacturer of archery products under the Dead Ringer brand, recently announced Janette Palmer as its new vice president of sales.
“We’re pleased and excited to have Janette join our organization,” said Rock Ridge Outdoors President and CEO Trey Ferguson. “She’s a firm believer in our core values and culture as a company, and we’re confident she’ll champion our success. Janette strengthens our leadership team and skillset with a focus on driving growth between all our brands.”
A seasoned veteran in the shooting sports industry, Palmer brings 20 years of experience in customer service, sales support, and manufacturer representation to her new position. She’s a passionate hunter, shooter, and member of both A Girl & A Gun and DIVA-Women Outdoors Worldwide.
Palmer has been deeply involved in the explosive growth for well-known brands such as Crimson Trace, HIVIZ, and 1791 Gunleather. In her new role as VP of sales, Palmer will expand Rock Ridge Outdoors’ sales team both domestically and internationally as well as grow the wholesale and dealer presence of all Rock Ridge brands
“I’m incredibly excited to join the Rock Ridge Outdoors team and help grow the company’s iconic brands with a talented, hard-working group of professionals,” said Palmer. “As an outdoorswoman, I’m thrilled to work with one of the leading names in this space and look forward to tremendous growth together.”
NASP and S3DA Raise $6,544 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Passion for archery and passion to help others are both attributes shared by National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) and Scholastic 3D Archery (S3DA). Two of the most popular youth archery organizations teamed up recently to help the children of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. NASP and S3DA decided to host a joint fundraiser during the month of April and give program participants the opportunity to help others by donating. NASP and S3DA recently announced that $6,544.00 was raised for the children of St. Jude.
NASP President Dr. Tommy Floyd said, “We are excited to have partnered with S3DA. Both programs are filled with people who love archery and love helping others. The concept of harnessing the passion of the archery energy in both organizations was a no-brainer for us. We both loved the idea of emphasizing the value of helping others while our participants pursue excellence on the range.”
S3DA Executive Director Holly Helton said, “A passion for helping youth is what led to the creation of the S3DA program. With this passion in mind, we have a longstanding commitment to consciously promote youth-centered activities, even those outside the normal realm of target archery. We are very pleased to be able to partner with NASP to harness the power of giving for such a worthy cause.”
There was no cost for entering the virtual tournament event, and donations via the tournament website were encouraged. The top fundraising schools or teams, from both programs, will be recognized for their efforts, and several NASP and S3DA sponsors such as Morrell Targets, Easton Technical Products, and Delta McKenzie Targets have gotten on board to offer prizes for the top donating schools or teams.
Dr. Tommy Floyd continued by saying, “As pleased as we are about this year, we are already excited about next year. We will discuss internally how to make this into something much bigger in the future. NASP and S3DA want to challenge all youth shooting sports organizations to join us and make the St. Jude Children’s Hospital spring fundraiser an annual event. We think this joint effort proves what we already knew: Our people are not only passionate about archery, but they really enjoy helping others that are going through difficult times. We understand the positive power of the shooting sports to help others!”
