CEO Blog: ’Tis the Season!

Much like asking for world peace, I’d put a limitless supply of new bowhunters atop my list. Having fallen in love with this sport later in life, I know two things: It’s way more rewarding than I thought it could be, and it’s easier to break into than I once feared. So, rather than wish for something impossible, I’ll propose this: Let’s do all we can to give something back to our sport and industry. I’ve often said I would’ve taken my bow into the woods a whole lot earlier had someone asked me along. It’s really that easy to break the ice. But we’re uncomfortable asking favors for ourselves, and our mentors can feel uncomfortable reaching out. The more we reach out, though, the better our future looks.

Speaking of big wishes, my Christmas would be complete forever if we could end chronic wasting disease. Yes, our members and your customers bowhunt more species than elk and whitetails. In fact, I enjoyed a great story last month about bowhunters going after pheasants. But the species most affected by CWD are really the cornerstones of our bowhunting industry. Eradicating this always-fatal disease would have immeasurable impacts on us. But that’s not going to happen this holiday season, so perhaps we can find common ground in supporting reasonable and appropriate state and federal policies based on widely accepted science-based policies to help slow this killer’s spread. Our Deer Protection Program members have done lots in this regard, but we certainly have a long way to go.