Is archery dying ?

[Savagenut]

Seems like the shops around me are closing up and the weekend 3d shoots are disappearing. Is archery dying?

Causes?
Crossbow?
Generational changes?
Something else?


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[Taudisio]

I don’t think so, online shops are shutting down local stores, and people buy targets and put them in their yard instead of paying $10 or so every time they want to shoot. That’s my opinion.

 

[bowhuntercoop]

Not even close, booming actually with a huge resurgence of traditional archery as well.

 

[Muskykris]

I'm going to say no, online and big box stores are killing the pro shops.

Id also say in SE Ontario its 100:1 crossbows to compound. but its been that way here for as long as i can remember.

 

[Savagenut]

Most of the big box stores and online stores can’t sell the big brands.


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[HydeParkHunter]

Where is 'here'? I feel confident saying that bow hunting popularity is steady, or increasing, in my part of Idaho.

 

[KenLee]

In the Southeast US, yes.
Outside early archery 15 day season in SC or bow only GMA, 80% using archery are felons.

 

[Muskykris]

Most of the big box stores and online stores can’t sell the big brands.


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so the pro shop sells the big brand bows, and accessories are bought elsewhere.

 

[HuntHarder]

LOL

 

[Taudisio]

Most of the big box stores and online stores can’t sell the big brands.


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I don’t know where you are looking online, but I can have any bow shipped to my house, adjusted for my draw length/weight with 2-3 day shipping.

 

[wnelson14]

I'm going to say no, online and big box stores are killing the pro shops.

Resources to information are killing archery shops, there are two within 20-30 minutes of me I have bought and used both numerous times, and now I feel like I can do a 1000 times better setting up and tuning a bow after getting some tools and trial and error at home on my own stuff. But this can be said for almost any industry. Want to tile your shower watch some YouTube and diy it, but the cost/ benefit usually doesn’t save much for those type of jobs but working on archery equipment does in my opinion.

 

[Mojave]

I have gone full circle. Was a traditional archery shooter for years, started shooting compounds, then shot a crossbow as my shoulder stopped working. I mostly rifle hunt now. I don't have any interest in going back to a vertical bow, but I am still interested in seasons where I can use a crossbow during archery season where allowed through regulation or exception because of my shoulder.

My biggest gripe on compounds is that they are slow to load, and the bolts are slower. They are easier to shoot, and a gateway for someone like me with a screwed up shoulder.

Here in Europe archery is booming in the nations that allow it. Here in Germany it is not allowed. We still have a lot of bowshops.

 

[Mojave]

I would add that we had a couple of bow shops in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Both of them were nice shops, full of absolutely full retail everything. What was dumb is they had a full line from Sikta and so did Sportsman's Warehouse across town with great sales regularly.

Why would you pay 30-50% more for the same item from a small mom and pop bow shop?

 

[waspocrew]

Nope, not dying at all.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Another reason for "pro shops" dying is that:
1) a lot of them didn't know how, and didn't learn how to actually set up a bow. Most just through a peep, d-loop, sight, and rest on, grabbed a generic fletched arrow and then proceeded to move the rest around until they got a bullet hole and called it good. The last one I went into to have them adjust my cam lean to get rid of a nock right tear, they seriously asked me, "Why would you want that? Just move your rest."
2) More bow manufacturers are selling bows that can be adjusted without a bow press. So, along with the fact that I can get most of my accessories online as well as pre-cut arrow shafts, I have no reason to go into a brick and mortar other than to actually buy the bare bow.

 

[Muskykris]

Resources to information are killing archery shops, there are two within 20-30 minutes of me I have bought and used both numerous times, and now I feel like I can do a 1000 times better setting up and tuning a bow after getting some tools and trial and error at home on my own stuff. But this can be said for almost any industry. Want to tile your shower watch some YouTube and diy it, but the cost/ benefit usually doesn’t save much for those type of jobs but working on archery equipment does in my opinion.

100% agree.

AT had been a wealth of knowledge for me when starting out 15 years ago. so much so that i never went to the local pro shop until my daughter started shooting.
We bought her a target bow and all accessories and lessons through them, but at times i bit my tongue knowing there were better ways about doing a few things related to tuning etc.

 

[Alpine4x4]

I wouldn't say it's dying. Archery opportunity is vast compared to rifle when it comes to tags and seasons. This keeps guys in the game longer, albeit it's a harder hunt.

 

[repins05]

Based on the amount of people archery hunting.....I would absolutely say no. There almost seems like there is as much pressure during archery as there is 1st season rifle elk the last few years.

Archery as a whole.....I don't know if it is dying. Archery Hunting, I would say completely opposite.

 

[ODB]

Not even close, booming actually with a huge resurgence of traditional archery as well.

Interesting. This will be the third wave of a trad resurgence since I started archery in 1980

 

[Pdrechsler]

I don’t believe it’s dying, still know a lot of people with teenage children getting into it. Here in Wisconsin, I do see a big shift to crossbows, though it could be that the people I know/hunt with are aging.