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Information On Our Sponsors and Equipment UsedWe would like to dedicate this page to all of our sponsors. This page will provide details on the equipment that we use and that is provided to us by our sponsors. I absolutely would not use this equipment if I did not believe that this is some of the best equipment on the market today. Please support our sponsors as they are supporting the sport of hunting and bowfishing. Be sure to let them know that Gene Hobbs from Bowfishing Madness sent you.
Purchasing a vehicle of this caliber can be a daunting task. I set out to find a dealership that I felt would treat me right, appreciate my business and was willing to provide me with the best deal. I must admit that I frustratingly walked out of four separate dealerships. That is until I approached John Thornton Chevrolet. I can honestly say that my experience at John Thornton Chevrolet exceeded my expectations and I am 100% satisfied with my transaction! If you are in the market for a new vehicle I highly recommend John Thornton Chevrolet. These guys will treat you right! You can reach them at: John Thornton Chevrolet AMS Bowfishing has provided superior bowfishing equipment for bowfishermen for many years. Undoubtedly the AMS Retriever is the most popular bowfishing retrieving device in the bowfishing industry today.  All of our bows used by our customers are rigged with AMS retrievers. They can handle anything from small fish to extemely large fish and rarely have any problems. The flow of the line during arrow flight is so free that it does not affect the arrow flight in any way. The Retriever Pro also comes with an arrow holder built into the retriever. AMS Bowfishing has a full line of bowfishing equipment including the well known AMS Fishhawk bowfishing bow, arrows, fish points, line and heavy duty equipment for game such as alligator or shark. AMS Bowfishing can serve all of your bowfishing needs. The customer service at AMS is superior. They have never let me down!
 This one gets the ‘WOW’ factor! If you are  an avid bowhunter like me then you have to agree that we have all been waiting for a full containment suit that allows us bowhunter’s to be able to make accurate shots without interference from the suit. IWOM Outerwear has absolutely exceeded my expectations. The IWOM Hunting System was designed with the bowhunter in mind. They thought of everything folks. The material is quiet, completely water proof with sealed seams, immensely warm and flexible so that I can stand up and turn to make a shot behind the stand while fully contained in the IWOM Hunting suit. The IWOM Hunting System even incorporated scent management into this suit and a built in handwarmer. They use SmartSilver scent management to help eliminate odor causing bacteria.  This allows for maximum elimination of your body’s odor while wearing the IWOM. The suit comes equipped with a single strap that will allow you to pull the fabric snug against your body in an effort to prevent any loose material from interfering with your shot. This is fantastic! The suit was also engineered to be extremely mobile. You can wear the suit wrapped up neatly in its own carry bag around your waist while traveling to and from your stand. Or you can wear just the Parka portion to your stand and then when the weather demands deploy the lower section from the waist to contain your legs and feet for all day warmth and scent containment. My advice? CHECK OUT IWOM OUTERWEAR! You will be glad you did!
The people at Hunter Safety System have been saving lives and providing hunters with a safe way to enjoy tree stand hunting longer than any other tree stand safety harness company out there.  This fact alone makes it obvious that HSS has the most experience when it comes to providing you with safe, reliable and comfortable tree stand hunting. I recently purchased what I consider to be the top three safety harnesses on the market. This included the HSS Ultra Lite X-treme, Tree Spider and the Gorilla G-30. Each of the harnesses were well designed. However after multiple tests both on and off the field I chose to stick with Hunter Safety System products. I discovered that the Tree Spider’s metal buckle adjustment in the torso area would tend to make contact as you bent over or moved around in your stand thus having the potential to scare game. I also noticed that when I rest my bow on my thigh while standing I would tend to rest it directly on the metal leg-buckle that once again would create noise. HSS resolves this issue by not having any metal buckles in the torso area and they also rubber coated the buckles on the leg straps. In addition HSS offers a buckle cover system that allows you to slide fleece and elastic covers over your buckles eliminating any chance of scaring game due to noise.  I found the design of the Gorilla G-30 harness to be on the “busy side” and just a bit weighty. Out of each of the safety harnesses that I tested the HSS Ultra Lite X-Treme proved to be the least noticeable or 'binding' while wearing the harness. After completing my test I knew that HSS was absolutely the safety harness of my choice. The HSS safety harnesses are shipped not only with a tree strap but also comes with a free lineman’s climbing strap so that you will not have to purchase one separately. HSS also offers a line of accessories that will interact with your HSS harness and assist you with your outdoor needs. Be sure to check out Hunter Safety System today!
The Versa Cradle Bow Vise is one of the most versatile bow vises available today. The Versa Cradle is quality built and allows for more manueverability than any bow vise that I have used. The locking ball built into the vise has been designed for 360 degree rotation which allows for easy access to any part of the bow.   The Versa Cradle uses polyuerathane pads that won't marr your limbs. Be sure to view the Demonstration Video.The Versa Cradle is built by Berry's Manufacturing. Berry's MFG offers many products that cater to the shooting industry including bullets, ammo boxes, reloading accessories, gun cleaning accessories, gunsmith tools, gun cases, brass, etc... They even make a Versa Cradle designed for pistols. The RamCat broadheads have been tested and proven themselves to be the DEEPEST PENETRATING broadheads on the market today. If anyone has proof of a broadhead that penetrates better than the RamCats then please email me and let me know! I have tested many of the most popular broadheads on the market today and have yet to find one that penetrates as well as the RamCats. First view of the RamCat may cause you wonder how this unusual broadhead functions.  This broadhead actually has a 1 3/8" cut with blades that are sharpened on both sides. The blades actually roll forward to cut backwards if the arrow does not pass through. Needless to say this causes explosive hemmoraging along with a massive blood trail for tracking! Not only has this broadhead been proven to have the absolute best penetration, but the RamCat flies so accurate that they will group exactly with your field points. I have performed these tests at distances up to 60 yards and witnessed this for myself. I have spoken to others who have shot these heads at 80 yards with pinpoint accuracy with field points. Characteristically all broadheads will tell on you at the target if your form is not up to par. However when you use proper form you will absolutely not have a problem with these broadheads hitting exactly with field points. Don't take my word for it. Check YouTube and you will see multiple testimonials on how well these RamCats perform. Check out RamCat broadheads to see additional video footage of the RamCats creating satisfied hunters across the nation. Doubletake Archery has designed one of the most user friendly lighted nocks on the market today. The Nockturnal nock is a breaktrough design that is more affordable and lighter in weight than most other lighted nocks.  The Nockturnal nocks have a battery life of over 20 hours and a unique on/off switch which prevents the nock from turning on or off inadvertently. Doubletake Archery is also the owner of the BowPlane tuning tool. The BowPlane combines the latest in laser and fiber optic technology to produce the most advanced bow and accessory alignment system ever. When activated, the BowPlane projects a visible reference plane or “sheet” of laser light, 360° around the inside perimeter of your bow – up and down the bowstring, along the cams and/or idler wheels, upper and lower limbs, rest and sight pins. I used the BowPlane on a bow that I recently setup and was surprised to see that the top cam did not line up with my lower cam. One spacer resolved this issue and allowed for more of a 'centershot' setup. Be sure to check out Doubletake Archery to see these products and more. Something that I look forward to each year is the new advanced products that have the potential to benefit my outdoor excursions. One item that stands out this year is the S4Gear LOCKDOWN Optics Deployment System binocular holder. This binocular harness is manufactured by S4Gear. The LockDown has an entirely different design when compared to other popular bino harnesses. With the LockDown I no longer have to worry about twisted straps or adjusting the back of the harness during cold mornings with multiple layers of clothes. The Lockdown protects my optics while holding them tight against my chest. This harness has been strategically designed with multiple adjustments that will allow you to custom fit your physique regardless of the amount of clothing that you might be wearing. S4Gear has also designed the SIDEWINDER EVO Retractable Gear Deployment System. Finally a tether system designed from the ground up to be a quiet, dependable and extremely versatile retractable gear deployment system. This is absolutely the most quiet tether system I have ever used. I have used multiple tether systems in the past and have been bit by the friction noise that most tethers produce on quiet crisp days. The SIDEWINDER EVO is engineered and constructed with materials specifically designed for convenient access and maintaining a silent presence in the woods. I feel that there is no other tether system on the market today that can compare with the SIDEWINDER EVO. The TriVan Vanishing Arrow Rest is one of the latest innovations in fall away rest technologies. When I saw this rest for the first time I knew immediately that I wanted to get my hands on this rest and run it through some tests.  Since I received the rest I have put at least 500 arrows through it. I managed to take a Montana mulie at 56 yards in pouring wind and rain while using the rest. Knowing how carbon likes to eat when I first installed the rest I was concerned that the carbon arrows may grind into the lower rest arm as the bow is drawn back. So far this has not been an issue. I was able to easily tune the bow with the TriVan rest. The arrow is totally contained. No fear of your arrow falling off your rest if you tilt the bow. Check out Mid Atlantic Archery Products to see some excellent footage of the TriVan rest in action. LAST CHANCE ARCHERY offers the most efficient easy to use bow press in the world! I have used many different bow presses in my shop. I was so impressed with the simplicity and time saving features offered on the Last Chance Archery press that I knew I had to have one.  When you purchase one of these presses you will no longer have to take the time to reconfigure the press to fit different length bows. If anything you may have to slide one of the limb gripping fingers in or out just a bit. This takes about 2 seconds. I have yet to find a bow that I cannot press while using the Last Chance Archery press. They offer multiple presses to fit your budget and shop configuration. My favorite is the Power Press Deluxe. This particular version comes with a variable speed electric motor and will go from a 28" to a 42" bow in less than 30 seconds. This press will press up to 70 lbs. of draw weight. The Power Press Deluxe includes a pivot system that will go from horizontal to vertical for easy access to finish bow set-up.If you want to press more weight then you will need the manual version as seen below which will allow you to turn the wheel to press the bows.  The manual components are machined for smooth and easy operation. Be sure to check out all of the different press models and accessories offered by Last Chance Archery. I was even able to use the Last Chance press to hold my bowstrings tight so that they could be served. I simply turned the fingers around backwards and then placed the string on the fingers and stretched the string until it was tight. This made serving the strings easy! The Light Stryke Laser Sight is a new laser sight by October Mountain Products designed with the bowfisherman in mind. After speaking with one of the reps at October Mountain Products I am convinced that the goal was to focus on more than simply designing a laser to adapt to a bow.  Their goal was to design a laser that will prove beneficial to both the average and professional bowfisherman. Light Stryke has been put through a plethora of tests by experienced bowfishermen. Powerful 5mW Green Laser difracts in water, just aim and stryke! Aim dead-on and shoot. No more guesswork in aiming. A remote pressure switch activates the laser on demand. This powerful laser works in daylight and with spot lights at night. All aluminum construction built to withstand the abuse of bowfishing. Tons of adjustment are available to fit all bows from recurves to compounds. Mounting holes for retriever/quiver and easily converts to LH, Operates on CR2 batteries. Mountain Mikes Reproductions universal antler mounting kits has got to be the best product on the market today for deer hunters who would like to create their own European mount. I was very impressed when I noticed Mountain Mikes Reproductions at the 2009 ATA show in Indianapolis.  I was fortunate to be able to try out one of these skull reproductions on a deer that I took in 2008. The process was very simple. You simply cut the antlers off of the deer just below the burr at the skull. Then you will need to use whatever resources you have available (grind, sand, etc...) to smooth the bottom of the antler as close to the burr as possible. Next you simply position the antler on the reproduction skull and mark a spot on the bottom of the antler where you will drill a hole to attach the antler to the skull. Then drill a hole in the antler and install the included screws from the skull plate to the antler.  Adjust your antlers by twisting them to the correct width and tighten. That's all there is to it. Mikes Reproductions also offers the Record Keeper kit that will allow you to keep a portion of your skull intact with the antlers thus allowing you to keep the exact shape and width. Then you will mount this portion to the skull plate on the reproduction skull. This kit will come with a putty compound to allow you to blend the actual skull in with the reproduction skull. I cannot express enough how very impressed I am with the reproduction kits. I am relieved to know that I will never have to boil a skull or pay a taxidermist to create my European mount again.
ARCHERY INNOVATIONS has designed a device that will allow you to remove your peep forever. There are many 'no-peep' type devices on the market. I have tried each of these devices that I felt had the potential to truly allow me to remove my peep yet shoot just as good or better with a no peep type of device.  To my surprise there were a few devices out there that did work. However after relentless testing I have decided without a doubt that the Anchor Sight from Archery Innovations is my top choice. The Anchor Sight was the easiest to setup and adjust. This device has micro-adjustments that are easy to get to even after being installed on the bow. The Anchor Sight bracket is very versatile thus allowing you multiple configurations when installing on your bow. I could easily write a few pages on the benefits of this sight.  To sum it up I will tell you for a fact that you will acquire your target faster and easier, you will have more hunting time due to the fact that you will no longer have to look through a small peep hole early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the lighting is low. After removing your peep your bow should speed up at least 1-2 feet per second. And you will no longer have to deal with the aggravation of installing a peep and turning the string until the peep lines up. How many times have you heard someone say their peep didn't turn to the proper position at full draw costing them a shot??The Anchor Sight is also durably made. I have been shooting one for over two years and have never had to readjust the device. I even dropped my bow while climbing down the tree one time. The only adjustment I had to make after dropping the bow involved the arrow rest.  I feel very confident in saying that if you ever truly use the Anchor Sight and give yourself time to get used to the sight, then you will never go back to a peep. I promised myself that if I did not shoot as well or better with the Anchor Sight as opposed to a peep sight then I would go back to shooting a peep. I have competed in multiple world competition tournaments and shot 3d in the pro circuit for years. I only wish that I had the Anchor Sight during that time. This device would have been great during those shots at dark 3d targets in low light forests! HydroTurf Traction Mats are extremely slick proof mats that also provide a layer of cushioning. Before we installed our HydroTurf mats we had to be careful not to slip during a night of bowfishing due to the moisture and fish slime that accumulates on the deck throughout the night. After installing the HydroTurf mats we were able to walk around the deck without worrying about slipping. As an added bonus the mats were much more comfortable to stand on than the plain metal deck. Even after laying fish on the deck for pictures I simply hose it down and the HydroTurf is once again slip-proof and looks brand new. The HydroTurf mats will give your boat a clean new look. I am VERY IMPRESSED and VERY SATISFIED with these mats. HydroTurf has a variety of colors and styles to match your boating and pwc needs. NOTE: If you decide to make a purchase at HydroTurf be sure to mention my name, Gene Hobbs at Bowfishing Madness Guide Service and you will receive a 15% discount.
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