Film your own deer hunt with the Muddy Outfitter Camera Tree Arm

       Film your own hunt! Muddy Outfitter Camera Tree Arm  -  NOW IN STOCK!  $119.99

These days it dosen't take much to get set up to film your own deer hunt, and just about any decent camcorder will take good video in the woods.  The key is a soild camera arm that will allow for a wide range of smooth movement.   Trust me when I tell you the Muddy Outfitter treestand camera arm is dollar for dollar the best on the market.   

This tree arm has a built in bubble level and adjusts in 2 directions after it's installed on the tree for smooth but solid panning and positioning.   It comes with hardware to mount just about any tripod head, and you can even mount directly to the arm.    

Come in to the store and check them out but this order won't last long.   Capture that big buck on video this year and who knows maybe even the shot!  

2014 NFAA Outdoor National Champion, Mike Flier

Mike Flier of Pekin, Illinois won the 2014 NFAA Outdoor National Championship while competing in the Senior Men’s Freestyle Division. This was Mike’s 5th NFAA National Title and goes along with numerous Local, Regional, State, Sectional and World titles over his archery career that spans nearly 5 decades.

Mike won his first NFAA National Title at Aurora, Illinois in 1970. He competed in the Young Adult Male Barebow Division. That was the first of 4 National Championships in a row for Mike. The next three consecutive NFAA Outdoor National Championships were in the Adult Barebow Division. In addition to these National Titles, Mike also won the International Field Archery Association’s (IFAA) World Outdoor Championships in York, England in 1973, and won the IFAA World Outdoor Championships again in 1975 at Jay Peak, Vermont.

This year, Mike competed at the NFAA Outdoor National Tournament held in Yankton, South Dakota. He competed in the Senior Men’s Freestyle Division, and after being behind after the first day’s competition, he put things after that to win the National Title by a single point over fellow Illinois competitor, Steven Stover. Mike has won the National Outdoor Titles in 3 age groups: Young Adult, Adult, and Senior.

- His last National Outdoor title was in 1974 and his recent 2014 National Outdoor Championship title was 40 years later.

Mike’s Setup that he used to win the 2014 NFAA Senior Men’s Freestyle Outdoor National Championship includes

Bow: PSE Freak SP. 55 pounds peak weight, 18 pounds holding weight.

Draw Length: 29 ¾” AMO

Arrows: Easton X-10 carbon arrows, 29 inches long, with 100 Grains of point weight

Bow sight: CBE

Scope: CBE, with a 0.75 diopter (6 power) lens and a pink dot (for outdoors).

Peep Site: Specialty Peep with a small aperture and no clarifier.

Release aid: Tru-Ball Ultra HT 4-finger.

Stabilization: Fivics main stabilizer, 30 inches long, with 3 Oz tip weight. Back stabilizer is a Fivics 12 inches long with 8 oz of back weight.

Quiver: Easton Sport Hip Quiver.

Optics: Vortex Razor 10 x 42 power.

Mike is a long-time member of USA Archery (formerly National Archery Association), the National Field Archery Association (NFAA), the Illinois Archery Association, and Pekin Archers Incorporated. Mike is directly involved in teaching archery to youngsters during the summer at the Pekin Archers outdoor range. He also shoots at Presleys Outdoors in Bartonville, Illinois and has been a contributor to the successful Midwest Open Archery Tournament for the past 6 years.

--by Tom Dorigatti, November, 2014

Local Archer Wins 2014 NFAA Indoor National Championship

Kathy Pindell of Galesburg, Illinois won the 2014 NFAA Indoor National Championship while competing in the Senior Women’s Freestyle Division. This was Kathy’s 4th National Title and goes along with numerous Local, Regional, State and Sectional titles over her archery career that spans nearly 5 decades.

Kathy won her first NFAA National Title at Ludlow, Massachusetts in 1972. She competed in the Young Adult Female Freestyle Division. That was the first of 3 National Championships in a row for Kathy. She won her second National Championship in 1973 at Aurora, IL moving up from the Young Adult division and competing instead in the Adult Female Freestyle Division. In 1974, Kathy went out to Golden, Colorado, and won her third consecutive NFAA National Field Championship, once again in the Adult Female Freestyle Division. Then at the age of 18, Kathy made the jump to the Professional Division. At that time, she was the youngest Archer to turn professional.

Kathy shot professional for several years, and eventually put archery on the back burner in order to have a family and start her career. She came back into the sport many years later, taking time to dedicate toward the sport she loved. Always a real competitor, Kathy continued to work her way back and has won several more Local, Regional, State, and Sectional titles in the Women’s Freestyle Division.

This year, Kathy competed at the NFAA Indoor National Tournament held in Louisville, Kentucky. She competed in the Senior Women’s Freestyle Division, and after being behind after the first day’s competition, she put things together on the second day of the event to win her 4th NFAA National title. What is most interesting and rewarding are the following:

- Kathy has won National Titles in 3 age groups: Young Adult, Adult (twice moving up an age level and still winning the title), and Senior.

- Her last National title was in 1974 and her recent 2014 National Indoor Championship title was 40 years later.

Kathy’s Setup that she used to win the 2014 Senior Women’s Freestyle National Championship includes:

Bow: Barnsdale Classic X with Tri-Star cams. 46 pounds peak weight, 17 pounds holding weight.

Draw Length: 24 3/4” AMO

Arrows: Gold Tip UltraLite Pro Series 22, 23 inches long, with 90 Grains of point weight

Bow sight: Sur-Loc Supreme

Scope: Sur-Loc scope 38 mm Diameter, with a 1.0 diopter (8power) lens and a circle/dot combination.

Peep Site: Speciality Peep with 3/64 clarifier

Release aid: Carter Target 4

Stabilizaton: Shrewd main stabilizer, 30 inches long, with 3 Oz tip weight. Back stabilizer is a Shrewd 6 inches long with 6 oz of back weight.

Quiver: Easton Sport Quiver

Optics: Brunton Eterna 11x 42 power

Kathy is a long-time member of the National Field Archery Association (NFAA), the Illinois Archery Association, Pekin Archers Incorporated, and the Galesburg Archery Club. In addition Kathy spends time teaching new archers and promoting the sport. She also shoots at Presleys Outdoors in Bartonville, Illinois and has been a huge contributor to the successful Midwest Open Archery Tournament for the past 6 years.

--by Tom Dorigatti, November, 2014

Intro to Archery Classes at Presleys Outdoors.

Preregistration: $50 per archer (prior to 9-29-14 or prior to first class)

Registration: $60 per archer (night of the 29th and after)

Classes start at 5:30pm and run till 6:45pm every Monday night.

Call Robbie at 309-338-7580

or

Ask for more information in the Archery Dept.

    

The Ultimate Value Pack

Prepare for your next big hunt with this Wildlife Research Scent, Ultimate Value Pack. This Wildlife Research Center Scent Killer Kit comes with everything a hunter will need to mask odor. The super-charged hunting scent system comes with one 12 fl oz field bottle to take with you and a 32 fl oz refill bottle. The Wildlife Research Scent Ultimate Value Pack also contains one washing cloth, dryer sheets, anti-odor bar soap and an antiperspirant/deodorant. This would make an ideal gift for the deer hunter in your life.

Wildlife Research Center Super-Charged Scent Killer, Ultimate Value Pack:

Everything a hunter needs to fight odor in one convenient kit

 Includes:

12 fl oz field bottle
32 fl oz refill bottle
Washing cloth
Dryer sheets
Anti-odor bar soap
Antiperspirant/deodorant

Click Here to buy now!

Stay Safe This Fall!

The X-1 BOWHUNTER is the latest in affordable treestand safety. BOWHUNTER eliminates dangerous dangling straps and confusing weave-through buckles. Weighing only 2.5 lbs, the lightweight harness allows for all-day comfort and mobility, plus it remains quiet even as the temperature drops. This harness can be worn over lightweight clothes or underneath cold-weather gear for all season use. BOWHUNTER is certified safe and conforms to all the standards set by the Treestand Manufacturer’s Association.

Included with X-1 Bowhunter Harness is a Primary Treestrap, a Suspension Relief Strap, Safe-Use Instructions and DVD.

$59.99 - Buy Now

Check out the rest of our archery supplies Here. 

Presleys Outdoors Summer 3D Schedule

3D Tournament Award Pictures

2014 Presleys Annual 3D Tournament Bracket

CLICK HERE FOR BRACKET

Presleys 3D Tournament Best 2 of 3 Cummulative Scores

CLICK HERE FOR RESULTS

Indoor Archery Leagues

Presleys Outdoors Factory Rep Invitational

CLICK HERE for tournament results

CLICK HERE for flyer

Local Girl Scout Troop 4259 shooting at the store

Presleys Annual 3D Tournament Through 2nd Qualifier February 15-16, 2014

CLICK HERE to view results. 

2014 Youth Archery Tournament

CLICK HERE for Tournament Flyer.

Larry Wise Core Archery Academy, November 9-10, 2013

How to Teach “The Transfer” Form Step

By Tom Dorigatti

Photos courtesy of, Pat Dorigatti, Pete Dorigatti, Tom Dorigatti, Dean Pridgen, Steve Ruis, Roger S. Wheaton, and Larry Wise. Videos by Robbie Stouffer.

Presleys Outdoors was host to the Larry Wise Core Archery Academy course on November 9-10, 2013.  Larry Wise was on-site to teach the course and team-taught with local archer, author and Level 3 USA Archery/NFAA Certified coach, Tom Dorigatti.

15 archers attended this two-day Seminar which included review of the key form steps for the proper execution of back tension, form and draw length analysis and photographing the before and after. In addition there was a short course on the history of the release aid and compound bow followed by the newly unveiled “Recurved Bow with Release Aid Lab” specifically designed teach a specific step of the all important shot sequence, the “TRANSFER” of the holding weight of the bow from the release hand, wrist, and forearm to the proper muscle groups that allow for the “execution of the shot with proper back tension.”

History of the Release aid.

In 1970, the competitive archery world was “rocked” with a major change.  The day of the release aid was upon us.  After a membership vote, a bare majority decided to allow the use of a release aid in archery competitions.

I won’t go into the details with words, since pictures are worth a thousand words.  Let it suffice to say that all of the release aids pictured are real.  Many were home-made and others made by various archery gurus of the day as well as taken up by manufacturers over the years.  The first releases were nothing but a “ledge” upon which you hooked the bow string, pulled with all first finger, hoped you got to full draw and manipulated with proper back tension to rotate the release off the bowstring.

Then Freddie Troncoso, among others also made rope releases whereby you wrapped one rope around the bow string and a shorter rope was secured on a brass button on a leather pad and held with thumb pressure.  You came to full draw with the release aid, got into your full draw position, continued your “back tension” and gradually let up pressure on the thumb until the rope was released and the shot broke.  

Of course, this release was a Concho style and very hard to master without either “creeping” or “shooting on the go-by.”  There were several shooters that did very well with this style of release, and Eva Troncoso and Jack Lancaster were among the best masters of the rope release.

There was even a variant of a Concho release combined with a “hook” called a “Super Chicken” release aid that many people shot well with.  The cost back then was only $14.98!

It is hard to determine, but Rick Fawley introduced a trip gate release right around the same time (or maybe after, who knows?) that Mel Stanislawski started making the original Stanislawski release aids.  Both the Fawley and the Stanislawski had very similar trip gates and the rope around the string concept.  

I believe that Fawley’s release however had a bearing in between the release body and the insert for the first finger that made it easier to get the release body to rotate.  You will note that the Fawley release looks alarmingly similar to a release aid just put out on the market a few months ago by Scott Archery.  It is also of importance to note that today, some 40 years later, a growing number of archers are back to the “hinge-style” BT release aids, and about the only difference is the pivot point which allows today’s hinge releases to be shot off of a d-loop instead of a rope around the string.

Once sears and triggers were legalized, then advancements came quickly. Some were rather crude with regard to trigger travel and adjustment, but they worked just fine.  There were some weird contraptions out there, but they worked well.

In the early 1990’s, Dee Wilde met Jerry Carter (or so I’m told this is what happened?), and Dee wanted a thumb trigger release that was stiffer and that incorporated a double sear.  Jerry Carter came up with this release aid.  The photo is a release that belongs to Peter Dorigatti and it is Purple in color and appropriately named the “Wilde Thing.”  So, that was the beginning of Carter Releases and Carter Enterprises that has launched so many new and different release aids and become a market leader in hand held release aids as well as wrist strap releases.

Bows were changing too.  The first compound bows had wooden handles, and some were impregnated with resins in order to make the risers stronger.  They had 4-wheels on them; two were “eccentrics” and the other two were pulley assists, similar to a block and tackle.  The original Allen compounds were first, quickly followed by Olympus, Jennings, and once the patents were licensed, quickly followed on by Carroll, PSE, and Astro, then Bear Archery.  

Hoyt didn’t come along with a compound bow until around 1975 or 1976, and by then, 2-wheeler compounds and even some six-wheeled compounds were coming onto the scene, along with other radical designs.  The photo below are of the Jennings compound that Dean Pridgen used to win the NFAA National Outdoor Field Championship in Ludlow MA in 1972.  The letoff on this compound bow may have been 30%!

Only a few years later, Jennings built a two-wheeled I model compound for Rosie Pridgen.  Notice some similarities to some riser designs being used today?  Those back then were not machined risers, however.

In 1973, I was living in Sacramento, California while going through USAF flight training to become a navigator.  I was a member of the El Dorado Hills Bowmen and met a great group of people to shoot with.  Among them was a gentleman by the name of Jim Sweeney.  In the early summer, Jim had built himself a compound bow patterned after the SABO recurved bow, only with Jennings compound bow limbs and brackets on it. 

I was still shooting my fingers at the time, but thought it would be great to build two more of these “Sweeney Bows”, only make them 3-4” longer so finger shooting with them would be easier.  We set to work on a pair of longer “Sweeney Bows”, one for me, and one for my father.  Pictured below are me shooting the “Sweeney Compound” me and Jim built I had also built the rope spike release pictured earlier to shoot specifically with the “Sweeney Compound” bow.  Several years later, Jim Sweeney built another Sweeney bow that was on a two-wheeled platform but using the same SABO patterned riser.

 Let’s take a look at the trending over the course of the past 40 years with regard to the compound bow; specifically the let-off component:-In the 1970’s, the letoff was 25-35%.

• Then it was bumped to 40-50% in the 1980’s.
• In the 1990’s it went to 55-65% let off.
• In the 2000’s let-off went to 70-80%.  There are even bows out there now that offer 90% or more letoff!

The most difficult form step to master with today’s compound bows is the starting, holding, and completing, without letup, the “Transfer” once Full Draw Position is reached.

With lower mass weights and lower holding weights, it is very easy to hold at full draw with the use of hands and arms instead of having a load on the appropriate Rhomboids and Levator Scapulae muscles.

Thus, you see lots of shooters with little to no “recoil” off the release and/or fake motions after the arrow is in the target.  So, the shooters are loading up with mass weight, not on the bow, but out away from the bow to “stabilize things”, which isn’t all bad, but having that mass weight extended out from the body some 40” or more creates a balance problem of another nature; one that must be overcome, and one that makes “Transfer” even more difficult.

Videos

The links below show slow motion photography for 4 of the shooters executing their first shots off of a recurved bow with a release aid.  Realize that the actual time elapsed was around 5-7 seconds, but the slow motion photography slows it down immensely.  If you watch closely near the end, you can click on the start and stop button and watch this frame by frame to see the reactions of the shooters…down to their hair bouncing around and the totally surprised look on their faces as they feel a real explosion off the bow and a real surprise follow-through!  Enjoy the videos.

Bill M

Ryan N.



Sarah A.



Tara C.

Presleys Annual 3-D Tournament

Event Details 

Youth and Family Archery Classes