If you are at all like me, you probably can’t wait to see what your favorite archery companies came out with this year. On my way to the Archery Trade Show this year, I wondered what the buzz would be about. What products will revolutionize the archery industry? I wondered which booths would be the busiest. I also wondered what products I’ll decide that I can’t live without. Below is a list of the top ten products I saw at the ATA Show. You will notice I didn’t include bows because the list would end up being a top 50 list! Some of the products on my list are relatively inexpensive; others cost hundreds of dollars. I would like everyone who reads this article to take a second and vote for their favorite product in the top ten list. It will be interesting to see what products the majority decides is the greatest new gadget!

HUNTMORE 360 HUNTING STOOL
With the increasing number of hunters heading to the woods with a pop-up ground blind, it was only a matter of time before someone designed a comfortable chair for ground blind hunters. There are lots of chair options for ground blind hunters. There are lightweight fold-up chairs, lawn chairs, and my favorite (if I want a sore back) - the five gallon bucket. There is now a new chair that was designed by Huntmore Products called the 360º Hunting Stool. The stool is compact, folds up and slips into a pack that can be carried over your shoulder.

At eight pounds, the stool is slightly heavier than most chairs, but the added benefits of the stool outweigh being a little heavy. The stool has a padded backrest and a padded seat, so a hunter can sit for hours on end without getting a sore back or bottom. The stool has adjustable legs so you can adjust the stool up and down so you always have enough room to draw your bow and shoot through the window in front of you. The die cast aluminum hubs rotate 360 degrees quietly without squeaking so you don’t blow it in the moment of truth. With the 360º hunting stool, the only problem hunters may have is trying to stay awake. (huntmore.biz)

STEEL FORCE PHAT HEAD 125
Broadheads are constantly changing. As arrow speeds increase, the need for a more compact broadhead has become a necessity. In 2007, Steel-Force Broadheads introduced a new broadhead called the Phat Head. This small powerhouse was an instant hit at the ATA Show in 2007. The only complaint hunters had was that the Phat Head wasn’t available in a 125-grain model. They have solved the problem in 2008. They are now offering a 125-grain Phat Head that is designed to kill. It has a 1 ¾-inch main blade and ¾-inch bleeder blades.

Like the 100-grain mode, the Phat Head offers a .080 thick main blade that is nearly twice as thick as any other broadhead on the market. Due to its compact yet tough-as-nails design, the Phat Head flies like a dart and destroys anything that is in its’ way - including bone. Like all Steel-Force broadheads, the Phat Head is 10 percent stainless-steel and has a cut-on-contact design. (steelforce.com)

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KNIGHT KP1
Although the ATA Show is mainly an archery event, other products are available at the show. One item that caught my eye was the new KP1 Muzzleloader from Knight Muzzleloaders. This one-of-a-kind rifle can do anything and everything. It can be switched from a muzzleloader to a centerfire rifle or you can quickly remove the centerfire barrel and replace it with a rimfire or shotgun barrel. With the KPI, you can deer hunt, turkey hunt and varmint hunt.

The barrels are built by legendary barrel-maker, Green Mountain Barrel Company and are available in a variety of calibers including .300 win mag, .270 win and .17 HMR to name a few. The KP1 can be purchased with a laminate stock, a camo stock or a black composite stock. It is available in blue or stainless versions. What I like most about the gun is its’ price. The gun and the individual barrels are a fraction of the cost of other manufacturers of similar rifles.(knightrifles.com)

A-WAY TURKEY SKINZ
One of the neatest items I saw at the show was the Turkey Skinz. In the last few years, more turkey hunters started using real mounted hens to lure in weary longbeards. A mounted bird looks extremely lifelike and often fools even the most call-shy gobblers. The problem with mounted hens is they can cost hundreds of dollars. Many of us blue-collar Americans can’t justify spending that kind of money on a turkey decoy. Turkey Skinz solves the problem.

Turkey Skinz is just what the name implies - the skin of a turkey. The skin from a hen turkey is preserved and put through a process that makes the skin durable and pliable. The Turkey Skinz simply slides over any type of turkey decoy and is secured to the decoy with Velcro. The makers of Turkey Skinz, A-Way Hunting Products, said last spring the success they had with Turkey Skinz was unlike anything they have ever seen before. The Turkey Skinz adds a touch of realism to any decoy. (awayhunting.com)

COPPER JOHN DEAD NUTS 2 SUPREME
Copper John has long been considered one of the leading sight manufacturers. Their sights are durable and easy to use. If you want an extremely accurate sight that is easy to adjust, look at the Copper John Dead Nuts 2 Supreme. Everything on this sight is adjustable. Each individual pin can be micro-adjusted so every pin will be dead on shot after shot. The sight has adjustable 2nd and 3rd axis adjustments so you can use your bubble level and has micro-adjustable capability on both gang adjustments.

On top of that, the sight is made of 100% machined aluminum and has a vibration-absorbing fiber carrier that offers exceptional shock-free performance and fiber protection. If you are looking for a sight that is durable, quiet and micro-adjustable, remember the Copper John Dead Nuts 2 Supreme. (copperjohn.com)

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ALPEN OPTICS 8.5X50 TETON
Alpen Optics strives to provide hunters with optics that are second to none and affordable enough so everyone can afford them. Alpen is offering the popular Teton Series in an 8.5x50 binoculars for hunters who want to see their subject during the early morning or late evening hours when most of the daylight has disappeared. Not all binoculars are created equal. Contributing factors to the clear image include the BaK4 Prisms, fully multi-coating, SHR metallic and PX phase correction coated optics.

The optical system is treated with over 40 layers of these high performance coatings. The result is a super bright image that has full-color fidelity and exquisite sharpness in full and low-light viewing conditions. Key features that made the Teton Series so popular with hunters include Twist-Lock eye cups, long eye relief for viewing comfort when wearing eye or sunglasses, and fully sealed and nitrogen-filled O-rings that provide waterproof and fog proof performance in any weather condition. The new Teton 8.5x50 offers the same high-end quality as many of the European brands for a fraction of the cost. (alpenoptics.com)

PINE RIDGE AT-5 CAMERA SUPPORT
If you enjoy using a scouting camera, you have probably tried to hang a camera on a tree that didn’t provide the proper camera angle to get the optimal picture or maybe you would like to hang a camera in a field where there isn’t a tree. With the new AT-5 Trail Camera Support from Pine Ridge Archery, you can hang a camera almost anywhere and adjust the support so the camera is at the proper angle to take perfect pictures every time the camera takes a picture.

The AT-5 Camera Support will mount on trees, wooden fence posts and metal fence posts and can be tilted in a variety of positions. If you want to place your camera in an open field and don’t have a tree to hang it on, simply put a post in the ground, attach the camera support to the tree, and attach the camera to the support. The AT-5 Camera Support accommodates almost any brand of camera. (pineridgearchery.com)

MONTANA DECOY
Montana Decoy Company has introduced a few new decoys for 2008. If you are a Western hunter trying to sneak up on pronghorns, the new Moo Cow is the ticket for you. The Moo Cow decoy looks like a cow that you would find on any Western Prairie. Near the top of the decoy is a viewing port that allows you to watch the antelope as you are stalking them.

If you would like to stalk within range of caribou on the open tundra, Montana Decoy has a caribou decoy that will make getting within bow range of a skittish caribou on the open tundra a piece of cake. Like all Montana Decoys, these two decoys look very realistic. If you are into stalking big game, Montana Decoy Company has you covered. (Montanadecoy.com)

HUNTER SAFETY SYSTEM MUFF PAK
Hunter Safety System is known for their life-saving safety vest. They will now be known for helping hunters keep their hands warm, thanks to their new Muff Pak. If you hunt during the late season in the North Country, there are times when your fingers feel like they are going to fall off. The Muff Pak was designed to cure that problem.

The insulated Muff Pak is similar to a conventional hand muff but it comes in camo and has pockets to store your extra gadgets like your game calls, release aids, or other small things that might fall out of your pocket and get lost. With the Muff Pak, your hands can stay warm and your gadgets can be stored so when a buck presents a shot, your hands are warm enough to pull the trigger. (huntersafetysystem.com)

MAGNUS BULLHEAD
The Bullhead from Magnus Archery is a new broadhead designed just for taking turkeys. The three-blade design will take down even the toughest turkey. Each blade is a whopping .048 stainless steel, giving the broadhead superior strength and knockdown power.

The Bullhead is available in two sizes. The 100-grain model has a 2 ¾ inch cutting diameter that can be used to take head and body shots on turkeys and other small game. The 125-grain model offers a 4 inch cutting diameter and should only be used when taking head shots. As the popularity of bowhunting turkeys continues to increase, the Bullhead is sure to be a big hit. (magnusbroadheads.com)