............ Any secrets on how to maybe get in?

Put on a skirt, a wig, paint your face like a "dancer", and put some pasties on and you can get in anywhere in Vegas!

BTW these shows are very expensive.

Have a good time at the SHOT show. Then come home and tell me you saw bored vendors.

The ATA vendors will always complain about the people that don't "belong" in there. Funny part is every year you will read on bowsite and archerytalk about someone that got a badge and is in there taking pics and keeping everyone "updated" on what is cool and what is not. They, to me, are more valuable than any writer because they are non-biased. That is what we need instead of some media dude that has to stroke the manufacturers to stay in good with them. Reading a review on the latest bow in a archery mag is crap, why? because if they are truthfull they fear the loss of advertisement. Truth be known take the media out and replace them with half as many knowledgeable consumers giving the reviews on product and it will be a much better show.

Ask them what will sell more product for them a picture on some website or an article in a national magazine.

The ATA vendors will always complain about the people that don't "belong" in there. Funny part is every year you will read on bowsite and archerytalk about someone that got a badge and is in there taking pics and keeping everyone "updated" on what is cool and what is not.

And that's why I don't read printed reviews anymore. The author is usually either getting paid to write the review or gets the product free for writing it.

I exclusively use reviews by consumers on internet talk forums. Although even that isn't immune from "crap." Some manufacturers use the anonymity of the internet to masquerade as consumers to hype their product. But good talk forum owners/administrators keep a close eye on this. In addition, being caught doing this harms a manufacturer's reputation dramatically, so top-drawer manufacturers shy away from these gorilla marketing tactics.

And by the way, you don't support these businesses. You support the dealers. The manufacturers could care less what you think because they don't sell to you.

When the new trail-camera company "Predator" hit the market with their first cameras, the media blitz was amazing, with all sorts of spectacular claims about their products. The advertising stated they were the best cameras ever made. Yet it was internet/consumer reviews that exposed their cameras as crap that killed their sales.

Winchester What kind of vehicle do you drive? Is it the same as your buddy. The same bow your buddy shoots may not suit you at all. You didn't marry the same woman, did you? Would you trade wives with him?

My only comment on this issue is this.....


Internet sales AND advertising is the wave of NOW and the future.
Print media of ALL kinds are on the downslide and on the way out or already gone.

That, of course, is my humble opinion but time will tell.

As buckwild would say, YMMV.

A heads up... Be very wary of product information posted on ArcheryTalk. A situation has arisen that can only be interpreted as the owners of ArcheryTalk being in bed with a group (Quick Time) that is illegally repackaging other companies products and selling them under their name. Every post to ArcheryTalk pointing this out is immediately removed by the forum Administrators and the user who posted the information banned.

Nah...I'm not going to let this go just yet.

This is a subject that really hits my hot button. If you have to ask, "How can I get in?" You have no business being there. You are not welcome and not wanted.

I have credentials for both shows. The ATA is going on right now. I did not go and I have no intention of going to the SHOT Show even thouigh I was offerd a free trip including airfare. I no longer need to go to either and have enough courtsey not to go and take up space.

Now you can probably find some dealer who will get you a badge and get you in. That is fraud. To me, that is equal to poaching. You are a thief. You are stealing time. You are there under false pretenses. You are nothing more than a common street thief.

Whew! I feel better now. Hope I pissed a bunch of you off. It's been a slow week.

Making money and getting promotional items are completely different. If someone was giving you a free item every year, you might tend to give them a good review. If not you, then there are hundreds out there that would.

I have at least three trail-camera companies that won't speak to me anymore. They gave me a free camera to review and I ripped the cam on the internet. But I warned them I would be honest before they sent the cam...

I did a review on the big three drum head manufacturers. Two of them didn't like my review because I was honest. I had very positive things to say about all of them but the not so good points they didn't like(except the third one). The third company embraced my criticism and asked for more. When they had a new product coming out I got a call and tested it for them. The really appreciated my input and I got whatever I wanted from that company. Whenever the owner was in town we went to breakfast. He got it. The others didn't. I guess that is why he is so successful today.

BW, you are so full of yourself and a lot of shat its hilarious! You posted this:

I have never read a more ignorant statement! You think for instance, Bill Jordan doesnt care what any average Joe hunter out there thinks?? Who do you think keeps him in business?? No he doesnt have time to talk to Joe lunch bucket, but I guarantee you he wants Joe to be happy and impressed with his product! Supporting a dealer of 'Realtree' is supporting the manufacturer and you know that!
You can wake up with a hangover and be having a bad day but you dont have to be an arsehole and get on here and act like you make the rules to the world! Get over yourself and maybe you will live a little happier!

Now you can probably find some dealer who will get you a badge and get you in. That is fraud. To me, that is equal to poaching. You are a thief. You are stealing time. You are there under false pretenses. You are nothing more than a common street thief.

I was thinking about going to the NWTF convention in Nashville next month, but now don't know if I have enough credentials or not. Would hate to be labled a poacher or thief. I know it is a different type event than the SHOT or ATA, but don't want to take a chance. Guess I'll just stay home and count the turkeys in the yard.

I think some people don't understand what Bowriter was saying. The SHOT show is basically a place to order items for the upcoming year's selling season, as in last years SHOT show orders is what you bought for the season that just ended. I would imagine there is nothing worse than under ordering, other than over ordering. There is a time and a place for consumers to finger all the stuff, just not at the SHOT Show. Jordan gets petted everywhere he goes and I doubt he's worried about a handful of hunters that think their $200 is worth more than anyone elses. Most people are in business to separate someone from their money. Outdoor gear people are no different.

I think some people don't understand what Bowriter was saying.

Seems like we need to pass out some Midol. Bunch of people with PMS.:)

Big Sat, if you don't mind, give me directions to where you hunt. I'd like to come by next fall and just walk around and maybe stop by your stand and ask a few questions. Maybe I'll even bring a few friends with me. Oh we won't hunt or anything, just walk around and ask questions. That's okay with you, isn't it?

It won't be like we are interrupting anything. I mean after all, we would just be a group of drag queens. Just waking around, looking at rubs or scrapes and asking questions. Not like it interrupted anything.

That's okay isn't it? I mean it is not like trespassing, not like we are somewhere we aren't supposed to be.

noooo, manufacturers would NEVER plant any comments in public reviews.