NEWS & EVENTS
Our 2014 did not start off well. Mostly 3.5 days of heavy rain for a 6 day hunt. Rules and regulations changed - no longer were pigs on the license and the bear quota was met before we even got to Arkansas. Over 3 days of camping in the rain left most of us with very little dry clothes and tents - it brought moral down to say the least. Fish and wildlife were discing the fields which were too wet in the spring to til, and this brought a lot of changes to the wildlife that often visited the food plots. A few shots at wild boar were presented however they were not fair game this year and on the very last day a huge boar bear was in a shooting lane but no longer available to take due to license changes or quotas met a few times now during archery season? A huge buck was stuck but unfortunately not recovered. In all it was a tough hunt but certainly rememberable and fun. Slyamore is one of the most beautiful areas in the US - over a 118 thousand of untouched WMA areas - highly recommend seeing for we do truly love the area.
Our 2013 hunt was the best in numbers, number of hunters, though in success of the field not so much. I will say that all had a great time and we slept and ate better than ever. Over all we had approx. 13 hunters in camp and after a few hard days of hunting with little seen, many slept in, enjoyed a good breakfast, lunch, comradery, and then hunted the afternoons. The weather wasn't the warm Arkansas weather of years past. Often is was cool, cold, cloudy and raw for mid-October. We all did have a great time though. A doe was taken, bucks seen, a "rocky" die-hard laughing raccoon taken as well. Good times.
In this interview Tom P., host of the ESPN Rack & Fin radio show, gets answers to questions about Concept Archery, the components of our bows, and the tuning/difference of shooting a bow with 99% let off.
Recorded September 22, 2012
Headed to Arkansas for a Great Bowhunt
The 2nd Annual Hunt once again took place at the Sylamore WMA, Arkansas and once again we were blessed with plenty of opportunities, great weather and memories that will last a lifetime.
Early in the week, the first to connect was Jon and he arrowed a Pope and Young 8 point that green scored 136 inches. Next, on the second to last day, Shawn shot a respectable 6 point and he was the only archer to go 2 for 2 on our annual hunt. During the week 4 other big bucks were drawn on, with only 1 shot taken; a shot that ricocheted off of a branch for a clean miss. There were a few opportunities on misses does as well. One pig needed to take 2 steps before being leveled at 25 yards, but winded the hunter before the shot. A bobcat was also seen but never stopped for a shot. In all we saw variety of game, had A LOT of close calls including on some giant bucks, and everyone had a good time. You can see more photos and read about the hunt on our "2nd Annual Hunt Recap" thread.
As a side note, next years 3rd Annual Concept Archery hunt will be held in Wisconsin. More details to follow.
Saturday, September 22, 8-9am ET
Concept Archery will be featured on the Rack and Fin Show with Tom P. You can listen online to the 20 minute interview this Saturday at www.973espn.com or if in the area, at 97.3FM on your radio. Some of the topics will cover what goes into our bows, the features and benefits of 99% let off, and general information about the company Concept Archery.
97.3FM is broadcasting at 50,000 watts and reaches many of the states surrounding South Jersey. It is Atlantic City’s ONLY local hunting and fishing show! Every Saturday morning, Tom P. brings one full hour of the latest local hunting and fishing news, insider tips, techniques, and more. It’s everything you need to make your outdoor plans a success!
Join Concept Archery, staff shooters, and other archers for our 2nd annual hunt. Where else can you go for an out of state hunt for around $700 or less and hunt multiple big game and small game animals including predators? Last years hunt was a blast and all 5 archers had shots during the week.
As with last years hunt, this year we will be bowhunting the Slyamore WMA slightly Southwest of Calico Rock, AR. The WMA is roughly 116,000 acres and it seemed as though we had the whole WMA to ourselves - we saw less than 10 bowhunters and only when traveling on the roads. The dates chosen are 1 week before the opening of muzzleloader season and last years group saw a lot of pre-rut activity which made for exciting times.

The 2011 group managed to take two respectable bucks in the 115" class and two does. Misses included some hogs, does and 1 very lucky, now tailless bobcat.
Year after year, there are some 150 and 160 inch class bucks taken off of this WMA, and your license includes 2 deer tags. Hogs hang low, deep in the valleys but come up to the food plots and ridges in early morning and evenings. No limit on hogs. Bear are occasionally seen and harvested, though our group did not physically see any (two were thought to have been heard fighting).
This is a "primitive" hunt, meaning we will be camping. Concept's engineer, Jon, rigged solar panels to the Concept Archery trailer and so we had electric that ran a small chest freezer that was mounted to the front of the trailer. No need to worry about keeping food or game cold. The electric was enough for cell phone charging and other small uses. We also had a spicket attached to a 55 gallon container of water which made camp life a little more like home. (Two of our engineers I'm told are going to be working on some sort of shower system for this years hunt?)
Food - well we ate like kings and are preparing to do so again. Staff Shooter, Shawn Ryan and Concept owner, Kurt Wille made camp dinners that would have made Ted Nugent drool. Primarily, we ask that you bring food for quick, fast breakfasts (have to get hunting) and enough to cover your lunches. Anyone wanting to bring a dinner for the group is certainly welcome, but I can assure you, camp dinners are fairly gourmet and we aren't roughing it with burnt hot dogs.
For those, not wishing to camp, there are cheap motels in the area approximately 30 minutes away in Calico Rock.
- A 5 day non-resident license for deer, bear, hogs and small game is $150
- If you plan on hunting the 6 days, you can purchase a 1 day non-resident license for an additional cost (most relaxed, scouted and hung stands on Sunday)
- Transportation costs of getting to and from Slyamore, plus gas during the week and any additional outings during the week
- $50 to cover the cost of dinners or those purchasing the ingredients (this is a cost of $7 per dinner, Saturday through Friday). Through the forums we will be planning dinners prior to the hunt.
- You will need to bring breakfasts and lunches, enough to cover you or your group for the week.
- 2 cases of water per person - though we will have a 55 gallon drum of water, it is primarily used for dishes and other camp needs.
- Concept Archery does not charge any fees for this hunt and the hunt is open to all including non-Concept archers
For questions, answers and planning, see Concept Archery 2nd Annual Hunt Forum Discussion
DATES
Arrival Saturday, October 13, 2012
Hunting: Sunday, October 14through Friday, October 19
Departure: Sunday, October 20
Each person or party must RSVP no later than September 30, 2012!
The hunt is limited to 20 bowhunters.
Open to everyone, bring a friend!
More information can be found at the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission website)
- Calico Rock offers some of the best fishing in the world from what we were told.
- Pigs can be shot with firearms, including handguns that have more than a 3" barrel - feel free to bring a shotgun, AR, .22, or handgun for hogs. Do note that this is primarily a bowhunt, but we all got a little "hog wild" last year.
- No screw in steps or any other objects that insert into trees can be used. Ground blinds, ladder and climber stands are essential.
- Please have a tent and a sleeping bag(s) enough for your party. There should be room for a few extra persons in a couple of tents, but do come prepared.
- Last years weather was perfect, with weather being in the 60's and 70's during the day, and high 40's low 50's at night. Last years weather was warmer than usual for that time of year.
- A hunter born after 1968 must carry a valid hunter education card, under the age of 16 no card needed.
- Know the rules and regulations, including season dates and bag limits before harvesting an animal - some small game animals can not be taken.
- This is a self guided hunt, though many of us were hunting just a few hundred yards from camp and seeing plenty of game.
- This is also not a catered hunt, and everyone is expected to help each other (ex: camp set up, firewood collecting, dishes, food preparation, etc.)
- Two of our Staff Shooters, the Clarks, know this area quite well and another Staff Shooter, Shawn Ryan, can email detailed pdf maps of the area.
Each and every person will be responsible for his or her actions and Concept Archery will not be liable for any property damage and or injury or death to oneself or others. Arkansas FGC rules and regulations will be followed, otherwise you will be asked to leave the Slyamore WMA until the Concept hunt is over. We do ask that you follow basic and simple rules in additon to Arkansas' Fish & Game regulations. No excessive swearing or rude behavior will be tolerated.