The Archery Project

Tennessee TAC Experience: Zakk Plocica, Bryan Gay & JR Gettler

• Zakk Plocica • Season 1 • Episode 15

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What happens when five guys, two trucks full of archery gear, and relentless rain converge at one of the country's premier archery events? Pure chaos, unexpected adventure, and surprisingly—a whole lot of fun. 

Nestled on 18,000 acres of breathtaking Tennessee terrain, the Total Archery Challenge quickly turned from a perfect setup day to an epic test of endurance as rain, hail, and ankle-deep mud transformed the courses into something resembling a survival challenge. Despite Mother Nature's best efforts, the spirit of the archery community remained unbroken, with participants trudging through miles of muddy trails determined to make their shots count.

Our own unprepared expedition (rain gear forgotten, quivers left behind, boots literally falling apart) became a testament to adaptability in the field. From makeshift gear solutions to desperate Walmart runs for emergency supplies, we discovered that sometimes the most memorable experiences come from being completely out of your element. The highlight? Meeting the team from Crispy Boots and finally investing in proper footwear after years of procrastination—a decision that immediately proved its worth on the mountain.

Between navigating 70+ yard shots at targets barely visible through fog, accidentally shooting at the novelty caribou (oops), and watching arrows somehow cut through pouring rain with remarkable accuracy, we gained invaluable insights about our gear performance under pressure. Whether you're testing bow setups, evaluating arrow flight in adverse conditions, or simply trying to maintain your footing while aiming downhill in mud, Total Archery Challenge offers real-world scenarios that no controlled practice environment can replicate.

What truly makes TAC special, though, is the people. From the three young fans who tracked us down for a meetup to fellow archers laughing their way through impossible conditions, the event reinforced why this growing phenomenon is becoming the future of archery engagement. With major manufacturers now prioritizing these events over traditional competitions, TAC represents the authentic heart of the archery community.

Ready to experience the challenge yourself? Join us at the Pennsylvania TAC event in a few weeks where we'll be running the Easton booth. Just remember to pack rain gear and quality boots—or be prepared to empty your wallet at the nearest Walmart!

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Zakk Plocica:

All right, folks, we're back with another episode of the archery project. I've got myself, Brian and JR here. What's up, guys?

Bryan Gay:

Good morning, how are you? Hello?

Zakk Plocica:

I'm better now.

Bryan Gay:

Better now. It's been a rough week for you, dude, it has been an incredible week.

Zakk Plocica:

So we were in Tennessee. What was it Not this past weekend, prior weekend, two weeks ago, two weeks ago, yeah, two weeks ago, right for uh, total archery challenge and um, that was quite the ordeal.

Bryan Gay:

Well, we had a great plan going in we did. I think we did a really good job and then we just had to adjust fire because of everything, literally nothing.

Zakk Plocica:

Um went as well as I thought it was. It didn't go go bad, it was just, I mean, it was wet.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, which kind of throws a wrench in everything, especially when you're in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom box on the lake with no dryer, no washer. I mean, I literally had to get in the shower with my clothes on to wash all the mud off.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah, I mean, what do we have? Jr Five guys.

JR Gettler:

Yeah, there's five of us in a very small little townhouse. Pictures were deceiving when I booked it.

Zakk Plocica:

No, it was nice, I mean it was nice For maybe three people. Yeah, I would agree.

Bryan Gay:

But yeah.

Zakk Plocica:

So that's what we're talking about today, guys. We're talking about the Total Archery Challenge in Tennessee. We're going to recap it, talk about our experience at the event, because total archery events are, whether you, I mean, regardless of the rain, it was still an awesome time. Oh yeah, we met a lot of really cool people. But Tennessee, the venue was incredible, I would say, especially if it would have been dry. There's that property. There was like 18,000 acres that property. There was like 18,000 acres, ridiculous, just super cool man. And but yeah, it was wet, to say the least. We stood in water and ankle deep mud, I think, for three days.

JR Gettler:

Just about yeah, yeah.

Zakk Plocica:

The first day, though, we got there and it was like beautiful, yeah, perfect, it was awesome. Setup was you couldn't ask as far as a vendor goes like setup wise. When we got there, it was amazing. We were able to literally drive to our location, unload the truck, build it out and then drive away. There was no walking up and down mountains, toting grid and canopies and stuff to build out our little setup.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah, it was definitely a lot more convenient than PA last year. It was definitely a lot more convenient than PA last year. It was, you know, I think, with not taking the trailer and running two trucks. It made it that much easier. But I think with that setup it wouldn't have mattered, because we could have drove the trailer literally right to where we were and still dropped the gate on the trailer and walked everything out, right, yeah.

Zakk Plocica:

I agree, um, and that's one thing we got to consider now too, like looking at it future wise, how we're going to do our, our vendor display. Are we going to continue with a 10 by 10? Are we going to expand on it? Because, let's be honest, total archery challenges the future of archery. In my opinion, it draws more people than any events, and one of the things taking away from this weekend that was big for me was Matthews. Was there, right? So, matthews, I actually talked to um, I think it was Cody the other day. I was talking to him about it. Matthews actually skipped an IBO to go to a total archery challenge, which is that's huge, I mean. So that just tells you how important, how impactful the total archery challenge is on the archery and bow hunting community and how big it's going to continue to grow because, let's let's be honest, all brands are on board now so, oh yeah, well, and those, the brands that are on board, are the same guys that have pulled out of ata.

Bryan Gay:

If you notice, those guys have not gone to ata in the past. What? Three years? Four years, yes, right, but now they're going to total archery challenge. This is where they're getting their visibility, in my eyes.

Zakk Plocica:

Um yeah, because you look at it, it right. And I mean JR has been going to him longer than any of us. He knows better than anybody he's he was, I mean, how many years now have you been going for? So four years and they've been going on longer than that and they've grown exponentially over that amount of time. And the cool thing about total archery challenge is dude, you don't got to be a shooter man, it's, it's literally. I mean, yes, it's challenging, but it's, it's built around drawing in just your everyday bow hunter. Anybody that wants to do archery, I mean that's who it's designed for and, uh, they do a fantastic job. It's a very welcoming community, uh, and events. That, I think is going to continue to grow.

JR Gettler:

Oh yeah, yes, yes, um, because I think this is like the 12th year now that they've been doing total archer challenge. That sounds right. And um, I know the first year I went, four years ago at pennsylvania, there was only like 50 vendors, and then when we went last year it was over 100 which is insane.

Zakk Plocica:

So four years or three years from that point and they have over doubled the vendor village size I mean that was just for pa, so I can't.

JR Gettler:

I can't talk for the other venues, but I mean just for that one alone.

Zakk Plocica:

For it to grow that much, it's insane yeah, yeah, it's pretty cool, man, and, like we, we say with each of these if you have not had an opportunity to go, you need to take the time and go to one, because you will thoroughly enjoy yourself, even like and I was talking about this with some of the other guys even if you only only shoot the practice range. I mean, the practice range is cool as hell.

JR Gettler:

Yeah, yeah, there's like 20 Targets just on the practice range.

Zakk Plocica:

There was more than that, maybe like 60. Yeah, this one was big.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah, there was a lot of them, and if you had any faults in your equipment you're going to find out really fast, yep. And then, if you need to like, if you have good stuff and you're set up right, that confidence is just going to boost. I mean, those long bomb shots through the woods angles, this and that and the other is just I think that's a major benefit is you know the confidence builder like I can make these shots?

JR Gettler:

yeah, um, and another cool aspect with that too, is like if your stuff is off, you can go to any of the vendors there and they will help you out.

Zakk Plocica:

Oh yeah, everybody's super helpful in my opinion yeah, it's, it's and, like I said, with that you bring up a good point with us looking at how we're going to evolve with this thing, because you know we're currently doing a 10 by 10. We can only do so much and we go and we support like we supported expedition this past weekend, which was super cool, right. We met the, the owners um, our rep was down there so we got to interact, help sell some expedition bows. You know we go to PA, we're supporting Easton. We'll be running the Easton booth along with our own. But you know, as this thing progresses it, I look at it as a great opportunity for us to progress with it as well and and kind of grow our footprint with it. You know, a bigger booth so that we can offer those things for honestly, onsite full service shop at some point.

Bryan Gay:

Oh yeah.

Zakk Plocica:

It makes sense.

Bryan Gay:

That's. I mean looking at the guys that have the vices and the presses and the you know they're cause. I mean people are going to damage their gear. Uh, just for, for instance, wait, kendrick and I went on the very first target of that course and there was a guy coming up the wrong way. I'm like man, are you okay? You probably shouldn't do go this way. People are shooting down there. He's like yeah, I fell and wrecked my bow, strings are all off of it and then he was done. But if you have someone there that can, that can do those things and facilitate that, you know, restring it, check everything, shoot it, run it through paper, make sure everything's right, and then you can possibly go back out on the course.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah, yeah, I agree. Um so, looking at it, so this so tennessee had how many courses did they have?

JR Gettler:

I think it was five five.

Zakk Plocica:

Oh, that was it. Yeah, I thought there was more than that, so the courses were long though oh yeah, they were taking, I think what was it?

Bryan Gay:

the sitka one. People were taking like six to eight hours.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah, on a good day I think it was like four and then like six yeah, some of the rain.

Bryan Gay:

Well, it was over seven miles, I think. Yeah, it was.

JR Gettler:

I was here in between six and eight miles.

Zakk Plocica:

People were walking on the sick, of course you know, everything gets longer when you're out there oh man, it was 12 miles.

JR Gettler:

Dude, it was only three miles.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah, yeah, it was uphill both ways yeah, but that we only got to shoot one as a group because it was just I mean, it was just chaotic, it was just so wet. There, man, saturday honestly was a wash, because it had rained so literally a wash. It had rained so much, man, um, and you know what was crazy about that, though, with the amount of weather and rain and hail and winds, um, there was still, in my eyes, a really good turnout oh, absolutely.

JR Gettler:

Um, it definitely dwindled off saturday. You could definitely tell with that. But yeah, friday there was a lot of people, even I mean sunday was a really nice day at wannabe and so and there was still a lot of people out there, so that was really cool, yeah yeah, there were still people tracking out on the courses on Saturday dude.

Zakk Plocica:

So I talked to some dudes, I went over to, uh, the registration booth and it was pouring. It was this was Saturday Cause I was trying to get a synced up for Sunday so that we could shoot together early in the morning. And I was walking over there and it's pouring down rain and there's this group of dudes and one of the guys wives. They're full on rain gear, right. I'm like are you guys done? They're like no, we're trying to get on another course. We paid to be here. We're shooting rain or shine.

JR Gettler:

I was like good on you guys, that's what I like to see that's the hardcore guys that are gonna go out there and they're gonna harvest.

Zakk Plocica:

Every year they did not care what the weather was doing. They were there to shoot and they were going to shoot.

Bryan Gay:

Oh yeah yeah, there was a not so many of those on Friday that we encountered.

Zakk Plocica:

This is true, this is true. So, so funny story, right? So it was me, brian JR, and one of our other guys from the shop, kendrick, who went to kind of run this, and then we had Joey running the the the camera side of things. But we sent Brian and Kendrick out to go shoot a course on Friday, right, yes, on Friday. So we're like, hey, man, it looks like there's a little gap in the weather. Why don't you guys get it? So somebody can get an opportunity and go do this, especially Kendrick. It's his first event. I want him to get out and get introduced to this, right? Yeah, oh boy, did he get introduced to it, right? So, brian, you've got to tell a story about this.

Bryan Gay:

So we go to that. We just picked the shortest course because we knew that the gap was super tiny in the weather. So we go to the front. We talk to one of the fellows we can only shoot after one. I think we didn't actually get out to about two and I said, hey, he's like what are you guys trying to shoot like? Whatever course is the shortest, he goes.

Bryan Gay:

Well, the shuttles aren't running right now that should tell you something yeah, um, because of the weather he goes, but I'm not telling you you can't walk over to the jack links course and I was like, okay, so we took off and then, like I said, first couple targets it was okay. The very first one we saw a guy was a 62 yard downhill shot. We saw a guy coming up the wrong way because he fell and broke his bow and then it was just slick getting down, not too bad, and we just met up with another group and then we got to like target six maybe, and then it just opened up. I mean, everything you could think of they threw at us it was wind, rain, hail and there's nowhere to go it. There were people coming back the wrong way pretty consistently. One woman had a baby on her back, right with the rain cover over it. Another woman was with them and they were just there with this one guy that was shooting. She was not happy at all and I said something I probably shouldn't have. I was like, well, she doesn't look very happy. And then she was just like drenched, not excited at all, and he was carrying his bows, like I think we can just cut through here. I was like, well, good luck, because it's a mountain, it's literally on a mountain. And then so we're trying to track through but people are still shooting. So when it gets bogged up like that, we tend to because we're running a booth, just skip, we'll play through.

Bryan Gay:

We skipped a couple, we ended up skipping quite a few. Then the rain let up and we'd shoot one and we met this one guy. He came like out of the woods from left field. I don't know where he came from. He's like, oh, I missed this one, thinking that he just skipped the target. So he's by himself, he's gonna shoot. He shoots one wildly, misses the target. So he's by himself, he's going to shoot. He shoots one wildly, misses the target altogether, shoots another, shoots five arrows. He hits it once, goes down to the target, he goes. I go, that's what he meant by he missed this one, he just missed everything. So he grabs I think he retained two. He got the one that was in the target and then one that was in the ground and then he starts coming back up like he's gonna shoot it again.

Bryan Gay:

I was like, absolutely not, we gotta, you gotta move, bro. So then he left and then we went to go around to skip target 15. Wrong direction, I thought, because you shoot 15 and then you keep going up the mountain to get to 16. Well, we tried to go around wrong way. So then we we met these other guys coming back. Are you guys trying to get back? We're like, yeah, we're trying to get back to the trail. And they're like, well, it's definitely not this way. So we went a mile in the wrong direction and these guys were not in shape, to say the least. So then we're like okay, I pull out on X. I was like we can take this trail, which, coincidentally, said extreme on it because it was like a mountain bike trail. So it was like, okay, kendrick and I are in the front trucking along and I'm running on X and so is one of the other guys. And finally, to get back to the course, and we picked up a few more I think we had like eight in our group at this point.

Zakk Plocica:

You're just leading the way, yes, like the light, the beacon in the dark to get people out of there.

Bryan Gay:

No idea where I'm going, but I can look at Onyx and I can tell where the actual venue is right. One woman her entire backside is covered in mud. She had gone down at some point and was not having it. There was no talking to this woman either. I tried to lighten the situation and she was just like. She was the type of woman who would tell a state trooper exactly what was on her mind, with her window half rolled down and a Marlboro light sticking out of her mouth.

Zakk Plocica:

She wasn't worried about it.

Bryan Gay:

No, she was just gonna let us all have it, so I won't tell the one part. But we finally get back up to the trail and find a target and they're like oh yeah, there's a code. What number is that? I go 16. They're like, what? The?

Zakk Plocica:

We've got 10 to go.

Bryan Gay:

They were completely just like deflated. The girls that were with us were cussing, but it was the Sasquatch. Everyone wanted to shoot the Sasquatch. So as soon as the group that was on 16 moves forward, the fog sets in and it's like holy crap, like you can't see, it's a 74-yard, 75-yard shot and this thing's huge. I mean, we have one. It's like nine foot tall. Yeah, it's enormous. You can't see it. We know where it's kind of at. See it. We know where it's kind of at. So we just let them sing and then, luckily, we all hit the target.

Bryan Gay:

And then I was like all right, guys, this is it, kendrick, we're, because we at this point, him and I have have made a bond, we've been through everything that they can you've experienced life at this point and the only thing we could do is laugh about it, because you're we were probably three, four miles in and you can't go backwards because if people are still shooting, you don't want to get in the way of the targets because a lot of them you have to pull and move. So we're like, okay, let's just follow the trail. We got the map. We're looking at all these targets. People are still shooting and it just got dark, but it was only like 5 o'clock. I mean, you guys were in the truck. The only one that had service was JR was texting me. He's like are you guys alive? Like we were trying to get back. Yeah, we only shot nine targets total out of 25. Yeah, impressive. Yeah, four hours.

Zakk Plocica:

Dude, and that's the thing. Like we're me and JR at the booth, we're like, dude, everyone's gone. We're like the only booth left. It's pouring down rain and we're down two dudes. Uh, how long do we wait till we send out like a search and rescue squad to go find these guys? Oh, I'm pretty good at that stuff well, I know, but you know, we were getting hungry. That was what it was.

Zakk Plocica:

Hurry up, hurry up it's so funny, man, because you know I was like oh man, we're gonna kendrick's gonna have such a good time. You know he's gonna get to shoot this course. Sorry, kendrick.

Bryan Gay:

Well, and the woman that was covered in mud when we were giggling and laughing about when the fog came in, she's like I don't know what you guys are laughing at. Like, where are you going to do, right, at this point? There's no point. At this point, there's no point. You thought I was going to be mad.

Zakk Plocica:

So that was my thing. I told JR. I was like damn dude. I was like Brian is going to be so mad. You know that he's out there and dealing with this. And you came back, chipper as can be man, I mean you and Kendrick, both. I was like, oh, thank God, I mean what?

JR Gettler:

are you?

Bryan Gay:

going to do yeah, this is true, been through worse. I mean it wasn't fun. I mean it was kind of fun, yeah, but then looking at everyone else in misery was like.

Zakk Plocica:

Even better yeah.

Bryan Gay:

Because it's like I mean, guys, what are you going to do? Be mad as you want, right, Go back. This is you're deciding to. You're making a decision to stay out here at this point, whether it's your group or whatever. And one of the groups, the husband, got in one of the side-by-sides from the total archery guys and didn't take his phone. So his wife was still out there with the group and was like this MF her. And she was like not happy. So cause he went to go. I don't know what he was doing, but he got dropped all his stuff off, came back with the guy in the side by side and was like hey, do you maybe want to get in here with him and ride?

Zakk Plocica:

back. Oh man, dude, they're no longer together. Yeah, rest in peace.

Bryan Gay:

Oh my gosh, it was hilarious so just things like that were just constantly happening. We met some really great people that came by the booth multiple times. You know, it's just enduring suck.

Zakk Plocica:

That's it, man. That's part of it, but that's the cool thing about it. Right, it's the total archery challenge. I mean, if you pay to go there and you take the time to make the drive like it took us 12 hours to get there, I mean that's a little bit of rain, man. I mean it's all for a fun experience. Sure, yeah, I mean you get. I mean, let's be realistic.

Bryan Gay:

I mean you get to put your gear through hell. Test it, check it, try it and see if it works, man, so lightning was the only thing that was.

Zakk Plocica:

yeah, that was super sketchy Cause there was, there was a lot of lightning and it got really close.

Bryan Gay:

Yes, um, but I mean, like I said, we, we were so far in the course and we, some of them, were like sheer cliff faces. You're not going over that, you have to just follow the trail and keep going through the course, right, um? But if I'm, if I'm in a hunting scenario, like I did it last year when I harvested that nine pointer, it was pouring rain, wind, hail, and I that's when I went out, cause I knew as soon as it let up that animal was going to move, but it's not going to stop me from hunting, so I was like well, if we get hit, we get hit.

Bryan Gay:

I may as well figure out when we need to add a yard because all of our gears wet.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah. You know, you, you really push yourself to the limit. So what's my capability when the the the things like this are happening, you know how long can I endure it? How good is my gear? Is my rain gear worth anything? Which you guys didn't have rain gear, so you couldn't attest to that? Yeah, you know, but you know again, that's a great thing too when it's raining like that. Do I need to add or remove from my sight tape you?

Bryan Gay:

know, shooting in the wind, stuff like that. I mean it to add a yard.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah, yeah, it's honestly really surprising.

Bryan Gay:

Well, and it's you know, if you're shooting downhill, uphill, those things you may. You know, and JR can attest to this because we asked him, or I did hey, did you add a yard, did you take a yard away? You know, because of the terrain, and then you know, shooting over gaps like ravines and things like that, but the rain, really, to my surprise, did not arrow cut like a knife oh my gosh, yeah those little four mils fly.

Zakk Plocica:

Good, dude, they're amazing, yeah. So that's one of the things. What's a what's a great about the four mil man less surface area, less wind drift, less drag. I mean Like little darts, it's yeah, shoot them through the water.

Bryan Gay:

Well, I don't, yeah. Light water, light water, yeah, a little bit.

Zakk Plocica:

So funny thing about this event too is, you know we're big on preparation, right, so big on being prepared for whatever you're going into, like you, as you should be, especially if you're going off, you know, and you're going on any kind of back country, you know, a couple of days out in the woods. Be prepared, have everything you need. Guess what? We weren't prepared. So we spent a lot of time and a lot of money at Walmart because I didn't bring my rain gear, which I knew I should, but I was so mass minute packing I was like I'll figure it out.

Bryan Gay:

You literally cause I stay at your place the night before Cause my drive is so far. You were packing that night. Yeah, dude, my week, my week leading up to that, right after dinner.

Zakk Plocica:

Yes, I was too. My week leading up to that was just busy and I just kept putting it off, putting it off and it was time to go and I was like well, I guess I better pack my stuff and go. And I did. I packed my bag that night and I couldn my rain jacket. And the other thing too is, you know, going to total archery challenge. You need good footwear.

Bryan Gay:

I had to buy shoes the day before because my boots blew out the weekend prior. And then, first of all, here, let's, let's, let's rewind a little bit. How long have you had those boots?

Zakk Plocica:

So dude. So I wear stuff until it is no longer wearable.

Bryan Gay:

It has been unserviceable for probably the last year and a half that I've known you.

Zakk Plocica:

Well, you know, they haven't had insoles in a year and a half. I can assure that, so let's start there. Hey man, soleil boots. They last forever, until they don't. They were awesome until they weren't.

Bryan Gay:

Shoelaces literally had pieces tied together in between the eyelets. They did.

Zakk Plocica:

I know, listen, man, I have to salvage what I can.

Bryan Gay:

No surprise to me that those failed yeah.

Zakk Plocica:

Well, you know. So JR bought Crispy Boots. What?

JR Gettler:

Three years ago. Was it three years ago already?

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah, I thought you bought them last year.

JR Gettler:

No, it was maybe two years ago, okay.

Zakk Plocica:

So JR got Crispy Boots before any of us.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah.

Zakk Plocica:

And he's preached about them Like you. And he's preached about them Like you. Wear yours.

JR Gettler:

All the time, yeah Out to Colorado our shoots hunting. I wore them all the time.

Zakk Plocica:

So I was like, oh man, I need new boots. And so we went to Walmart and we bought cheap rain boots that were $26, which to me they were great because they did keep my feet dry and we were standing in mud. But we ended up meeting the guys from crispy while we were there, which super cool dudes. Um, we talked about some stuff and we ended up going over to their booth and me and brian each, you know, sucked it up and went about, went and bought a pair yeah so totally worth it totally worth it.

Bryan Gay:

Agreed, yes, um, I've heard about them before. Jr said something about them. When he got them, said how amazing they were, especially trekking through PA. You know, through the mountains they get phenomenal grip. But I don't like buying things like that online. It's tough. Touch, feel, hold. Try on X, Y, z. They had the booth there that they had multiple sizes, Try them on. I was like as soon as I put my foot in there it was like, oh crap.

Zakk Plocica:

Which ones did you get? Soon as I put my foot in there, it was like, oh crap, which which?

JR Gettler:

ones did you get? I got the thors. Is that what you got? And then I've got the. I've got another pair of the colorados.

Zakk Plocica:

Uh, those ones I got are insulated uh, so it's like a cold weather boot. Yeah, yeah, so you got a thousand dollars in boots yeah, pretty close yeah because these are not cheap, man.

Zakk Plocica:

But you know you get what you pay for, especially when it comes to footwear, which I know to be true. We sell a lot of footwear here, especially to your active duty guys who you know going through selection, getting ready to go on deployments. So we sell high-end footwear and you know that's the constant thing. Like I can't believe, these boots are 200, 300 and it's like, man, these boots are designed, you know, to hold up to and to support you on, especially under heavy load, right, a lot of dudes carrying rocks. And then the same thing with a hunting boot. You need something to support you under load that's going to last. Durability has got to be there and especially if you're humping out an animal that you've killed, you know, on miles and miles, the last thing you want are hotspots and blisters, which are going to completely ruin your experience.

JR Gettler:

Oh yeah, a hundred percent.

Bryan Gay:

So and that and the ankle support I was actually really surprised with I was Cause they're a low, low cut boot.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah, right over the ankle.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah, but the support that it gave me even you know side sidestepping mountains and stuff was amazing.

Zakk Plocica:

It was because there was like no break in period on these things either, like we, because we put them on and we went and did a course the next day, the prime course, which there was a lot of elevation, up and down, very slick, very rocky terrain and they dude. I had no issues whatsoever. I was honestly really impressed yes, same.

JR Gettler:

I had the same experience, so I bought mine at the pa tech. Yeah, it was two years ago and it was the same thing. I put them on next day and um even the guys that I bought them from. They're a vendor for them and they even said, yeah, there's no breaking period on the boots.

Zakk Plocica:

Honestly very impressed. Yeah, super cool. But so I want to talk to you guys, too, about your bow setups. You know, brian, what is your? The bow that you shot in JR? Are they your hunting bows? Did you do anything different for tack that you would versus a hunting scenario, or did you kind of just run what you would hunt with?

Bryan Gay:

I run what I hunt with. I don't. I don't change anything. I have the ability to with the Spothog, the boonie, I can change the wheel and mess with different arrow weights and everything, but I'd like. Consistency for me is key above all, if I'm going to be consistent, be confident in the gear that I'm running with at tack I'm going to have, I'm going to carry that same consistency over into the field, into the woods with me, because I know what I can do with that setup in and now, in any condition. You know elevation changes, weather, you name it. I know what that bow is capable of and it is well beyond my capabilities right so I will never out shoot that bow.

Bryan Gay:

Yep, I'm with you jr, what about you?

Zakk Plocica:

did you? Are you running same hunting setup or did you change anything for?

JR Gettler:

time. I'm not sure yet this year. Um, normally I like to run a little bit heavier of an arrow for hunting. Um, so, like last year, I ran a 450 grain arrow and then I changed to 540 because I did go to Colorado. Um, so I wanted a heavier for that. Um, I don't have any big trips planned this year, so I don't know if I'm going to stick with that arrow or. Um, I kind of I kind of want to play with the FMJ maxes.

Zakk Plocica:

Dude, those things look sharp, so I took a picture, joey. Uh, you can take a if you want to hire me. It looks amazing, it was a good looking picture it was a good picture, it must be that new camera.

Zakk Plocica:

Dude. No, no, that's a cinema camera. I don't like this video. I had to use my quote me JR or Joey mirrorless, bingo Mirrorless camera, not DSLR or whatever. Yeah, that's lame. Yeah, that's lame Dude. I don't know my camera stuff. I just got a lot of money in camera stuff and Joey tells me how to use it and then I just get handed. Most Usually I just hand it over to Joey and Joey sets it all up.

Zakk Plocica:

Sometimes I'll hit the record button for him. Did I do a good job, joey? Yeah, perfect, perfect. But dude, no, the FMJ Max is a sick-looking arrow man. It's got that red where it says max. It's super sharp looking. Um, I've never been an aluminum arrow guy, um, but just looking at those because it's a lighter gpi than the standard fmj, uh, so you get a little bit I would assume a little bit more better performance out of it. Um, it's clean looking dude.

JR Gettler:

Yeah, it looks sharp, especially with the od, uh, the od green um diamond, diamond plate pattern. Yes, it looks sick, yeah, and that's half the battle, right?

Zakk Plocica:

If you don't look good, dude, what are you even doing?

JR Gettler:

There's like let's be real, yeah, let's be real, yeah so I really want to play around with those and I'd like to be like a 500 grain arrow, maybe a little bit heavier, just for whitetail If I go somewhere more in the Midwest or something.

Zakk Plocica:

To have that capability. Yeah, so for me, I ran the, the mock 33 for this. You know I've been shooting the mock 30. I built this mock 33 specifically for tack and after shooting it I might do this, might be the hunting bow this year as well. I do think for the next tack event I am going to probably add a back bar, just because I noticed when we were on the mountain that bow is so light and I'm only running a short six or eight inch front bar. It really floats in the wind.

Bryan Gay:

Really it does. I remember you saying that and I could see it visibly, but I wonder if you almost need to just put more weight in the front.

Zakk Plocica:

I don't know. I mean, I didn't have a quiver on it which I'm going to run a quiver on it.

Bryan Gay:

I kind of just want to play with what. So let's go, let's talk about this quiver thing, and you specifically, oh boy, um, completely unprepared, no pocket quiver, no quiver at all. He's basically, I think he did, he put him in your pack.

JR Gettler:

Yeah, I was carrying his hair um, so sorry I'm the worst.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah, let's no rain gear. And then he bought a jacket I think it was the biggest kid's size they make frog talk son, yeah, coming in clutch at walmart um and then yeah, so we need to really work on listen, dude, I'm a survivalist. I don't need a lot to survive yeah, you just need jr to carry all your stuff, but like carry my stuff.

Zakk Plocica:

But like listen, I was dead set when we went and shot. That course I was dead set on. I only need one arrow and I'm going to carry all my stuff in my hand and I did Like a champion.

Zakk Plocica:

Except for your arrows, except for my arrows, but listen so to be fair to be fair, I only did need one arrow, except for the one where the insert pulled out the To be fair, I only did need one arrow, except for the one where the insert pulled out the three of us only needed one arrow, Exactly so you guys were.

Zakk Plocica:

Listen, I like to test my limits and I want it was do or die. Buddy, it was do or die, it was do or die. Yeah, I was surviving. But yes, back to my story about my bow. So I shot the Mach 33, but I did notice it was a little bit with that little bit longer bow, it did seem to float a little bit more than I'd like it to, but it did shoot exceptionally well.

Zakk Plocica:

I felt like I shot the course really really well. Yeah, you shot really good and it was a lot of fun. But I think that's the only change that I'll make is I might just try it, because I've never really run a back bow. I ran one one time on a Venom 33, I think. But I'm going to give it a shot and see if I can get it to hold a little bit more steady for me.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah. The only time I noticed it, though, was when we were on the top of that knoll Far side. Yep, on the 80-yard shot at that super small target. Yes, but we were all because the wind was just hooking up there.

Zakk Plocica:

So it was crazy how different it was from. It wasn't even the completely opposite side, it was just around the corner of that that peak and how different the wind was cutting through there through those trails. And because we noticed we all shot, I think, that one target. We got quite a bit of wind drift and everybody was like a little bit right on that target.

JR Gettler:

Except for I think I wasn't as far right, but I was even still holding, like almost in front of the animal.

Zakk Plocica:

That's right. You held way left on that animal to counter for that. Yeah, there was a hard crosswind there and it was almost at full value.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah, it didn't come over until it hit the road. I mean you could watch the trajectory of the arrow. It looked good, looked good and then it just slid off to the right. Yeah, because that was what antelope yeah I think.

Zakk Plocica:

So, yeah, yeah, that one was tough, but I shot the east and 50 so I had a pretty, a decently light arrow. It was 418 grains, um. But I'll be honest, man, I think I'm gonna run that for hunting season and just see how it goes. I mean, typically my arrow weight is like 440 460 as a hunting arrow, but I mean the bow shoots so good and I don't know if I want to mess with anything I don't?

Zakk Plocica:

yeah, I mean that 418 grains. I I mean, let's be realistic, it's not gonna have any issues punching through an animal here yeah, not, not here at all.

JR Gettler:

Um, I just lost my train of thought there you go not with the speed.

Zakk Plocica:

You're getting no right well and that was the only thing that I might, because the bow was shooting a little bit faster than what I would typically like for a hunting bow. It's shooting right at 298 feet per second. Um, so I typically, you know, lower two nineties, mid two eighties really shoot good and tune good with a broadhead. For me, um, so the only thing I may do is if, if I change anything, I may add 25 grains to it. Instead of running that 50 grains of brass up front, maybe add that additional 25 to slow it down just a little bit.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah.

Zakk Plocica:

You know, I don't know, we'll see.

Bryan Gay:

That's the only thing I changed this year. With my arrow setup, I went from the regular 55-grain half-out to the 75-grain half-out that Easton makes and I'm at 480, but I'm still shooting 290.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah.

Bryan Gay:

No, that's impressive. Yeah, so, um, just because I jumped up to 80 pounds, but it's, it's tuning, it's flying, I mean it's. I feel like I only needed one.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah, dude, I was impressed with my sight tape. I was able to dial. I mean I can. I can dial all the way out to like 100 and almost 40 yards yeah, that's ridiculous it's sick, yeah yeah because we shot that. Uh, what was it? The moose? Yeah, the moose was 120 on the dot and I was able to dial that dude and I mean that was, that was a poke, but that was such a cool shot for everybody. Yeah, except for Brian.

Bryan Gay:

Cause he had to walk up. Hey, wait, wait, wait, I don't have the clearance on that. That Spodhog scope is just so big, I mean I love it. Yep Right, but the scope housing is so big, I think it was 108.

Zakk Plocica:

108. So yeah, I mean, let's be realistic Plenty.

Bryan Gay:

Yes, plenty, and I'm the only one that center 10 punched that thing you did.

Zakk Plocica:

A little bit of luck.

Bryan Gay:

But you had to move up.

Zakk Plocica:

That's probably why.

Bryan Gay:

Well, that's fine, it was the best shot. Let's be real.

Zakk Plocica:

Eight feet over the back and just risk losing an arrow. He pinwheeled that thing. It was impressive. Luck is on your side. No skill in the world.

JR Gettler:

Whatever you guys want to call it. And then you also got. What was it? The caribou on the parts range. Yeah, oh, dude.

Zakk Plocica:

So killer story for everybody right here Extreme Outfitters almost got banned from Total Archery Challenge right out of the gate. Whose fault was that? Was it mine or yours? Whose idea was?

Bryan Gay:

it, I'm not pointing any elbows, but I'm going to say it was not mine. So it was me so first of all, we were on the kids' range.

Zakk Plocica:

Okay, so, to be fair, as JR would say, to be fair, we were on the kid's range because the range was so packed. We were shooting over the kid's range and there was no kids on the kid's range. There was someone else on it with us, yes, so it was that guy's fault. There were no kids. There were no kids, we were shooting. Yeah, it's fine, and it was honestly a great spot to shoot targets from, because I mean, let's, let's be real.

Bryan Gay:

The lanes were perfect, yeah, especially for the novelty target. Yeah, so that was the caribou for the for the truck, for the truck, right, and there was tape down there. But when we went to pull arrows the first time, it looked like it was just um taped off so you don't shoot it no, it was taped off so you didn't go in the mud because it was a swamp back oh, that's right, you're right, yeah so I was like oh okay, yeah, I was like well, let's, let's look at this boom, what do we range it at?

Bryan Gay:

it was like 104, yeah, something like that it's like all right well here, so we're shooting over kids targets. There were no children on the range there were no kids like 104, let's let her eat. Boom, boom, boom boom. And then, as soon as we go to pull, the fellow came out and he goes. Tension shooters, whoever is shooting the caribou, do not, it is only for the novelty shoot. So then here we go Walk a shame.

Zakk Plocica:

Cause it's a good ways past everything. So you got to. Everybody stopped pulling their their 88 yards. And we're continuing to walk alone to grab ours. I was like maybe we should just leave our arrows no way, Cause I smoked that.

Bryan Gay:

Thing.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah, you would have been in, for sure.

JR Gettler:

Yeah, yeah, I mean it was very deceiving, though, cause I was standing where you guys were. In that tape it's you can kind of see where it's kind of cutting across the vital, but it's it's not like definitive.

Zakk Plocica:

definitive, don't shoot at us it was welcoming yeah caution tape welcoming it was whatever, but so funny I, I um posted our video or a short or something about us, but didn't almost, you know, get in trouble at total archery challenge. And there were a bunch of other people that chimed in and were like, oh, we did the same thing. And someone else was like, yeah, that dude was not happy. He's like, but can you blame him though, dealing with all of us all weekend long in the rain? I wouldn't be happy either.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah, it was because the real poke was on the other end yeah, it was like 1 to 11. Shooting diagonal across the whole range and I guess when they see other people's arrows flying at it it distracts the real shooters.

Zakk Plocica:

It takes away from that. What's the entry for it?

Bryan Gay:

I think it's like $20.

Zakk Plocica:

$20 an arrow. I would be like $40 or $80 in at this point, whoops.

Bryan Gay:

I would have had one entry.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah, you would have. I think we both.

Bryan Gay:

Three or four arrows.

Zakk Plocica:

Four arrows.

Bryan Gay:

One was really good. That's all you need.

JR Gettler:

Sign me up. I win the need. Yeah One.

Bryan Gay:

and done, son, sign me up. Sign me up or I win the truck Watch. That would be awesome For shooting erroneously. Where did this come from?

Zakk Plocica:

Oh, I'm in Yep. I want to pay after the fact Can.

Bryan Gay:

I do that. We need to talk to.

Zakk Plocica:

Carter, you cannot do that. That's the same thing with our novelty shoot, because people are like, oh, let me try it and you're out nothing if you don't hit it Sure. So no, you cannot pay after the fact you got to pay up front.

Zakk Plocica:

Same thing with us when we give our way our bow every year. Good times, yeah. So it was an awesome event, man. Despite the rain, the hail, everything, it was super fun. We got to meet a lot of really cool people and, again, the networking portion of it is incredible because you know, like going to ATA, and you get to meet all the vendors and stuff here it's very down to earth, very laid back, and you get to go meet and kind of talk with all the guys from behind the brands, so we get to introduce ourselves and you know it's super cool. I think the highlight for me of the event where these three kids from Georgia that came by and I that's funny, I just sent them out a care package yesterday there you go.

Zakk Plocica:

So stoked for these guys, man, they came by, but they follow us on our YouTube stuff and, uh, they were just stoked to meet us.

Zakk Plocica:

But I think we were equally stoked to meet these kids, man, cause they're, you know, I think there were like 13, 14 and 15, somewhere around there and just out there getting after it with their bows, man, and you know, their dad came up to me. He was like I have no idea who you guys are, but, but, but, the kids love your guys' channel and they follow your stuff. So is it cool if they meet? And I was like, dude, this is awesome man, yeah, so, you know, just those experiences, man, totally make it worth it. Uh, and it's cool for me too. It's like, hey, maybe we are having a little bit of a positive impact on this thing and and reaching out and people, I mean especially when we get such a young demographic watching our stuff, and that's why it's so important to me that it's pretty clean yes, you know, so that kids, families and stuff like that can sit and watch us on their screen, which is pretty humbling and they're the future.

Zakk Plocica:

They are the future man. I mean they're important the most.

Bryan Gay:

yes, and, and we as a hunting you know archery community, we are going to eat our own. You know all this. You shoot a trad, you shoot a compound, you shoot a crossbow. You know it doesn't matter, as long as we're all doing things ethically. That's what it comes down to, in my opinion. And then teaching that teaching and training and mentoring the young guys coming up Right To make sure that they're doing the right things.

Zakk Plocica:

That is it, man. Man, they are the future. I got three boys like we've got to give them. They've got to be of some kind of use, physically, you know, and have some kind of skill. So what better way than guys getting out, you know, after it with a bow and an arrow? Oh yeah taking animals testing their survival skills on a course in the rain.

Bryan Gay:

Yep, we just need JR to carry all our stuff.

Zakk Plocica:

We just need JR. That's our pack mule. I like it. New name Our pack against his will. Damn it. I'm not going to any more events with you guys. He offered, he did, he did offer. He's nice. I appreciate you, jr, you're welcome.

Bryan Gay:

He's good for something, isn't he?

Zakk Plocica:

He's good for carrying arrows. He makes I mean he shot really good, though let's be real. Like jr, I think I'm pretty sure it was the most consistent shooter out of any of us yeah, I appreciate that yeah, um that one.

JR Gettler:

Uh, the little bigfoot, you know that's dude that is a talking point in itself yeah, that was a challenge. I'm surprised nobody lost any arrows.

Zakk Plocica:

So when we walked up to that target, I was the first one that got there and I was looking. I could not find it. But then I saw this tree that looked like a massive deer had rubbed on it Turns out that tree has been blown up by arrows, yeah, and whenever you finally get out, I pull my binos out to to glass it and see it's this little bitty big foot like maybe three foot tall little yeah it was tiny yeah, absolutely tiny, and it's directly behind this tree that has been exploded, so you can.

Zakk Plocica:

You can only see like four to six inches well and it was.

Bryan Gay:

How far was it it?

JR Gettler:

was like 70 something yards wasn't it?

Bryan Gay:

I think it was 74 yards.

Zakk Plocica:

It was a poke across to like a valley.

JR Gettler:

Yeah.

Zakk Plocica:

Super cool shot. But I was totally prepared. I said this is the one I'm going to lose. I'm losing an arrow on this one Because I can't really see Yep. So my strategy with this target was I put my pin on the tree and I just held left. Pin on the tree and I just held left and, dude, I dude that lower 12 center punch.

JR Gettler:

Yeah, you did, center punched, yeah and it worked out perfect, dude, none of us lost an arrow on that. Um, what was it, brian? I think it was you, like you were super close to that tree. Yeah, I think you almost skimmed the tree, well, but hey, it didn't disappear at all and you made it. And then I held it I had a little bit low.

Bryan Gay:

I was um in the groin area yeah, yeah, right, bigfoot, yep he has a real nose for it, that guy yeah, that was a tough one, man.

Zakk Plocica:

I think they did a really good job on that course. Um, the, the elevation and terrain, the way they used it into the course was, uh, very neat and pretty unique. Like some of the we, we sent kendrick up to pull arrows on one of them oh yeah I thought he was gonna be the mountain man and have to live up there, because once you got up there it was very difficult to get down yeah, that was probably the worst one to go. Pull an arrow for that's why we sent kendrick.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah, yeah, break him in, right well, you know, he's taller than us, so he's taking less steps I guess that's what you want to call it. You know what I mean.

Zakk Plocica:

Dude, he was hopping and popping. Yeah, he was.

Bryan Gay:

Well, there was really no way down. There wasn't. If he came down the trail he went up, he would have just been sliding on his back the whole way, and then it was so he kind of side skirted it and then it was just cliff base, which was a lot taller than we thought yeah, we're like, yeah, just go, just keep going along this way and then you can go down right here.

Zakk Plocica:

But because it only looked like three foot but it was like at least, it's super deceiving terrain whenever you're standing down low and looking up at it and that's how I can see, honestly, with people in the back country really getting in trouble if they're not familiar with that type of terrain because of how deceiving it really is. When you're looking up at it, you're like, oh dude, easy to scale. But you get up to it and you look down, you're like, dude, that's a straight drop. There's no way that I can get down this without a rope Right.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah, Trekking poles. I mean, we saw people out on the course with trekking poles. And if it was not for the mud, yes, it would have been a hundred million times easier to negotiate everything out there yeah so it was just, I mean, some parts were just so thick dude yeah it was uh, what was it like?

JR Gettler:

target 22 or 23, like we were standing in a mud puddle sliding, yeah, sliding.

Zakk Plocica:

Sliding, standing still, yeah, yeah really makes for a difficult shot. But you know, one of the things I think about is I think about insurance. I'm like good god, dude, I couldn't imagine being these guys, what their insurance looks like, because the amount of injuries, dude, that's all. That's how I think. I'm like, oh my gosh, liability out here is insane, because how many people out here I mean you the potential to get hurt and have trouble getting out is very, very high.

JR Gettler:

Well, I think that's why you have to sign your waivers.

Zakk Plocica:

You do, you do, but still None of us read yeah, no, nobody ever reads that stuff?

JR Gettler:

Nobody reads the flyer, but think about that, though.

Zakk Plocica:

I mean one setting up the course, how difficult that is. I talked to Carter about it. He's like, yeah, we humped them things in, man. I'm like good on you, yeah, you're good on you, yes, good. And then the you know the other part, when it was so wet, you know how they don't just say, hey, we got to close it down just for everybody's safety. Yeah, they didn't man, they let it run, man, and it turned out good. Did not see anyone with a sour face.

Bryan Gay:

You know, everyone was still. Despite the mud, despite the rain, they were all still smiling, laughing, talking, having a great time, excited to be there, and that's what it's all about. You know well that and the youth. It's all about two things.

Zakk Plocica:

It's all about everything.

Bryan Gay:

It is, yeah, just that's what I'm about having a good time.

Zakk Plocica:

That's it, man. It was we. You know, what's cool too is, you know we're in a different town, 12 hours away from home, and we go to Walmart and there's dude. He's like hey, shouldn't you guys be making YouTube videos? You know, it thing about these events is we're able to go, connect with the people that follow us and see the stuff that we're doing and, uh, you know, get to shake their hands and meet them. You know cause? We're at Walmart and this dude's like hey, you guys, you know we're driving down, we're in traffic in Chattanooga. Where were we at?

JR Gettler:

Or was it Atlanta? It was Atlanta.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah, we're, I'm, I'm. I open up our Instagram and there's a picture of us in the truck, you know, stuck in Atlanta traffic, and the dude's like ah, I seen you guys and we're out to dinner. I mean, it's just such a cool community man that, uh, is very welcoming and I sat at another guy's table.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah, you did for a minute for when that night we met those guys at the restaurant.

Zakk Plocica:

Oh yeah.

Bryan Gay:

Super fun of me. He was like he's just making himself at home.

JR Gettler:

I sat down and talked with him super cool dudes man yeah, that was the second night.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah, I think so I don't know it doesn't matter, because we ate at the same restaurant every night I'm a creature of habit, so we went to fiona's.

Zakk Plocica:

What was? It philo philo's, philo's tavern dude, that place was delicious, it was good. I had a hamburger every single night every night every single night, same thing, and dessert, you know, and dessert you know here, yes, but you didn't get sick.

Bryan Gay:

I did not get home eat gas station sushi and you get sick. I did not have gas station sushi, so yeah, this was.

Zakk Plocica:

This was after dude. I have been. We're supposed to be in West Virginia, on our way to West Virginia right now, and it just didn't happen. Um, it's just been a wild week, and more so on me because I got soup dude. I've been so sick for the past I think five days I was it just I. I was worried about driving there and being sick on the way and I was like I can't do this, man, and on top of everything else, I mean it's been, it's been a wild week. But yeah, I'm kind of bummed though, because you know I'm starting to feel better. I'm on that, you know, getting over everything, and West Virginia is looking like it's going to be a good time.

Bryan Gay:

Yeah, I'm a little upset, I am too, man, I'm not going to tell you. Yeah, I'm sorry.

Zakk Plocica:

I apologize, it is what it is. We will definitely we'll. We'll be at more next year, for sure, but we will definitely be in Pennsylvania in three weeks, that's you have to be at that one. Is it two weeks? Oh yeah, oh God, yeah, so hopefully I'll be. I need to start packing now.

Bryan Gay:

It's not going to matter. It's not going to matter.

Zakk Plocica:

Let's be real, you're going to forget something. I didn't forget anything. What did I forget? Rain gear, rain gear Well, I neglected to bring rain gear. And boots Well, boots, so it was perfect. I needed to buy boots. I bought boots at Tennessee, it was perfect. I don't know what you guys are talking about. Yeah, everything works out.

Bryan Gay:

In your favor, in my favor. For some reason, for some reason, I don't know how it always does.

Zakk Plocica:

Dude, I create that.

Bryan Gay:

Do you?

Zakk Plocica:

Yes, I do I bring that energy dude?

Bryan Gay:

Because I forgot stuff and I packed a week in advance.

Zakk Plocica:

That's your problem. See, I'm in the moment.

Bryan Gay:

I will forget everything.

JR Gettler:

I think I was pretty good prepared. I just didn't have rain pants, which whatever. I wore my Fjallraven pants the entire time.

Zakk Plocica:

Fjallraven coming in clutch.

JR Gettler:

They're awesome.

Zakk Plocica:

They are awesome.

JR Gettler:

I wore the same ones the entire time I did too, Cause I'm like it's going to be raining and stuff. I don't care.

Zakk Plocica:

I just hang them up because the great thing about the place we stayed to is there was nowhere to hang anything, yes, and we had to vacuum in ourself. Yeah, the couch, the couch the couch gets up covered in dog hair Again not my fault. No, no, not by no means.

Bryan Gay:

So I don't care. If it's a pet, it says pet friendly, sure, whatever. We had no preference, right. But that doesn't mean you don't have to clean up.

JR Gettler:

Right, it's like I've got dogs and stuff so I don't care, but it was very annoying that my entire back was just covered in dog hair.

Zakk Plocica:

And I though a wookie out there. Yeah, it was good, though. I mean, we had a good time. We didn't spend a lot of time in the apartment, um, or what, the apartment, the, the shoebox, yeah, that we stayed in. Uh, because we spent all of our time at total archer challenge and philos yes, and walmart.

Bryan Gay:

you know what, though that town was is super cool, oh yeah, yeah, like the whole setting. They had music playing on the speakers, on all the light posts, all the seniors that are graduating. I can't imagine there's much more than the ones we saw that were on the banners.

Zakk Plocica:

All 12 of them. Yeah, yep.

Bryan Gay:

Super cool little setting, cool little town.

JR Gettler:

Yeah, the movie theater that was right there in the corner, that was like old-timey looking, and then they even had it up there for somebody's 50th wedding anniversary.

Bryan Gay:

Oh yeah, that was cool, that was really cool yeah that was really cool, nice little hometown.

Zakk Plocica:

Yeah, that's the thing about the TAC events too, is they've got to be kind of in remote areas because of how the distance you need. Yeah, the amount of land that you need so you get to go to these cool little towns. Like going to PA was pretty neat. I mean the drive there very scenic. Uh, tennessee, tennessee, I thought was super cool, man, I mean, cause everyone was like oh there's nowhere really to go. But you go to Winchester, you go 25 minutes outside of not even of um what it was the place Belvedere.

JR Gettler:

Yeah.

Zakk Plocica:

Belvedere, 25 minutes outside of there, and you're I mean mean you're in a cool little town, so lots of c to do, lots of to see and do. Um, it was just yeah, total archery guys.

JR Gettler:

They do a fantastic job, man I will say, uh, there was a lot of dollar generals that we saw dude, that's anywhere.

Zakk Plocica:

If you go somewhere where there's nothing, there's a dollar general survivors there was like four or five, like within 10 minutes.

Bryan Gay:

That could be your name, dude Dollar General. You just show up and are ready to go.

Zakk Plocica:

Dude, that's my life. You don't carry anything. I go hard, son, but you're ready to go? I'm ready to go, dude, I don't require a lot man, just enough to get the job done. Going hard in the yard, that's it. It's in the paint.

Bryan Gay:

Jr are yeah, get it right I was uh coached on that go back to carrying stuff. That's it go back.

Zakk Plocica:

All right, guys. So kind of recap this thing, total archery. Tennessee was an awesome time. Uh, despite the rain, the guys carter and the crew did a fantastic job running the event. Um, we got to meet a lot of really great people. We got to test our gear this year, I mean, that's the thing it's a little earlier in the season, so you get to get out there and really push the limits on your gear, which it's fantastic for that. Just an overall good time, man.

Bryan Gay:

Yes, agreed.

Zakk Plocica:

Good time. So we will definitely be in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately we won't be at West Virginia and I'm looking forward to that. That's a big one. We're going to get to run into a lot of different people. The vendor village is incredible. We'll be there with Easton running the Easton booth, slinging some Easton arrows and, yeah, slinging all kinds of stuff. Man, we're going to have a. We're looking forward. Hopefully the weather's good for this. I'd like a dry one.

Bryan Gay:

Yes, but you know well, only the government can change the weather. So I've already written into my Congressman.

Zakk Plocica:

I was going to say put in a, put in a good word for us, but that's it, man. What do you guys got Anything else? Wrap this thing up.

Bryan Gay:

No, just really excited to have the opportunity to do these things. Me too you know I can't thank you guys enough for uh bringing all my extra stuff for you guys to use.

JR Gettler:

That's all.

Zakk Plocica:

Zach Dude, you're. You guys are such a huge, you know help when it comes to stuff. I appreciate you guys taking the time and you know out of your guys's busy schedule to come out on board and do these things. I love it. I love doing it with you guys. And Brian, thanks for driving your truck down. We drove, so we took two different much better versus having to haul my huge trailer. But the big trailer will be in PA for sure. Yeah, so you'll all right, guys, we got to go to work. We got to open the store. We're already after, uh, overtime and the store is open and we're not out there. So, as always, appreciate you guys following along on the archery project. You know, head over to our website, extreme outfitterscom for all of your arch.