As in 2025, the 2026 ATA Show took place at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Different this year, however, was a massive format change. During previous years, the show was open to industry professionals only — i.e. a trade show. In 2026 the ATA decided to expand the event, making it a full ATA Show Week.

The week began with two buyers’ shows, specifically the ARRO Hot Show on January 6 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by the NABA (National Archery Buyers Association) Show the same day from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. These events were followed by the ATA Trade Show (industry only) on January 7 and 8.

At 10 a.m. on the morning of January 9, the ATA opened the doors to the general public for the first time. Called The Archery & Bowhunting Supershow, visitors could walk the aisles of the show seeing the very same exhibits and new products revealed to industry pros during the previous two days. The Supershow also took place on January 10. In other words, the show was open for two days for trade-only, then two days for anyone who wanted to purchase a ticket.

But that’s not all. The ATA hosted the Rushmore Rumble archery tournament on January 9-11 in the same Convention Center. This top-notch annual tournament is usually held in South Dakota, and while the event kept the Rushmore name, the competitors certainly turned out for the shoot. If you missed the Rumble and want to get a flavor for the crowds and level of competition, simply visit YouTube and search for 2026 Rushmore Rumble. The top archers on the planet battled it out and the skill demonstrated was tremendously impressive.

Last but not least, the Scholastic Archery Association hosted a S3DA Indoor Open tournament on January 9. Youth archers from across the country were able to compete, walk the Show floor, and also watch the Rushmore Rumble and perhaps dream of someday competing at that level.

ATA Show Week Feedback

I talked to several exhibitors to get their feedback on the ATA Show Week’s new format, and everyone thought it was a step in the right direction. For example, here’s what P.J. Reilly from Lancaster Archery Supply had to say:

“Foot traffic during the Archery & Bowhunting Supershow was excellent. There were far more people walking around those two days than during the trade-only days. And I would say every person I spoke to who was attending the Show as a consumer for the first time loved it. They were excited to be there, to see the new gear and to talk to manufacturers. For us individually as Lancaster Archery Supply, we felt we connected with many people who were unaware of our brand. We always see great value in any opportunity to meet people who don't know about us, since that gives us the chance to create new customers.

“The Rushmore Rumble was a huge hit in Indianapolis. With nearly 1,000 archers competing, the tournament field was more than double what it was in 2025, when the tournament was held in South Dakota. The Compound Flights division alone, which always is the largest division in this tournament, saw participation increase from 108 in 2025 to 294 this year. Every division across the board saw similar increases. And with such a big increase in competitors, naturally, the number of spectators increased exponentially as well.”

Top Takeaways — 2026 ATA Show

I’ve been fortunate enough to attend the ATA Show more times than I can count on all my fingers and toes. To be honest, I prefer the ATA Show over the SHOT Show because the latter is so busy that it can, at times, be difficult to talk with exhibitors at length about a new product. The ATA Show is much smaller and more focused on hunting. With two full trade-only days on the ATA Show floor, I had the chance to visit with anyone I desired and not feel rushed. In contrast, when it comes to the SHOT Show, I’m not sure a person could see it all if they had 22 days.

As always during the ATA Show, I enjoyed spending time in the numerous shooting lanes on the outer walls of the Indianapolis Convention Center. In fact, I’d say my highlight of the ATA Show each year is picking the brains of the manufacturers’ reps in these lanes. These men and women are passionate about their products, and they are eager to teach you everything there is to know about new compounds, crossbows and traditional bows.

Two of my top takeaways from the 2026 ATA Show took place before the doors opened at 8:30 a.m. to the main exhibit hall each morning. The ATA staff does an excellent job each year putting together a list of business-related seminars (free), and this year I attended them at 7:30 a.m. on both days prior to walking the show floor.

On January 7 I listened to Dana Keller of A-1 Archery in Hudson, Wisconsin. The title of her seminar was “Promoting and Retaining Women Archers.” During her 50-minute presentation, Keller provided outstanding ideas on how archery retailers across the country can increase the number of new female archers (of all ages) in their shop with leagues, special events and a sales mindset catering to women. Keller provided detailed information about the various leagues hosted by A-1 Archery, and the numbers of female shooters was crazy-impressive! I talked to a couple archery shop owners after Keller’s seminar and they were equally impressed and excited to implement several of her ideas in their store.

On January 8, like on the previous day, I had the choice of attending one of three 7:30 a.m. seminars. All three sounded interesting, but I finally settled on listening to Ben Summers from T.R.U. Ball/Axcel talk on the topic “How to Sell High-End Accessories.” Like Keller, Summers provided outstanding information to those archery shop owners, managers and sales staff in attendance. Summers has traveled around the world visiting archery shops, and it was interesting to see his photos of different businesses. He explained that rather than trying to compete with big box stores on the least-expensive accessories, you’re better off stocking a selection of “good, better, best” products in every category. He detailed how to leverage your team’s knowledge and service to not only sell top-notch gear but also develop trusted relationships with the consumer.

I highly encourage any ATA member to check out the free seminars in future years. You won’t regret it!

Of course, the primary reason most retailers and members of the press attend the annual ATA Show is to view new products. With this in mind, I’ll quickly recap six of my favorite products discovered at the 2026 ATA Show.

Bowtech Alliance and Alliance 33

I know this will sound like a broken record to those of you who read my recap stories each year because one of the highlights of the 2024 ATA Show was the Bowtech Core SS, and last year I explained how I was impressed by the 2025 Bowtech Virtue. Call it a three-peat if you wish because I’m once again naming a Bowtech flagship compound as one of my favorite products discovered at the Show.

For 2026 it’s the new Bowtech Alliance and Alliance 33. As the name suggests, the latter measures 33 inches axle to axle; the former is 30.5 inches. Both models share a reimagined lightweight aluminum frame and refined ergonomics. The Alliance 30.5 weighs 4.09 pounds and offers compact maneuverability ideal for tight quarters. The Alliance 33 weighs 4.25 pounds and delivers long-range stability for open country encounters and precision-focused shot execution. You can visit the company’s website to see the specs of both bows and learn about their impressive features.

I had the chance to shoot the Alliance 30.5 a few times over two days in the ATA Show shooting lanes and absolutely loved it. To date, the Core SS has been my favorite Bowtech compound of all time, but I must admit the Alliance feels even better during the draw cycle — and the Core SS is buttery smooth. The Alliance 30.5 and Core SS are rated the same for speed (up to 338 fps IBO) but the Alliance 30.5 is an inch shorter and a half-pound lighter. I truly think Bowtech hit a home run with its introduction of the two Alliance models. FYI: The Alliance was honored as Best New Bow during the 2026 ATA Show Industry Celebration Event. MSRP: $1,499.

NBEF Mini 3-D Elk Model

The National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) offers mini 3-D durable foam models of big game animals to help hunters visualize and practice shot placement for a faster, more ethical game recovery. These models are perfect for hunter education classes and hunter certification courses, and they’re a great conversation piece and learning tool for hunting camps, too. 

The NBEF’s Mini 3-D Whitetail model has been its most popular offering for decades. At the 2026 ATA Show I was able to see its newly designed Mini 3-D Elk Model and it looks fantastic. Made exclusively for the NBEF by Rinehart Targets, the realistic model is molded from high-quality, durable foam, and the reverse side is cut away to show vital organs and major bones. You can use the included stick pin to demonstrate best shot placement. The elk model is 13 inches long and 12 inches high (without antlers). Sales of the whitetail, elk and black bear 3-D models support NBEF’s mission to improve hunter accuracy, safety and confidence in the field.

I was shown the new Mini 3-D Elk model by Marilyn Bentz, who has served as the NBEF’s executive director since 2003. Marilyn is a respected leader in the archery industry, and that’s not just my opinion — she received one of two ATA’s Impact Awards for 2026 during the ATA Show Industry Celebration Event. Congrats, Marilyn! MSRP: $80.

Rinehart Targets TAC LRS (Long Range System)

Rinehart Targets turned many heads at the Show — including mine — with the introduction of its TAC LRS (Long Range System), which was developed in partnership with the Total Archery Challenge (TAC). The system is composed of two parts, a Centershot Core and an outer target face (two sizes: 24 or 36 inches).

The core is a light-gray color with white graphics, making it easier to see behind your fiber-optic pins at long range. It features six unique shooting faces, and integrated foam locking points hold the core firmly in the target face. In addition, the target face can be placed with either a 5 degree or 15 degree layback. The target face is black with a series of precision high-vis reticle guides, helping archers align their shots straight up and down.

Every TAC LRS target is built using Rinehart’s proven solid self-healing foam, which stops arrows in their tracks and also allows for easy arrow removal. Like all Rinehart Targets, the TAC LRS is made in the USA.

I’ve owned a Rinehart 18-1 target for at least a decade, and it’s made of the same self-healing foam as the TAC LRS. My 18-1 target is crazy-durable, so I’m sure those archers who buy the new TAC LRS will be pleased with its performance and longevity. MSRP: $289.99/24 inch; $429.99/36 inch.

Schaffer Performance Archery Line Drive Bowsight

As someone who has attended at least 20 ATA Shows, it’s easy for me to cruise up and down the exhibitor aisles year after year, look at the various new offerings, and say to myself, “That’s a copycat of such-and-such product.”

With that in mind, I’d like to introduce you to a bowsight that is the definition of the word “unique.” The Line Drive from Schaffer Performance Archery is a two-pin bowsight system. The top pin is fixed and the second pin moves.

What sets this sight apart from all the others is that you adjust the second pin to the desired range (up to 100 yards) by inserting your index finger from your bow hand into the circle of a front-mounted device known as the Controller. This means you can adjust the second pin while at full draw. On all other movable sights, you adjust the yardage with a wheel, using your release hand to do so.

I’ve used a Schaffer XV arrow rest and the company’s Opposition Air 4 Pin bowsight for more than a decade in harsh environments and both products have been flawless. Owner John Schaffer is an engineer by trade and everything he builds (and sells to dealers) is bullet-proof.

The Line Drive is designed, manufactured and assembled in the USA. Schaffer Performance Archery has been independently owned and operated since John started his business in 1989. Working with dealers is core to John’s business, and he provides some of the best margins available. MSRP: $499.

Specialty Archery Stack It Peep System

Spoiler: The Stack It Peep System from Specialty Archery won the Best of Show award at the 2026 ATA Show. This fact in itself should cause you to keep reading, right?!

The idea is “micro-adjustable vision.” Okay, what does that mean? Very simply, it allows target archers to clear up their target and their bowsight optic in the same peep.

Designed with pro archer Christopher Perkins, the Stack It Peep System allows target archers to micro-adjust their clarifiers, verifiers, and apertures all within one peep body. This means you can get your sight picture in focus as much as you want for your setup/pursuit. Removable front and rear apertures offer easy replacement of verifiers and clarifiers so you can adjust on the fly. 

The Deluxe Kit comes with six apertures, five clarifiers, and three verifiers. The peep housing also includes slots for 37, 45, and 53 degree string angles, so your whole peep system is maximized to your draw length and string angle, as well.  

This system has been tested and perfected for more than 3 years before being brought to market. Note: As a dealer, you have sold verifiers and clarifiers in your pro shop, and probably have the Clarifier Tool and Verifier Tool from Specialty Archery on hand to help archers choose the best ones for their vision needs. The company doesn’t have a similar tool built yet to demonstrate how this Stack It Peep System works, but the owner told me that it will be available in the near future. MSRP: $349/Deluxe Kit.

Vsling Bow Sling

I’ve never used a bow sling in the past because every model I’ve ever seen has appeared to be cumbersome, bulky or noisy — or all three. So imagine my surprise when I was hurrying from one meeting to another during the ATA Show and saw a bow sling that immediately made me think, That’s brilliant!

So I attended my scheduled meeting and then immediately went back to the booth for Vsling Archery. There, I met inventor/owner Sam Buboltz, and he demonstrated how his one-of-a-kind bow sling worked.

The Vsling is the industry’s only 100% elastic bow sling. It’s easy to install (no plastic or metal snaps or clasps), is totally silent and offers nearly unlimited stretch. Ordering is easy because the Vsling is one size fits all. Four color choices: black, brown, camo or red.

What I like about the Vsling is it keeps your bow secure and tight to your body (your back) for hands-free carrying, and there’s no need to remove it to shoot. The Vsling stays tight to the back side of the riser for quick and quiet carry-to-shoot transitions; there’s zero arrow interference.

As for the sling material — this will sound strange, but the best way I can describe it is that the Vsling is built from a braid of many silver dollar-sized elastic hair ties. (But they aren’t hair ties.) As I said earlier, the design is brilliant.

The company also offers a Bino Sling, which keeps your optics tight to your body — no flopping or bouncing — and yet the bino is instantly ready when you want to glass. It operates on the same principle as a traditional shoulder bino harness but is simpler and quieter. Vsling also makes a Crossbow/Gun Sling, which is made from the same elastic material, but it includes two key rings to attach to the stock’s swivel studs. MSRP: $47.99/Bow Sling.

2026 SHOT Show Feedback

The SHOT Show is so massive (nearly 14 miles of aisles and more than 2,800 exhibitors) that I won’t begin to try and recap the entire event. Instead, I’ll focus specifically on the Archery Business & Hunting Retailer Pavilion. 2026 marked the third year for this special hunting-focused space at SHOT Show; the first two years it was called the Archery Business Pavilion, and this year the brand Hunting Retailer was added to the mix. 

The Pavilion is a collaboration between the National Shooting Sports Foundation (owners of SHOT Show) and Grand View Outdoors (this magazine is part of the GVO family of brands). Like the previous two years, the 2026 Pavilion was located in Caesars Forum and featured many leading manufacturers in the archery and hunting industries. Finding the Pavilion was easy because the NSSF did an excellent job with signage throughout SHOT Show pointing you in the right direction.

Foot traffic in the Pavilion was up substantially in 2026 compared to 2025, and that’s not just my opinion. I asked several of the manufacturer reps who have exhibited in the Pavilion since 2024, and each one noted that the space has gotten busier each year. The momentum is rolling for this space, and I look forward to seeing where it goes in years to come.

"Well as they say, the third time's a charm, and that is the perfect way to describe what we experienced here in 2026,” said Grand View Outdoors President/Publisher Derrick Nawrocki. “Traffic was way up, booth interactions were virtually non-stop, the archery shooting lanes were packed, and even celebrity visits were on the rise. The Pavilion was sold to capacity, and there was a real buzz and energy in the room. Several long-time agency friends of mine, along with numerous exhibitors, agreed this space was a hit this year. SHOT Show traffic can be hard to judge as the masses pulse through the massive footprint of the show, but what was undeniable was this space was easy to find, has become a known destination for many retailers, and many marked this area as a go-to spot. Where we go from here only time will tell."

Top Takeaways — 2026 SHOT Show

As I did with my recap of the ATA Show, I’d like to review four products that caught my eye in the Archery Business & Hunting Retailer Pavilion.

Axcel Antler Ridge Xile Hunting Stabilizers

I very much enjoyed my time talking with Ben Summers of T.R.U. Ball/Axcel during the SHOT Show. The company’s history is interesting (story of another day), and they continue to push archery gear performance to new levels.

One product that Summers was excited to show me was the new-for-2026 Axcel Antler Ridge Xile hunting stabilizers. Built with a refined layup of high-modulus carbon and ultra-thin CarboFlax layers, these stabilizers effectively absorb vibration for a smoother, more consistent shot. Each bar is finished in a premium twill carbon exterior, matching the proven look of our Antler Ridge series stabilizers, while newly redesigned end caps are Cerakoted for superior durability and long-lasting protection in the field. 

Summers explained to me what CarboFlax is, and I could hardly believe my ears. Axcel engineers wanted to enhance carbon bar performance and discovered that industries such as aerospace, cycling, automotive and tennis were blending flax fibers (yes, the flax plant!) into carbon layers. Flax not only reduced weight but also provided three times the vibration dampening of glass and 20% more than carbon. Its natural vibration absorption improved performance, and it was also lighter, stronger, and eco-friendly — being plant-based. Crazy!

Axcel Antler Ridge Xile stabilizers come in lengths of 8, 10, 12 and 15 inches, and come in three colors: Midnight Cerakote, Evergreen Cerakote and Terrain Cerakote. MSRP: $204.99 to $234.99.

Grayl GeoPress and UltraPress Purifier Bottles

Staying hydrated in the field is important, but this can be a challenge when hiking deep into the backcountry. Water is heavy (8.34 pounds per gallon) so it’s often one of the first items hunters cut back on when packing.

I’ve seen numerous water purifications systems but never one as clever as the GeoPress and UltraPress from Grayl. The only difference between the two is size: The GeoPress makes 24 fluid ounces and the UltraPress makes 16.9 ounces. The system is smart, simple and fast: Pull apart the outer cup and fill with water (from a lake, stream, etc.) to the fill line; vent the cap a half turn; using your body weight, press the inner cartridge into the outer cup with steady downward force. The entire process takes only 8 to 10 seconds. 

Grayl purifier bottles remove global waterborne pathogens (virus, bacteria, protozoan cysts) and filter pesticides, chemicals, heavy metals and microplastics. The bottles also improve taste, smell and clarity. They are also compatible with electrolytes and drink mixes for faster, healthier hydration when on-the-go. FYI: In addition to the GeoPress and UltraPress, Grayl offers purifier systems with titanium bottles (more expensive) that can be used on a camp stove for making hot drinks, soups, etc. MSRP: $99.95/GeoPress; $74.95/UltraPress.

Muck Alpha Pursuit Snake Boot

I love wearing various Muck boots when bowhunting whitetails and turkeys in the Midwest. Every model I own is comfortable and my feet always stay warm and dry, no matter whether the long grass is wet, or I must cross a shallow creek. 

Because I’m a fan of the brand, I always make it a point to visit the Muck Boot exhibit at SHOT Show, and this year I discovered a product I won’t need anytime soon, but it’ll be critical on certain future hunts. Let me explain.

Muck has introduced the new Alpha Pursuit Snake Boot, which builds on the proven durability of the company’s popular Alpha Pursuit. This model provides flexible Snake Guard protection for peace of mind and confidence in the field. I’ve hunted turkeys in snake country many times in the past, and as someone with a healthy respect for snakes (think fear!), I can promise you I’ll be wearing this boot the next time such slithering devils could be in play.

Lightweight yet rugged, the Alpha Pursuit Snake Boot has a weatherized textile upper that resists brush and debris. Other features include: 100% waterproof; 3mm neoprene bootie for comfort; breathable mesh lining; flexible Snake Guard material top to toe; molded PU insert with memory foam for superior underfoot comfort; rugged anti-slip rubber outsole for all terrain traction. MSRP: $225.

Tink’s Scrape Slushie

I’ve had tremendous success during the past decade using mock scrapes, which is why this product caught my eye in the Tink’s booth. The new-for-2026 Tink’s Scrape Slushie is a slow-release, thick-formula deer scent designed for creating or enhancing mock and active scrape sites. It acts as a long-lasting, weatherproof attractant meant to simulate natural deer activity to lure bucks into shooting lanes, typically applied to the ground or overhanging licking branches.

The Scrape Slushie is designed for consistent, long-lasting scent release that withstands harsh weather conditions. It will work well when used in conjunction with other parts of Tink's Scrape System, including the company’s Naturally Primed Scrape Rope. I have several mock scrape ropes and vines in place on my hunting properties in South Dakota and Wisconsin, and I’m excited to add the Scrape Slushie to my system this fall. MSRP: $19.99/12-ounce container.

Now’s the time to begin planning for the 2027 SHOT Show. For info on exhibiting in the Archery Business & Hunting Retailer Pavilion, visit www.shotshow.org