Here is our first Press Release from The Hurricane Valley Journal.
Archery Store Opens in Hurricane
Archery Store Opens in Hurricane
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Co-owner Mike Hirschi works with customer Russell Tullis to get him
ready for this summer’s bow hunt. |
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By: Toby G. Hayes
You could call them twin brothers of different mothers.
Mike
Hirschi and Mike Ahlstrom love hunting, especially with their bows in
the mountains of southern Utah in late summer. Mike and Mike also work
for competing companies by day in the food service industry, but have
teamed up to offer a new business in Hurricane, Lightning Archery.
“With archery hunting it’s quieter, it’s safer and it’s more natural,” said Ahlstrom.
Walk
into their shop located at 450 E. 800 North in Hurricane and mounted
deer and antlers adorn the walls. Hirschi, a Hurricane native,
harvested most of the animals and antlers on display. On one side of
the store, all imaginable accessories hang from the wall; on the
opposite wall hang bows with their signature camouflage façade.
“I
don’t think we’ll ever be the big guy on the block. We just want to be
a pro shop where we can help people,” said Ahlstrom. “It’s the huntin’
buddy mentality.”
Both Mikes met in an unlikely way. Ahlstrom
has operated a restaurant in Tropic for several years and Hirschi used
to visit him as a sale and service manager for food service provider
Nicholas and Company. Now Hirschi works for Farmer’s Brothers and
Ahlstrom will be moving to Hurricane with his new job working for
Nicholas.
“He would come fix our machines and we’d talk hunting,” said Ahlstrom. “We even went on a few hunts together.”
It was during this time that Hirschi slowly converted Ahlstrom.
“He’s
the one who got me into bow hunting. I started six years ago. Now I
don’t even care if I never hunt with a gun again,” said Ahlstrom. “For
me, [hunting] is just being with friends and getting outdoors.”
For Hirschi, bow hunting has been a lifetime passion.
“When
I got into bow hunting, I was probably 11,” he said. “I used to go
around the neighborhood shooting apples and other things.”
As
Hirschi got more serious about hunting in his early 20s, he discovered
the beauty of the outdoors during the bow hunt season, which helped him
think of the name for their business.
“I’ve always been awe-struck
by nature. When you’re hunting during the bow season, it’s late summer
and at the onset of the monsoon season, so there’s lots of lightning,”
he said. “It’s just awesome [and] there’s no real way to harness the
potential archery has.”
The shop is relatively small, but covers
the needs of most archers, specializing in accessories and being an
authorized dealer for Hoyt Reflex Bows.
“We’ve got a lot of
vision for making this a bigger business beyond archery,” said Hirschi,
“but right now we needed to fill a niche.”
The sport of archery
has increased in popularity, especially during the past decade. With
roughly 20,000 deer and elk rifle tags issued each year, a random
drawing decides who receives the tags. In the meantime, thousands of
hunters are left with the alternative, to still hunt using an abundant
number of bow tags.
More lightweight and strong materials has also contributed to an increased interest in archery.
“It’s been around for a long time, but with technology it has allowed more people to get involved in the sport,” said Ahlstrom.
For
Hirschi, Lightning Archery is more than just a love for the sport. He
hopes the store will help him teach his children honesty and a work
ethic.
“I want to teach them how to run the register and count money and work with people,” he said.
As
for bow hunting, compared with rifle hunting, “you’re not just out for
the kill, you’re out there to experience nature,” said Hirschi.
“Archery puts you at one with nature.”
Russell Tullis wants to
get back to nature too, but hasn’t been bow hunting for 20 years. He
came down from Parowan to check out the new store and purchase a bow.
“[With bow hunting] there’s a little more skill involved,” said Tullis. “It’s a little more of a challenge.”
Tullis said he enjoys the bow hunt much more because there are less people, more animals, and the weather is better.
After
talking with Mike Ahlstrom on the phone and talking to Mike Hirschi in
the shop, Tullis joked “it’s easy to keep your names straight.”
Lightning
Archery is open Monday through Friday, 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays noon
to 6 p.m. Ask for Mike.
