Click here to download the catalog as a PDF file. To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. “We saw a slight drop-off, but not very much,” he said. “Our sales stay pretty steady because we’re the only game in town. We might have dropped off a little on accessories, but not a lot.” Rutan does expect many changes in his customers’ buying habits. “People who enjoy the outdoors are going to enjoy it no matter what gas prices go to,” Rutan said. “Guys get used to using certain products and they don’t change from them. I don’t think this will be a bad year, even though the economy has slowed down.” However, Rutan isn’t leaving his fall sales to chance. “We always make sure we have a wide range and choice of products so we can keep customers coming in,” he said. Richard Sprague, owner of Sprague Sports in Yuma, Ariz., is an eternal optimist, especially concerning hunting sales. “We did great this past fall. We were up double digits from the previous year. Our customer count is good and our sales are holding steady,” he said. Sprague said it’s a little too early to zero in on what he expects for this fall. “Everything is impacted by our local big-game draws and who gets tags,” he said. “Optics can be impacted by up to 10 percent by who draws the premium tags.” The more of his customers who get those good tags for species such as bighorn sheep, Sprague said, the better his sales are. “If you draw one of those tags, it’s a big deal and the customer will gear up for that,” he said. However, Sprague didn’t wait for the results of the draws to plan his inventory. Leupold’s 8x42mm and 10x42mm Cascades binoculars are dressed in Mossy Oak Treestand armor coating. Mossberg’s 4x4 Rifle Scoped Combo, with a 24" barrel and laminate stock, comes with a 3-9x40mm scope. www.shootingindustry.com Circle No. 217 on Inquiry Card AUGUST 2008 27