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Parker Bows is closing their doors

Very sad to hear this announced late yesterday. Parker Bows is ceasing all business after December 31, 2018.

There are too many high quality bow options to compete with today. Robust, effective marketing was absent. Hopefully the employees will find quality jobs locally.

I think we will see more bow manufacturers close over the next several years. Fewer hunters and not as many trading compounds for the next greatest thing. I used to upgrade every 2-3 years. I’m currently shooting a 3 year old old nocam. I have no need or desire for a new bow. More crossbow shooting which does not require as much hunter specific set up. Most don’t trade crossbows as frequently as compounds.

Better stock up !! :)

I think bow manufacturer’s cooked their own goose. There will be more to follow, guaranteed. It all started back in the day with Pete Shepley’s, PSE company and Horton crossbows. Only a few will survive.

When I had my shop running, Parker was far and away the best company to deal with from a dealers perspective.

A quality no-frills product at an affordable price was only possible when they didn't buy a top-end TV personality. Unfortunately without that name recognition, "affordable" translates into "cheap" which translates into "junk" in most peoples minds.

X2 BC173

Manufacturers kind of bring this on themselves. They push for crossbows to become legal during archery seasons. Well crossbow hunters are usually one and done buyers. Where as vertical bow guys tinker and dial in their set ups and usually buy new bows at least every few years. Also the prices aren't helping. I am guilty of buying a new bow or three pretty much every year as I like to play with the latest and greatest. But the prices for a bare bow are getting out of hand. It will be the smaller fringe companies that get hit first.

I use their thunderhawk, for turkeys,,,,, going to the shop this pm and buying up all of the lighted captured nocks he has left

I just read a similar thread over at I think A.T. that P&Y published an article stating that in order to SAVE archery hunting as we know it, P&Y is requesting state game agencies no longer allow the use of X-bows during regular season archery, and that there be a separate X-bow season. Good luck with that one P&Y. I can not recall the exact wording of the article but P&Y states and I agree 100% that people who buy X-bows very, very rarely buy another one any time soon and don't buy many additional items of equipment as X-bows mostly come as package deals of sight, quiver and bolts. I read a post either here or at another hunting web where a guy commented he choose a X-bow over a rifle because he easily could kill a deer at 60-80 yards and unlike a rifle where he could only hunt less than two weeks, with a X-bow he could hunt every day for over 3 full months!!!!! X-bows are killing the compound bow industry as it requires less skill and MUCH, Much less time or effort to learn to shoot a X-bow well VS shooting a compound or other vertical bow well, and your effective range is getting close to if not at that of a iron sighted slug gun. As is almost always the case people are their own worst foes, and in this case it was the compound bow industries pushing for the use of X-bows and getting their way that looks to be a self inflicted application of the law of unintended consequences. I won a Trophy Ridge's by Ten point top of the line best X-bow at a deer classic 5 years ago and it still sits in my basement unopened in its box. I have shot my friends $1600 Ten point X-bow and no B.S. WHAT SO EVER, using shooting sticks, FIRST time I EVER shot it I could keep all the bolts in a paper plate at 80 yards, with very little effort. I'm sure my 30+ years experience shooting rifles played a huge part, but no way could I do that well with in my opinion was nearly no effort, with my compound, I know I couldn't. X-bows are basically the archery equivalent of short range single shot rifles that fire bolts instead of bullets.

Bowhunting with a bow and arrow is in decline. Without change I would guess the P&Y Club will become another casualty of the scoped crossbow revolution. Bow and arrow hunter numbers are in decline, scoped crossbow hunters are increasing.

I don't know. As crossbows become more popular and legal in more states, guys will want the latest and greatest, just like they do with compounds. How many on here brag about buying a new bow every year, and are brand loyal, gotta have a new (insert brand H, M, or X here) bow every year. Some guys buy more than one new bow every year just to have the latest and greatest, and admit the new game changing bow does not shoot as well as last years. But they buy and shoot the new one anyway. That mindset is going to set in as crossbows become more dominant. Crossguns will end bow hunting as we know it, but the larger bow companies will sell crossbows as compound sales taper off. They will use the same marketing ploys that were successful making people buy new compounds every year.

The larger bow companies will start making and selling crossbows as compound sales decline.

Just like some on here predicted . More companies to follow. Who knows how many will survive. But cross bows are to blame . You will soon see restrictions start on bow season because the success rate has risen.

we have a cheap sporting goods dealer in Wisconsin, called Dunhams,,,, they sell cross bows out the door for 229.00 where do you think they are made? American companies can no compete with the overseas cheap labor, that American citizens support

Way too many compound manufacturer's exist. Lacking innovation and/or clever marketing, a few are bound to fall by the wayside.

Over the years I've known very few crossbow shooters that shot for fun. And here in PA they are not showing up at many shoots when allowed. IMO people that have bought them consider it more of a gun, therefore they don't need replaced or are wearing them out practicing or competition shooting. Arrow sales will be down also. Alot of tax revenue for wildlife will be lost.

I honestly didn’t know they were still around...

Why have all of you been so silent? I have been representing real bowhunters for many years.

I’m still shooting my 10 year old Bear Archery Truth 2. It’s still killing critters :)

I can’t believe the prices on some of the new bows out there! When a guy has to take out a second mortgage for a bow, more companies will fold. It’s a bad business model if you expect your user base to upgrade every 2 years or so.

AZ8 the prices are so high because people willingly pay, and too many guys buy a new bow or bows every year. The business doesn't expect the user to upgrade, the users are doing so themselves.

So does that mean my Parker Spitfire that's on the shelf will be a collectors item?!

Some of you archers aren't watching enough TV hunting show commercials if your bow is 10 years old. . If that parker is a stickbow it will only loose 50% :)

Good company. Hate to see them go.

a shop I know of is selling their Parker crossbow inventory buy one, get one free....

It’s not just compound bows....that’s just the beginning. Hunting in general is in trouble and with the brainwashing of society will only decline more. Only chance? “Each one Reach one”. We should all make it our personal goal to invite and recruit new younger hunters as often as possible. If we all did that, problem solved.

Parker was one of the first to offer a short ATA bow if I remember correctly.

I have two Matthews lx. I got them in 05 or 06. My bow only has to shoot accurately out to 20 yards so I don’t need the anything new. I also have a bear Kodak that I’m certain will never wear out. I got my first Kodiak from a neighbor in the mid 70’s. I used a piece of trot line for the string. I shot lots of rabbits with it then started with deer in 78 with a real string.

It's too bad that it's come to this. Bow manufacturers have themselves to blame. Bows have become out of reach for many and they are discontinuing models every year.... a guy is doing just fine in life buying a used 1 or 2 year old bow for 1/2 price. What's truly killing the sport is lack of land access.

Think Parker had a real long warranty. I hope some assets are held to honor warranty claims.

Saying Parker closing is a sign of the end of archery, hunting, and the economy is like saying K-Mart closing is the end of retail.

Bows aren’t that’ expensive relatively speaking. It’s the accessories that kill ya...

Crossbow has a direct correlation to the down fall of most manufacturers that catered to regular archery. Buy it, scope it, and your done. Sight it in to 100 yards and now you have an advantage.

Look at the picture on the page at the link. shows the backs of 4 people, 3 of them carrying crossbows. Probably a tough business, not sure what the margins are but you have to sell a boatload of bows annually to stay afloat.

Parker is probably as better known for crossbows than vertical bows.

“AZ8 the prices are so high because people willingly pay, and too many guys buy a new bow or bows every year. The business doesn't expect the user to upgrade, the users are doing so themselves.”

L

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L.

Marketing 101, brother - planned obsolescence. The compound industry has been dependent on unnecessary upgrades for 30 years.

Cracks me up, though, to see compound shooters complaining that crossbows are “the end of bowhunting”. No! Really???

Funny thing. People like me who were concerned about In-lines and compounds 30 years ago were all told to stop whining, wring out our pink, thong panties and get over our greedy, elitist selves because the two-season hunters had a RIGHT to chase deer with a weapon that could be mastered (4” groups at 20 yards) in under an hour. And that was before releases were legal in a lot of states.

Now, nobody can tolerate 4-legged predators because they might not be able to fill 4 tags a year if they have to compete with coyotes or wolves.

Or, God Forbid that you might not be able to hunt 2-3 weapons per year or you might have to hunt hard all season to have a 50/50 shot at filling ONE tag.

Yes, the crossbow industry is growing, but that didn’t kill Parker bows. They sold and manufactured them. Outdated marketing and inability to modernize in this online driven world killed them. I think of them as a Sears of the bow world.

I've been bowhunting since 1981-1982 and I've owned several bows. Currently I shoot a Matthews Chill R and an '04 Legacy. I shot a swollen necked basket racked 8 point with my oe'' Legacy just this past November. I purchased a Parker Revolution in September because the prices were so good and I wanted something I didn't have to worry about on rougher access walk in and set up whitetail hunts here back east. If it got dinged or whatever I wouldn't care too much. This bow shoots great and is well made... I'm pissed that they went out of business because one of my reasons for purchasing was reasonable cost, decent quality and lifetime warranty. I actually really liked their business model and thought they were really doing well. I am disappointed and agree with a lot of the comments here on the industry overall but there must be more to the story. If crossbow hunting is taking over it shouldn't have mattered to Parker as they had a reasonably modest bow line (4 models max) anyway.

I believe the die was cast when the NRA started supporting crossbows in archery season I was told by the NRA that they will support anything that increases the number of hunters. A worthy goal but not studied to a reasonable conclusion. I dont believe there are that many new hunters because the crossbow was legalized. Most buyers were opportunists from the gun ranks to increase there hunting time, no new hunters there. Some buyers came from the compound ranks for several reasons, mostly just getting older and having difficulties shooting. No new hunters there either. The crossbow made the transition from the gun to the crossbow very easy. The opportunists just wanted more time to hunt. Most traditional archers and compound shooters as well are archery enthusiasts who are interested in every thing archery. These enthusiasts attend anything related to archery This site is full of them and they buy new bows and equipment to stay current. The crossbow shooters for the most part buy there crossbow and never upgrade. they use their crossbows just like they use their guns. You buy them and pass them on to family just like their guns. Result no new hunters , increased pressure on the deer herd and maybe restrictions in the future and the destruction of the pro-shop and bow industry, with no new sales. the best times in the archery world are behind us. Just my thoughts.

Spot on comments Ron. I agree.

I don't understand why this turned into a crossbow blaming thread. Parker's number one business was crossbows. Parker has been a crossbow company with minor consideration to compound bows for at least the last 6-8 years. Crossbow popularity was the only thing keeping Parker alive.

Poor marketing strategy is the only real blame for Parker going under. Crossbows had nothing to do with it.

It's simple for most to understand. Most crossbow hunters are set it and forget it. Where most bowhunters are always tinkering and buying different equipment, bows etc. The one hit wonder customer does not keep a business afloat.

The archery market in general is Saturated and due for some contraction. Parker will be the first and not the last. The entire compound bow industry is flat. Technology has Plateaued about 10 years ago and it's been all bull crap smoke and mirrow marketing since then.. Crossbows are the beginning of the end of archery seasons, no doubt about it. P&Y been spot on.

If your number one business is crossbows and you go down.....well then, crossbows had something to do with it!

Trial153 is right on!!!!

"Crossbows are the beginning of the end of archery seasons, no doubt about it. "

And that is exactly what was said when compounds came on the market.

Not everybody buys a new bow every couple of years either. To be honest, the last new bow I bought (not counting the crossbow I bought for my father 3 years ago), was in 1986. I still hunt with it (Bear Kodiak). I have bought a few used bows since then including one compound (no idea offhand what the brand is), but nothing that would help the industry in general. Production bow manufacture is a limited niche market and I would say a very hard one to keep going.

It may have been said that compounds would be the end of archery seasons but it didnt come to fruition. Any one want to guess why? Simple they are still hand drawn and the use of compounds didnt cause a shift in any meaningful sense of success rates. Try to stay the same about crossbow and you cant, because success rates are Higher in a statistically meaningful way.

Sporting goods in general are over priced for the average working family. Sure there are cheaper items that do the job but archery items in general are way over priced. I can buy a chain saw for much less than some of the arrow rests people are buying.

I found a site about Pennsylvania's history of deer seasons. The first archery season had 5,000 archers killing 33 deer. That is about a .66% success rate. I have a hard time believing that is hasn't risen significantly since then. I would love to see the stats that success rate hasn't changed since compounds were made legal. Another tidbit I would love to see is accuracy and success rate changes once releases were allowed. A release is the single most significant accuracy enhancer I believe there is. When I shoot my compound with fingers the accuracy is much like when I shoot my longbows, the arrows are just quicker.

One thing I do know is that before compounds were made legal... 100% of the bowhunters used traditional gear. The best I can find on the internet right now is that less than 5% of current bowhunters are using traditional gear. That is a huge shift! To claim that compounds didn't have an effect and completely change bowhunting is either dishonest or misinformed. It happened and it's happening again but this time instead of stickbows loosing to compounds, it's compounds loosing to crossbows.

Grunt calls and rattle bags/antlers have probably allowed the killing of more deer than compounds. General knowledge increase in the last 50 years plus magazines and internet communication have helped more hunters. It's still a 20 yard game for me as far as shooting white tails. I hunt with a compound and release but could do just about as well with a recurve and fingers as my shots have been under 15 yards for the last 15 or so seasons. Maybe even better as my deer seem to never want to stop when I try to get them to.. I sure as hell don't need a crossbow yet at 62 but there may be a day when I won't be able to shoot a verticle bow. When that day comes I probably won't be able to track and dress my own deer either so I'll just hang it all up.

I'm the same way "walks with a gimp" in that I haven't shot at a deer that was more than 12yds away in a very long time. I haven't killed one with my longbow yet and instead have chosen to take the easy way out many times I can and do get close, but don't trust myself with traditional yet. I ultimately fear missing the buck of a lifetime because it was a few yards out from what I can shoot my longbow, or wounding an animal because I hadn't practiced enough. I'm getting closer though...

A few years ago a neighbor and good friend hung it up for good because he couldn't trust himself in the wilds anymore. He was plenty capable of shooting accurately, just figured one of these days he would go out and not be able to make it back in (and that day was getting close as he was close to 80 when he stopped hunting).

I do think hunting gear is over priced. I tend to hunt in anything but hunting gear to be honest. Running and work clothes keep me just as warm as anything at a fraction of the price. Kids are missing out due to leasing. Anybody can barrow or buy a weapon to hunt with, it's the lease that a 14yr old won't be able to pay. I truly feel that the only kids getting into hunting right now are children of middle to upper class families. The lower socioeconomic class has been priced out of hunting. Much different than times before when hunting was the cheap way to sustain your family. Things are changing, that's for sure.

The article at the link is from the VP of PSE and he admits supporting crossbows was a big mistake. Instead of getting rifle hunters into shooting crossbows it just pulled more bowhunters from compounds into crossbows.

The article at the link is from the VP of PSE and he admits supporting crossbows was a big mistake. Instead of getting rifle hunters into shooting crossbows it just pulled more bowhunters from compounds into crossbows.

I have 2 Parker’s as my bows right now. My whitetail bow is an older Blackhawk I bought used from my buddy who worked as a bow tech. The second is a newer Viking I bought a few years ago. What fantastically comfortable bows. I will miss Parker. The owner was a really nice guy as I spoke with him in the past. These bows are sweet smooth and accurate

Bill v

Still in a tree this morning. Here’s the one I’m using

Catscratch, you and I are defiantly on the same page. I'm 62 now and have had a bad ankle since my tractor accident in '95 and getting increasingly clumsy in the woods with each season. It takes me a while to get my sea legs in the morning so for that reason I don't hunt mornings. I just don't trust myself to climb and stay in a tree stand that early. Having shoulder problems now and won't probably ever use a recurve again. Kids should seriously take up the sport because it teaches patients, work ethic and determination to name a few things they will use all their life.

I have 2 parkers as well. Have owned several more than that. Fantastic compounds and crossbows. Was really sad to open that email that notified me of their closing.

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