AnsomMag.com |

Since the days of the caveman, the hunter-gatherer has ventured into the wilderness equipped with the right tools for the job.

The modern-day hunter also relies on a number of accessories that contribute to the success and the enjoyment of the hunt. And the army/navy store is as good a source as any for those items that provide the hunter with the proper apparel, footwear and equipment to help the hunter in his quest for the kill.

For the typical army/navy retailer, it’s open season on BDUs, footwear, headwear, socks and gloves for the strong hunting customer base that many stores have developed.

However, accessorizing sales to hunters is where much of the profit occurs and where much of the building of customer loyalty takes place.

Retailer Jeff Goldsmith of Joe’s Army Navy in Waterford, Michigan just observed the opening of the bow hunting season in his area. He finds that his sales mix of accessories consists largely of military surplus items that work quite nicely as hunting gear.

“We sell lots of MOLLE gear to hunters, much of which I get from Condor and Fox. Selling surplus or government-spec packs helps me compete with nearby competitors like Cabela’s,” Goldsmith noted.

Surplus blankets and camo netting are other popular items for his hunting customers.

In the Pacific Northwest at Surplus Too in Seattle, Cynthia Cohen finds that the hunting season lasts from August through November, but that the season is segmented among different types of game. This means that there are also several types of hunters with varied accessory needs.

What all of these hunters have in common is a need for pouches and packs of assorted capacities and a wide range of uses, according to Cohen.

“I’m always looking for pouches of every kind for our hunting customers. Pouches are probably our most popular hunting item,” she stated.

For the hunter on a multi-day sojourn, food preparation, cooking and hydration products comprise much of Surplus Too’s seasonal sales.

“During the length of the hunting season we sell a lot of propane stoves, sterno and the smaller fold-up stoves to both our hunting and camping customers,” noted Cohen.