Archery’s Answer to “The Booth Babe”

January 19, 2009

By Scott Bestul

I have followed with interest fellow blogger Chad Love’s post about the SHOT show’s employment of booth babes. I have been to a couple of SHOT shows and, of course, could not help but notice these, um…spokesmodels. In fact, my inaugural SHOT visit was my first trade show of any kind, and I was so naive I actually thought these women knew something about the products they represented! Once I realized the absurdity of this notion, I was embarrassed for both me and them!

I recently returned from a brief visit to the ATA (Archery Trade Association) show in Indianapolis, where booth babes are not widely used. Oh, you see a comely 20-something model hanging by the odd booth, but booth babes certainly do not reign over ATA like they do SHOT.

Of course this doesn’t mean that ATA is not bereft of beauty. It is, however, beauty of a different kind; women who actually hunt! The women pictured in this post are sure to attract a crowd at ATA, and it’s not just because they’re easy on the eye. Each is an accomplished huntress in her own right, star (well co-star, anyway; they share fame with their husbands) of a TV/video series, and often an intelligent spokesperson for a hunting company whose products she actually uses.

So what are your thoughts? Are these women a more evolved alternative to the booth babe?

Comments (13)

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from Scrap5000 wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

Women are just beautiful all around...here, there & everywhere!

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from jjas wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

How pc of you Mr. Bestul. While I can appreciate the admirable hunting talents of both Ms. Lakosy and Ms. Kisky, I (being the cynic I am) would have to think that being attractive is somehow part of the equation that factors into their television success.

As a matter of fact, these two, plus Tammy Gregory and Gina Brunson are being joined on TV every year w/more and more duos of hubby and good looking wife/partner/girlfriend.

It certainly makes watching these shows easier on the eyes than watching old, fat guys kill deer and I believe that's the marketing point.

Jim

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from Dances with Deer wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

Jim, right on ... IMHO "ugly Betty" makes an OK television series, but wouldn't last as a televised huntress. I've heard a lot of shows had major sponsorship pullouts due to the ailing economic conditions this year ... will be interesting to see who the survivors are.

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from lchapin wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

i agree with scrap5000, anything that is appealing to the eye is appreciated. just wish't i could attend the shot show and partake of the beauty and knowledge.

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from KJ wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

I'd like it if they would hunt while wearing bikinis. Just a thought.

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from alabamahunter wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

I agree with the others that said beauty was part of the equation for the success of both of the women mentioned, along with others. That is not to say that they are not good hunters in their own right, but that they wouldn't be successful on t.v. were it not for their looks. Everyone gets tired of watching old, fat, white guys with huge egos down humongous deer as they walk to within 15 yards, heads down eating corn.

Completely off topic, but this year at the Grand American (the trap shoot that has been featured in F&S) I had a drop-dead gorgeous scorer. I was just beginning to think how void southern Illinois was of babes, when I shot on the field she was scoring.

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from kchunter09 wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

Its always been known that "sex sells" so why not with hunting equipment? I would be tempted to stop at a show if i saw some very goodlooking model with a compound bow in her hand,But does she know how to use it? You could get me to buy It if she knew how it worked. Guess im just to easy!!!! Lee Lakosky is one very lucky man,wish my wife would start hunting,There's nothing sexier than a woman in camo and in a tree stand.

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from stickbow13 wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

any girl that hunts or fishs (who like the outdoors ) is beautful, the ones on the tv shows are just a little hotter then the averege gal that hunt, but it still cool that their out in the cold & rain and not in the house or SHOPPING!!!!!

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from jamesti wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

would love to find a woman that likes to hunt and/or fish. too bad most people in our society are spoiled these days.

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from Whackdaddy wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

First and foremost, they make our sport & its programming more relevant to a new audience. Which is a win for all of us as we embark on a new era in our sport.

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from Dr. Ralph wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

Tiffany is super hot and a hunter... she should be the posterchild for what a booth babe should be.

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from pmariman wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

Anytime a person in the booth knows the product and how to use it is a plus. Maybe we should not be so hard on the booth babe's, many times the male counterpart is not very knowledgeable either. At least the ladies in the booth are polite.

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from Chris Carpenter wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

im with jamesti we need more women hunters and anglers

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Post a Comment

from Scrap5000 wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

Women are just beautiful all around...here, there & everywhere!

+4 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from lchapin wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

i agree with scrap5000, anything that is appealing to the eye is appreciated. just wish't i could attend the shot show and partake of the beauty and knowledge.

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Chris Carpenter wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

im with jamesti we need more women hunters and anglers

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jjas wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

As a matter of fact, these two, plus Tammy Gregory and Gina Brunson are being joined on TV every year w/more and more duos of hubby and good looking wife/partner/girlfriend.

It certainly makes watching these shows easier on the eyes than watching old, fat guys kill deer and I believe that's the marketing point.

Jim

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jamesti wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

would love to find a woman that likes to hunt and/or fish. too bad most people in our society are spoiled these days.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Whackdaddy wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

First and foremost, they make our sport & its programming more relevant to a new audience. Which is a win for all of us as we embark on a new era in our sport.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from alabamahunter wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Dr. Ralph wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

Tiffany is super hot and a hunter... she should be the posterchild for what a booth babe should be.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from pmariman wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Dances with Deer wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from stickbow13 wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

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from kchunter09 wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

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from KJ wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

I'd like it if they would hunt while wearing bikinis. Just a thought.

-1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

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