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Just dropping by: Hunters Choice Archery in Peshtigo

Full-service archery pro shop offers equipment, bow set-up and service

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October 3, 2023

DfPbo9hyMqMPESHTIGO – Traveling back in time 35 years ago, I was an avid bowhunter.

Growing up on my family’s 162 acres in Wallace, Michigan, deer were plentiful, but I found what I enjoyed most was sitting in my homemade, roughshod tree stand on a nice fall day/evening.

It was a chance for me to escape life for a few hours and not think about reality.

If I saw deer, great.

If I didn’t, that was fine, too.

Because cell phones were non-existent and our nearest neighbor was a half mile away, I had the place to myself.

I remember rushing home from school, getting my gear on and heading out to my tree stand as quickly as I could.

Though I admit I wasn’t a good aim and never bagged that trophy buck I was after, after visiting Hunters Choice Archery (161 S. Stephenson Ave.) in Peshtigo for episode 11 of Just dropping by, I realized maybe some of my problems were due to the equipment I was using – or the lack thereof.

Hunters Choice Archery is located at 161 S. Stephenson Ave. in Peshtigo. The Business News Staff Photo

“A good bow goes a long way in having an enjoyable experience,” Bill Pluff, who along with his wife Karen, owns and operates Hunters Choice, said. “That being said, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to get set up.”

The Pluffs started Hunters Choice in July 1999, recently celebrating their 24th year in business.

“We’re a full-service archery shop, so we sell bows, but I take pride in taking the time with customers to set them up and service their equipment,” Bill said. “I started bowhunting during my younger days and have been doing that for 35-plus years. I keep up to date on all the new equipment.”

More to offer
In addition to being a full-service archery store, Hunters Choice offers an indoor range at the shop.

The range is set up for compound and recurve shooting, with bag targets from 10-25 yards away.

Bill said any crossbow shooting must be pre-arranged.

“Archery isn’t simply just for hunters,” he said. “We have lots of people – including women and younger kids – who come in and just want to get better at shooting a bow. We’ve had kids as young as five and adults in their 80s come through.”

My turn
Having never shot a crossbow – let alone even held one – Bill was gracious enough to let me try my hand at attempting to hit a target.

After a little preparation – which included camouflaging my face, doing a few stretches, listening to some pump-up music and receiving instructions from Bill – I nervously sat down and took “steady” aim.

It was a little intimidating, but after pulling the trigger and seeing the arrow fly toward the target at what seemed to be Mach 1 speed, I was simply happy to have hit the target.

Though I didn’t get anywhere close to the center of the target, I was within a few inches – I would say that is respectable.

It would have been extremely embarrassing to miss the target and hit the wall.

Rich took his hand at shooting a crossbow for the first time. Although he hit the target, it wasn’t a bullseye. The Business News Staff Photo

Not having shot a compound bow in 35 years, I next tried that from close range.

Bill showed me how to use the trigger release, put the arrow in, hold the bow and take aim.

Again, I didn’t get a bullseye, but maybe I should have being only 15-20 feet away from the target.

I’m not sure I’ll ever get back into bowhunting, but traveling north to Hunters Choice in Peshtigo at least brought me back to my childhood and the great times I had sitting in the woods.

It also gave me an opportunity to take part in an activity many Wisconsinites wait all year for.

I’d like to thank Bill and Karen for their hospitality – they opened the shop early so The Business News staff could have their full attention before beginning their day serving customers.

To learn more about Hunters Choice Archery, visit hunterschoicearchery.com or find them on Facebook.

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