It all started with a small bag of beaver fur scraps. On a late summer afternoon, in the modest confines of our tiny city apartment, my nine-year-old son and I knelt together on the floor. The dense, soft fur carried a rustic, outdoorsy scent from the tanning process, and as we carefully sorted the best pieces, his eyes sparkled with excitement. Little did we know, that bag of scraps would set us on a path that would change our lives forever.
Times were tough back then. Like many families, we were feeling the squeeze of "The COVID Era," doing whatever we could to make ends meet. I was driving for Uber Eats, and my wife was working part-time as a bookkeeper. Providing for our three young children was no easy task, and each day felt like a balancing act on a frayed rope. But in those quiet hours of early morning, when the city was just beginning to stir, I found solace in the simple act of slinging arrows. Before my family woke, I’d quietly slip away to the local outdoor range with my trusty 45 lb Bear Grizzly in hand. Those moments of stillness and focus reminded me of how simple life can truly be when you remove the chaos from the world around you.
Archery had been part of me since I was a kid. My first brush with a bow happened when I was 14 years old, in the dim basement of a childhood friend’s house. His father, a seasoned moose hunter, had a collection of traditional and compound bows hanging on the wall—each one radiating power, elegance, and the promise of adventure. The moment I held one for the first time—I was hooked for life. Years later, that fascination turned into a passion as I honed my skills, standing at the range in the early dawn light, letting my arrows fly.
The seeds of Standing Wolf Archery were sown not just in those morning hours, but in my time spent immersed in the wilderness during my twenties. I devoted countless days to learning the art of tracking and observing animal behavior, finding a deeper connection to the rhythms of nature. My spirit name, Standing Wolf, was given to me by a respected native elder known throughout the community, and it’s a name that resonates deeply with our values.
It was my brother, already a successful eCommerce business owner, who gave us the nudge that set everything in motion. “You’ve got a knack for making things,” he said one day. “Why not sell something online?” And so, with his guidance, we set out to turn a humble bag of beaver fur scraps into something greater. Our first product was a set of fur silencers—practical, handcrafted, and made with care. My son and I made 30 units, packaged them up, and listed them online. My brother thought it might take months to sell, but within weeks, every single one was gone. That moment sparked a dream we hadn’t dared to imagine.
Since those early days, Standing Wolf Archery has grown into more than just a business. It’s a way of life for our family, rooted in the values of tradition, craftsmanship, and community. Every item we produce—from silencers to handcrafted bow quivers—is made by my wife and me, side by side in our workshop. We’re proud to source our materials from small businesses across the United States and Canada, knowing how important it is to support others just as we were supported when we started out.
At its heart, traditional archery is about connection—to the past, to nature, and to each other. A good bow is timeless, a tool and a work of art that can be passed down for generations. It doesn’t need bells or whistles, just skill, heart, and a steady hand. That’s what we aim to capture with Standing Wolf Archery. Each product we create carries a piece of our story, and with every new customer, that story grows.
Discover what inspires us to make traditional archery gear for the traditional archer.
