Bohning’s main plant, 2020
Rollin Bohning family and friends, circa 1946
The best solutions are born through frustration. The Bohning Company, located in Missaukee County, Michigan, is the story of one man’s desire to solve a problem, which lead to 75 years of innovation and commitment to excellence. In 1946, at his family’s camp, an archer, chemist and family-man named Rollin Bohning sought to develop an adhesive that would bond points to arrows. That location, seven miles East and seven miles north of Lake City, Michigan, is the very same spot that Bohning operates from today. Bordered by dairy operations to the south and thousands of acres of public hardwood forests to the north, our location is an outdoors lover’s dream, perfect testing grounds for the next innovative Bohning product.
Fred Bear and Rollin Bohning
Early work by Rollin Bohning included chemical analysis, testing and field trials alongside Fred Bear, Doug Easton and other modern archery pioneers trying to solve adhesion issues between broadheads and the new arrow developments of aluminum shafts. As the growth of hunting drove the need for better bow and arrow equipment, hunters also required additional quality accessories. Rollin continued to use his understanding of chemistry to develop waxes, coatings and arrow accessories. This would lead to Rollin being inducted into the Archery Hall of Fame for his ingenuity, design and commitment to archers.
Under the leadership of Rollin and his son-in-law and daughter, Colby and Martha Johnson, in the 1960’s and 70’s Bohning evolved into a producer of the finest available natural and synthetic bowstring waxes, arrow coating lacquers, and hunting accessories. Bohning also revealed its ability to venture outside the archery industry by developing paints for the fishing lure and Christmas tree industries. In later years, Bohning began a tooling and injection division that today produces golf, retail display and agricultural hoof care products.
Colby Johnson after Elk hunt
As modern archery grew in popularity, many regional and national organizations such as the ATA and IBO, developed. Bohning was an active partner from the beginning, supporting the mission, organization and development of these associations. Bohning’s passion for archery was supported by the field experience and business acumen of Colby and the next company president, Larry Griffith, Colby and Martha’s son-in-law. Under Larry’s desire to fulfill the needs of all archery disciplines, Bohning has since implemented the Bohning Shooting Staff program. With the help of Staff Shooter testing and development programs, Bohning engineers have continued the decades long tradition of producing industry leading products. Bohning is proud every time a new staff shooter receives their welcome as a member of our team.
Pro Staff Pedro Ampuero hunting with Blazer Vanes
It was Larry who would guide the Bohning Company into the 21st century and once again cement the company’s place in the history of archery. With the fast-paced development of new archery equipment, Bohning’s long-tenured workforce, focused leadership, and quality processes ensured continued innovation for all archers. As bow speeds, broadhead designs, and other equipment progressed, the sales, engineering and production teams at Bohning continued work developing, testing and launching products to complement ever changing new equipment. One particular triumph, the Blazer Vane, now touts the status of the world’s number one hunting vane for over a decade. Developed to steer fixed-blade broadheads, the Blazer Vane is an engineering marvel whose shape and material deviated from industry norms. Bohning set the new standard as hunters saw their groups immediately tighten simply by switching to the Blazer
Vane.
Pro Staff Lee Ford using Griffin Vanes
The Bohning influence spread across the globe as products for FITA & Field, Indoor, 3D, and recreational archery were developed. International influences and dynamics expanded Bohning’s offerings, culminating with the release of the Griffin Vane in 2020. A vane created with the Olympic recurve archer in mind, the Griffin’s innovative design is sure to grace the quivers of the world’s finest target archers.
The most enduring chapter of Bohning’s 75-year journey is the tradition of innovation that has been established. Today’s archers have more options than ever – Bohning respects the diversity of choice as competition drives excellence in the sport. Bohning will continue to rise to the challenge – and the archer’s passion to succeed will prove this for the next 75 years.
Take a tour of Bohning’s manufacturing facility