WHY WE WENT HERE: - my boyfriend and I bought a Groupon that stated "60-Minute Archery Lessons with Equipment for Two or Four People at Predator's Archery (Up $50 to Off)" which consisted of "One hour of lessons and range time for two people"; this $50 value was purchased for $28 BEFOREHAND: - I was somewhat confused when I looked at their website to book our lesson because the website said 2 different things: 1) Under "Promo Codes & Lesson Package Info" it states that Groupon Vouchers are for Sundays and weekdays 2) Under "Please select the lesson that you would like to book" it states a) "Sunday First-time Archery & Groupon Lessons" as well as b) "First-Time Archery & Groupon Lessons" - after back-and-forth email correspondence with Karen, who was VERY helpful, she told me "If it has 'Groupon' in the title your code should work with it, so the schedules for both 2a (for Sunday lessons) and 2b (for all other days) are options for you." - after booking our lesson I received 2 emails: one was to inform me the booking was confirmed and the other was a reminder of the booked lesson the day before ours was scheduled - I read the message from the reminder email which states 1) If you have a Groupon, please bring a printed copy of your voucher OR have it available on your mobile device. 2) Please arrive 10 minutes prior to your lesson time. Those arriving after the lesson has started may be asked to reschedule in order to keep the other participants on track. 3) Dress code: for safety reasons, please wear closed toe shoes (no sandals) and comfortable clothing. ONCE THERE: - because it was Labor Day weekend and a Groupon appointment, we wanted to make sure we arrived early to get our money's worth - we parked on the street just outside the shop and once we got to the door we found that it was locked and a sign that read the place is closed on Sundays - I lightweight started to panic because I was SURE I read the website and our emails correctly - I peaked inside and saw a young man sitting behind the counter, who took his time answering the door - the young man was John, our instructor - we were told to come in and to feel free to look around the shop or go into the shooting range as long as we didn't touch anything - we were also told to wait for the other party scheduled for their lesson at the same time as us - my boyfriend is a REALLY nice guy and tried to make small talk with John as we waited for the other party to arrive and John was telling us how the shop IS closed on Sundays but that if/when archery lessons are booked, the instructor is there. In addition to that John says, "AND you guys didn't even bring beer, so I already don't like you." Already from the beginning, we KNEW he didn't want to be there. THE RANGE: - we were told by John to wait a little bit longer before starting - my boyfriend and I decided to wait in the range, which we were surprised to find indoors (we expected it to be outdoors, but it was fine) - we saw that in the range there's various animal heads posted on the wall (perhaps by hunts from the Predator's Archery workers?) - it's basically a long garage with foam stacked in the furthest wall where the targets are placed THE LESSON: - we felt John's safety and shooting tutorial was SO rushed! He basically muttered under his breath and zipped through it in like 30 seconds before proceeding to let us shoot - we thought it was cool that John offered us sodas, and allowed us to take the arrows of the others who didn't show up so we had more to shoot with, especially when it got to the balloons and foam doe portion of the lesson - occasionally John asked if we had questions, but we kept saying no because of his attitude - for the most part, John was on his phone either browsing, texting, or talking on the phone OVERALL: - I don't know if it's because my boyfriend and I are in the same age group as John is for him to speak to us or act in that manner, but we found him to be 1) RUDE 2) DISRESPECTFUL 3) UNPROFESSIONAL read more

Wow, that was intense. We had the groupon with Mike, and within minutes that we weren't in Kansas anymore. Mike set a high bar and gave us the training and tools to get there. My 12 year old and 9 year old really got into it. No question, we learned something new and had a lot of fun too. I bet we will be back. Highly highly highly recommend if you are looking for a new experience and not something new for your social media. read more

I'm in the south bay and there are not many archery shops in the area. You are restricted to a few such as Predators, Sportsman Supply and Archery Only in Newark. Let me start by saying that the two individuals that run the shop here are nice and not rude in any way. They do wish to help. I came in here with 2 other friends as total newbies based on a recommendation from an instructor. We came in around 11am and we were not home until 5pm. It took us that long to have our bows setup and arrows cut and finally out of there. The entire time there, maybe 10 other customers came in, so it's not like it was busy (sunday afternoon). In any case they had to setup my compound bow, and cut our arrows. They made sure we knew how to use them which was good. With the package deal we got, came 5 lessons which we have not used. I walked away from the store okay with my purchase. the price was fair and i got what i wanted. As i got into archery more and read more online. I've found that my peep sight was 2" too high, the draw length was incorrect by about 2". My limbs were not equal and the tiller was off. I mean A-Z this thing was NOT setup correctly, so what were you doing with my bow for all those hours!??! In short go here if you have ALL day and brought your ipad to watch a movie. With all that said, i'm sure if i brought my bow back, they would service me and treat me right. But in the end, I don't trust them with the bow, nor is their turn around time satisfactory. read more

We got a nice groupon deal for basic classes and decided to drive down from San Jose to Gilroy on a Saturday evening. We were a group of two guys and two girls and I had done the reservation for the times lot. As we entered the shop, the cashier came over and zoomed right on to the girls being all nice and shaking their hands, while pretty much ignoring us guys. I found that funny and I was wondering whether the whole experience was going to be a waste of our time. We were then taken over to the archery sections and introduced to Mike our instructor. Mike introduced himself and quickly gave us some safety rules speech. Now I don't want to go over the entire specifics, but in short I am a little divided over Mike as an instructor. He keeps bragging about his technique without really explaining about the bow and his parts. While I think some aspects of his technique is effective, he wastes a lot of your time in praising himself and making inaccurate references to Call of Duty (in the end he confesses that he has never seen the game). I expected more structure to the classes. But I haven't given up on them. I plan to get a few more classes to see if they can grow on me. read more

Everyone is trying their best to survive in this special circumstances. After a whole day working, we didn't eat and drove a whole hour to get to this place that my friend recommended for my son to explore this exciting sport. Maybe it is a Friday dinner time, the instructor Mike was kind of cranky, maybe in the mask that made him so uncomfortable, nobody felt good. I found him giving a very hard time to my husband "an Asian guy" yelling him not holding the bow straight in front of other students for next class while my husband also had hard times to hold it straight, but he was being very pleasant to a white lady in our group. We wouldn't go for an introduction class if we have ever touched the bow and arrows, would we? Two hours driving worth it? No! Are we going again to that place, no! If you are a skinny Asian, just think twice. read more

Husband and I have really gotten to love archery. I got my first bow at Predator's Archery and after a year, got my second one. The great thing about Predator's is they fit and tune the bow to fit me exactly. I am also able to try out different gear before buying or exchange something if it didn't quite work out. Can't do that over the internet. Knowledgeable people with good recommendations. Plus, I've gotten great tips to improve my shooting. Years ago, when "Walking Dead" first came out, my husband went to Predator to try a crossbow (like Daryle). The shop set him up and showed him how everything works, and after a few hours of trying it out, husband realized crossbow was not him. The shop was so nice and helpful and didn't mind that we didn't buy anything that day. read more

I purchased a Groupon deal which consisted of an hour of lessons and range time for two people at the price of $28. Usually, it's $50! At first, I was a bit spectacle because usually Groupon deals tend to brush over the super fine print on their offers, if you know what I'm sayin'! However, on Groupon itself, 97% of people recommended the place and I though to myself, "Okay, lets check out Yelp." BAAAAAAAAAAM! Amazing reviews, so my friend and I went for it! Furthermore, it says that you can book an appointment online but I just called them to ensure that everything is booked since I'm driving a pretty far distance. *Honestly, calling them was soooo much easier because looking at their booking section online confused the hell out of me.* Anyways, the entire staff was super friendly! Mike was our instructor and he was very patient throughout the lesson. He even included a life lesson into the entire session which was pretty cool. (I won't spoil it for anyone, so check them out if you want to know what this life lesson is all about! Lol) Although, we started ten minutes later than our appointment due to the previous group before us, Mike apologized numerous times and made sure to utilize our entire 60 minutes. Thus, he did not cut our time short! I'll definitely be back! read more

Predators is flat out the best archery store in the Bay Area, sure its a little far south, but it is absolutely worth the drive. I've been in other stores in the Bay Area that totally nickel and dime you from everything from range time to even the small stuff like helping tune a bow. Predators may not have as big or new a store as some of the others but they make up for it in just about every way possible. The team there is very knowledgeable and Pat, Scott, and Jesus all do a really good job walking both seasoned archers and those just looking to get into the sport through all the gear, and recommend the best options, not the most expensive ones. For those archers looking to get the very best this is also the store to go to. I've purchased a Mathews Chill X pro, a Hoyt Podium, and a hard to get OK Archery Absolute here. Some of these bows had to be special ordered and customized overseas and in every case the owner, Curtis, did a great job and gave me great deals. When I have needed arrows they turn them quick and the craftsmanship is spot on. This team clearly loves archery and it shows in their enthusiasm and quality of service. If your looking for a quality archery shop that will go out of their way to get you the best gear for your application Predators is a bullseye! read more

I took my boy in to get an arrow holder....can't think of the term....and left with my own compound bow. Not quite sure how my $450 combo deal became $900 but the thing sure shoots well and I am having a blast with it. The best part is the lessons. With a bow, they give you five lessons. My son and I split the lessons even though he didn't buy his bow there, we paid for one more so we had three each. Mike is great, he gave us the basics and we left with our bows sighted in. He even worked on my boy's bow to adjust the arrow rest. Expectations: Turns out that the bow needs to be set up for you, it is not a pick one you like, pay and walk out. Who knew? My bow purchase took 2 hours. I was helped by a young man, a little heavy set...I've forgotten your name....but he was great. Lessons: they are group lessons of as many as six of all different skill levels. So even though we were on our third lesson, and clearly experts, we had to sit through parts of the very first lesson. Not a bad thing since we were still making first lesson mistakes. On our last lesson, we were delayed while Mike worked with a young kid who was going that day to compete and having some issues. It was nice to see him work with the kid so he would have a good experience at his first competition. Mike made up the time and then some keeping us for an extra 45 minutes. No issue, because my expectations were in line, but if I was on a tight time schedule, it would not have worked. Good guys, good times. read more

This is a cool shop in Gilroy. Mike and Curtis do a great job setting you up and providing information. They also include lessons when you buy a bow. Keep in mind this is not just a hunting store. If you would like to take up long bow, recurve or compound they can help you. Mike a champion target shooter. I say check it out but don't judge the book by it's cover. read more

My wife groupon'd lessons from here. Originally I was not keen on the drive but now find I would be willing to double it to go here. Our instructor Mike was amazing. Safety and range guidance were top notch. And fun? Ohhhhhhhh yea. There were a few younger kids with parents watching and I felt bad for the parents. Grab a bow and start taking lessons! You know you want to! As to all else, parking was easy, finding the place was no challenge, and the rest of the staff there were very friendly and informative. read more

Predator's Archery - Predator Archery! You have not failed this student! - Archery Near Me - Gilroy, California

I took an introductory archery lesson with my daughter and we both had a great time! The instructor, Mike, was very thorough and patient. He normally teaches students who are at least eight-years-old, but made an exception for my daughter (who is seven), since I apparently don't know how to read fine print. Safety was a top priority, which I very much appreciated. Overall, it was an excellent intro class, combined with great customer service. The people in the shop and the person who scheduled the class were also super-friendly. My daughter had so much fun, learned about a new sport, and undoubtedly will be excited to tell her friends that she got to shoot a real bow and arrow! read more

It was my first time shooting and I left feeling like I gaind a year experience. Mike really makes you feel comfortable and we had alot of fun. Great experience and we plan to be back soon. read more

Predator's Archery - I got to take my target paper home - Archery Near Me - Gilroy, California

The service here is amazing. You really feel like you are the only one that matters when you walk in. Mike is a great teacher very patient and works at a pace everyone can understand. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and an answer all the questions you have. I love the packages they have to offer to get you everything you need and then more all at a price you can afford and on top of that the packages comes with 4 lessons for free. That allows you to learn what to do with you bow. I will be a loyal customer to this place even know I live in Fremont. Best birthday gift I could have wanted!!! read more

Predator's Archery - Archery Near Me - Gilroy, California

In a word, Outstanding! I'm just returning to archery after a 15 year hiatus, which just about makes me a nube again. I went into Predator's for my first time to get a a new Hoyt I ordered over the internet worked on. A lot of people before me have given well-deserved shout-outs to owners Mike and Curtis, but how about giving it up for my man JESUS! Although the the shop was bustling with people, he made a point to ask me if I needed help, listened to my issue with the bow, fixed the problem sans judgement, and led me to all the necessary accessories I needed for my purposes. (sites, bowstring release, stabilizer, etc.) I offered to come back to allow time for the work, but he said, he could do it there and then. Never applying undue pressure, he helped me choose a sight, and even zeroed it in, all while giving me re-fresher course in shooting fundamentals. Added to all this, it was encouraging to see how well they worked with all the "Hunger Games" shooting enthusiasts. No judgement, I got into it because of Deliverance and Dukes of Hazzard. They were very supportive of the kids, patient, humerous and really interested in instilling a life-long interest in the whipper-snappers. I miss the my old "Trophy Archery Shop" that I grew up with in San Jose, but in spite of the rose-colored goggles of nostalgia, this is the best dedicated archery shop I've yet stepped into. Customer-service wise, Product line, recurve bow selection, Juvenile bows, accessories, range on-site, they even had a friggin' Pike in the corner. That just about sums it up. read more

We came to shoot some bow and arrows and have some fun! The decor is interesting - some animal heads, pictures of the muscular system and targets. read more

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Our instructor mike is a 7 time Olympic archery champion and different comps in Argentina, Europe China and of course United States! He has a very big and funny personality ! We learn a very special technique to archery that takes people years to learn! With his hands on and great articulation to hit the Bulls eye! Great guy and I had a blast...I am definitely making this place my regular archery shooting range! Ask for mike great job guys !! read more

Predator's Archery - Archery Near Me - Gilroy, California

Came here with my boyfriend to perhaps get beginner bows. We met Curtis who was extremely helpful. He helped us get two bows with amazing packages, can't beat the price. 2 Bows, 24 arrows, 2 quivers, 2 arm guards, 2 gloves, a large target, 4 lessons each for just under $600. The bows are fantastic and Curtis was more than happy to answer all our stupid questions. We immediately were able to take a lesson with the funny non PC Mike. We were lucky to be the only people in the class so we were able to receive very personal instructions. Very excited to come back for our next lessons! Would recommend this store to anyone. read more

I went to three different archery stores in Sacramento after getting my bow restrung to figure out why my bow was now shooting so high. They all couldnt figure out what was going on and gave up on me. I drove from Sacramento to Gilroy to go to Predator Archery where Sammy helped me out. He is the nicest guy and his expertise is fenominal. He found all the problems with my bow including my d loop being too low, the peep sight loose, and my cams were twisted. Sammy is brilliant in his work and fixed all my bow's problem right then and there including tuning it! I shot my bow at their range and it was like shooting a crossbow in accuracy! I'm so greatful I drove down to Predator Archery! Highly recommend over any where else. Thank you so much! read more

These guy's really know their way around a Bow. There set up and tuning skills are the best in the area. They are willing to work to make your Bow all it can be. Mike is the also a great instructor, he can make one a proficient shooter in record time. read more

I am another Asian who has been going to Predator for years. I have always got excellent friendly service. Lessons have always been excellent. read more

This is in response to Pippa J. I'm Asian, i've been going to Predators over 5 years now. I drive an hour to get there...with good traffic conditions. There are other shops much closer to me but i chose Predators because of the customer service i get there. I've taken numerous lessons from Mike and he has never treated me with anything but respect. read more

First off let me just say that coming into the shop I am a total newbie at archery and went in with a friend that had been in it for a while. My friend went into get some arrows cut and seeing all the cool bows and equipment I decided to buy one solely on impulse. That being said I proceeded to talk to Mike who was super friendly and helped me pick out a compound bow. He asked for a budget and worked his best to accommodate a proper build within that budget. After we picked out the bow itself my friends and I went to go have lunch and came back about an hour later but they had been a bit busy so the bow was not done yet. After waiting some more time the bow was finished and another staff member went to the indoor range they had to sight in the bow which took another hour and half. Overall my experience had been great. Staff is friendly and helpful and I am loving me bow. Though as another reviewer had said, we were there pretty much all day to get one bow. Even though I whine about the turn around time, it's not necessarily a bad thing, slow down people, great local shop! read more

This is the best archery store in my area, I really recommend Sammy he is very nice and helpful. He measured my draw length and weight recommended a bow I tried the bow liked it put accessories on it and I love it! If you want some professional customer service this is the place to go! read more

This is a very popular and busy shop with staff that are archery enthusiasts!!! They are not slick retail sales people, they are mostly archers first and are working at the shop. The level of expertise was impressive. I'm a returning compound bow shooter but out of the sport for over 10 years and a LOT has changed in the past decade. I did my research and have pretty much gotten up to speed. I came to get an Elite Energy 35 bow and ordered it. When it arrived, they installed the sight and rest I chose. I came into pick up my bow and wanted to see if it was properly tuned, hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst. Meaning that my bow would not be well tuned. Well to my surprise when I picked up my bow, I had them first shoot it thru paper and it shot bullet holes at 5, 10 and 20 yards!! Then I had them put it on a press to check the timing and it was feeler gauge perfect. After shooting many arrows to try and break in the strings, I got my peep adjusted, the sight adjusted and then we set the 3rd axis on the sight. The bow was tuned to better specs than I had expected. Meaning at least for this season I won't have to mess with it very much! The owner Curtis was very helpful in choosing accessories and such and was much appreciated! He gave me truly honest opinions which really helped me make good choices. The tech, John, really knew his job! I was there about 3 separate visits and got to know most of the staff and I am more than impressed at the level of expertise they have! They all shoot and love archery. read more

Great instructors! I learned a lot in one session... didn't think it was possible for me to do so well during my first lesson, but I did. Would definitely come back! read more

This is a top-notch archery shop run by awesome people. Curtis and Mike are very passionate and helpful archery experts who have great customer service. This is really reflected also with the employees who work there as well. They are all very friendly and make you feel welcome even if you are new to this place. I had an arrow rest installed by Curtis and he took the time to tune the bow, fix the d-loop, and even adjust the sight. He actually took the time to do this even after their normal operating hours on a Saturday evening where the shop was closed. It took some time since he wanted to make sure everything was just right. Since then, I've had other services done such as getting some arrows fixed, by a great young lady in the back. She fixed 6 arrows within what seemed like 10 minutes, and at a great price compared to what other shops would have charged. The shop appears small but they stock a lot of top brand-name equipment, accessories, tools, and even have a range in back. This is definitely a go-to place for anything archery related! These guys are hands down one of the best places to buy archery equipment and or get service! It's no wonder people from all over the bay area travel down to Gilroy to get their archery equipment and or service done here. This place is definitely worth the drive, and their prices are very competitive. read more

Came here on president's day. Oh boy, was it crowded! But I drove 50 min and came here based on a friend's recommendation so I was ready to wait. The shop was full of very friendly seasoned archer I had the occasion to chat with, so time flew by. I really liked the "family" atmosphere of this place, everybody knows everybody. Blake helped me, real nice and friendly guy. I told him I was a newbie that shot a couple of time and wanted to buy a recurve bow. We discussed about the different possibilities, I selected a riser and he assembled the bow, then I went to shoot a couple of arrow at their range to see how the bow feels. I got a pack with a guard, arrow, finger protection, bow stringer (just missing the quiver that wasnt in stock as it had been a busy day). Blake showed me how to string/unstring the bow and made me do it in front of him to make sure I got the idea on how it works. Very happy with the purchase and the service. By the way you get a couple of free lessons at their range when you buy a bow from there ! read more

Curtis and his staff are friendly and patient in discussing bow features and performance. They put much effort towards ensuring their customers feel satisfied about their purchases. Curtis gave useful tips to improve shooting form that were immediately observable. I highly recommend this shop to both beginners and experienced shooters. read more

Did the Groupon for intro to Archery and had a lot of fun for a date night learning a new skill that could eventually turn into a hobby or past time. The instructor was pretty friendly in giving feedback and instruction and I felt like I walked away knowing how to actually shoot a bow and arrow and the basics of what to do. It was something new and I'm glad I tried it. Great place to try something new out. read more

Needed my co2 filled for my keg I think this is the only place in Gilroy THANK YOU VERY MUCH

Went here today with a groupon lesson offer. We were so impressed with the quality of instruction and the level of service provided. We have already signed up for another lesson and can't wait! read more

Best place to go for your bow needs Sam and the crew are great and really take care of you . I got my first pse compound and couldn't be happier I will be a repeat customer for sure just order some custom strings from them the other day can't wait for them to arrive . See you guys soon read more

Really knowledgeable and great customer service. The prices are way better that in the Bay Area and if they don't have what you need, they'll order it with no commitment. They will help you find the right fit for you. read more

This is a real archery shop. They have an amazing amount of stuff packed in there, very friendly atmosphere, a ton of bows, anything and everything you may want. Add in a small range and regular matches, and a big plastic velociraptor out front, and what more could you want? New bows, used bows, vintage bows, new bows made vintage style .... This place is a gem. read more

Great place to learn. I used a groupon for my son's to try it out and they loved it. Should they choose to pursue archery I will be going there. read more

My first experience at Predator Archery was a very positive one! I was able to have all my questions answered, try out several very nice bows, and recieve a lesson from the master himself, Mike. But honestly, every employe was a master when it came to customer service. The passion that everyone there displayed for this sport was evident, from the very nice young lady building my custom arrows, to the salesman handling my purchases. Mike, whom I am sure has taught thousands how to shoot better, treated me like I was his first student. I never felt like he was bored with the material he was presenting, but felt like he genuinely cared about seeing me become a better archer and hunter. He gave me my homework assignment to complete before my next lesson, and because of his professional demeanor and desire to see me become a better archer, I have been faithfully practicing what he taught me everyday, and it is becoming very evident down range that what I have learned from Mike is really starting to show positive results. Others I had contact with were Curtis, who also had a very positive attitude and genuine concern for good customer service. He took the time to get to know me, and though he became busy at times with running the store, I never felt like I was being ignored. He shared several really good hunting stories and was very friendly to deal with. I pray he and Pat have a great hunting trip to South Africa. Then there was "the big guy" Scott, who also has a heart just as big as he is and a great sense of humor. He really made a good first impression, and kept it real while maintaining a level of professionalism that any employer would desire. He and I enjoyed a little range time, and he was very helpful in assisting me with my purchase decisions. I never felt pressured, and it was his level of professionalism and genuine kindness that made me feel confident spending my hard earned money. And last but not least was a gentleman and fellow military veteran, Pat Alcisto, who took the time to tune the bow I brought with me and make sure it was shooting as best as it could. Pat even had his wife drive down to the store with his bow so I could try it out (they were out of that particular bow at the time I visited). -That right there is just something one does not experience anywhere, let alone from a retail store. Even Pat's wife, a very lovely woman herself, was kind and supportive while I was taking my lesson, demonstrating perfect form for Mike as he was instructing me and using her form as an example to help me with mine. Over all, I was very impressed. I especially like the fact that they are all strong supporters of hunting game animals. They all seemed to like each other and made my shopping experience very worth the drive there. They have made a very positive impression on me and I will be coming back. In closing, I would just like to say that there are other Archery shops closer, but none come close to providing what Predator Archery provides. The hour it takes me to get there is well worth it for me based on the over all experience I had. One last thing I noticed was that even other customers in the store were very kind and nice to be around, which tells me that positive people are attracted to this place because of the positive people that work there. Sincerely, Greg read more

This is my second visit to the shop. Very pleased with the service and attention to detail. Jesus,one of the bow techs, set my bow up and papertuned it to a perfect bullethole. Will return agian and recommend this shop to all my buddies. read more

I would not recommend this place for beginners. The instructor was very short with me and made what should of be a fun experience into a very uncomfortable session. He was experienced and knowledgeable, so I would recommend this to somebody that has prior experience vs a beginner who is trying to learn the basics. My overall feeling was that he didn't have time for beginners and I was wasting his time. I will not be returning even if this is something I decide to pursue. read more

I am so happy to have Predator's Archery. They can send me a dozen arrows perfectly prepared to my specifications for $6 shipping and they usually arrive in one day. That's amazing! They are also very helpful on the phone. Curtis talked to me for over ten minutes about the selection and what would be best for my intended purposes. I didn't even get ten minutes of attention in the over two hours I spent at Sportsmen's Supply last weekend! Predator's is my go-to. I just wish they were a little closer to Santa Cruz! read more