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Missouri Business in
Camo
By: Smith “Retired
Hunter” Dewlen.
| Sierra Sky Outfitters
is a year-old business in the field of camo covering of hunting items.
The owner is Diane Barker. Diane has been doing the camo applications
for five years. Her first “job” was to camo her husbands “ugly shotgun”
to cover the scratches and wear and tear of use. Since her first,
which still looks good, she has performed her service on all kinds of items.
Want a camo refrigerator? She did the front of the one in the shop.
The word of mouth among
friends produced the advent of the business. She does the work by
hand and the results are quite excellent. Some of the items recently
completed are binoculars, a mailbox, rifle stocks and shotguns, bows, and
spotting scopes. The finish is a durable one and the design may be
customized to your wishes. The number of patterns available has increased
to include two snow patterns for the winter hunter. I was impressed
by the utility of the patterns and the ruggedness of the completed project.
The patterns are not the known ones from the major companies, such as Realtree
or Mossy Oak. The patent infringement aspect is not broached.
The design is hers, or yours, as the case may be. |
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Need a camo finish on
your boat? She does that also. How about a camo hunting blind
on wheels? A camo SUV or truck? Just ask her. And it
can be scheduled. The hunting blinds can be purchased directly from
Diane and finished to your specifications. If you want a heater,
a sink or bunks, you got it. Diane says that a completed blind runs
from about five hundred dollars to around twelve hundred dollars.
Of course when you request gold fixtures, the price goes up.
I spoke with T. J. from
Missouri River Outfitters regarding a boat that Diane had given a camo
treatment. TJ informed me, “ It exceeded our expectations” and that
the owner told him, “I am well pleased.” |
| I left my Mossberg 835
Ultra-Mag with Diane for a camo job. When I returned three days later
it was finished. The work was as good as the samples I had seen.
Diane had done the entire gun and the scope mount. My bill was thirty-five
dollars. I will attest to the quality of the camo job. Again,
let me state that the patterns are not those of patent holders.
Do not expect to see such a finished pattern.
Dianne says it take her
less than a week to complete the smaller items, such as guns or bows..
However, there are seasonal times that make it two weeks. A boat
will take close to a week. The coats applied must dry between color
shades. I expect that as the business grows, the time may be a bit
longer. Even the business comes after family and hunting. When
I first called, she was bow hunting. Then she was out looking for
a doe she had hit. Come on now, give her a break. If you had
a good population of deer and turkey on your nearly 500 acres, where would
you be? Yeah, me too. |
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I found the company name
interesting. Sierra is her daughter’s name and Sky is derived from
the name given to her son, Skyler. Diane is a 31 year-old huntress.
She and her husband, Robert, are afield whenever possible. In fact,
their first date was a rather remarkable one. According to Diane,
she asked Robert to go on a rabbit hunt. OK. She says that
it wasn’t a real date. I think it was. As she plowed through
the thickets and briars, with not a word of complaint, Robert decided that
she was the gal for him. At least that is what he told her after
they were married. Right Robert? Lucky guy.
Heck, I should have asked her if she has a sister. But, she must
be just like her.
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| Dian Barker may be contacted
by phone at 573-387-4640. |
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check out our advertising page.
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