Oct. 24, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by Silencer Central.

He compared hunting photos, wore a hat branded with his family’s farm and asked where to get a good bowl of chili in Sioux Falls.

It might have been any other hunter making an annual pilgrimage to South Dakota – except that this was country music legend Luke Bryan.

He was in Sioux Falls to sing, not shoot birds, earlier this month as his Country on Tour wound through the Midwest. But that didn’t stop him from bonding over his love of hunting and conservation at Sioux Falls-based Silencer Central.

Luke Bryan and Silencer Central founder and CEO Brandon Maddox

“We were able to get him certified for his new suppressor and talked through other suppressors he might want to consider and hung out awhile before his show,” said Reid Vander Veen, executive director of sales and marketing.

Bryan’s connection to the Sioux Falls company is thanks to the Buck Commander team, a group of friends who share their love of hunting through online content and help support land management.

The group, which includes fellow country superstars Jason Aldean and Tyler Farr, is led by TV personality Willie Robertson, best known for his appearances on “Duck Dynasty,” and includes pro baseball players Adam LaRoche, Ryan Langerhans and Tombo Martin.

Buck Commander recently partnered with Silencer Central on its newest suppressor – the BUCK30™ – a multicaliber silencer designed for deer hunters and capable of supporting a wide range of big-game-rifle calibers.

“Even though we’re partners, there are still legal requirements to get these guys their suppressors,” Vander Veen explained.

“Our process is designed to do virtually – which is a big part of what makes our business model so unique – you can complete the whole transaction from the comfort of your sofa. But we also have a retail store at our Sioux Falls location, which is off 60th Street North near the airport, so knowing Luke was coming to town, we asked if it would work for him to stop to get certified, and they made it work.”

Were it not for the south Georgia accent, “you’d swear this was just another guy from the Midwest who liked to hunt and fish,” Vander Veen said. “He was here to do some paperwork, but he was happy to hang out with our team. He was genuine, joked around and asked questions, and it was just like spending time with any other one of your buddies, very low-key and relatable.”

Bryan received a tour of Silencer Central, spent time talking with the team and completed the certification process.

“It’s exciting for our team members, and we love that,” Vander Veen said. “I’ve always told people that whenever you find that magical space where your passion and profession intersect, it’s a really special thing. It’s fun to be part of something that blends that space so well for most of our employees.”

Bryan and the rest of the Buck Commander team are fitting partners for Silencer Central, he added.

“He’s a farm kid who likes to hunt and fish, and really has the same background as many of our customers: hardworking people who like the freedoms this country affords,” Vander Veen said.

“One of the things we appreciate the most about our partnership with Buck Commander is they’re big into conservation and land management, as are most people who enjoy being outdoors. We’re big proponents of anyone who will link hands and share the message of conservation and taking care of wildlife and their habitat. Anytime you share values with people, it just makes a partnership super easy.”

The launch of the BUCK30™ has gone “really well,” Vander Veen added. “We’ve seen as much early success or more than we have with some of our other suppressors that are really popular, so we’re excited to continue to introduce this to people as hunting season continues.”

Ready to learn how a suppressor can improve your hunting experience this season and beyond? To learn more and get started, click here, or call 866-891-4494.

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