MINNEAPOLIS (June 14, 2018) — Yukon Partners (“Yukon”), a provider of mezzanine capital for middle market private equity transactions, is pleased to announce that it has partnered with Sentinel Capital Partners (“Sentinel”) in its investment in GSM Outdoors (“GSM” or the “Company”), a leading provider of technologically-advanced, branded accessories for the hunting, sport shooting, and outdoor enthusiast markets.  

Headquartered in Grand Prairie, Texas, GSM has a broad portfolio of innovative hunting and sport shooting products sold under highly recognized brand names. GSM’s industry leading brands include Stealth Cam (technologically advanced game scouting cameras); Walker’s (hearing protection and enhancement devices); Cyclops (specialty outdoor lighting); Western Rivers (game calls); American Hunter (game feeders); HME (hunting knives and tools); and SME (targets and related accessories). GSM sells through a diverse mix of channels, including online retailers, sporting goods stores, mass merchants, outdoorsman retailers, farm and fleet stores, and distributors across the U.S. and Canada. 

Sentinel sponsored the transaction in which it, Yukon, and other institutional co-investors acquired GSM. Dorsey & Whitney, LLP served as legal counsel to Yukon. 

“We are very pleased to partner with Sentinel as we execute the next phase of our growth,” said GSM CEO Eddie Castro. “We have an incredibly committed and competitive culture and are passionate about our brands and the customers we serve. Our enthusiast end-user base is loyal and growing. We plan to leverage Sentinel’s extensive experience investing in specialty consumer businesses and making add-on acquisitions to continue our strong growth trajectory.” 

“GSM has an extremely passionate, talented, and committed management team that has built a strong platform of coveted brands,” said John Van Sickle, a partner at Sentinel. “GSM is an industry leader and innovator and is driving growth through developing innovative, high quality products. GSM is positioned as a vendor-of-choice with leading retailers and has a highly engaged consumer enthusiast following. Importantly, GSM’s management has created a culture of success and has positioned GSM as a consolidator of choice in the large and highly-fragmented hunting and sport shooting accessories market.” 

William Dietz, Managing Partner of Yukon, added, “GSM sells into end-markets that are well known to us personally and professionally. We are excited to partner with our friends at Sentinel as well as with Eddie Castro and his management team, to support the next phase of the Company’s growth. GSM’s reputation as a technological leader and innovator across its brands positions it favorably for continued, profitable growth.”  

About GSM Outdoors  

Founded in 1999, GSM Outdoors specializes in developing and marketing innovative products for the hunting, sport shooting, and outdoor enthusiast market. GSM owns several industry-leading brands including Stealth Cam, Walker’s, Cyclops, Western Rivers, American Hunter, HME, and SME.  GSM’s strong focus on innovation, product development, rigorous quality control, and customer support has earned it a reputation for delivering top quality outdoor gear backed by industry leading customer service. For more information, please visit www.gsmoutdoors.com.     

About Yukon Partners 

Yukon Partners is an independent and unaffiliated junior capital provider, primarily serving middle market private equity sponsor led business transactions in the U.S. and Canada. The transactions in which Yukon invests include buyouts, growth and platform strategies, recapitalizations, mergers/acquisitions, and public-to-private buyouts. Yukon typically invests $10 to $50 million per transaction and currently manages approximately $1.2 billion across three funds. Yukon Partners is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For more information, please visit www.yukonpartners.com.  

About Sentinel Capital Partners 

Sentinel specializes in buying and building businesses at the lower end of the midmarket in the United States and Canada in partnership with management. Sentinel targets aerospace and defense, business services, consumer, distribution, food and restaurants, franchising, healthcare, and industrial businesses. Sentinel invests in management buyouts, recapitalizations, corporate divestitures, and going-private transactions of established businesses with EBITDA of up to $65 million. Sentinel also invests in special situations, including balance sheet restructurings and operational turnarounds. For more information about Sentinel, visit www.sentinelpartners.com.  

For more information, please contact: 

William Dietz 

Managing Partner 

Yukon Partners 

612-435-7804