The Northern Michigan Angels investment group, formed in the summer of 2011, has made its first investment: $170,000 to TC's Altus Brands. The investment helped enable the company's purchase of Extreme Dimension Wildlife Calls, a leading innovator in the electronic game call industry, and provided the equity capital that Altus Brands needed to secure a loan from the Traverse City State Bank. Formed in 2008, Altus Brands identifies companies in the hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation marketplace that manufacture and sell retail products through similar channels of distribution. Since its inception, the company has acquired 10 brands and entered into 14 distribution and fulfillment deals in the hunting, fishing, shooting and outdoor recreation arena, including Cass Creek Outdoors game calls, Pro Ears hearing protection, Benchmaster Shooting Products, Bughat, Woodland Whisper, Harmon Scents, Heart Stopper Lure and Pro Hood.