Every year I attend Jim Liska's Outdoor Expo Show at the Howe Arena in Traverse City, and each time it becomes more enjoyable — for many different reasons.
Each year it seems to be bigger than the previous year, and it's easy to measure the success of such shows. When the same booths, and the same faces in those booths are present, year after year, it adds to the enjoyment. It also serves as an excellent indicator of the show's success. If the same people are there each year, the public learns that the show is being well run.
A hunting buddy, Arnie Minka and his wife Dzidre, will be there. They have two out-of-state hunts planned and will probably hunt Merriam's and Rio Grande turkeys this year. It will be a good time for them, and both are eager to try new hunting areas this spring.
Another buddy of mine told me that he drew a first-season tag for Area K, and I became instantly jealous. A first-season tag is hard to come by in this turkey hunting area.
I hope to see retired conservation officer John Walker at this year's show. He's a friendly guy, and he has asked me to sell his books on my website. The books sell for $10 each or the full set of eight for $60. It's the same as paying full price for six and getting two free.
One time at this show I standing, talking with John Walker, and a man walks up to him and says: "Do you know Dave Richey."
"Yeah," Walker said, "I know Dave Richey."
I piped up and said I knew Dave Richey as well. He then said he tried to buy a book that I had for sale on Scoop's Books on my website, and it had been sold the day before.
"It's true, I did sell the book the day before you inquired about it," I said. "I'm Dave Richey."
He was surprised when I introduced myself, and we discussed (with tongue in cheek) how inconsiderate the other person had been to buy the book out from underneath him, and we laughed. It turns out that now I have two copies of that book. Such things often occur in the book business, and the only salvation is to make up your mind and buy it immediately. The old adage: If you snooze, you lose, certainly applies when buying scarce books.
The show is where old friends gather.
I spent some time talking with my old turkey call-maker buddy Dean Stratton last year, and bought another call from him. It is a slate call with a unique design, and I always look forward to seeing him.
He said he may discontinue this particular model, and since I didn't have one, I bought it and asked him to sign the call for me. Dean makes a wide variety of box calls, push-pull models and this slate model. He also makes deer, duck, elk, goose, pheasant and predator calls.Two major announcements will be made to two deserving men.
It will be my pleasure to make two major announcements on March 20. One will be a presentation of a Legendary Guide plaque to Mark Rinckey of Honor. The plaque is presented to people like Rinckey, a fishing guide, of Legendary Guide status. It will be presented to Rinckey at about 1 p.m. on behalf of the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, which is located in Hayward, Wisc. He is one of only 56 Legendary Guides recognized by the Hall of Fame in North America.
A second announcement also will be made about Sgt. Mike Borkovich, the DNRE conservation officer for Leelanau County. He will be receiving the Guy Bradley Award later this month, for his untiring efforts to enforce fishing and hunting laws. He was chosen for this award over all other conservation officers in the United States and its territories. Each state can submit one name, and Borkovich was chosen from all entries. It is the highest honor to which conservations may aspire. Guy Bradley was the first conservation officer in the country to be killed in the line of duty, back in 1905.Wandering the aisles is great fun as I look for needed gear.
I hope to talk to Jeremy Castle of C.P Oneida Eagle Bow Company from Marion, Michigan. Jeremy often does shows for Claude Pollington, and in the past has said the bow business is pretty good with strong demand for their new models.
This show, which runs March 19-21, is a great places for me to meet and chat with a number of great anglers and hunters from the area, and going to such a show is like going to a class reunion. It's often a chance for me to meet old friends that haven't been seen in years, catch up on each other's lives, and perhaps spend some money on some sporting items we need. And that is my purpose at this upcoming show. My buddy will buy a Gator Jaw bow release from C.P. Oneida Eagle Bow Company, and I hope to pick up a new call from Dean Stratton and we will see what he has new, and I look forward to several good chats with old friends. If everyone goes to the show, and buys something, it helps the local economy, and chances are very good you'll meet an old friend at the show. I can't think of a better way to spend a cold and windy day than talking fishing and hunting with good friends. Take a break in a couple of weeks, and go visit the Outdoor Expo show at Howe Arena in Traverse City. It will be a fun way to spend part of the day. Hope to see you there on Saturday, March 20. Come say hello to me and let's talk fishing and hunting.
