Carp Spring Outdoors show Apr 4, 5 & 6

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Originally Posted by RideauOutdoors

Are you kidding me? Small hunting population? Maybe that's true in the big smoke but here in the sticks here it's sort of a big deal. Hit a Timmies in October at 4:00AM and see the trucks and trailers full of us heading to the fields for goose hunting. Heck, here in Lanark County during the first week of November it is a ghost town when we move into deer camps. Many small businesses close that week.

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This is what I was thinking Oddmott, whenever I am visiting/hunting with the family the area is crawling with hunters.

It is a big deal. Even Costco had a booth there..lol. My son wanted to sign up for a membership but their wireless interact machine would not work properly even after stepping outside with it so too bad! so sad!..... they lost a sale......lol

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Originally Posted by RideauOutdoors

Are you kidding me? Small hunting population? Maybe that's true in the big smoke but here in the sticks here it's sort of a big deal.

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OddMott must be a little out of touch with what is happening outside of the suburbs of Ottawa :)

Hunting in the Ottawa Valley is a big deal...just look at how many gun shows this area hosts compared to the western side of the province. It always amazes (pleases) me how much 'orange' you see driving around the Kemptville/ Smith Falls/ Perth areas when the season opens.

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Originally Posted by MikePal

OddMott must be a little out of touch with what is happening outside of the suburbs of Ottawa :)

Hunting in the Ottawa Valley is a big deal...just look at how many gun shows this area hosts compared to the western side of the province. It always amazes (pleases) me how much 'orange' you see driving around the Kemptville/ Smith Falls/ Perth areas when the season opens.

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They don't quite close down all the schools for 2 weeks in November, but very few people actually attend, ha ha.
You get funny looks not wearing orange around Kemptville in November and weird looks for wearing it when you get back into Ottawa.

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Originally Posted by RideauOutdoors

Are you kidding me? Small hunting population? Maybe that's true in the big smoke but here in the sticks here it's sort of a big deal. Hit a Timmies in October at 4:00AM and see the trucks and trailers full of us heading to the fields for goose hunting. Heck, here in Lanark County during the first week of November it is a ghost town when we move into deer camps. Many small businesses close that week.

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Who said a word about big or small deal? Hunting is a big deal - to hunters.

I said the hunting population of eastern ontario is small. And it is. You're talking about less than 1.9 million people total, of which less than 11% hunt. That's still a very high percentage compared to the rest of Canada (of which less than 7% hunt), but you're only talking about 200,000-ish hunters spread out over a MASSIVE geographical area.

Factor in that many are:
- too old to bother traveling to an hour+ distant show
- too well equipped to need to attend a show
- too busy to attend a show
- too fair-weather to attend a show
- too broke to attend a show

And you quickly whittle your prospective attendee-base down.

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Originally Posted by MikePal

OddMott must be a little out of touch with what is happening outside of the suburbs of Ottawa :)

Hunting in the Ottawa Valley is a big deal...just look at how many gun shows this area hosts compared to the western side of the province. It always amazes (pleases) me how much 'orange' you see driving around the Kemptville/ Smith Falls/ Perth areas when the season opens.

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The same 6 small shows are attended by mostly the same small population base. The guy who goes to Eganville's, goes to Perth's, goes to Petawawa's, goes to Carp's, etc... A bigger, better show makes no sense to show managers. They'd spend a fortune and only attract another 1000 or so hunters.

Why would anyone do one monster show with significantly increased costs, if it means you wouldn't (because you can't) attract a similarly significantly increased crowd?

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Originally Posted by TurkeyRookie

My dad and brother picked up a bunch of stuff, including some Gobblestalker calls for me :)

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I went for a couple hours on Saturday and also picked up a new Gobblestalker box call, those guys are great to deal with. It's my first from them but I will definitely buy more.

i did find the carp show wasnt as good as the past years but maybe it will improve,i also think now just my opinion that the gun table some people were a little too expensive but thats me.I just cant wait till turkey season ,i go in the denbigh area cant wait

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i did find the carp show wasnt as good as the past years but maybe it will improve

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what did you find was missing?

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Originally Posted by Legend Killer

Big Buck Contest had like 7-8 bucks?

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We actually measured 22 deer heads (+ 2 moose & 1 bear), however many guys took them back and didn't enter the contest. We ended up with 14 deer in the contest, the best scoring 165 +, and another 163+.

The bear went 20 2/16 which is pretty decent, and one moose measured out at 184 6/8 which is a keeper as well

it just wasnt the same as been before it didnt have alot of outfitters etc usually the guy with the beagles wasnt there etc etc maybe it was just me