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Came down to Harrisburg Pennsylvania to the Great American Outdoor Show. This is what a hunting/outdoor show is supposed to be. 6 1/2 hr. drive and stay in a hotel but this is a great show. I would recommend this to everyone. Last time I was here was 5 years ago. This time I brought my wife and she as a non hunter is enjoying it. Pick a hotel with a shuttle service so you do not have to drive and this cannot be beat for a weekend away.
My in laws live 30min from the show. I was going to go but didn't want to do that drive again. Did it 3 times already since the summer. A few of my wife's uncles and father in law are going this weekend I think they left today. Maybe next year.
If you travel all the way to the Harrisburg show, why not the Indianapolis deer turkey and waterfowl show on the Feb 26 - March 1. Nothing but hunting, no fishing.
Of course there is 4 shows all at once. Each hall has it's own theme. I'll be there the whole time.
I hit this show just about every year - I don't think there is a better or bigger one anywhere in North America - some of the mounts that are displaced by different taxidermists are incredible - if your driving back - take route 78 and visit the Cablea's in Hamburg - its right off the highway - I'm sure that the Cablea's you have in Ontario isn't anything like this one - you want to see guns - they have thousands -
Seems like it would be an awesome show to check out, Is it a once a year show or is there another one later on in the year.
It's an annual show, its worth the drive!
I always wanted to go and hear great things from those who have been there. I know there are Canadians who work the show for the American companies
I sure would like to visit this show sometime. It will happen.
Cabelas would be an hour out of the way but they do have one in Buffalo now close to the Walden Galleria and yes the Cabelas is way bigger then what we got. I remember my first time at the Cabelas in Dundee when my in laws lived in Portage OH. My mother in law said " we have a hunting store not far from here if you want to go." I said ok lets go. I was expecting something small like LeBarons. When we got close my eyes lit up....I was out of the car before it stopped. I seen the catalogues but never the store. I ran down the parking lot and in the store....and holy Sh#t I had a cart full in no time. My wife had to page me because I was gone. I was at that store for 4 days straight and every visit I was loading the car up. Still do it 15 years later just at a different cabelas and my wife calls the store now and has me paged.
Yep, I used to do the show for 8 years and this is exactly what I was referring too in the "Toronto Sportsman Show Thread" Americans Support Americans !
This show was shut down 3 years because of a "show boycott on guns" and the Americans stood behind each other and walked away and within days there was no Companies Exhibitors nor big names attending. The Show Owners Reed Exhibitions lost it and it was resold and started back up the very next year and is now slowly climbing again. Not what it used to be but I have never seen people (hunter) at a show in all my life like this show.
It all boils down to SUPPORT !
What you say is right - two years ago Reed Exhibitions decided that they were not going to have certain guns displayed at that years show - so all of the big exhibitiors dropped out followed by the smaller ones - the show basically was shut down - the next year the NRA sponsored the show and has now for the last two years - this just goes to show you how people when they join together can do things - its a lesson to be learned - instead of just talking about things you don't like - gets together and get things done