Eastern Outdoors Show

[Nuts]

The Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg PA is 2/7-2/15. I go every couple years. After a year or 2 I forget how much I hate crowds, Not being able to walk, and the effort required to find the 10 things I want to see. In any case its called the largest in the world. Is anyone else going? Its 20minutes from my house so its close. I park at Bass Pro and take the bus. Always plan a full day during the week. Always end up back at truck in about 3-4hrs. There is a couple outfitters on here I see every year. Some I talk to. Who all is going?

 

[Mussgrass]

I am only an hour away but the crowds are not worth the hassle. I don't often go to the PA Farm Show either. If I would look around I could probably find "show specials" online for anything on my shopping list.

 

[johnnybow]

We are going this year mainly to talk to some African ph's. Not going to book at the show but to start researching for a hunt in 2 years

 

[joushz]

I've never been to the show but would like to go see what its all about. Its probably an hour and fourty-five minutes away from me.

 

[Lmartin5]

Bucket list for me...hope to make it up there one day.

 

[Nuts]

Basically the farm show building is big areas each have some what of a theme. Outfitters mostly in one area. Fishing in another. Archery in another. Gear in another. Travel in another. But some of each are scattered not where you expect them. I believe there is well over a thousand stands spread across 650,000 square feet. But there is a ton of people.

 

[Nuts]

Yesterday I spent a good part of the day at the show. I went with cash in my pocket hoping to buy a lightweight tripod. Also looking to secure an elk trip somewhere in the west for 2027. Looking for guided with available tags. We had researched things tag wise and new ahead of time we needed OTC or 1 with 100% draw. I always look at Alaska stuff. Always interested in a learning and maybe finding a good connection. Here was my take aways

1. Quality Alaska guided and drop camps are for those with unlimited resource's. Guided hunts are all well above what I paid for my new loaded Eddie Bauer pickup truck in the late 90s
2. Despite walking every isle of the show I did not find a booth with a bunch of tripods to select from. A couple had large Death Grip tripods that weighed a ton
3. The only Elk hunts in my price range were on public land and accessible by vehicle. These were in the $6k-$7k range. I have no clue about how public land is in Idaho and Wyoming. But everywhere I have been if a guide can get there with a vehicle so can everyone else. More research needed on that
4. I don't like crowds or people
5. Best thing I saw was some of the crazy mounts. Full mount Cape Buffalo and a full mount Muskox fighting 2 full mount wolves. Obsoletely beautiful. All the full mount Mt. Lions were cool to. There was a time these didn't look great. They have come a long way.
6. Came home with the same amount of cash in my pocket. No money spent. One connection made and more info requested. That was with Rasmussen Outfitters out of Idaho. This as we decided a drop camp might be the way to go.