It’s showtime! And I’m not talking about some gunsel Hollywood show production. I’m talking about the big Outdoor shows. Nationwide, the big ones will kick off with the Dallas Safari Club Convention & Expo on January 11-14. And the big Archery Trade Association (ATA) on January 11-13 but I’ll be conducting seminars at the DSC show so I won’t be able to hit the ATA show this year.

Then the mother of them all, the SHOT (Shooting Hunting Outdoor Trade Show) is January 22-26. It is crazy. There will be over 60,000 people attending from all over the world. Every gun, ammo, knife, and outdoor clothing manufacturer will be there.

Besides the actual show, I’ll have a lot of private meetings with companies, for instance, I fly into Vegas on Sunday afternoon for a meeting with 5.11. I love their clothing, knives, backpacks and boots. Their marketing girl Kristen is one of the top three marketing people that I deal with. And then Monday is Media Day at the Range. There will be every gun & ammo known to mankind there. Who doesn’t like to shoot all day long? Manufacturers will be demoing their new guns in hopes that writers will write about them and get them publicity, which is of course why I’m invited. But also they want dealers testing them on Monday and placing orders during the week.

Over the decades you make good friends in the industry and it’s fun to see all of them. I’m on Pro-staff with Umarex Airguns so of course excited to see the Umarex crew and what they have new. Then it’ll be good to see Linda at Mossberg and what is going on with them. She’s also one of the best marketing girls out there. Then of course it’ll be good to see Joyce at Spyderco which is their legendary marketing girl.

Then a few weeks ago I was on a couple of different Texas hunts with Savage. On one hunt they had two new rifles that hadn’t even been released yet. Hopefully, they get announced at SHOT and then I can start writing about them. So the Media Day at The Range is action-packed and hectic.

Then Tuesday-Friday is running/gunning all day long. You’ll have a breakfast meeting and then hit the show all day, luncheons and then get invited to 2-3 happy hours/presentations after the show and be trying to work deals there as well.

To make the most of the show you have to hit it hard. Katy won’t go with me anymore. Here’s an example of why. Last year Jack Kissel went with me. He tracked us and on our busiest day, we walked 22.5 miles. When I say we’re running gunning hard all day I mean it.

Caiti Hladky usually goes and helps me. She’s a good photographer but is going to be working some bull auctions at showtime this year. Hopefully, Matt Dwonch can slip out of school at ISU for a few days and run down and help me out.

Then the big SCI Show (Safari Club International Convention) is January 31-February 3. The show moved to Nashville last year and it really livened it up. Katy likes going to it and is going to help me with my seminars again this year.

If you want to line up a guide for a hunting or fishing trip worldwide, the DSC and SCI are the shows to hit. Who wouldn’t like to go on a safari in Africa? Or fishing in Costa Rico? Before you sign a deal with a guide though you’ll want to do some research.

Is the guide legitimate? Does he hunt like you like to hunt? Some people's view of a good hunt is to get back to the lodge by 5:00, eat a huge dinner and drink until midnight. When I go hunting/fishing I want to hit it hard. So get an outfitter that matches your taste. Make sense? (On a smaller but local level is the Boise show on 2/29-3/3).

But I believe that it is safe to say the outfitters at DSC and SCI are all legitimate. I want to meet with Waterfall Resort Alaska and Plummer’s Lodge up in the NW Territories and maybe check out a dove hunt in Argentina and maybe a fishing deal in Costa Rico. And…..

But also at the DSC and the SCI, there will be a lot of outdoor manufacturers. It is always fun to visit their booths and see their new gear for the year. So for me, these are fun, relaxing shows to hit as compared to the SHOT Show.

And the mounts and displays that you’ll see at the DSC and SCI shows are astounding. The taxidermists are artists.

There are too many smaller state or local shows to list but there are at least a couple of fun things about hitting them.

1. Most of the seminars are put on by local outdoorsmen who can share secrets on how to be successful around where you live.

2. I meet a lot of small new companies that have invented some cool new outdoor gear. You’ll only meet them at the smaller local shows.

And we’ve run out of room to cover all of the local gun shows which are fun to hit. At every gun show, I find at least one item that I can’t live without. Don’t you?

So as we come to a close, this winter don’t sit at the kitchen table doing a crossword puzzle. Go hit a sports show!