The indoor outdoors show season began last weekend with the three-day run of the annual Tri-Cities exposition. Following close on the heels of the Pasco even is this week’s five-day O’Loughlin Trade Show exhibition at Puyallup, the lone surviving Western Washington hunting and fishing oriented event, which ends Sunday, Jan. 29.
And starting today is Seattle’s 10-day boating extravaganza — the combined Indoor and Boats Afloat shows — in the Soto and Lake Union districts of the Emerald City.
February in the Northwest tri-state area (Washington, Oregon and Idaho) brings two more shows, and in the outdoors equivalent of madness in the month of March, six regional exhibitions, including one north of the border, are slated then.
With controlled hunt drawing application periods already started in Wyoming and Idaho’s non-resident deer and elk license sales under way, it’s time to begin planning next summer or fall’s great fishing and hunting trips. Attending one or more of these winter outdoors shows is a good place to lstart.
THE SHOW BILL
For Whatcom County residents, visits to the Puyallup and Abbotsford shows will be the shortest and therefore most convenient commutes.
Here’s the list of regional events in case your travel plans coincide with a show somewhere else.
• Washington Sportsmen's Show in Puyallup. Jan. 25-29 at Western Washington Fairgrounds. Hours: Weekdays, noon-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: Adults, $12; youth (ages 6-16) $5; and kids (5 and under) free; $2 online discount coupon. Get it at: otshows.com. Parking: free.
Many hunting and fishing seminars every day, Head and Horns competitions, indoor steelhead river, camp cooking demonstrations and survival training.
Organizer online at: thesportshows.com
• Seattle Boat Show (combined indoors and afloat) in Seattle. Jan. 27- Feb. 5 at Qwest Field Events Center and South Lake Union. Hours: Weekdays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission: Adults, $12; youth, $5; and kids (10 and under) free; “Big Show” pass (5-day), $24. Box-office sales discount for seniors and veterans. Or order tickets online at seattleboatshow .com/buy-tickets.html. Parking: $11 per day ($5 after 5 p.m. at Centurylink venue). A free shuttle runs between the two venues.
This show features more than 1,000 watercraft on display plus boating accessories vendors, how-to seminars and financing options.
Organizer online at: seattleboatshow.com
• Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show in Portland, Ore. Feb. 8-12 at Portland Expo Center. Hours: Weekdays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission: Adults, $12; youth, $5; and kids (5 and under), free; discount for cash ticket sales or online coupon and two-day pass $18 advanced sales at Wilco Farms stores. Parking: Free.
Organizer online at: thesportshows.com
• Central Washington Sportsmen Show in Yakima. Feb. 17-19 at the Sundome. Hours: Friday, 1-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: Adults, $8; youth (ages 6-12), $4; kids (6 and under), free. Discounts for seniors and families. Tickets valid for all three days.
Parking: Free first hour every day.
The second of the Columbia Basin shows, this has daily seminars including regional focuses on fishing and hunting in the Columbia Basin. Northwest Big Game Display, outdoor cooking camp and trout races. For kids, air rifle and lunker trout pond.
Organizer online at: shuylerproductions.com • Idaho Sportsman Show at Boise. March 1-4 at the Expo Idaho Center. Hours: Weekdays, 5 p.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: Adults, $5; kids (12 and under), free; seniors discount. Parking: Free.
Features outfitters and guides from Idaho and Montana to Alaska, Central Idaho air and Snake River boat charter services. Organizer online at: idahosportsmanshow.com
• BC Boats and Sportsmen's & BC Hunting Shows in Abbotsford. March 2-4 in the TRADEX building at Abbotsford, B.C. Hours: Friday, noon-9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission and parking information not available.
Major North American vendors and hundreds of outfitters, resorts and guides from British Columbia.
Organizer online at: masterpromotions.ca
• Central Oregon Sportmen's Show in Redmond, Ore. March 8-10 at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center.
Hours: Weekdays, noon-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: adults, $10; youth (ages 6-12), $5; and kids (5 and under), free; discount coupon available online. Parking: Free.
Central Oregon hunting and fishing venues will be highlighted in seminars.
Organizer online at: thesportshows.com
• Northwest Fly Tyer and Fly Fishing Expo in Albany, Ore.
March 9-10 at the Linn County Expo Center. Hours: Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Admission: $5 a day, no charge to Federation of Fly Fishers members, veterans and youth age 18 and under. Parking: free.
More than 187 tyer stations where you may sit and watch, 50 vendors, 90 classes plus fly casting demonstrations and talks about fly fishing getaways. Daily raffles, banquet and auction Saturday night.
Organizer online at: nwexpo.com
• Bighorn Outdoor Adventure Shows in Spokane. March 15-18 at the Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds. Hours: Weekdays, noon-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: Adults, $9; seniors, military, youth, $8; kids (6 and under), free. Parking: Free.
Boone and Crockett together with Pope and Young trophy judging contest in all firearms and weapons categories, laser shooting simulators, trout fishing ponds for kids, fishing demo tank and vendors from as far away as Africa and South America.
Organizer online at: wildlifecouncil.com
• ATK Inland Northwest Outdoors Show at Lewiston, Idaho. March 23-25 at Clearwater River Casino. Hours: Friday, 3-8 p. m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission: Adults, $2; youth, $1 and kids (6 and under), free; senior discount. Parking: Free.
Many Idaho guides and vendors, helicopter rides, indoor kids’ fishing pond, Boy Scout campout.
Organizer online at: lcchamberofcommerce.com
• Flyfishing Show West at Bellevue. Again will not be held in Washington this year. Nearest show is at Pleasanton, Calif., Feb. 24-26 at the Alameda County Fairgrounds.
Organizer online at: flyfishingshow.com
THE HANDS-ON OPTION
It takes a lot of research and coordination to bring off a satisfying and successful angling or big game adventure, especially one to new territory.
These shows offer an opportunity to do some first-hand comparing and contrasting information about an intended hunting locale or fishing locale.
And they make subsequent scheduling of vacations, booking of guides, making motel reservations and consulting the family CFO to see about financing of your personal safari much easier to do.
Certainly if you lack even a hint of inspiration, checking out a winter show or two is a must. While these shows are all organized according to a similar formula, they do offer hunters and fishers a third dimension that’s lacking in simply surfing the Internet.
You will be able to see and talk directly with guide- service or resort owners and, in many cases, see first-hand the trophies and mounts that are fruits of their efforts.
Also available to examine on hand for comparison will be a wide array of boats, equipment, firearms and tackle.
Those are two things you can’t do through the monitor screen of your computer.
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