Outdoorsman Show
Annual event draws bigger crowds, organizer says
By MICHAEL ANICH, The Leader-Herald | POSTED: February 15, 2009

Article Photos
The Leader-Herald/Michael Anich
Mickey Seldman, a volunteer with the Adirondack Wildlife Museum in Vail Mills displays gloves for sale at the Adirondack Outdoorsman Show Saturday at the Johnstown Moose Club on Route 30A

The annual Adirondack Outdoorsman Show attracted crowds Saturday at the Johnstown Moose Club.

18th Century re-enactor Mario Doreste of Sharon Springs displays a fusee hunting musket at the Adirondack Outdoorsman Show Saturday at the Johnstown Moose Club. The show continues today.

Roger Edwards of Skiff Lake Outfitters in Canterbury, New Brunswick, Canada, center, goes over a map while Paul Varley, left, and Anders Faltskog, right, look on at the show.

Former Gloversville High School Principal Randall Gilbert of Geneseo, Livingston County, shows his book on deerhunting at the show.

 

JOHNSTOWN - Judging by the large crowds Saturday at the fourth annual Adirondack Outdoorsman Show, the weekend event at the Johnstown Moose Club for those who like to hunt and fish is becoming increasingly popular.

"It's getting bigger every year," said organizer Mike Hauser of Twin Cities Sports Promotions. "We're getting more and more quality vendors who want to get involved. We're starting to draw from further away."

Hauser said "several thousand" people were expected to attend the annual event, at which people were lined up many minutes before it was due to start Saturday. The Adirondack Outdoorsman Show continues today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the club, 109 S. Comrie Ave., also known as Route 30A.

Door prizes of gear and equipment are being given away throughout the weekend. Admission to the event is $5 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under.

A steady stream of showgoers wound through the Moose lodge throughout the day Saturday.

"I'm just looking to see what's new," said Mike Harris of Fort Plain, surveying the exhibits.

According to Twin Cities Sports Promotions' Web site - www.adkshow.com -the Adirondack Outdoorsman Show is geared towards the tastes of hunters, fisherman and general outdoors enthusiasts. There are 60 exhibits this year containing items for sale pertaining to hunting and fishing gear/supplies, guns, archery, trapping, boating, camping, hiking, snow shoeing, guides and charter services, taxidermy, snowmobiling, 4-wheeling, collectable knives, antique hunting & fishing gear, wildlife art and books and Adirondack furniture.

In addition, many featured guests and industry experts are on hand throughout the weekend.

Hauser said he was excited that one of his featured guests is Gail Freeman, the daughter of legendary angler Peter Dubuc, who caught the World Record northern pike on the Great Sacandaga Lake in 1940.

"Mike asked me if I'd come," said Freeman, who resides in Schodack Landing, Rensselaer County. Guests can see Dubuc's scrapbooks and the "plug" he caught the fish on, as well as a replica mount of the record pike, which is courtesy of New York Outdoor News.

Dubuc went ashore and had the fish weighed at what his daughter remembers as Pelchers store in Benedict, northeast of North Broadalbin. The pike was 52 1/2 inches long and 25 inches girth. His weight was a record 46 pounds, two ounces.

Other featured guests at the show include New York Outdoor News editor Steve Piatt, Adirondack author-guide-historian Don Williams, Amsterdam Recorder outdoor columnist and newly-elected New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame member Ron Kolodziej, Daily Gazette outdoor columnist Ed Noonan, and Wildlife Sports & Educational Museum. Museum founder Bob Kazmierski.

One of the first exhibitors guests will see when they enter the event is former Gloversville High School Principal Randall Gilbert, who now resides in Canisteo, Steuben County. He is the owner of Buckhunter Publications and the author of books on deerhunting such as "Whitetail Woods" and "The Deer Hunter Footstool/Camp Book."

"I've always been an outdoors person," Gilbert said.

He said he has attended past outdoorsman shows put on by Twin Cities Sports Promotions and he enjoys them.

"It's a great thing," Gilbert said. "It gets everybody together."

Linda Sehlmeyer and her husband from The Gun Shop in Lake Luzerne, Warren County, are on hand to show off the latest in hunting rifles.

"This is one of the shows we like the most," she said.

All the way from New Brunswick, Canada, this weekend is exhibitor Roger Edwards of Skiff Lake Outfitters.

He said his business specializes in Canadian trophy hunts such as for trophy whitetail, black bear, moose, coyotes, rabbits, grouse and fishing.

The costs of Edwards' hunts range from $1,800 to $3,000 and participants must arrive with their own portable tree stands.

Another browser at the show was George Suitor of Esperance, Schoharie, who was closely studying the latest hunting rifles.

"I'm not sure what I'm in the market for," he said.

At his exhibit, 18th Century Loyalist reenactor Lt. Mario Doreste of Sharon Springs on Saturday was showing off his fusee.

He explained it is a very light hunting musket from the mid-1700s. He also was selling muzzleloading supplies to the crowd.

"I do a little selling to help pay for my reenactor's bills," he said.

Bob Krosky of Burnt Hills said he was enjoying his time in Johnstown, talking with Capt. Dave Burkhart Jr. of Reel Fun Sportfishing in Oswego.

"I'm just here to get away from the cabin fever and spend some money," Korsky said.

Twin Cities Sports Promotions is planning to host the fall edition of its Adirondack Outdoorsman Show Sept. 12 and 13 at the Johnstown Moose Club. Hauser said that event will include boating and marina expert John Greviskis of "Ship Shape T.V."

Other exhibitors will include fishing author and Times-Union outdoor columnist Rob Streeter.