World Predator and Hunting Expo March 19-21, 2010

[pitw]

HaMeR if you want to go to anything and you are worried about what we'd say . Don't worry, Be happy  Go and enjoy as I'll have your back here .

[Bills Custom Calls]

Glen I sure hope you go Kurtis could use your support in the calling contest

[CCP]

Let me put this out there seems to be some misconceptions.

 Nothing wrong with going to the expo and more than likely you will have a great time and meet lots of folks from around the industry and the boards. You will more than likely find no arguing and people that hate each other on the boards getting along at the show. No board wars there. I have a few problems with some of the guys at the last show but you wouldn’t have known it by watching. WHY? Because you pay a lot of money to get there the public is watching and you don’t want to be the guy getting kicked out the show first.

Guys here on the board stated why they aren’t going or their experience from the past show. No one has said you are a bad person if you go! and surely no one implied “don’t support kids.”

I have problems with some of the shows I do here within 250 miles BUT they are close and only spend around 1200 for gas, booths, hotel/motel, eats and drinks. A show far away with booth,airfare,Motel/hotel cost 2 grand or more. Only around 300 or 350 ticket holders came to the last predator expo. I do think it will be better than the last one as far as attendance but I can’t phantom more than 10,000 ticket holders at this one.

If you really want to know who’s who and how they really are then put on a staff/vender shirt and belly up to the bar late at night with them. My first big show I ever did was the World Deer turkey expo 3 years ago 65,000 plus and was in awe seeing the big names in the industry. Late at night at the bar/restaurant being one of the boys I learned real quick that to 70% of them it is a job and you are one of hundreds/thousands of people they talk/sell to.

HaMeR you will enjoy meeting Less he is a super guy in and out of the trade shows.


 To keep things in perspective when you walk up to a booth and talk to the vendor do you really expect to walk away thinking anything other than they were helpful and are great people to deal with?




 

[slagmaker]

OH I am not saying that anyone should not go. It is up to the individual who wishes to attend such an event to go if they wish it. Why yes I would love to show support to any and all kids events be it a calling contest, sharp shooters contest, fishing, tracking or any other type of contest that a youngster would wish to show participation in. To any one that does attend aforementioned event please accept my sincerest apology's if you were offended in any way shape or form by my previous statements. It is simply not my wishes to attend such and event and I would greatly hope that my previously mentioned statement would not alter the state of mind of any individual if they had previous intentions to attend said event.

If you do attend the previously mentioned event and you are at a booth and the attendants choose to ignore you as a customer please accept my advice. Whatever product you have in your hands that you are expereincing interested in start banging it on the table as hard and rapidly as you can. I have found that this will get the attention of the aforementioned attendants and they will quickly stop what they are doing and immediately show you all the attention that you can Handel.

[CCP]

 I noticed I was replying while some were posting.

 Bill we are a big family here and you know we will support Kurtis for the contest. Not only will the contest be great for him but the expo as a whole will be a great memory for you and he to share for a lifetime.

 

[Bills Custom Calls]

I thought you were all bigger folks then that
Just seems kinda childish
This guy got a bigger spot this guy got the one close to the door they won't sell me a spot as big as I want.This guy is a speaker and this one is not.You don't have to listen to him
These kinda folks will all get theirs in the long run


He has more toys then me he got that for Christmas and that is what I wanted 

You don't have to stop at a booth if you don't want to,but just cause a few  are asses don't make the whole thing bad.There are folks like you CCP that sre spending good money to set up in this expo and would like to see alot of people come to this event

I will shut up now
Merry Christmas Everyone

[FinsnFur]

Bring your billfold

[HaMeR]

I didn't really expect anybody to look at me any different if I went. Sometimes it's hard to know for sure tho.  I'm just going to take advantage of the expo being close to home is all. And it also depends on whether or not I'm actually working at the time. I understand everybodies posts & think I took them in the context they were made. I'm sure I'll end up with some bad experiences from it too. I think one of the best things is to be able to actually handle & see 1st hand the equipment that will be there. I've seen most of the FP stuff so I probably won't hit their booth.

On the other side of the coin I certainly do appreciate all that has been posted. I think it will be a better experience going in with all that I've read so far from people that I trust their opinions. I won't have to wade thru as much BS there.

As for the vendors & their reps,,, well I just look at everybody in that position,, as well as Field Staffers,, as used car salesmen.  Their words really don't mean much to me. The product ends up speaking for itself in the end.

Jimbo-- Diane will have the money!! 

[Semp]

I thought you were all bigger folks then that
Just seems kinda childish

Hiding behind "its for the kids" and trying to be all high and mighty, huh, Bill?     Let me tell YOU a secret about inter personal communications.  Using terms like "you folks" tends to make one feel you are personally attacking him/her.   Painting everyone with a broad brush is wrong.   If Kurtis was not in the contest would you feel the same way?  

YOU are a long way from Cluesville, Bill.  And you really need to find one.   Here is a hint:  Stop preaching at "you folks".

[slagmaker]

Please forgive me being a smart ass today.

Lots of memories and good times at these events, they just aint for me. If you have never been to one or it is close enough that you can attend without going to tooo much trouble or expense then by all means go. Or even if you have to spend your life savings, if it is something you want to do then again by all means do it. If you are someone or know someone that wants to get into the contests then by all means, attend and have a blast. You will have my support and I will gladly cheer for you and/or your favored contestant. Do I look down apon the people that attend these events. NO. Do I look down at the people that set up booths at these events? Again NO. Expos are a great way to see the newest products and services that are out there. Again these events simply are not for me.

BUT I still stand by my advice on how to handel the booth attendents.

[Bopeye]

I had every intention on going and then I found out about Higgins not speaking. So rather than listen to hearsay, I contacted Brent Rueb or Ruby or Rhubarb or whatever his name is and inquired to the reasons behind this. WoW!!! Was I enlightened!! Folks can say I am petty all they want, but the reasons Higgins won't be speaking are childish at best. I then contacted Brent a second time to tell him that one of the only reasons I was wanting to attend was to actually hear someone talk that knew what they were talking about.

BS wasn't going to do me much good since he can only kill coyotes in Texass. A squeeky wheel can call them in there.  
Doo rag wasn't going to do me much good since he is talking about killing pigs.
TT, well, do I really need to say much about him.  


Gerry Blair would be fun to hear, but not enough to travel up there and so would Les Johnson. Problem is those boys hunt almost exclusively out west.

Mark Zepp might be a good one since he was originally from Ohio and now in Az.

I also know that at this stage in the game, after years of watching the political jockeying, the sucking of brown eyes, and the mafiosa tactics that I might not be able to contain myself. God knows I don't want to end up in jail in an Ohio jail. I hear bad things about those Ohio convicts.  
I really might not be able to help myself if some of the fearless leaders of NPHA or PM were there. I know I could go without speaking to them, but if they spoke to me........then what? Would I be cordial? Would I tell them what I thought in a politically correct way? Would I tell them what I thought in a blunt way? Would I just swing first and wake up in jail hurting all over?

WHO KNOWS?

I know at the LBL I won't do this because I will be amongst friends. It will be a fun time.  

I hope the kids do well, but I'll have to cheer for them from the cheap seats.  

[Skoal38]

Education, conservation, camaraderie, protect the sport...  blah...  blah... blah...  Roob just wants your money for whatever he's selling today.  Just another money-grubbing salesman who tells anyone anything they want to hear for a payday.

If I ever pay Roob a dime for a Glen Guess seminar, shoot me.  Watching all those redfag-foxpro homos kiss Byron's ass makes me puke.  I'll stay home and wash my hair.

[ROOSTER]

Hey Bopeye...
If you decide to go and get thrown in Jail. I'll make sure you have the best cell and extra tray's at meal time. 
(I work at the jail you would be going too)

[vvarmitr]

I can just see Bop', face against the bars, hands on a bar each calling out "I want Rooster!"
Then from the dark corner of his cell a set of glowing white teeth say, "Will any cock-a-dew?"
    

[HaMeR]

 

[ROOSTER]

I can just see Bop', face against the bars, hands on a bar each calling out "I want Rooster!"
Then from the dark corner of his cell a set of glowing white teeth say, "Will any cock-a-dew?"
    

Now, That's funny !!! 
Been to jail before have you?

[vvarmitr]

Been to jail before have you?

Yeap! It was a class trip.

[Frogman]

I know this is kind of late??  I've been really busy with several projects here around the house this spring and have been neglecting my friends at F&F.

I was able to make it to the Predator Expo in Columbus OH for one day.  I saw some other photos on her somewhere, but couldn't find the thread so I will post mine here.

Some of the display booths . . .







The one above has the picture of the Prairie Blaster sitting on the table.  It's really big.  Prolly a little too much for me to carry aroung here in WV.  Maybe they have optional wheels for it???  I still like my Scorpion just fine!!





Got to see and listen to Randy Anderson for a little while!



Went to some seminars.  Above is Les Johnson I think. 





Went to the world coyote vocalization calling contest.  I don't think I will be entering anytime soon???



Here are some of the judges.  There were five of them and they were sitting right up just below the calling stage.  The had a cowling that kept them from seeing the callers.







The above are some photos of some of the callers.  There were twenty or so.  The last one is one of my hunting buddies, Jon Martin (wvhillbilly) from right here in Parkersburg.  All of them sounded real good to me.  I don't know how the judges could choose between them??  The more experienced callers moved back and forth across the stage and seemed to be aiming there calls right at certain judges??  I though Jon sounded really good but he didn't finish in the top three??



Above are the top three.  I don't remember their names??


I enjoyed the Expo and hope it is held close to WV again next year!  Got to see vvarmiter and a couple of the guys I hunted with at the OH hunt.  Also met a guy from the WVsportsmans forum. 

Jim
 

[FinsnFur]

Awesome pics, thanks for sharing them.
Jon told us he was the best coyote howler in the world, and that he could prove it any day of the week.

I guess March 21st was excluded from that
He can howl...dont get me wrong. Just lil over bearing.

Am I seeing this right in the pics of the judges? Gerald Stewert and Mike Dillon?

[vvarmitr]

Yeah, Gerald is one of the judges.  We were having a conversation when he said he had to go & do some judging. As for Mike Dillion I have no clue.