Difficulty: Easy, with several opportunities to refuel on jerky, fudge, beef stew and free candy along the way.
Big attractions included “Great Maine Moose Camp,” a virtual trip into the woods of Maine presented by Maine Guide and Outfitter Services; a display of wildlife mounts by the Maine Taxidermists Association; a dog-handling show by experts of The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association; and booths representing 25 sporting camps and outfitters. Of the many exciting raffles, one of the most anticipated was the 16-foot canoe offered by L.L. Bean.
The show was hosted by The Maine Sportsman magazine and the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine. For information, visit www.mainesportsmansshow.com.
Personal note: Outdoor editor and columnist John Holyoke, senior editor Aimee Thibodeau and I manned a booth for the Bangor Daily News Outdoors for all three days of the show, nestled comfortably between the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Yes, it was tiring, but we had a blast. Our outdoor videos, photo slide show, snazzy backdrop and special outdoor publication grabbed people’s attention, and we commenced to reel them into conversation about the free drift boat contest, hiking in Maine, and, on occasion, the NCAA basketball Final Four. A tip of my camoflauge hat to all the vendors who put up with my videotaping. A special thanks to Doug Alexander, SAM board member, for pausing four times for me to get a decent photo of his hat for my video.