1-minute hike: 2012 State of Maine Sportsman’s Show

Difficulty: Easy, with several opportunities to refuel on jerky, fudge, beef stew and free candy along the way. 

How to get there:The Augusta Civic Center is located at 76 Community Drive in Augusta, but the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show hike is only open for three days each year, usually in late March or early April.
Information:The 2012 State of Maine Sportsman’s Show was the 32nd annual show, and it included 130 booths, several special exhibits and more than 100 seminars and events. For children, Trout Unlimited continued its tradition of offering free fly-tying lessons, ATV Maine offered ATV rides in the parking lot, and the Maine Bowhunter’s Association taught archery. For art lovers, the show included a room full of outdoor photography, paintings and wildlife carvings.

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.

Photo by Aimee Thibodeau on March 30, 2012 at the State of Maine Sportsman's Show in Augusta.

Aislinn Sarnacki

About Aislinn Sarnacki

Aislinn is a Bangor Daily News reporter for the Outdoors pages, focusing on outdoor recreation and Maine wildlife. Visit her main blog at actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com.