CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Trophy Hunters Association assured Wednesday, the 38th annual West Virginia Hunting and Fishing Show set for this weekend at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center is a go, regardless of what the weather throws our way.
“I’ve been getting calls and people have asked what are we going to do about the snow. Hey, the doors will be open,” said Trophy Hunters spokesman Glen Jarrell.
All exhibit booths for the event are sold out. The show features an array of different offerings for outdoor enthusiasts. There will be chances to shop for gear or apparel. There will be taxidermists, knife makers, gun smiths, archery equipment, baits, tied flies, and rod builders. As usual there will be hunting and fishing outfitters from around the world where you can book a hunting or fishing adventure.
“We have over 150 exhibitors there. We have outfitters from all over the United States if you wanted to book an elk hunt out in Colorado or up in Canada if you wanted to book a moose hunt, they’ll be there,” said Jarrell. “We have seven outfitters from South Africa if you want to do a safari. Come down and talk to those guys and book a trip or at least get the information.”
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources will have a large presence at the show with biologists and law enforcement officers on hand to speak to the public about any issue you may want to discuss. There will also be a Youth Challenge in which children can shoot a bow, participate in the DNR’s shoot-don’t shoot video game, cast for prizes, and other activities. The DNR will have certified staff members to score antlers for anybody wanting to learn how your buck’s rack sizes up against others. Some of the biggest bucks ever killed in West Virginia are on display in the West Virginia Whitetail Hall of Fame.
Jarrell noted there will be one very special rack there for hunters to check out this year.
“We’re very blessed to have at the show this year the largest whitetail antlers ever found and ever scored. It was found in 1959 in Nebraska and we’re fortunate enough to have it at the show this year. It scored 218 points,” he said.
As usual, a number of the trips, services, and firearms will be for sale at the charity auction Saturday night. The state will be busy with a variety of seminars and presentations. West Virginia Outdoors will originate from the DNR Stage in the center of the show floor with one show on Friday and another on Saturday.
Hours are noon to 9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $12 and those age 12 and under get in free. All proceeds from the event, once expenses are paid, are given in grants to programs which advance conservation or youth outdoor education. Over the 38-years of the event, the Trophy Hunters Association has donated more than a Million dollars to various outdoor related and conservation minded organizations.
“We will be there rain, snow, sleet, whatever. The doors are going to be open, come on down, get out of the weather, and enjoy the show,” Jarrell said.