Big Horn Show Big Volunteer Effort

Although there’s a show at Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds almost every week this time of year, the Big Horn Sports and Recreation Show is different.

The show is sponsored by a local club and the profits stay here for the good of fish and wildlife.

The Inland Northwest Wildlife Council founded the show 37 years ago as a forum for sportsmen to compare the antlers they collected during the fall hunting seasons.

But the trophy wildlife display is a minor part of the modern show, which has more than 200 exhibitors.

You can book a fishing trip or a whitewater raft trip or make contact with more than 20 outdoor sporting and conservation groups in the region.

Kids can hook a real trout at Fishing World. Adults can get the thrill of landing a 30-pound salmon at the Virtual Fishing simulator.

St. Lukes Rehabilitation Institute and the Safari Club will feature exhibits specially geared to bringing the outdoor experience to disabled individuals, including the blind.

Settle the argument over who’s the best shot by pairing up with your buddy at the dueling posts at the air-rifle range. Work on casting techniques at an 80-foot casting pond.

Educational seminars run almost continually during the show, with performances several times a day by entertainers, such as quick-draw artist Bob Munden.

The wildlife council puts on the show with volunteer work, the council’s trademark.

Each year, volunteers form the membership of about 1,000, donate tens of thousands of hours of effort to feeding wintering birds and wildlife, rehabilitating streams and shorelines, building campgrounds and public access sites, radiocollaring big game animals for wildlife research and more.

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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: BIG HORN SHOW Thursday, noon-9 p.m. Friday, noon10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.