Big Horn Show offers diversity

Sportsmen and women were following their dreams Thursday, checking out hunting, fishing, rafting and other recreation products and opportunities from here to Africa at the Spokane Interstate Fair and Expo Center.

But they weren’t out of touch with the real world on the opening day of the Big Horn Outdoor Adventure Show.

When doors opened at noon, a standing-room-only crowd quickly gathered around the big-screen TVs in the beer garden to watch the Washington State Cougars playing their first game in the NCAA basketball tournament.

Then they fanned out through several buildings to check out the latest gear and the special show deals on everything from guided saltwater fishing trips to White Elephant downriggers so you can catch the big one yourself.

The Sportsman’s Warehouse was generating interest around a rack of new Nite Lite jackets and bib overalls, waterproof and windproof at about a third of the price of Gore-Tex.

Small vendors have their day among the big stores at the show. Idaho call-maker Pat Tully was demonstrating his handmade slate turkey calls, which come with a traditional wood striker as well as a carbon striker that works even when the slate is wet.

While basketball games are mostly for spectators, the Big Horn Show is a great place to be a participant. People were scaling climbing walls, catching trout at the indoor ponds, shooting archery and air rifles and checking out the amazing laser shooting range.

Kids were signing up for spring and summer hunter education classes. There’s no shortage of big-game trophies at the show, and everyone who walked past the Lake Chelan outfitter booth stopped to gawk at the 23-pound lake trout guide Anton Smith caught this week.

The show, organized by the Inland Northwest Wildlife council, runs through Sunday.