Big Horn Show Set For 39Th Run

The Big Horn Sports and Recreation Show is worth attending even if you don’t hunt or fish.

Or raft rivers or paddle a canoe.

Or buy outdoor gear or enjoy outdoor trips with the family.

The event is worth the admission just to say thanks.

The show, which runs Thursday through Sunday at Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds, is the region’s largest single event in the name of wildlife conservation.

For 39 years, the show has been sponsored by the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council. Unlike many other shows of its kind, in which a nonresident promoter carts most of the profits out of town, Big Horn Show proceeds stay here to help wildlife and outdoor recreation.

Volunteers do all the work to build the attractions, including the fishing world for kids, the archery ranges and tunnels leading to several buildings for the sprawling show.

“We get more than 10,000 man-hours of work just for the show,” said James Layman, the council’s executive director.

But the show is just the beginning of a volunteer effort that stands a mountain range above any comparable group in the Northwest.

People who pay admission to the Big Horn Show in order to shop for a fishing charter, a taxidermist or a wildlife artist, make a contribution to wildlife.

The 1,200 council members have a tradition of devoting weekends and even week-long vacations to conservation projects.

“Our work projects aren’t just a bunch of men with shovels,” Layman said.

“Members like to bring the whole family. The kids might not always be old enough to be a big help, but they get out there and get a flavor of what we do and why we do it.”

Most recently, they completed construction of handicapped-accessible fishing docks at Coffee Pot and Pacific lakes. The docks not only will aid anglers, but also will help prevent people from trampling wetland habitat.

Stream conservation projects are always on the list.

Club members are donating tons of time and thousands of dollars into a moose study in cooperation with the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department.

“This club has members willing to be on call seven days a week to help a veterinarian corner a moose so it can be tranquilized and and fitted with a radio collar,” Layman said.

“We even have members who respond to calls to pick up road-killed deer, moose and elk so the animals can be field dressed and the meat salvaged for donation to the Union Gospel Mission.”

Some members devote a huge chunk of their lives to teaching ethics and safety to future hunters.

“We sponsor a five-day hunter education course every month from April through September,” Layman said. “All we charge is $3 for materials.”

The show would be worth attending even if the admission money went down a rat hole.

Layman said the show will cover more space than ever before. Attendees will be able to check out about 225 commercial exhibitors.

The club also makes room for at least 25 of the region’s top outdoors clubs, including those dealing with dogs, scouting, power boating, fishing, hunting, pack stock and canoeing.

Special entertainment packages include the stage performances of Legends of the Old West.

The world-class whitetail trophy collection of hunter-artist Dick Idol, which tours internationally under the sponsorship of Cabela’s, will be a center attraction for big-game hunters.

The who’s who’ of conservation groups also will be on hand, including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, National Wild Turkey Federation and Trout Unlimited.

Gear ranging from custom fly rods and knife sharpeners to real estate and jewelry will be on sale.

Virtually every show hour is filled with a seminar dealing with outdoor skills applicable to this region.

Fund-raising auctions are scheduled.

The big-game trophy judging, the roots of the show, are still maintained. Hunters can bring their trophy mounts to the show by Saturday noon and have them scored on the Boone and Crockett or Pope and Young scales.

“The Big Horn Show is a huge undertaking, and we all breath a big sigh of relief when it’s over” Layman said. “Then we have about a week to relax before we start planning for the show next year.”

SHOW TIMES The Big Horn Sports and Recreation Show will run at Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds Thursday and Friday, noon-9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.