Monday, January 28, 2013

Shot Show 2013 Impressions

Though certainly not a newbie to the glitz and glam of Vegas, this was my maiden voyage to the Shot Show and when this incredible event is placed against the back drop of the city of sin, you create an overall visceral experience with A LOT of WOW factor. It is difficult to describe the Shot Show in the written word, for it needs to be experienced firsthand to be fully appreciated.

Quite honestly, the immensity or entirety of the experience is overwhelming. My participation was as media presence and I enjoyed getting a chance to meet with different product vendors and see the latest, greatest and newly released hunting products.

As a blogger and publication writer, I was granted permission to attend for this event is not open to the general public. For the writing crowd, Shot week started with a real BANG, with Monday’s festivities that started with tour buses transporting hundreds of us out into the waste lands of the desert to “play” at a titanic sized gun range. Coined “Media Day”, this event had me firing, throwing and operating a wide selection of weaponry including; crossbows, SOG knives and hatchets, 1911 Pistols, Benelli and Browning Shotguns and a mind blowing selection of fully automatic firearms.

Of all of the vendors, most impressive were the individuals from KRISS, their firearms, sales staff, weapons overview and shooting suggestions were spot on. Despite temperatures that hovered around 40 degrees F all day and sustained 30 mph wind speeds with gusts up to 40 mph, all of the vendors were in great spirits and did everything to make participants have a fantastic time.

The fuel for this successful event was surely the food. Lunch was a decadent selection of comfort foods, provided free of charge. Included in this “feast” were pork ribs, chili, mac and cheese, potato salad coleslaw, cookies, brownies and a huge selection of beverages . . . AND thankfully, piping HOT coffee! The lunch tent was a VERY welcomed short escape from the desert weather that attempted to punish us throughout the course of the day and had even this Maine boy glad he brought 3 heavy base layers, wool hat, boots and gloves.

HIGHLIGHT of media day was most certainly seeing Full Metal Jacket drill sergeant, Glock Representative and general tough guy . . . Ronald Lee Ermey!

Monday night found many of us on the social media platform Twitter at a “Tweet-up” or meeting of twitter users at the V-Bar in the Venetian. This laid back drinking hole, promoted an easy to talk atmosphere and wait staff that were amazingly gorgeous. As is usual, the tweet-up participants were a great blend of fun people with unique thoughts, ideas and opinion . . . AND of course there was free alcohol. I met several people I have been following for years and even met a few new “twerps” that I am planning to follow. If you are not on twitter or have never been to a tweet-up, I strongly suggest you do!

Tuesday was pure insanity; the Shot Show floor is 600,000 square feet and covers multiple floors. Slowly wandering around the hunting section alone, took me 5 hours and I still didn’t even come close to seeing all of the companies that were represented. Favorites include the fine ladies at Prois, who work tirelessly to promote more women entering the sport of hunting. Also the infrared/night vision company MODARMORY.com who graciously offered to set me up with their IR technology and video camera for night hunting coyotes this winter season. Our shared hope is that I will be able to capture video of shooting of coyotes that will be posted on their website, my blog and also features in various predator hunting presentations I plan to offer.

After the show closed its doors at 5:30, I was treated to a social event at the bar Lavo in the Venetian Palazzo hosted by tacticalgear.com. These fun events, offer a great way to socialize and make new connections. I could see immediately, that some people are very practiced with this art form, being very good at promoting themselves, their companies, blogs and websites. I have a lot to learn from these well “polished” individuals before Shot Show 2014! It is my sincere hope, that I will be able to return to the Shot Show next year but as with so many things in life, I will need to make that decision when the date moves closer. Maybe what I REALLY need to do is find a SPONSOR!

17 comments:

  1. My buddy went to this. I wished I could have gone. Must have been a great time!

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    1. It was a WILD time. I could tell you more BUT as you are well aware, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. :) If you have never been make it a priority to go some year.

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  2. If you find a sponsor who needs another blogger/writer/booth babe let me know. I'll be all over that! LOL

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    1. If I ever find myself in a position, desperate to find a booth babe with average looks and a basic understanding of the written word, I PROMISE you will be my first choice. :P

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    2. Ok, Ok, OOOOOKKKKKKK! Before I receive anymore hate mail, for my seemingly sarcastic and insensitive response the the wonderful, smart and beautiful Reel Lady, know that I was just JOKING! I personally find REEL utterly irresistible (on of curse a completely platonic and professional level) and am honored to consider her a fellow outdoor blogger! :)

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    3. Ahh nice to see you take that back! Seriously insult my shooting abilities or something next time Paul Bunyon (PS I googled that sh*t to know how to spell it).

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    4. YOU KNOW I WAS TEASING! ANYWAY . . . yes, next time I will make fun of your atrocious shooting abilities and mediocre use of the Google search engine. :)

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  3. LOL!!! I warned you! It's as some would think is it Rabid? Glad you had fun. Next year you need to plan on more than a couple days right?! There is just no way to describe SHOT Show in a post. It has to be experienced in person.
    Oh. And you're welcome for the jacket suggestion too.

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    1. It was a BLAST Mia, next year I am staying the week! There was just to much to see and to much to do to try and squeeze the entire adventure into 2 1/2 days! Plus I missed events like the Golden Moose Awards and such that would have been so much FUN to attend!

      At least next year Media Day CANNOT be any colder than it was this year! LOL! Then again . . . . HA!

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  4. Thanks Steve! So glad we met you. Now which was the blog you were telling me I had to read?

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    1. So great to meet you as well it was a pleasure. If you have not already read the article that was written and the photographs that were taken by the woman writer and photographer who joined my family and I last year at deer camp, I believe it would be worth your time. It's a great story AND the magazine is circulated in a very URBAN area of our state where hunting, fishing and traditional outdoor sports are frequently looked down upon. I hope the article in a small way helps to change those perceptions.

      Here is the URL, I hope you enjoy! - http://www.themaineoutdoorsman.com/2012/11/alive-and-well-in-lonely-country.html

      Thanks!

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  5. After reading all these comments, you are definitely the queen bee of the hive... congratulations princess... Toughen up, Island Falls is coming... don't want you hanging out with my wife up there...

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    1. BUUUUUUZZZZZZZZZZZ! Will make sure to bring my tiara!

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    2. No worries, he'll utterly offend your wife after about .05 seconds.

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    3. My wife already barely tolerates him and his ways... It's amazing that we still are allowed to be bro's...

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    4. Feeling the love, feeling the love . . . :)

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  6. This is a great post Steve. Great insight to what the Shot Show is all about! Hoping to make it down to it someday! :)

    ~Ash
    www.extraordinaryoutdoors.com

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