Eastern Sports and Outdoor Expo - The fall out

Not a big fan of the Matthews statement at all, read their justification in the first sentence and that about sums it. Lost me as customer period.




"The Eastern Sportsman Show in Harrisburg is the largest outdoor consumer show in the nation, and by no means has Mathews boycotted the show. We have had 3-4 Mathews Retailers representing their store as well as our companies products for some time. As far as the second amendment goes, we are hunters and sportsman just like you. We have a large number of lifetime NRA members and everyone in this facility believes in our Second Amendment rights. We thank you for your support of Mathews and our Second Amendment rights. "

 

Do you know if Ruger is still planning on attending? Seen in the exhibitor list Ruger Firearms. If so that is extremely disappointing

 

Scott, I don't know the exact reasoning for you asking, but here's a post I made in another thread.....

I wouldn't be so quick to black ball some of the companies that are still attending. While its great what you're doing to champion the guys who have decided to take a stand, some of the other companies can't afford NOT to attend. Its not just about making a few bucks for them, its about surviving as a company. These small companies depend on this show to get them through the year and without it, they could fold up. They order extra inventory for this show alone and not turning over that inventory could cause them to go bankrupt.

As sportsmen, we need to stick together and that includes supporting everyone in the industry. I would have liked to see Todd make a little bit more of a statement as to why he was attending, but I know him well enough to understand why he has to go.

Again, I applaud you for championing those that are boycotting, but take a minute and think about the vendors that are still attending and maybe try to understand that they have mouths to feed.

 

If there is a firearm manufacturer or a firearm accessory manufacturer still attending they will never see a dollar of mine... Ever. Will I begrudge someone selling t shirts, canned hot peppers or sham wows? No.

That is just how I see it.

 

That I agree with, as the ruling directly affects them.

 

Ruger is out as of a few minutes ago.

 

That is good news, wonder if they were trying to lobby them to reconsider and failed? can't think of any other reason they would have waited so long to pull the plug. They were the first ones I emailed a few days back.

 

Ruger, Gamplan and Thermcell are out...

 

Don't know but I'd of hated to try to change my dogs name, email, usernames ect if they had stayed in. Has there been any coverage of this boycott on the national news? We don't watch tv and was curious if the media that was so quick to publicize ows and every gay rights (privelage) boycott(chic-fil-a) had anything to say about it.

 

I know for a fact that some companies I spoke with were hoping for a reversal from Reed and the show, hence not forcing them to make a choice.

There is supposed to be a press release or announcement today from Reed and the show, I will post it when I get it.

Reed, and where they are located is a good example to look at and see what we are fighting against. Do we end up like most of Europe where firearm ownership has been criminalized by most countries? Look at has happened to hunting in most of Europe where it is mostly a sport that the common man can no longer gain access or afford to hunt, or own arms to hunt.

I hate the fact that something like a Sportmans show will factions in the American outdoor industries but I also think that our backs are against a cliff and the people that want to take our second amendment rights wont stop unyil they are all gone.

I have a son that isnt even two yet and for him to enjoy the same freedoms, loves and passions that I been so lucky to enjoy ..... well then I better get off my *** and start fighting for his future rights.

 

You need to re-read the last page of this thread. They never planned on going, they may have private dealers that don't back out but they can't control that. Just a heads up. I read the first sentence wrong at first and was pissed...happy I re-read myself maybe you did the same thing. Be nice to know what they "would have done" if they were going.

 

Latest figure I heard was something like close to 300 vendors have cancelled so far. Thats out of the 1200 slated to be there. Of course there are probably others that aren't showing, but didn't announce.

As for Mathews, they haven't been at the show, as a company in years. There are usually a handful of dealers there every year. If a dealer chooses to attend, its not Mathews fault.

I do not blame or condemn those little companies that will attend. Sorry, but a man's got to eat and feed his family and if the revenue from this show helps that, who the hell are we to blame them? I'll support them, whether they're in or out. Now the big companies, where this is a drop in the bucket... different story.

Either way, this is turning into quite a display from the 2nd amendment crowd. I smell a lawsuit over this...

 

See, we agree on a lot more than just crossbows!:D

 

I agree with you Muzzyman. Bigger companies that won't be affected by the outcome or attendance of the show should cancel. Smaller companies or start up companies for that matter might be trying to make their first real presence and are putting all their eggs in this basket.

 

Then I rescind my statement. C'mon Dan, I have to have some place to come and play "internet tough guy".

 

The point I was trying to say (and I think most understood what I meant) was I can handle the small guy who backs out after consideration cause he has a lot to lose with that choice, in fact to take 1 step further I wouldn't hold it against them if they still attended, but big named people like Lee and Tiffany (who for all intent purposes don't need the $ from this event) to wait.....they are the people I'm speaking of and just today Summit Treestands, IMHO they and the other huge Companies who are just now saying they aren't going are doing it for public opinion and that's it, knowing the back lash from us (Hunters) I'm glad like someone stated that Cabelas and many others came out right away !!!!

 

here is a short list of drop outs, almost feel like sending every one a thank you letter


2 Million Bullets
24/7 Hunting TV
Alaska’s Ravencroft Lodge
Alaskan Outdoors TV
Ambush Firearms
American Whitetails of PA
Antler Insanity
Apex Tactical
Appalachian Big Game TV
Arrowhead Outdoors
Athens Archery
Atlantic Tactical
Avian X Decoys
Bangin Redhedz Turkey Gear
Bear Archery
Big Game Butter
Blitz TV
Bohning Archery
Boondock Outdoors
Bow Hunter’s Den
Bow Life, LLC
BowHunter Planet
Bowhunting.com
Cabela’s
Camo Addiction
Campbell Cameras
CanCooker
Cochrane River Outfitters
Cody Turkey Calls
Cold Steel Knives
Combative Edge
Continental Divide Outfitters
Cross Canyon Arms
Cutting Edge Bullets
Darkwoods Blind
DCVR
Dead Ringer
Deer and Deer Hunting.com
Direct Action Tactical Firearms
Dirty Dog Outdoors
Domari Nolo Defense Consulting
Dominance is Everything Hunting System
Dominator 365
Down N Dirty Outdoors
Driven TV
Droptine Outfitters
DuckWater Boats
Eastern Chapter Wild Sheep Foundation
Eastern Outdoors
Easton Bow Hunting
Excalibur Crossbow US, Inc
Farmland Trophies Outfitting
Fear No Evil
Field Proven Calls
Firearms Industry Consulting Group
Flatline Productions
Foiles Migrators, Inc
Forbes Turkey Calls
FOXPRO High Performance Game Calls
Full Circle Outdoors
Furtakers TV
Ghost River Outfitters – Alberta
Gone Wild Outdoors
Goodling Rifles
Gut N Tag, LLC
H.S. Specialities
Heartland Whitetails
Hevi-Shot
High Lonesome Outfitters
HookHunt
Horton Archery
Hoyt Archery Inc
Hunter Safety Systems
Hunter Specialties w/ Rick White
Hunters and Guides Connection
Hunters Comfort, LLC
Hunter’s Specialties
Huntin’ Is Good! TV
IceHole Coolers
International Bowhunting Organization
Iron Kin Hunt Club
IScope
J & M Traditions
Keystone Country Store
Keystone Elk Country Alliance
King of the Mountain Inc.
Kinsey’s Outdoors
Kodabow
Lancaster Archery Supply
Major League Bowhunter
Mathews Inc
Men in Treestands Productions
Midwest Whitetail Adventures
Mindful of Nature LLC
Mountain Dog Chews
Muddy Outdoors
Muskie Moose, LLC
NasHunt Outdoors
Nature Blinds, LLC
NasHunt Outdoors
Northern Hideaway Outfitters
Northern Outdoor Lodge
Northern Wilderness Outfitters
Old Goat Outdoors
Open Season TV
Outdoor Channel Outfitters
Outdoor Edge Knives
Outdoor Specialist Grou
Outdoorsnative.com
Ozonics Hunting
PA Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs
PA Taxidermist Association, Inc
Pat Strawser Custom Calls
Pennsylvania Trappers Assoc.
Perry’s No Peep Archery Site
Pipeline Ridge Hunting Preserve
Primal Urge Outdoors
Primos Hunting Calls
Proc’s Huntin Buddy
PSE Archery
Radical Hunter
Ranew’s Outdoor Equipment
Red Star Arms
Revolution Hunting
Rhino Outdoors
Rougeaux Taxidermy
Ruger
S & W Outfitter
SecureIt Tactical
Skull Shine
Smith and Wesson
Southern Game Calls
Spook Span
Sportsmen of North America TV
State Line Bone Mine
Staudt’s Gun Shop
Stay Ready Inc
Strother Archery
Stokerized Stabilizers
Susquehanna River Waterfowlers Assoc
Table Mountain Outfitters
Team Overkill
Ten Point
The Bear Whisperer
The Outdoor Loop
The State Line Bone Mine a NW Missouri and Iowa outfitter
The Warmbag
Timberline Outfitters
TNT Archery
Tough Country
Trijicon, Inc
Triple Mag TV
Trop Gun Shop
Turnbull Manufacturing
U Slide Bow Hunter
Ultimate Camo
Umax Outdoors
Upper Canyon Outfitters
Wallaston Lake Lodge
Tex Mex Outdoors
The Warmbag
Watson Air Lock
Watt’s Truck Center
Whitetail Bosses
Whitetail Freaks
Whitetail Heaven Outdoors
Whitewolfsurvivalsupply.com
Wired Outdoors
Woodcock Limited of Pennsylvania
X-Stand Treestands
Zink Calls
Zook Cabins

 

RMEF is out. Just got their email alert

 

I dont re to re-read anything. The statement they( Mathews ) made is very clear thank you. And I still stand by not agreeing with it or the rational. And I am very much in agreement with you that it would be nice to know they " would have done", but alas its a non issue as they aren't and weren't planing on being there.


On a positive note I noticed that Whitetail Heaven Outfitters is on the drop out list. If the is the Ky outfitters I am thinking about I have couple of friends who hunted with them in the past and they had very good things to say about them. I also seen they are well reviewed on Bowsite. Someone looking for a deer hunt its a good place to look into.

 

Guessing they didn't issue the press release?