IF it’s cold and you’re bored, that means it’s the time of year for the sportsmen and boat shows to begin.
The first on tap is the 27th Annual Garden State Sportsmen’s and Adventure Show which runs Thursday through Sunday at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center in Edison.
This major show will be loaded with everything a hunter or angler could ask for, including a number of exhibits related to gun dogs. One of my favorite exhibits is the Garden State Deer Classic presented by New Jersey’s Division of Fish and Wildlife. The classic draws more exceptional displays each year.
The dog-training segments at this show always draw a large audience. This year Judi and Stephen Ware of Crossfire Kennels illustrate the training of German shorthairs.
The show is loaded with charter captains, fishing and hunting guides, outfitters and lodges from the U.S., Canada, South Africa and Costa Rica.
There also is a lot to do besides talking to guides. There are fly-casting demos, wildlife art, live wolves, live trout pond, video rifle range, BB gun range, paintball range and an archery range.
Show hours are: Thursday and Friday, 1-9 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Sun., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. For directions call (732) 417-1400 or go to gsoss .com.
Next up is the New York National Boat Show at the Javits Center from Jan. 20-24, followed by the New York Sportsmen’s Expo at Nassau Coliseum from Jan. 29-31 and, in the first sign of spring in these parts, the World Fishing and the Outdoor Expo, March 4-7 at Rockland Community College.