Deerstalking Fair, 23/24 March 2013

[wildfowler.250]

there are no weather issues in this area at all, except for a strong wind. Just spoke to someone who came down from Edinburgh and the roads are black all around us. Met office update this morning at 5am looked a lot better than last night. Sunday even better

Thats reassuring. Supposed to be going from Edinburgh tonight or tomorrow morning but was worried about the roads.

btw can anyone tell me if pennine taxidermy made it up to the fair okay? I've sent the taxidermist a text to see if he made it up but thought I might as well ask on here at the same time incase the signal at the fair is poor.


Thanks!

 

[alaskagray]

Im up will be there tomorrow hope all goes well

 

[Mauser243]

Just heading down, snow has finally stopped, quite a lot on the ground and drifting, but at least roads!! are clear!! if anyone coming down the A72 towards Galashiels.

George.

 

[Scott Country]

As you know we couldnt get there due to the weather, so instead decided to have some fun....

 

[cumbrian]

I am thinking of attending the show tomorrow and was wondering was there many stalls selling reloading gear.
Brian

 

[Nelson]

I am thinking of attending the show tomorrow and was wondering was there many stalls selling reloading gear.
Brian

Brian,

I did notice a stall selling a lot of reloading gear.

Atb,
Nelson

 

[mjd237]

Brock and norris and borders gun room was selling reloading supplies m8. Powders,bullets,brass etc.

 

[Nelson]

I just got back from the fair. Very well attended indeed. Well done to the organisers and the trade stands. Everything was very well set out and you could have kept on spending. Some cracking rifles and optics on display. If you didn't make it today, try and get there tomorrow.

Atb,
Nelson

 

[Cut+Squirt]

Both myself, wattygun and Haroe have just returned from the fair . . a great day out . . and to echo what others have said . . it was refreshing to attend a fair where the entrance fee was great value, and the stalls were all actually stalking related. . . .I have no doubt that the fair will grow and be with us for many years to come. . . a fantastic effort by everyone involved!!!

 

[jamross65]

Huge thanks to the traders and public who came to the fair today. The nerves were frayed but now all worth while!

Within the first hour at least 2 traders were already asking if there were plans for it for next year so busines must have been good. feedback has been great so far so looking forward to tomorrow.

 

[Hw60sniper]

Huge thanks to the traders and public who came to the fair today. The nerves were frayed but now all worth while!

Within the first hour at least 2 traders were already asking if there were plans for it for next year so busines must have been good. feedback has been great so far so looking forward to tomorrow.

Myself and 2 mates both enjoyed the show as did others that we spoke to ,keep up the good work mate

 

[exmarksman9870]

Yes had a cracking day today...one issue i had though and i hope somebody can explain to me why the raffle for the binos got done twice? Not very fair to the person who got called first...maybe a family member took unwell or a disabled person at the toilet etc...5 mins and another number called....maybe pop a name and number on tickets if doing the same tomo chaps....

 

[jamross65]

Yes had a cracking day today...one issue i had though and i hope somebody can explain to me why the raffle for the binos got done twice? Not very fair to the person who got called first...maybe a family member took unwell or a disabled person at the toilet etc...5 mins and another number called....maybe pop a name and number on tickets if doing the same tomo chaps....

When the tickets were sold at the door, it was made clear from the outset that only tickets that could be claimed on the day would be honoured and no names and addresses taken. Unfortunately,the first ticket drawn, after being called several times and a delay of 10 minutes with folk waiting to see the winner, was still not claimed. therefore the decision was taken to draw a second ticket. The same rules will apply tomorrow so that all there could see the winner...

Justfor the record, PA speakers in both halls were checked as initially the one in the back hall didn't work, so it was called several times again, just to make sure...

 

[Scott Country]

Managed to clear one of the three ways into our village with JCB Loadall tonight and then dug out my wife's car so I am going to attempt trip tommorow morning.

Van is still wheel arch deep in compacted powder made worse by Loadall shoving snow into drive.
​
Will just be me and a mate but at least we will get to see the show we hope, despite not being able to exhibit.

We took this pic today after clearing road....

Us sitting on top of snow drift with friend taking pic on road, insane really.

Sun now shining and snow melting so things looking good for tommorow

Really glad the show went so well and with roads now clear in our area except back roads its looking good for travelling now.

 

[David T]

Going to buck the trend I'm affraid. If it keeps the same format next year I'm not going back, nothing new or unusual so left empty handed, wallet intact. Also went with my wife and there was nothing there that appealled to her. If you want a bigger, better show you need to increase your cross market appeal.

 

[Rake Aboot]

Nothing new or unusual, but it was good to see everything stalking in the one place.
No bargains to be had,, in fact with a fairly large budget from the wife, I ended up buying a swingblade, and a revolving bucket,, oh ! and a Gambrel from Monarch.

I was looking for Dovre extremes but the fact they wouldn`t budge from the full rrp meant that Mains in Haddington got even more of my money.

Was a good day though, met a few and caught up with a few. I enjoyed it and it seemd to be busy enough, so yes, I will be back.

No decent sticks either, so anyone got a link to cheap Knobloch or trigger sticks ?

 

[8x57]

I think it’s rather nice to hear such positive responses (one or two exceptions). I’m only sorry that I wasn’t able to make the long trek up north to attend but perhaps next year I’ll make the extra effort. I’ll be honest and admit I was a little sceptical about the idea, after all there have been a couple of game fairs billed as being deer fairs held down south in the long and distant past, but they just degenerated into the normal bazaars that passed themselves off as game fairs.

Perhaps they were a bit before their time or that the stalking community simply wasn’t ready for them at the time. More likely that stalkers didn’t get to hear about them so much because there weren’t websites like this to get the word about.

It’s early days so hopefully this event will develop and we can look forward to a similar event next year. I’ll start saving now for a long weekend and persuade the wife it’s time we had another trip to the borders, and just hope that the weather is kinder to us all next year.

 

[HUNTERHENDY]

When the tickets were sold at the door, it was made clear from the outset that only tickets that could be claimed on the day would be honoured and no names and addresses taken. Unfortunately,the first ticket drawn, after being called several times and a delay of 10 minutes with folk waiting to see the winner, was still not claimed. therefore the decision was taken to draw a second ticket. The same rules will apply tomorrow so that all there could see the winner...

Justfor the record, PA speakers in both halls were checked as initially the one in the back hall didn't work, so it was called several times again, just to make sure...

Just for your record it was not made clear to us when we enterd with regards to the draw, And why then did they take are tickets with name etc on back when we had to leave around 12

 

[Double four]

I travelled up from yorkshire with matt 6.5x284 it took us about 3 1/2 hours so not to bad, entrance fee was cheap and the food not too expensive either.
Had a chance to catch up with some mates from around the country and meet some people and forum members that i had been corresponding with too.
Brian and his pal did a sterling job putting this together and im sure it get bigger and even better, downside for me was getting matt to pay for anything and never got around to the gass of whisky 6 pointer promised everytime i went to his stall he was off either socialising making friends or influencing people ! DF

 

[patrickt]

Yes had a cracking day today...one issue i had though and i hope somebody can explain to me why the raffle for the binos got done twice? Not very fair to the person who got called first...maybe a family member took unwell or a disabled person at the toilet etc...5 mins and another number called....maybe pop a name and number on tickets if doing the same tomo chaps....

I totally agree with this comment, I bought 2 tickets, which were not cheap, and I think it is only fair that the winning ticket is drawn, and the winner is identfied by some means, not every raffle you enter requires you to be present when drawn. I think a better, fairer method should be used