Gamefair Camping

[Cyres]

Mates is there is his big motor home. No camping for them.
The best game fairs were in the early 1980s and the Midland Game fair was just fantastic. Gunmakers and fishing rows were huge and everybody was there. The Air gun expo area was a must as was the FT competition. I competed once with my trusty .22 HW77K I didn't do at all well.
Apart from the Stalking show I haven't been to a Game fair in decades.
D

 

[mudman]

Well full day completed today. Again not a single person out of many thousands was seen to be wearing camo. The search will continue tomorrow.

One group of four young men with let’s say a distinctive (foreign) country accent and no doubt from a much maligned community were the only ones I noticed all day. They were being a bit loud in their efforts to haggle down the price on a clothing stand. They did not succeed so as they left snatched a couple of garments and tried to disappear in the crowd. The Asian stand holders had eyes on them and said garments were recovered quickly. Funny how stereotypes sometimes seem to fit perfectly, thieving people that they are. But that was only incident I saw all day, although I did overhear a security guard say to a stallholder it had been full on for them today.

 

[WW.]

Was there yesterday and today. Very warm and did feel sorry for many of the dogs walking and working. Good experience overall though.

Was great to meet the hounds with my children and they enjoyed a few bits (especially ferris wheel, colouring, mini land rovers, axe throwing, a few bits on the BASC stand, seeing unusual working breeds). Watching various displays was good- horses, falconry and working dogs. Good to showcase our rural heritage. Ice cream was eyewateringly expensive.

Missed out on clay lessons.

I'm the only one of the family who didn't come away with Rydale footwear, which may be chromosome related (it's not actually because of that, and one of the girls' pairs was only £5!), although did get a shirt from them and was impressed with their customer service.

Sadly didn't get as much leave to peruse fishing, optics or firearms areas as much as I'd hoped but to be honest I don't really need anything. My girls are keen to go again which is the main win for me.

Heading off site last night, the camping area looked peaceful and happy as we passed - it was great weather for it too.

Saw one of those instagram types as we got to our car to leave, she'd brought her own photographer with a massive camera and was posing by some trees and a gate whilst caked in fake-up. Can't understand how they make money from it but each to their own.

Was going to wear my camo cap but it was vetoed by the powers that be at the car seconds after being donned as apparently I looked 'too American'... I was slightly crestfallen.

 

[pendle]

I had not been for a good few years. So I went with a mate yesterday and met up with his daughter. We really enjoyed it caught up with a few friends on and off the stands we chewed the cud . I got my 2nd DNT Zulus V1 sorted out by DNT. It would not connect to my phone thats the main reason for going i want it set up on my .308 .
We bought 2 sets of carbon fibre quad sticks off Best fox call.

We got in quick. Coming out took longer.
My mates daughter could not remember where she parked her car. Its somewhere on a hill .
Once located we where out in less than 15 mins

 

[mudman]

Well, third day and I can report I did see two individuals dressed in full Cammo.

One was a boy aged about four who could have been dressed in his favourite soldier outfit and not dressed in his go to hunting gear, so it was excusable. The other was a chap of about 60, so no excuses to be made on his behalf.

But as again there were thousands there, I can safely put to bed the assertion that the game fair is full of people walking around in cammo. Two folk seen in three days.

( quieter today although the weather was nicer, it being slightly cooler with a gentle breeze).

 

[bramble basher]

Sadly as many have said bargains are not to be found only use now is as a meeting place of similar minds stalking show is the only one worth the effort just hope it stays true to its roots now basc is more heavily involved least the weather was good only just dried out from floors castle Kelso in 1988

 

[Klenchblaize]

Was there a section of Gun Makers Row dedicated to the furtherance of non-toxic sport?

K

 

[Spear Chucker]

Was there a section of Gun Makers Row dedicated to the furtherance of non-toxic sport?

K

In fairness to BASC, since West Mids packed up, they haven't had a hope. Mobs (walked past four separate groups with 5-7 scrotes in each) of over coiffed young "gentlemen" of the Cabbage-and-fags caravan club milling around chatting about where and who they planned to fight. I will stick to the smaller more specialised shows. After 11am, it became a cross between Petticoat Lane and a re-enactment of the set of "Snatch". A shame for those of us with memories of the good days.

 

[mudman]

Was there a section of Gun Makers Row dedicated to the furtherance of non-toxic sport?

K

No, Hull Cartridge had their non toxic selection on display and RC theirs, which also included the card wads by Jocker. I had an interesting g discussion with a young barrel maker who was making Damascus barrels from modern steels and plans to get them still proofed for high end English shot guns.

 

[NoIDeer]

Was there a section of Gun Makers Row dedicated to the furtherance of non-toxic sport?

K

No but there was a small section of the BASC stand not dedicated to the furtherance of non toxic...!

 

[Spear Chucker]

No, Hull Cartridge had their non toxic selection on display and RC theirs, which also included the card wads by Jocker. I had an interesting g discussion with a young barrel maker who was making Damascus barrels from modern steels and plans to get them still proofed for high end English shot guns.

Talking to Bill Elderkin, he reckons that many older guns will be fine provided choke is relatively open. They still don't kill as well though.