International Sportsmen’s Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah

What a way to cap off the ISE show season!!! The number of passionate bowhunters that call the Salt Lake City area home never ceases to amaze me. What an incredible weekend. Maybe bowhunting is so popular and the sport is blowing up so much in Utah because some of the most respected brands in all of hunting call the state home -- Hoyt and Easton lead the charge in this respect. They do a great job of building the sport and beings that the show is in their backyard it only makes sense that bowhunting is rockin’ there at the base of the Wasatch Front. Badlands is run out of SLC as well and of course the city is also home to the Utah Archery Center, an archery pro-shop nearly every bowhunter I visited with at the show frequents. They must take care of their customers. The guys talking with pride of their shop, the UAC, reminds me of all my buddies back home when talking about The Bow Rack. Good pro-shops play an important and vital role in the sport of bowhunting.

Actually, I guess it is not just bowhunters that call SLC home that make this show so special and successful. The city simply puts on a heck of an event. I talked to many hardcore guys from Idaho and Wyoming over the weekend that came into town on a road trip. Not to mention one Mr. Darryl Uhrig who traveled all the way from Pennsylvania specifically to soak up the “Eastmans’ Experience” in Salt Lake City. Now that is passion. I brought Darryl up on stage to give him some props for his support of Eastmans’ during the Saturday show and present him with a $50 gift certificate from Cabela’s. In a classy move by Darryl he in turn handed the certificate back to me and suggested that instead I offer it up to a young hunter in the audience, which I did. Darryl no doubt made the young man’s day as I am certain the future hunter made his dad haul him over the Cabela’s after the show so he could buy up $50 worth of Under Armour.

On a side note I can’t thank you all enough for turning out in force for my seminars. I am grateful for the acceptance and will never forget it.

Like normal the Eastmans’ booth buzz was electric too. I signed hundreds of hats, books, magazines and t-shirts over the weekend, not to mention posed in countless photos with many serious western hunters, which is an honor for me. I have included a few here as well as a couple emails I have received already. What is encouraging for the sport is that seemingly all generations and genders are afflicted with bowhunting fever. I visited with many young high school age hunters who have read my book, Backcountry Bowhunting, women (Sara with the elk tattoo) and fellas a couple of decades older than me who have all been newly inspired to take their hunting approach to the next level. Former EBJ cover boy, Gary Wilson’s father-in-law, Dion Laney, is a perfect example of this. As a 60+ year old bowhunter just this past bow season Dion and Gary drew Arizona elk tags, headed south and on a classic public land, do-it-yourself adventure got two bulls on the ground with their bow and arrow rigs after a long and grueling hunt. Not just any bulls mind you. Mature trophy bulls – Dion’s gross scores 409 Pope & Young!!! Look for the complete story in an upcoming issue of EBJ. And still, Dion works out every morning while watching hunting videos preparing for his next bowhunting epic. That is inspiring.

Emails from SLC area bowhunters

Cam, good to see ya again at the show this year, by far the best lecture I attended yet! Thanks for taking time to talk to all of us hardcore UT bowhunters. It’s nice to see hunters of the Eastmans’ caliber take time to involve all the young bowhunters as well. Once again the Eastman’s hunting theater stole the show!!!! Good luck this fall with the Alaskan sheep.  
Sincerely, Ron Elmer

Cameron,
Thanks for taking the time to chat with me about both bowhunting and running. I really enjoyed your presentation and the old footage of Fred Bear was awesome. It fired me up so I'm going to read Backcountry Bowhunting again but the only drawback is its still 155 days until the season starts here in Utah. Best of luck with the Boston Marathon and the coming hunting season.
-Nate Long- Weber State runner from Ogden

Hey Cameron,
Just wanted to say that your speaking at the ISE shows is great. My hunting buddy and I leave the show pumped and ready for archery season. Too bad we have to wait so long afterwards. Anyway, I know you always say you’re just a regular guy, do you think or feel more pressure to succeed now and is it a good thing or bad thing? Thanks for your time.
Eric Christensen

Until next year guys, keep hammering away and hit the mountains hard this season. Bowhunting success revolves around dedication and commitment….put in the time and anything is possible. Gotta believe to achieve! Thanks again for your support and remember you can email me at anytime --- mailto:cameron@eastmans.com– I promise I will try my best to get back to each and every one. Sincerely, Cam