Visit Fish and Game at the BigHorn Show March 19-22 in Spokane

It is the "outdoor show" season again for hunters and anglers in the inland Northwest.

The Kootenai Valley Sportsman's Association Gun and Horn show in Bonners Ferry was held in early February.

The Bonner County Sportsman's Association Gun and Horn Show in Sandpoint is scheduled for March 7-8.

A few weeks later is the biggest of them all, the BigHorn Adventure Show in Spokane.

The Inland Northwest Wildlife Council's 55th annual Big Horn Outdoor Adventure Show is scheduled for the Interstate Fairgrounds in Spokane March 19-22.

Established in 1960, the Big Horn Show is one of the oldest and longest continually operated sports and recreation shows in the United States.

Conducted annually at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, the Big Horn Show brings people who love the outdoors together, indoors.

More than 28,000 people are expected to peruse the displays of the 300-plus exhibitors in the 130,000-square-foot exhibit halls.

Exhibitors come from all over the lower 48 states and Alaska, Canada, Mexico, South America and Africa.

Thursday and Friday hours are noon until 8 p.m. The weekend hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The show provides an outlet to those who love hunting and fishing but have been cooped up for the past five months.

There are rifle and archery ranges, virtual fishing, live and silent auctions, seminars and entertaining shows.

Also present are hunting and fishing equipment and clothing vendors, outfitters and guides from all over the world, wildlife art and one of the biggest and most impressive big game trophy displays you will see anywhere.

Bring your checkbook and credit card (just in case you run out of checks), as you will have no trouble finding outdoor gear you would like to take home.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will both have exhibits and will be available to provide information and answer questions.

Idaho Fish and Game will be near the trophy territory area. We will be available to answer your questions about fish and wildlife management, hunting and fishing in Idaho, and visit with you about the outdoors.

I will be spending much of my time there measuring trophies in the big game trophy display area along with other official Boone and Crockett measurers.

Hundreds of antlers and a few dozen skulls from successful hunting trips will be brought to the show, and every one of them will be measured and placed on display.

This is a great opportunity for hunters to have antlers measured from last season's hunt or from any prior season.

Trophies may be entered from Wednesday through Friday, March 18-20, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, March 22, from 9 a.m. to noon.

All entries will be measured and must be left for display until the end of the show on Sunday.

First place in each species will receive a custom-made belt buckle.

Larry Carey of the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council coordinates the trophy display, and many hours are spent getting everything measured and displayed.

Proceeds from the show support many diverse programs offered by the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council and the Bighorn Foundation.

Programs in both Idaho and Washington have received funding to benefit big game, small game, nongame, youth programs, fish and hunter education.

Attend the show where you can enjoy the exhibits, find some "needed" equipment, dream about taking a trophy for next year's show wall and escape the winter doldrums.

Your entrance fee will benefit wildlife programs in the area.

The Big Horn Outdoor Adventure Show is a family event filled with volunteer spirit and more than 50 years of tradition.

Phil Cooper is a wildlife conservation educator in Coeur d'Alene for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.