Dixie Deer Classic Lives Up to the Grand Daddy of Outdoor Shows

March 8, 2010

30th Dixie Deer Classic

This has been a great weekend, the Super Bowl of deer hunting or the Daytona 500 of deer hunting is how I would describe the 30th annual Dixie Deer Classic. I had a great time and I think most everybody I talked to reported how great the show. I’ll be shocked if attendance records were not shattered. The all star line up of Lee & Tiffany as well as Michael Waddell and the Bone Collector Crew was a huge draw. Lines for autographs were hours long and their lectures overflowed the seminar rooms. If I had any criticism about this weekend show it would be that they needed to find a better area for the headliners to speak.

Michael Greeting Folks at NWTF State Banquet

Lee & Tiffany at Dixie Deer Classic

I was at the show all 3 days and I know I didn’t see everything but I did my best. Friday I cruised around the main building getting the lay of the land, looking for deals, and catching up with friends. I didn’t have a lot of time because I had to scoot across the fairgrounds to attend the State NWTF Banquet. Michael Waddell spoke there so I did get a chance to hear him.

Wall to Wall People at Dorton Arena for Dixie Deer Classic

Saturday morning a group of us got together for breakfast and got an early start on the show. We were there before the gates opened and the line to get in was pretty long. Checking out the scoring area showed us how the quality of deer has improved over the past few years. There was some impressive mounts from across the state on display. I spent a fair amount of time at the NCWRC Booth talking with the biologists on a wide variety of subjects. The day was chock block full of stuff and there will be a number of posts to cover what all I saw and did.

The evening was also wide open with a gathering of about 40 of us from NC Hunt and Fish at an area restaurant. This has been an annual tradition for about ten years now. We enjoy dinner and hear all kinds of whoppers and lies about hunts and catching up with each other. While it is a very enjoyable time we remember how unpredictable life can be as we take a moment to reflect on those who’ve departed this world. Two which were at a get together in September that passed away just within the past few months. You couldn’t find a better group of guys we share our love for the outdoors but we really care for each other and try to lend a hand whenever a need arises.

It was about midnight before I got home and I was tired but I knew it wouldn’t be long before that alarm was ringing for me to get up and get going again. Sunday I only spent a few hours at the show having a bunch of other stuff to get down before the weekend was over. I left before the official scoreboard was released but I’ll get the information on what it was.

Deer heads at 30th Dixie Deer Classic

Needless to say I got a number of stories to write over the next few days. I’ll share with you a number of friends and organizations that I caught up with at the show, some new people I met and the great organizations and products they represent as well as the most unique new product I found at the show. You definitely don’t want to miss this product because not only will make hunting and the prep for hunting easier but it will also make it a heck of a lot safer.
So the 30th Dixie Deer Classic might be over but the show will continue throughout the next week as I put all these stories together.