Callmakers: please read

I talked to Sam Stowe of the Georgia Wildlife Federation; we discussed the attendance drop off at the Fisharama/Turkeyrama. Below are some of the things we discussed:

1. The lack of vendors: Anyone who has attended either the Atlanta show or Perry show over the years can attest to the fact that there are not as many vendors as there used to be, mainly small timers like me. This can be attributed to 2 factors; (1) The cost of a booth coupled with hotel and other expenses, (2) The lack of consumer attendance.

Sam informed me that not all of the booths were sold at the Perry show. The Perry Ag Center is an extremely expensive venue and that is the reason the booths there are more expensive than the Atlanta show. But, he realizes that $500 is a lot for folks like me and they are looking at ways to reduce the cost of booth fees. But, the only way they can do that is if they sell all the booths. I’m going to suggest that they contact area hotels to see if they can get some sort of group discount.


2. Attendance drop off: About all they can do is look at how they advertised the shows, you can’t force folks to come. It cost $8 for and adult to attend the show, I forget how much for a child. Face it, that’s not very cheap. There is a possibility that they can drop the price of attendance. Nowadays, the everyday consumer is looking to buy the cheapest product they can find. My calls are all hand made, there’s no way I can drop my prices to compete with Wal-mart and Bass-pro.

3. Change of venue: Not an idea I like; the Perry Ag center is an ideal place to have it. It has the space and can handle large crowds.

So, what can we do? I informed Sam that I would help in any way I can; he asked me to talk to other call makers and inform them that they are aware and are trying to make it more profitable for us. I know that this year’s show is done, but we need to think about what we can do to keep the show going. Sam is going to go to several shows to get ideas that can possibly be implemented here.

I write a monthly article for WoodsNWater based out of Perry, Florida. They are currently putting out 60,000 magazines a month. I have never seen an ad for it in there unless I just missed it? Might be something to consider next year? Bunch of turkey hunters around here that probably didn't even know the show was going on.

P.S. I am not a callmaker but I thought this info might help. No, wait a minute I did make a box call last summer.........................

Good info Paul, thanks. Anything like that can be useful.

Here's my 0.02....and I'm not really a call maker either (I do make a few, but not for the masses). I think it's going to take time to get folks to come back. I love the shows!!! But over the past few years, the quality of vendor has gone down dramatically. I've literally walked in and walked right back out because it was just "gimmik" type vendors.

I personally WANT the small time guys. I WANT the custom call makers. Those are the guys I'm there to see!!! I think the ATL show made great strides in that direction this year. I spent a lot of time just walking around and playing with calls. That has been what has been missing for me over the last few years.

I don't think that $8 is too much for entry. But that's just me. I think once they get more call makers, and actual GOOD vendors to start showing up, you'll see a steady increase in attendance. By GOOD vendor, I mean somebody that is selling something that's worth buying. Not slingshots, BBQ sauce, or shoe inserts. I couldn't care less about that junk. I want to see vendors offering me REAL turkey hunting products at a price that I can't get anywhere else....and I think that's the key. If folks know they can get a price on something that they can't get anywhere else....they'll show up. But it's gonna take a few years to build that rep back up.

Andy, you touched on a few things that are very accurate. Basically, anyone selling anything can buy a booth and it ends up looking like a flea market. And there is stuff being sold that you can get at any local retail and the REAL custom stuff is getting to be less and less. I have to admit, I very briefly considered ordering plastic pots at $3 a pop and stick some glass or slate in it and sell it for $20, that’s the kind of stuff that was selling. Everything I have is all wood crafted with my 2 hands. The average Joe off the street looking to get into hunting doesn’t know the difference between custom and plastic, all they understand is price.

BTW, I welcome comments from non callmakers as well. I mainly addressed this to callmakers as we are the ones that have the most to lose.

Think its bad this year wait til next when Nationals is in Atlanta , turkeyrama will suffer

Major,

I don't think too many "everyday" folks know about the nationals next year. Plus, since it is downtown Atlanta, I believe that will keep a lot of folks away. But, I'm sure it will have an affect.

I'll be at both....dont' worry!!!! Any extra chance to see good stuff is cool for me.

Oh, and don't worry....after they have it in the ATL once, they'll never be back. That's what ends up happening when good shows come here. Atlanta very rarely lives up to other cities IMO.

It'll be back in Nashville in no time.

It'll be back in Nashville in no time.

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I heard, through the grapevine, that the NWTF tried to back out of the Atlanta deal.

David Mills said:

I heard, through the grapevine, that the NWTF tried to back out of the Atlanta deal.

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Doesn't surprise me David

Huntinfool said:

Oh, and don't worry....after they have it in the ATL once, they'll never be back.

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They've been here before. '97 I think. It was the first one I ever went to. I remember it well, Drury's high pitch calls were all the rage that year. Yep, I got the whistle there.

'88 Was the first NWTF convention that I recall in Atlanta. We had a ball then.

I think that Nashville had been decided as the permanent home for the National Convention. It is a great location IMHO.

I feel that the reason the shows are suffering in attendence is for several reasons.

1. Ease of ordering Custom calls from the various Internet sites and the callmakers themselves.

2. The past disappointments from TurkeyRama, BuckaRamas, FishaRamas , etc. I have been to so many of these shows only to leave feeling less than "wowed"

3. Location of the show itself. I don't even like being in the area..... unless Ol' Sam Colt is on my hip. Talk about a crappy place.

What about the Gwinnett Convention Center??

David Mills said:

I have to admit, I very briefly considered ordering plastic pots at $3 a pop and stick some glass or slate in it and sell it for $20, that’s the kind of stuff that was selling. Everything I have is all wood crafted with my 2 hands. The average Joe off the street looking to get into hunting doesn’t know the difference between custom and plastic, all they understand is price.

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Well said!

I feel like if people want shows like this, they need to support it. I guess what I am trying to say is.....

Get your wallet out and buy something-anything-

I hate to have a booth at shows like this and just sit there and watch the "Pinballs".
You know what I am talking about. You see them at every show. They aren't hard to spot. They are the ones that bounce from side to side, booth to booth picking up every free goodie they can get their hands on.
Then from there it bounces out to the parking lot. After they get home they lay all that booty on the table, only to throw it away two weeks later.
(Yes, I too, have been a "pinball." There I said it.)

I spent close to $350 at Atlanta, but other than shells I'm finished for turkey season.

I will be at them but will not have a booth, Im not into doin booths at shows other than maybe unicoi

I went to one local bait and tackle store today about putting my calls in their store. I hate to do it but I will have to sell to them at a greatly reduced price.

this was my first year going to shows(2) so all i can do is compare them.imo unicio was great ,perry (from a turkey stand point) was a dissapointment.unicio was strickley a turkey show and it did not disapoint.perry was like what every body else said a bunch of legitament venders amongst a bunch of flimflam,other than the t-shirts i didnt see any public advertising for the turkey-rama part of the show.i also agree with the cloud over-view,most just looked for handouts which put alot of vendors off and offered no one on one conversations,several vendors appeared to be suspisuos of people even touching their call(or stuff) ,maybe do to theft?

A hard lesson learned would be the Great Outdoor festival put on by DU and Primedia every year. Primedia priced that show into extinction. Towards the end not even Mack's would participate. This is a delima for sure. I have offered Sam any help I can give. But as Burl pointed out, some people only buy the cheapest they can buy. These shows are not geared toward collectors or those who know what a custom call is truly capable of. All they know is they can get a decent enough call at Walmart orBasspro. I think a great help would be the quality of vendors they get at these events. Most people are not going to these shows to buy junk jewelry or fancy clothes. And perhaps a seminar given by a call maker on what is entailed in producing a good quality custom call ( not necesarily any secrets, but just the basics)

ADVERTISING??? FOR THE PERRY SHOW

WHERE WAS IT. I SAW ONE ADVERTISEMENT IN 2 MONTHS. THE ONE ON THE INTERSTATE ELECTRIC BOARD IN FRONT OF THE PERRY FAIRGROUNDS.
ALSO ISNT THERE A SHOW IN MONTGMERY AL. THE SAME WEEKEND AS THE PERRY SHOW? IT USED TO BE THAT WAY.I DIDNT CHECK THIS PAST WEEK, SHOULDNT BE HARD TO CHECK THO! LOOKIN _UCK _ASTERS MAG.
WITH GON BACKING OUT OF ADVER. I DIDNT BLAME THEM AFTER LAST YEARS SLAP.
ANYWAY.
WITH THE FLEA MARKETS MOVING IN TO THE SHOWS I HAVE MOVED OUT ALONG WITH A LOT OF FRIENDS AND HUNTERS. I USED TO TAKE PEOLE ALL THE TIME , BUT I COUD SHOW THEM A GOOD TIME AT SMILEY'S NEAR MACON JUST AS GOOD AND GET A GOOD MEAL TOO! LOL.
THE PRICE IS IN REASON I THINK WITH EVERYBODY.
JUST MY 2*

I saw it advertised in the Macon paper but it was a small ad in the sports section

I have one question. Why is the Perrt Ag such a "great" spot. Everybody already said its to expensive. They can "handle" the traffic. From what i have seen in the past 5 yrs a fifth grade class could handle the traffic. There are hundreds if not thousands of places in Ga. that would love to have that kind of event at their facility. Most would even give discounts on renting "ESPECIALLY" if they did a multi year deal. Most area motels will give discounts to venodrs to get the groups there. This would lessen the cost for the vendors. If you lessen the cost then more would attend. Here's another idea. Move the event to different venues every year. Some people just are not or cannot travel very far to go to shows. There is no need to have two Turkeyramas in Ga. In my honest opinion, Somebody's pocket is getting greased is the only reason its still at Perry.