i got a new echo call
new du cook book
some new t shirts
and jim ronquest signed my macks shirt (for free)

Those dang cinnamon nuts

I was going to buy one of the Drake hats but picked it up and it has the cloth with clasp strap in the back instead of velcro. So I put it back down.

I almost bought the Final Approach 1/2 dzn full body mallards but talked myself out of that too.

So I didn't buy anything.

I didn't buy anything, but I had several lengthy conversations with outfitters.

If you just talk to them, they will give you info.

A guy from Kansas pulled out a map and showed me three different WMA's to stack mallards.

Oh wait, I bought several $6.50 beers.....

almost pulled the trigger on some Drake camo, but walked away b4 it was too late. bought 1 beer and some beef jerky known as Nitro. yea, it was hot. but had a really good taste underneath the flames.

Bought a couple of knives, my wife bought 3 Bone Collector shirts,some cooking spices/sauce and the DU cookbook. Had a great time!

I really wanted to go, having never been to one. And also I'm on a forum with a painter that had a booth there... Bob White. I wanted to meet him in person and see some of his paintings in person-- I've only ever seen them on the net. Life was just too busy this weekend though, I was in Lewisville for housework and then back to Austin for dinner with my stepdaughter and a little fishin on Memorial Day.

I picked up a fancy Bird Hanger from Coyote Company Leather to hang my Snipe on. Extremly nice guy makes these. We talked hunting for a long time at his booth.
http://www.coyotecoleather.com/bird.htm#coyotedovequailsnapon
He sold it to me for much less than retail, at cost or a loss to him I am certain. I will be sure to return the love by posting lots of pictures that include the new strap full of birds.

I also visited with Rod Haydel. I had told him about a big barreled call of his I had used for many years that I really liked DR95, but no longer made. He sold me on a new one to try out in it's place. BC10 Which is their cutdown mallard call but made with the big barrel of old that I preferred.

I really wanted to pick up one of the turned Acrylic calls from Killer Kallz, but I had bought some game cameras off the forum for my Deer hunting and it drained my funds for a while. I know, sacrilege, I'm sorry.

Those Killer Kallz guys were annoying. They never quit blowing duck calls the whole day on Friday. I was trying to talk some guys in a nearby booth and we couldn't really have a conversation.

I did not notice when I was there, but they sure where popular with customers. I heard the guys from that booth took third in open team at the contest.

How much is one of their acrylics?

I talked to three diffrent guys that said it was a GIANT FAIL. Looks like Texas wont be the host for another one for a long time. Glad I stayed home a mowed.

It was worth going. I had a buddy from Houston and a buddy from Corpus that wanted to drive up just for the expo. All these things are the same. They are alot cooler SOUNDING than they really are. Kinda like a gunshow or the fishing show in Houston. Im glad I went, only b/c I live in the DFW area. If I had made a 5 hr drive for it i'd be kinda let down.

I bought a new duck call lanyard from the echo booth.

As far as the show...I thought it was really good. Most of the well known people in the duck world were there. I had a good time meeting and talking to all those guys. I enjoyed watching the dog seminars as well. Lots of duck calls to look at and try out. Also got to catch up with a bunch of guys I haven't seen in a while.

With that being said, it seemed like a much smaller turnout than was expected. I was there most of the day saturday and many of the vendors I talked to were disappointed with the turn out.

What do they expect for Memorial Day weekend? This one was setup to fail in my opinion. It really was a pretty good show. They had the parking/shuttle thing to a fine science...I was disappointed guys weren't tipping the drivers though.

There were vendors that didn't show up, I was a bit disappointed wasn't there. Avery to mention a big name that wasn't there.

The Expo was more of a side show to the actual DU National Conference wasnt it? I looked into going to the conference but it was pretty expensive and since I'm going to the State conference I passed...and as mentioned the date helped make it easier to pass since I had other things going on.

As far as it being a fail I guess that's a personal thing based on expectations going in...I can't comment either way since I didnt go.

I didnt go either, I was just told by some vendors that 20,000 is what was expected and they didnt get close. Futher I was advised that some huge vendors didnt show.

yep memorial day weekend is not a good weekend to do something like that.

What was it 2 years ago that ole boy tried to set up a huge tackle/fishing show on memorial day weekend in Dallas? he canceled it before it got here. Just way to many other things going on really. esspecially in Dallas area.

If it had not been memorial day I would have definalty been there.

I enjoyed the expo.. I was there most of the day Sunday.

The best part for me was meeting some guys from HRC and getting more info from them. I was invited to meet up with them yesterday for a training session and was able to talk with several long-time members. I'll be joining the Lonestar chapter this week. I think it's going to really help me as a handler, as well as help Nelli to prepare for season. Not to mention, it's a lot of fun!

I wanted to buy the iKam extreme video glasses, but I felt like doing a little more research first... Still thinking about ordering a pair...

The most ridiculous thing in the expo were those Goose hats... Those guys were pretty passionate about their product but I could barely keep a straight face!!

It seems to me that everyone who went had a good time. The guys who didn't go are calling it a failure.

I just went on Friday and it was good times.

Marc, I don't think the expo would be considered a sideshow. I'll bet 95% of the people at the Gaylord were there for the expo.

You committee guys figure out how to hatch 'em, the rest of us will kill 'em.

That right there is a classic MK line.

My two year old girl loved it she had a blast at the fishing take and seeing all the " ducky" stuff she told me tonight she was going to work I said where do you work she said the ducky place I said what do you do there she I fish I told her dad wants to work with you lol it was a good family deal an got me even more excited about hunting season and if it helps get my little girl interested in the outdoors it was a huge success.

Had a great time, took the kiddo out and had a ball. Mostly he wanted to drive the "Trucks"



bought a bunch of t-shirts, some fine leather from the same place Sniper did, got a host of free hats and t-shirts from FA Brand Booth and am trying to convince myself to get an Excel Boat but I don't think I can afford the boat and the Divorce so for now it will have to wait until I can convince the wife. I was bummed to see the small turnout on Sunday but I had a great time with the kiddo. I also got a helluva deal on a Beretta sweater.

It wasn't a bad show, but it wasn't the best I've seen either. I was an exhibitor (BRODAX Wildlife Solutions), and I talked to some of the commitee members and we all agreed that it wasn't a great location and not a good weekend to do it on. They should've done it at the Will Rodgers center. Although I made a few new contacts and I hope they pan out for the hunts, leases, and european mount servcies I have available, I was still disappointed in the amount of people that showed up. This was the most expensive booth I paid for that I will do this summer with the least amount of return, but I have been to worse shows. I hope some of yall stopped by my booth and talked with me, if you are interested in a hunt I look forward to seeing ya soon.

Oh, and I bought a pair of I-kam xtreme video camera glasses. They are awesome so far, I will definately use them for duck hunting and hog hunting, especially when I take hunters out spotlighting.

post a video so we can see how good they work