Great Outdoors Day Event in Coeur d'Alene Saturday, January 16

The fourth annual ÔGreat Outdoors Day' has been planned for January 16 from 11am-3pm at Lake City Community Church, 6000 Ramsey Rd. The location is across the street from Lake City High School. Over 300 people have attended the event each of the first three years. It is an opportunity for those who love the outdoors to get together and talk about hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation, visit local vendor displays, and hear presentations by two featured speakers. Tickets are $5/ person. This year's featured guest speakers are Hunter and Guide Gary Johns, and Taxidermist Nick Orth. Gary Johns of Jasiri Pro Safaris will speak and present an assortment of photos and videos of hunting in five countries in Africa. Gary is a guide and an accomplished sharp-shooter. Gary was hired to hunt and successfully shoot a 16 foot Nile crocodile that had killed at least one person. Gary is also a successful hippo hunter. Gary will answer questions from the audience following his presentation. Nick Orth is the owner of Wildlife Creations Taxidermy in Coeur d'Alene. Nick will give a seminar on how to properly field dress and prepare animals for taxidermy mounts. Nick and John Gonzales have produced award winning taxidermy art through Wildlife Creations Taxidermy since 2001. Nick will also be available to answer questions from the audience. Official measurer Larry Carey from Spokane will be on hand to answer questions about how to measure big game antlers and skulls. Larry is trained and certified by the Boone and Crockett Club, the Pope and Young Club (archery), and the Longhunter Society (muzzleloader). He has taught big game measuring classes, and has served as a panel measurer at several national conventions where new world records are verified. With his many years of experience, Larry can answer any question about how to properly measure all species of big game. Idaho Fish and Game will be there with hunting and fishing publications and will be available to talk about hunting, fishing and trapping. Home-made chili and cornbread will be served in the lobby while attendees visit with local taxidermists, wild game processors, sportsman's club representatives, big game measurers, the featured speakers, Fish and Game and others. Hunters can bring in trophies harvested in 2015 for a display table and to have questions answered about how to measure them. However, due to time constraints trophies will not be officially measured at this event. Opportunities to have trophies measured are coming up at events in February and March. These include the Kootenai Valley Gun and Horn show in Bonners Ferry (drop off at the Boundary County Fairgrounds February 5), the Bonner Gun and Horn Show (drop off at the Bonner County Fairgrounds March 4), or the Bighorn Show in Spokane (drop off at the Interstate Fairgrounds March 17-19 before noon). In addition, Larry Carey and I will be at Cabela's measuring trophies on March 12. Tickets for the Great Outdoors Day event are available at Black Sheep Sporting Goods, LePeep at Riverstone, Meltz Extreme Grilled Cheese, Michael D.s Eatery, and Lake City Community Church.