Pheasant Fest 2011 Omaha

[Bruce Day]

About 20,000 people through. Three of us ran it this year. Ed Morgan did very well with raffle tickets. the new raffle gun is very attractive and drew lots of attention.

Ross Berck likes the unusual and prototype guns. There are photos of the prototype L C Smith single trap, which Ross owns. Enthusiasts will notice highly unusual features of the gun, such as no SN. Ross brought his $135 dollar grade lifter with the extremely rare bullseye stock carving. I had seen this before only on $200 grade guns in only two examples, its so rare. The stock carving has been considered a feature of some $200 grade guns, yet here it is on SN 2288, a $135 grade 2 gun. Fractured but Ross will get the stock repaired and the gun restored. Maybe others are well familiar with the details of early lifters but I learned from Ross's gun that this feature was not limited to the upper grades. Still very rare.

A new member just picked up his first Parker at a farm auction and wanted us to look at it. Pulled it out of the case, and it is a CHE 12/30 with Acme vent rib barrels, SST.

Signed up a new life member and a couple annual members.

Saw lots of old buddies and lots of contacts to go hunting .....plenty allready but always nice to have contacts. Will get write ups with Midwest Sportsman, TV shows, etc.

[David Holes]

Bruce, nice meeting you and thanks for the comittment of working the show. It takes a lot of effort and time. Thanks Dave

[Ross Berck]

I had a great time talking Parkers and hearing all the great "my grandpa had one of those" stories. Nice to meet Ed and see Bruce again.
The sbt is a LC Smith with no serial number or markings and Im pretty certain it is a prototype or "mule" gun that was used to test for the best features to use. The rib extension is dovetailed into the barrel so it could be changed and there are many places where the receiver was drilled or milled and then refilled as they experimented with different shapes and designs..

[Bruce Day]

My mistake and I said Ithaca. Yes, we heard constant stories of lost family guns, always with regret. Yet here again today, we have a nice unbutchered grade 2 lifter being disposed of by the family. Oh well, their loss will be somebody's gain.

[Jean Swanson]

Ross, Ed, and Bruce :


Nice display and thanks for taking the time and energy to represent the PGCA . Allan Swanson

[Bill Mullins]

Bruce, Ed, and Ross,
Fantastic display and a "great big thanks" for being there and representing the PGCA as ambassadors!
Bill

[Dean Romig]

Nice work Bruce, Ed and Ross. Yes, it is a bit of work and takes dedication and a commitment to make it a success for the PGCA as well as helping the Pheasant Fest show as a whole - congratulations guys.

Now, on a different note, we need a few committed volunteers to step up and bring a PGCA presence to the Colorado Gun Collectors Show in Denver coming up soon. Both Dave Suponski and I have the particulars on that show for anyone who is willing to do it.

I hope I didn't speak out of turn on the Colorado show but reading this thread just naturally brought it to mind and I thought it appropriate to mention it.

[Ross Berck]

post the venue for the colorado show here. I might be able to do it but id need to know the dates/location etc.. Ive wanted to go to that show for years...btw Ed is responsible for 99.995 percent of the raffle sales at omaha, he is very effective at getting people who were spacing off to come over, look at the very nice DH and buy at least one ticket. It was a pleasure to observe his style and courtesy and still get a raffle ticket sold ...

[Dave Suponski]

Ross, Here you go!

The Colorado Gun Collectors Association will hold its 46th Annual Gun Show on May 14 & 15, 2011 at the Denver Merchandise Mart, 401 East 58th Ave, Denver, CO. 58th & I25, Exit 215. Trade tables are $125 each and Display tables are $100 each. Electrical hookup is $35.
Two free badges are available for the first and one free badge is available for each additional table. Any additional badges beyond those free badges will be $30 each. The Show setup dates and hours are Thursday, May 12 from 3 - 8 PM and Friday, May 13 from 10 AM to 7 PM. The show hours 'open to the public' are Saturday, May 14 from 9 AM to 5 PM and Sunday, May 15 from 9 AM to 3:30 PM. Admission to the public is $8.00 and a 3-day guest pass is available at $75.00.
There will be cash awards for best displays from $150 up to $1000 for "est of Educational Displays.

I have the show flyer (or mailer) printed on both sides and I also have the contract (with carbon copy) available for anyone wishing to set up a PGCA table or tables which I can mail to anyone who wishes to commit to being a PGA Exhibitor.

[Ross Berck]

all the fun is during my corn/soybean planting or harvest...I wont be able to go.

[Paul Ehlers]

I live here in Denver and have attended or had tables at the collector show for many years now. Normally I would love to step up to the plate and say I would be glad to help with a PGCA display. Unfortunately this year the old work thing is getting in the way and it's looking like I won't make the show at all. The same goes for spring Tulsa this year, this will be the first Tulsa I've missed in over ten years because.

[Dan H. Cain]

Bruce,
Thank you for all the information. The booth display was impressive and your passion for Parkers is contagious.

[Dean Romig]

Well then, how about some of those members who bemoan the fact that there are seldom any Parker events west of the Big Muddy that they can get involved in... Here's a great opportunity. These shows can be great fun and a chance to meet new Parker folks as well as to introduce interested people to Parker guns and the PGCA.

[David Long]

Will you guys be setting up at the Louisville show at the end of February? I would like to meet you guys in person, I have really enjoyed reading the postings.
thanks,
David

[Jeff Kuss]

Charlie Herzog, Josh Loewensteiner and I will have a couple of tables at the Louisville show. I haven't heard who else may be at the show. I will see about gettting some raffle tickets to sell at the show.

[Bruce Day]

David, no, I won't be there. Charlie will and he has better guns anyway.

[Bruce Day]

Here's a picture of the first Pheasant Fest we did for Pheasants Forever in 2005, six years, six times now. Back them we didn't know what to expect and we only had me and Greg Dershem working. Since then so many great people have helped. Charlie Herzog, Pete Kappes, Ross Berck, Tom Wooden, Allan Swanson, Ed Morgan, Greg Schroeder, Jeff Kuss, Col. Jeff Klein , Mike Koranda and the Minnesota boys, Dr Dick Dow, and I hope I haven't forgotten anybody. Had some great times with wonderful people. Parker collectors have flown in from the east and west coasts to mid winter northern midwest cities to help.

So 6 X 20,000, maybe 120,000 people exposed to Parkers, many for the first time. I don't know how many new members and maybe $12,000 brought in on raffle tickets.

Thanks to many for wonderful help.

Best,
Bruce