Philip Sparn reporting
psparn@ClarksvilleNow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.– More than one-thousand outdoors enthusiasts enjoyed the festivities of the fourth Annual Sportsman’s Extravaganza at the Montgomery Farmers Co-Op on Saturday.
The crowd listened to live bluegrass and country music while they visited the more-than-30 outdoors-themed vendors and mingled with famous hunting personality Michael Waddell.
The outdoors-centered festival was full of hunting and fishing vendors as well as marine and car dealers that were offering services, advice and supplies for sportsmen and women.
Several hunting, fishing and land management experts also guided hunting and outdoor seminars to the crowd at hand.
The highlight of the day for a lot of folks at the Sportsman’s Extravaganza was meeting famous hunting personality and icon Michael Waddell, from “Michael Waddell’s Bone Collector.”
Waddell emphasized that every time he met someone new at the event it felt like he had known them all his life.
“It’s was really fun meeting all the cool people here,” said Waddell. “”You don’t consider them fans; you consider them your family.”
Waddell emphasized that the coolest part about his job is talking with all the cool down to earth people across the country.
“This whole area, all up through Tennessee and Kentucky is so rich with hunting heritage and hospitality, said Waddell. “Everyone you meet treats you like family, tells you their hunting stories and makes you feel like you want to go eat supper with them.”
Waddell said the Montgomery Farmers Co-Op and the extravaganza was like a “happy land” to him.
“Having a chance to have an event like this, that celebrates the outdoors is super special,” said Waddell. “If you have any country in you and you couldn’t find what you wanted here, you probably needed to just keep on rolling.
“This place has everything- outdoors gear, duck calls, deer calls, feed, seed, boots and even lawnmowers.”
Waddell proudly points out that the culture of outdoorsmen and hunters is going mainstream and they are finally starting to be considered cool in society.
“It’s promising to see hunting on the rise. People are interested in being able to survive on the resources the good lord gave us.”
Waddell had just finished an Elk hunting excursion in New Mexico a week prior and said he was most excited about hunting Desert Big Horn with a Bow in Mexico later this year.
Kieth Earhart, Salesman at the Montgomery Farmers Co-Op. said he was really happy to see all the outdoors-minded folks enjoying the event.
“This event gets bigger and bigger every year and Michael (Waddell) really helped bring in a big crowd this year,” said Earhart. “I loved seeing all the people and hearing all their hunting and fishing stories during the event.”
Chris Johnson, vice president of the Clarksville chapter of Ducks Unlimited, was impressed with the great turnout of people at the Sportsman’s Extravaganza and enjoyed meeting all the like-minded people from the Montgomery County area.
“This is what keeps us going,” said Johnson. “All the sportsmen showing up, donating their time and money to the outdoors helps keep the future of our culture and the sport strong.
“Hunting and experiencing the great outdoors is an important tradition and culture that runs deep for a lot of people.”