ANOTHER COVID CASUALTY
Originally Published the Week of Dec. 22, 2020 in Western Outdoor Publications
Well, with the new year upon us, we can only hope for better things.
It feels especially strange for us because normally at this time, my wife and I are running around with our hair on fire. Well…that is if I still had hair. But metaphorically speaking, it’s pretty hectic.
We’re usually packing our vehicle for 3 months on the road. From January to March, we hit pretty much a sportsmans show every week. These 3-5 days are huge events filled with thousands of sportsmen each day plus hundreds of vendors like us who own sportfishing fleets; or lodges; or guiding outfitters and so much more.
The normal course of driving takes us through about 12-15 states each season and through some states several times. It’s like being carnival workers, which essentially that’s what we are.
We criss-cross the western U.S. often through snow, rain, fog and ice. Forests…mountains…endless miles of desert.
Lots of motels. Countless truck-stops and Denny’s. Late night pizza we shouldn’t be eating. McDonald’s super-size box on the dashboard. Starbucks stuck in the cup-holders. Microwave burrito wrapper crumpled on the floorboard.
But, we look forward to being “road warriors” and have been doing it almost three decades.
So, about this time, we’re packing up the booth; bags of winter clothes; thousands of brochures; t-shirts; hats; safety gear…all for being on the road basically through April. If we forget something, it’s not like we can drive back to get it.
But, this year, it’s not happening.
Like most events that draw thousands of people in close-proximity, Covid changed all that.
Therefore, the shows that we do in Denver, Sacramento, Seattle, Boise, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Portland, Long Beach, San Diego and in other cities we visit…either have canceled or are in the process of being canceled.
Sadly after 75 years, that includes the big Fred Hall Shows in Southern California.
There’s a few that are trying their best to hang in there.
In addition to everyone being masked-up; I’ve heard talk of moving the vendor booths 6-feet apart. I’ve heard suggestions that prospective customers can’t approach closer than 3-feet to a vendor.
Some shows, like the giant Dallas Safari Club are making a go via “virtual reality” or “zoom” events and putting everything online.
I think that’s already called the “internet.” Novel for the events, but not exactly new.
I have no doubt the producers of these shows are doing or did their darndest to have these events and bent over-backwards trying. Trying to save their livlihoods like everyone else.
On the other side, there’s many exhibitors who do nothing else except these shows. All year long. Think of the folks who sell knife sharpeners; equipment; gadgets; clothing, jerky and toffee nuts. There’s the concession guys that sell beer and hot dogs and funnel No shows. No business.
But, there’s a two-headed obstacle for the show producers to overcome.
First, the state or local restrictions preventing or severely restricting gatherings.
Second, for vendors like us, it’s only economical to drive from one show to another. One every week or so.
It makes no sense for us, and many of our fellow exhibitors, to fly or drive to one show. Then, go all the way back home. Wait a few weeks. Then, load up and travel again to another show with all the gear, booths and equipment needed to display.
Additionally, even if the shows could be held, it’s not just the possibility someone working a booth might catch Covid. For exhibitors, there’s huge insurance exposure.
For instance, a big manufacturer of say…firearms or fishing reels will pay staff members to man the booth at the show. One of them comes back and tests positive or their relative or family member tests positive. It gets traced back to the show, the liability exposure to the employer company could be huge.
Further, folks really like coming to the shows. It’s a party. It’s a carnival. It’s the social aspect and the fun factor.
Personally, if I’m trusting my hunting vacation to a hunting guide in South Africa or Canada, I’d like to see the guy; chat them up; shake hands before I hand them thousands of dollars.
I want to take a fishing trip in the deep dark jungles of the Amazon River or a the hinterlands on a hunting expedition in Russia…yea…I want to talk to a live person.
Same with Mexico or South America or other places where English is not spoken. I want be personally assured before I book.
I want to know if the guy in the booth is the “real-deal” or even the real guy that I will see when I arrive. Or is the guy just a rep or salesman that I will never see again?
That’s also double-hard if we all have to wear masks or have to practice social distancing while trying to interact. I understand the necessity. It’s the new normal.
Anyway, the point being, if you’re waiting for the sportsmen’s shows, it’s gonna be a long wait.
For those of you readers on the west coast, it’s a huge hit to have big shows in Portland, Sacramento and the gigantic Fred Hall Shows in Long Beach and San Diego not take place.
Many of you book your vacations, charters, fishing and hunting trips at these shows.
Don’t wait. The shows aren’t happening.
From what I’m seeing, bookings are already heavy for 2021 among many of the outfitters I’m talking with recently. People are just anxious to get out.
Many folks canceled their 2020 trips and are rapidly re-booking for the upcoming year.
Just over Christmas week alone, airlines set records for pandemic travel when over 1 million people per day flew. Overall, records show a regular increase in jet passengers as people lose their hesitancy to climb aboard a plane.
Airlines are adding more flights now to popular destinations to fill the need.
If there’s any way sportsman and vacationers can get away, they will. Vaccine or no vaccine. As long as they can get away from home and get back home with minimal exposure, it appears folks are making the decision to bust it loose in 2021.
That’s our story!
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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.com.
They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront. If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
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Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter International
Website:
Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
U.S. Mailing Address: Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA 91942
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863
.
Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report: http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/
Tailhunter YouTube Video Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvdHL_p4-OAu3HfiVzW0g
“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”
That's My Story 
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