A look back at the Big Lake gun show

As I said last week, the Big Lake gun show is my favorite show of the year. However, this last show was also the slowest Big Lake show I ever remember attending, and I’ve been to almost all of them over the years. While there were other reasons for the light attendance this year, which I’ll discuss in a bit, I think part of it can be attributed to the “Trump Slump” phenomenon we’re seeing in society today.

Nationally, gun sales are still holding in the millions per month but have been declining since Trump’s election last November. Regarding gun ownership, what I read is that folks feel more comfortable with Trump in the White House verses either Biden or Harris. The rush to buy a gun before the government bans the sale of it has slowed considerably. The Biden Administration was probably the most anti-gun political administration in the history of this country. Folks apparently don’t feel the rush to purchase a firearm now with Trump in office like they did under Biden.

Two other events around the Valley probably offset the gun show attendance. I heard from one of the guys staffing the table I was working at that an aerial show supposedly was happening in Palmer on Saturday along with a Wildland Preparedness Public Education Day event held at Willow Fire Station 12-1 and the West Lakes Fire Station 7-3. Both education events occurred on Saturday.

I don’t know which one had the big attendance, but I was told at one of these, cars were parked up and down the road for a half mile or so (probably the air show). If that was true, no wonder the gun show had such light traffic on Saturday. Sundays don’t normally have the heaviest attendance during a weekend gun show.

In talking with vendors at the gun show, most commented on how slow things were. A couple said they were having a good show regarding their sales. Our muzzle-loading club tables are oriented towards making the club more visible to the general public and to recruit new members. However, we also usually have one table set up for member sales of assorted items, including firearms.

I had three modern handguns for sale and Bob had three blackpowder handguns available. I had a fair amount of interest in all three guns the first day and sold the 6-inch barreled 22-caliber revolver to a father and son looking to do some plinking and informal shooting. I had lookers for the other two guns but no serious interest. Bob had less interest in his guns. On Sunday, folks showed even less interest in any of the guns on our table.

I also didn’t see the usual number of friends walking by the tables. The folks I saw and chatted with a bit were folks I hadn’t seen in quite some time. Tory from Willow stopped by to chat. I know Tory from my ADF&G working days. Wayne stopped by to say hi. I know Wayne from my days on the Fish and Game advisory council. Jerry also stopped to say hi. I hadn’t seen him in a long time and, frankly, I didn’t recognize him when he first stopped by. Jerry is the guy who got me restarted in archery and bowhunting after I retired from Fish and Game.

The folks sponsoring the “Rescind Ranked Choice Voting” had a table and were collecting signatures to get the initiative on the ballot. I don’t know how well they did, but they had two petition booklets going at the same time and they looked like they were filling up as time went on.

I’m sure you’re all getting tired of hearing me talk about my shoulder surgery. Frankly, I’m getting tired of talking about it too. I go back to see the surgeon this week and if the problem with my legs has healed up enough, I’m tentatively scheduled to have the surgery done next week. With the delay in surgery timing, I figure I’ve effectively lost the whole summer (and possibly some of early fall) to activities which would require full use of both arms. Healing and physical therapy take time.

Use of both arms is normally required for things like most fishing activities (like surf casting), hunting, camping, and most probably shooting from any position except off a bench rest, and then only with light recoiling firearms until the surgery heals.

I sure hope things go well this time around!