2,500 ATTEND FIRST OUTDOORSMAN EXPO

The Outdoorsman International Expo and Sporting Clays Tourney drew more than 2,500 sportsmen to Cape Girardeau's Show Me Center this weekend.

Buck McNeely, who organized the event, said Sunday he was pleased with his first stab at what he hopes will be an annual show.

McNeely, who is featured on the national television show, "The Outdoorsman," also launched the Outdoorsman International organization at the two-day show.

"The general consensus from everybody, especially the national exhibitors, was that this was a pretty good first-time show," he said. "I would have liked to have seen a few more people show up, but not having a track record and for the first go-around, I think it was a pretty good turnout."

At the Show Me Center, various exhibits were displayed featuring sports vehicles, taxidermy, art and more. Also on the Show Me Center grounds was a projection archery range and a National Rifle Association pellet-gun range.

The sporting clays shooting tournament was held at the Trail of Tears Sportsmen's Club in Southern Illinois. There also were seminars for dog training, goose calling, turkey hunting and deer hunting.

Dave Butz, a former National Football League star with the Washington Redskins, was at the event, along with Ken Martin, a noted call maker; Tim Grounds, a world champion goose caller and Walt Crawford from the World Bird Sanctuary.

"The seminars went over great, and Dave Butz signed a lot of autographs," McNeely said. "All the exhibitors were pleased with the show, and it has the potential to really be a monster next year.

"They were very impressed with the diversity and family format of the program, and I anticipate our 1994 show will just build on the success of this show."

McNeely said he might try to schedule next year's show in early October to avoid the heat and to lead into duck, goose and deer-hunting season. "I think that would be a little more timely show," he said.

McNeely said he was pleased with the response to the launching of his new organization Outdoorsman International.

"We had fantastic feedback from sportsmen in the area, who recognize a need for a united effort to showcase our lifestyle as the primary conservationists of wild game," McNeely added.