The Dallas Safari Club has opened its Summer Expo at the Gaylord Texan. The event moved to Grapevine from the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and expanded from a gala to an exposition with 450 companies and organizations.
"We have a lot of volunteers here, and it's a bunch of like-minded people. If you love the outdoors, fishing, anything to do with that, if you come here and have questions, there's going to be many people to guide you through the process," says Dallas Safari Club Chief Executive Rob McCanna. "It's a very welcome environment, very family-friendly."
Thursday, two friends who had traveled from Philadelphia were looking at booths. One said he is a grandfather and saw a father and son looking at a stand offering hunting trips.
"Their family is together, and the kid is having a blast," he said. "He's learning how to do it correctly and ethically."
The two said they flew to DFW for the event. They said they knew about the club and expected the event to draw groups that could offer a hunting trip that would match their abilities.
"They taylor the hunt to you. That's why we're here," the other said. "We're looking for guides who will listen to our story and tell us their story. If they match up, we're going."
McCanna said the event highlights different aspects of wildlife including responsible hunting practices, education and conservation.
"This is for anybody who has interest in the outdoors whether it be hunting or fishing or any of these activities," he says.
McCanna says the event has activities geared toward kids such as a prize for kids who find a javalenia wearing a gold chain with the name "Greg." Friday, the event will have a six hour hunting education class.
"It's a great opportunity to do things outside the show floor but also bring new people in and help with the process of joining the outdoors," he says.
Among vendors set up were companies selling firearms, scopes and other equipment. Some were selling artwork or furniture. Others were selling hunting trips.
"There are a lot of dangerous game hunters in Texas," says Graham Williams, owner of Australian Buffalo Hunters. "Dallas Safari Club is an international organization. There are people all over the world who know this is a fantastic organization and has fantastic conventions."
Williams says he partners with some businesses in Dallas that work with hunters, and visitors from Texas account for 60% of his business. He says his trips can cater to hunters with different skills, saying younger hunters may just want to explore along the river and over hills; older hunters may want to stay in safari cars with open tops.
"Every now and then we get an 80 year old hunter. We make it work for them, and they're happy as hell we pulled it off," he says. "My job is to know the animal, understand its senses, when you can approach, when you need to stop."
The Dallas Safari Club Summer Expo runs through Saturday at the Gaylord Texan. The event costs $25 for a one-day pass, $45 for a two-day pass and $60 for all three days. Kids 16 and younger, first responders and military can get in free. Details are available at https://www.biggame.org/summer-expo-information/.