(Clayton, NY – July 2013) The largest gun and sportsmen event in Northern New York will be held Aug. 17 and 18, at Cerow Recreation Park Arena in Clayton. The 36th annual Clayton-1000 Islands Gun and Sportsmen Show benefits the scholarships and community and international service work of the Clayton Rotary Club.
The Blade Runner and Pack Rat’s Den of Hagaman, NY, will be new among the 60 gunsmiths, guides and vendors with new, used and antique firearms, military history collectibles, black powder guns, knives, sporting gear and memorabilia for hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Husband and wife team Gerald and Patricia Arnold operate the two businesses that feature more than 100 different types of knives, from pocket folders to zombie killers, American and German-made models, collectibles dating to the Civil War era, helmets, canteens, and political pins and posters. The items range in price from $10 to $1,000.
‘The show visitors who are among the more than 5,000 knife collectors in the U.S. will want to see our New White Hunter valued at $500, handmade German Pumas, and our Remington Bullet Year knife modeled after the 1930s-style Remingtons,’ Gerald says.
Remington, Winchester, and Browning rifles and Fox shotguns, 22s and rifles are among the wares that Tony’s Outdoors, North Bangor, NY, will have at the Clayton show. Owner Tony Alphonso says, ‘We can quickly tell by conversation and how well someone handles a gun at our booth if they are experienced or first-time buyers. A lot of our first-time buyers are families with children who want to learn to hunt with mom and dad in a responsible way.’
NCIS checks are required for all firearm sales and purchases at the show. In addition to selling, dealers buy and trade goods.
Dealers offer scopes, sights, binoculars, reloading equipment, gun cases, holsters, grips, cleaning kits, cartridges, shells, calibers and gauges. Show visitors will also find decoys, fishing tackle, leather goods, and books on fishing, hunting and the outdoors.
The Clayton-1000 Islands Gun and Sportsmen Show is a Yellow Ribbon Event for the military. Show hours are 8:30am-5pm Saturday, August 17 and 9am-4pm Sunday, August 18. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for military with ID, children under 12 free. Route 37 Building Supply, Wellesley Island Building Supply, Greg Henry Construction, and Surefine Market of Clayton are show sponsors.
Cerow Recreation Park is at 600 East Line Road south of the Village of Clayton. For show information, contact Tom Neely, 315-482-4596, or Bud Baril, 315-686-2832.