OK, tell us about the new toys bought @ KZoo Expo

[Dave Pagel]

I wish I would have bought another couple of dozen of Rusty's shafts.  Once I played with them some at home I am even more impressed.

Dave

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

This was the first year in a long time that I've missed the Expo. But my daughter had a swim meet, and family comes first. It sounds like everyone had a great time though. How long until Compton's?

[Whip]

Oh boy, where do I start?  I think the only TG'r I met that I didn't already know was Dave Worden - we had a good visit and rested sore feet for awhile near the food area. Talked to a bunch of other people that I don't get to see often enough.  Heck, a bunch were from Wisconsin - we have to drive to Michigan to see each other!
 And the vendors!  Too many to list!  I managed to sneak past most of them without to large of a hit to my own wallet.  But I did pick up some arrow shafts, some beautiful wood which I'll use for knife handles, some ace broadheads and brass weights, and a couple other misc. odds n' ends.

I went back today on a major shopping spree to pick up prizes for our Wisconsin Trad. Archers banwuet next month.  Let's just say the shopping went well!  There will be some special items on the raffles and auctions this year!

[j yenney]

Is the show in oregon any smaller than the one out in michagan. My wife has alot of family in michagan but the one in oregon is alot closer.

[dad]

Order a set of limbs for my Bob Lee Hunter. Saw a lot of friends chatted a while with them. Bought a used Darton Valant 38#@28. Havent had one of them in my hands in a while.

[Curtiss Cardinal]

Shot at leat one bow from every bowyer Except the two that I ahve shot many, many times before Schrews and Morrisons. Cari-Bows were impressive, so were DAS Kentics and Salukis and Jim Blecher's bows. Heck ALL the bows impressed me in some way. Jim hand a 70# static recurve that he called his nostalgia bow that hit like a tom of bricks. It was shocky like almost all static recurves but not punishingly so. A guy handed me a Saluki that was a double shelfer so I hot two arrows right and two arrows left handed. you could have covered that four arrow group with a playing card. Being ambidextrous has it's advantages. I also shot a left handed Massie recurve (Jim has bought Massie's bow business)Jim is an old friend of mine from Michigan. I hadn't seen him in over 10 years. He is originally from England, is a master cabinet maker and a truly exceptional bowyer. He even got some training for the British Royal Bowyer. He will be logging on to the Tradgang soon. VoodooFire and I sat and talked for 40 minutes or so about setting up somemore tradgang Indiana get-togethers. A laminated bow build and a turkey hunt. Met bigriver(nice guy, kinda quiet)too. Told a lot of guys about tradgang.com (I was wearing my tradgang cap and people asked).
The thing I like most about events like this two strangers will start up a converstion and within minutes they are talking like old friends.
I bought some 200 grain Ace Hex blunts, and an Ace wall mount Spine Tester a new shooting glove and some hats. Almost ordered more bows than anyone should at one time. Then I remembered my car insurance is due tomorrow so I was able to control myself.
I'll remember the drive home for a while, if not the rest of my life. From 13 miles east of Gary to 5 miles east of Gary visibility was 10 feet because of snow and traffic was crawling along. it took an hour to go those 8 miles.Then when I got to Terra Haute a railway crossing turnstyle and lights failed to return to the off position after a train went through so it took another half hour to go half a block. So my 5 hours drive took 6 and a half. Much to my shock When I arrived home to the normally mild climate of SW Indiana I found it was without snow but 10 degrees colder than Kalamazoo, MI. And Artic Express had beat me home. Still it was well worth the money and windsheild time. I had a lot of fun. I too am getting a Bison Gear Pack.I believe it is called the Wind River model. I pray God everyone made it home safely.

[skillet]

Rats....it was last weekend?  Dang it.

[Kelly]

Yes, this show in Michigan is a lot larger than the one in Oregon(now this year in Boise, Idaho). Almost twice as many vendors.

[AnointedArcher]

I had an awesome time, I got to meet Voodoofire1 and C2. C2 is going to buy some prime hunting land in Indiana and then invite me down to hunt  :D .

The show was not as big this year as last year, 3 Rivers was not there and a couple other supply vendors that usally are there where not there this year.  But that was as ok as I am sure Larry from Lost Nations Archery was able to handle the over flow.

My buddy and I both bought Ron LaClair's new Clasic hunter longbows.  He had the prototype bow there and I loved it from the first arrow I released from it. After some time my buddy pryed it out of my hands and once he shot it we raced over to Ron's booth. Fortunately I have longer legs then Brad becuase I got there first and ordered production bow #1.

Then I bought some Ash arrow shafts from Allegahny Archery Supplies, some Ace 200 grain broadheads and brass field points, a Primal Dream DVD from Gene & Barry for a firend of mine, a nice fleace top form the Wool Lady for my wife, two tickets to the Michigan Traditional Bowhunters Banquet, a wool pull over shirt from Teresa Asbel and oh yea a dozen 145 grain field points from Traditional Archery Supply.

[Dave Worden]

Whip was the only TG'er I met for the first time.  As he said, we had a good chat.  I found out he used to be a member of a club in Janesville, WI where I shot a couple of times.  Had chats with Ron LaClair and Fred Asbell.  Learned a little and got some confirmation that I do have some idea how to shoot!  Curt, so Eric's bow was left-handed?  I thought he just took a slide picture of it and projected it from the wrong side!!  Bought one of Rusty's shafts.  He's retiring and I figured I'd better get one of his fancy ones while I still can.  Dave, Rusty said he'll be at Compton's this year.  I sugested that I should have waited till then to buy as the price would probably be lower, but he promised me the price is not coming down.  Couldn't buy any bows though.  I'll be making two long bows in the next couple of months and that OUGHT to be enough new bows for a while.

[Brian Halbleib]

Great show, again. The extremely high level of craftsmanship these bowyers are putting into their bows today is just amazing. Wow! If you're shopping for a new bow in this day and age, you've got plenty of GREAT choices out there. You need to get to an expo like this or the one coming up in Wheeling, WV and look at and shoot these beautiful works of art.

It was great to meet a lot of you Trad Gangers plus a host of other new faces. We appreciated you stopping by and your continued support of our magazine.

Sharon and the rest of the folks at Great Northern (and volunteers) put on another smooth and outstanding show. Thanks again.

-Brian
 www.bowyersjournal.com

[Herdbull]

I have to agree with Brian. It was a great show and Sharon and Jerry were very helpfull. We had a booth across from the Wool Lady and my brothers bought a bunch of shirts, jackets, and pants from her to fill my truck on the way home.

It was great to talk with everyone. Nice meeting Voodoofire1.
Thanks to all,
Mike

[monkeydan]

K-Zoo 2007 was a great time for me as my brother took me as an early b-day present.
Thankyou to Brian Halbleib for kindly taking my $28 to re-up my script for two more years. I realy enjoy your fine magazine. The generosity of the contributors with their information helps my learning curve immensely.
Bought a small booklet how to make flemmish twist bowstrings from Mr. and Mrs. Cosgrove of Kustom King and my brother the Bowyers Bible III. Thankyou to these great people for making somuch info available in one space.
Hope to see Three Rivers there next year. Missed them this year.
Appologies to all of you who had long drives home in the bad weather. Hope everyone made it safely and without incident. We had to pull off for a while to let the system blow itsself out. Such is the weather here.
Hope K-Zoo 2008 is even better! See you then.

[Chuck Mullaley]

Bad weather?  Certainly not in Michigan in January!  Y'all need to consider having that show in the sunny south!    

Of course, we're still hunting deer until the end of January in Alabama.

[CMR]

Shot just about every bow there, came home w/a ChekMate Hunter II.

[B.O.D.]

Who the heck is the "wool lady"...? She have a website?
BD

[CMR]

Oh yeah...forgot about the sweater I bought for the wife from the "wool lady".
Bought some screw in field pts too from Lost Nation.

[AnointedArcher]

Wool Lady is Mary Deepe she is from Grand Rapids area. I don't think she has a website but she is at all the big shoots in Michigan, Compton, GLLI, MTB Jamboree and so on.  She sells used wool & fleece clothing at real cheap pricies. Very good people!