LITTLE VALLEY — The Cattaraugus County Trappers Association will hold its 2018 Sportsmen’s Rendezvous from Friday to Sunday at the Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds.
The Sportsmen’s Rendezvous, previously known as the Cattaraugus County Sportsmen’s Show, has been organized and hosted by the Cattaraugus County Trappers Association for more than 30 years.
Gates open at 10 a.m. Friday. The event closes at 3 p.m. Sunday.
It has become one of the largest locally run sportsmen’s conventions in the eastern U.S., said Brian Davis, treasurer.
More than 70 vendors specializing in trapping, hunting, and other outdoor-related products are expected to attend the event.
Officials said more than 2,500 attended last year. The cost is $5 per vehicle per day. Camping accommodations are also available.
Many vendors and other outdoor experts, such as Mike Wilhite of the Trapper’s Post Magazine, give presentations and demonstrations on trapping, hunting, and other outdoor activities.
Another interesting activity provided at the Rendezvous includes the Mountain Man Encampment, where area re-enactors give a glimpse into the lives of early pioneering outdoorsmen and women from the late 1700s and early 1800s.
New York State Trapper Training Certification will be offered at the Rendezvous for those interested in obtaining a state trapping license.
The Sportsmen’s Rendezvous is the primary fundraising activity for the Trappers Association each year. Other activities include an annual fur auction, usually held in mid-January, and attendance at other outdoor shows and county fairs each year to promote the organization, and the sport of trapping.
Funds raised by these events are used primarily to support public information and education activities, Davis said.
Programs supported by the Trappers Association include sponsoring kids to attend DEC Conservation Camp and the Trappers’ Camp at Camp Rushford, Cattaraugus County and NYS Envirothon, and 4-H programs in Cattaraugus County and other surrounding counties.
“Many of our members generously share their knowledge of and enthusiasm for trapping with those interested in learning about the sport, including youth and adults alike,” Davis said.
