Western Outdoor Times - Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!

The 12th annual Arizona International Sportsmen’s Exposition (ISE) arrives at the University of Phoenix Stadium, Thursday, Feb. 23-Sunday, Feb. 26.

This year, the ISE is proud to announce appearances by several celebrity guest speakers, including Lt. John Nores Jr., co-star of National Geographic TV’s Wild Justice and Hank Shaw, author of Hunt, Gather, Cook.

Over 300 Exhibitors

More than 300 exhibiting companies will participate across the generous 160,000-square-foot space. Vendor booths include lodges and resorts, guides and outfitters, travel bureaus, manufacturers of outdoor products, outdoor-product retailers, boat and camping RV dealers, magazine and book publishers, Web sites, enthusiast clubs and groups, and nonprofit organizations representing a wide range of outdoor interests.

ISE Phoenix also offers seminar theaters and interactive features such as DockDogs pond and contest, giant archery range and contest, huge casting pool, 40-foot-long aquarium tank, two trophy displays, and a 8,000-square.-foot Youth Fair, hosted by Arizona Game and Fish Department.

New special events include Boy Scouts camp, Arizona Deer Association auction and banquet, and Hunting the Rez Pavilion and auction.

Special Guest Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw has captured a large and quickly growing fan base through his Honest-Food.net blog (nominated for a 2009 and 2010 James Beard award), and national book-release tour, which included local foraging followed by meal preparation in restaurants across America.

Perhaps unique to the outdoor and, especially, hunting industry, Shaw has successfully connected with foodies and hardcore hunters, which shows the power of the appetites.

At the ISE, Shaw will talk about how to prepare savory meals from game meat sourced from the farm or field. “Non-hunters who get whole animals are often at a loss about what to do with the less-glamorous cuts of the animal, so this presentation will definitely help with that.”

Special Guest Lt. John Nores

Lt. John Nores has also transcended his natural audience: hunters and anglers. A lifelong sportsman, Nores is featured on the acclaimed Wild Justice television show, which just began its second season on the National Geographic network. Nores is a California game warden who divides his time between rappelling out of helicopters, teaching young wardens the ropes, and traveling to western states to educate his colleagues and outdoor enthusiasts about illegal marijuana grows, a serious and expanding issue that Nores chronicled in his recent book War in the Woods.

Such grows destroy habitat, kill wildlife, pollute lands and waters, and endanger those who go outdoors — sometimes as close as the woods next door. Nores will speak at the ISE about close calls in the field and how hunters, anglers and campers can stay safe in the outdoors, even helping officers.

‘A Tremendous Family Value’

“The International Sportsmen’s Exposition is Arizona’s largest, most-diverse gathering of fishing, hunting and outdoor products and services all year,” said John Kirk, ISE’s director of communications. “With hundreds of exhibiting companies, free seminars throughout the day every day, free parking, giant Youth Fair plus free entry for youth under 16 and active military, the ISE is a tremendous family value.”

Details: $15 adult admission, with discount coupons available on the show’s Web site. Hours: Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Information: SportsExpos.com, info@SportsExpos.com or receive special offers by friending ISE at Facebook.com/SportsExpos