By Pat Wray, 2020 OWAA Conference Chairman
January 27, 2020
With us well into the new year, it’s time to start making your plans to attend the OWAA Conference June 27-29, 2020 at Vermont’s Jay Peak Resort! You’ve been reading about the conference for months now. Here are a few more reasons to attend.
Improved Breakout Day
We’ve pulled out all the stops for an outstanding and re-energized Breakout Day at the Derby Rifle Range.
Christine Peterson, 2nd VP, and a crew of enthusiastic OWAA members are working hard to bring former, present and potential future Supporting Groups to the conference and to Breakout Day. Former OWAA President Tony Dolle is leading the charge on firearms manufacturers and he’ll ensure there will be a lot of shooting opportunities available. We’re getting strong support from Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Wright’s Sporting Goods and the Derby Rifle Range folks. We’ll have demonstrations of all kinds, including a few you’ve probably never seen before, such as:
- Shooting rifles, pistols and shotguns
- How to call elk, deer, moose, varmints
- How to start a fire
- Gutless field dressing
- How to set snares and rescue your dog if caught in one
- How to shoot crossbows
- How to set up a tree stand safely
- Shooting long bows, recurves and compounds accurately
- How to ensure you have safe drinking water
- How to deal with human excrement at your campsite
- How to use smart phone applications to help you identify plants and animals in the wild
- How to make coffee in the backcountry
- How to grid a mountainside using binoculars
- The science behind layering of clothing
- Four basics of getting the right photo
And we’re not done! If you have more ideas to make our 2020 Breakout Day a fantastic success, just let us know. Drop Christine an e-mail at petersonoutside@gmail.com.
Water-borne activities
We have a small lake within 300 yards of the conference center that will be available for boats, paddleboards, canoes, float tubes and any other non-motorized demonstrations, as well as casting throughout the conference.
We’ve scheduled a three-hour workshop period on Monday afternoon, June 29 that will include demos and play time on the water, but the lake is available anytime so that you can arrange a more convenient time to meet with boating and rod representatives. Adjust your own schedule to include one-on-one time with a subject matter expert of your choice.
We don’t need no stinking water at the Breakout Day site because we’ve got lots of it right up close throughout the conference. You’re welcome.