The ravages of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic seem to have no end. I’m sure all of my brothers and sisters in camo out there are as tired of all this as I am. Besides all the missed events such as family gatherings and many other social events, if we are honest, it has taken away from our outdoors endeavors as well.
Traveling for distant hunting or fishing trips has certainly been curtailed, and related events like the SHOT Show, the NRA convention and the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention & Sport Show have all been canceled, postponed or moved to virtual status for the time being due to the nasty little bug from China.
One of the events I look forward to every year is the Squirrel Master Classic, which is held at the Southern Sportsman’s Hunting Lodge in Alabama. Sponsored by the air rifle company Gamo, this event draws outdoors personalities, industry writers and editors, 4-H shooters and squirrel dog handlers from all over the country. The event is the brainchild of Buckmasters founder Jackie Bushman and was his idea on how to solve the dilemma of falling hunter numbers and bring awareness to the value of small game hunting.
Mr. Bushman looked at the problem like this: How do we get more new hunters, young and old, into hunting? What kind of hunting has easy access, lots of opportunities for success and not a lot of fancy gear required? Squirrel hunting! Many of us grew up with it and learned how to hunt that way.
Now how to have an event and draw attention to this type of hunting? The Squirrel Master Classic was born, Bushman was joined in this idea by Gamo and the rest is history.