Bowhunter Banquet
West Virginia
Seats are going at a fast pace this year. If anyone wants to be assured of a seat I would reccommend getting reservations in quickly as there are just over a hundred spots left available.
I wish this banquet would be in different city/town every year.
I would love to attend one. But it is over a 2 hr drive, and I am not going to stay over night.
I go out of town enough hunting, fishing and work.
I have heard it before; "...bring the family..." Well I brought the wife to a local banquet once...ONCE. She is not the outdoor type and these things do not interest her.
The NWTF has their yearly thing in a different state every year. It would be nice if the WVBA had theirs in a different city/town every year.
Saxton, I would be surprised if your wife didn't like this banquet weekend. Does she like to shop? Swim in a nice indoor pool? These things are available at Days Hotel--nice outlet mall right across the highway. May be hard on your budget though! :o) I see wives and kids having a great time every year there. I think the problem with moving it around is that there are very few places where such an event can be held--where a nice outdoor shooting range is available--lots of folks enjoy shooting their bows over the weekend and that is always part of the fun. Also lodging and banquet facilities have to be able to accommodate at least 300+ guests. Not an easy set of needs to meet all over the state.
What about at State Parks, like Pipestem. Plenty of rooms, area for shooting, stocked trout pond, indoor swimming pool. Pipestem would take me just as long to get to. But I am familiar with it, so I am using it as an example.
I am sure if it was looked into, different places could be found around the state. All that is needed is 2 or three other locations and rotate every year.
This would allow more people to have an opportunity to go to the banquet. I know several people, including myself that would go if it was closer.
Last year was my first time going I'm little over two hours away myself but plan on going back for years to come the wife went and had a pretty decent time now that I know what to expect I'm goin to take lil more cash this time
I think the location is great because its in the center of the state. The WVBA is a state organization and Flatwoods allows a place where hunters from Wheeling and Bluefield can attend without a long drive. If it was moved to Southern WV then the Northern part of the state would not attend . Same goes for the south if it were moved to Morgantown.
It is a great event and I see more and more families each year.
Flatwoods is the geographical center of the State. I don't know how it could be more fair than that. No disrespect, but ALL members have to be taken into consideration. It's also one time a year, not monthly.
It's different for a national orginization to move an annual event from state to state, than for a state orginization to move it from county to county. Pipestem would be great for people in Mercer and surrounding counties, not so much for members in the panhandles.
On another note, the reason I started this was because reservations started coming in early this year and had trickled in pretty well, but within the last week we have gotten over a hundred. If we have another week like that it will be sold out so if you want to come and be assured of a seat get your reservations in as soon as you can.
Gobbler, I got my money order for the bowhunter package today...don't leave me out!!
I agree. Couldn't be in a more central area. I drove over 4 hours to go year after year.,
I live in southern wv and if the banquet was in northern part of state I would still go ,,,,its that much fun,, like a huge family reunion to me and wife,,,,my wife definitely doesn't hunt but it's a relaxing weekend we both look forward to ,,,money wise I can't afford to spend lots of money as she's retired teacher and I am about to be one too and our income is cut almost in half....( yes mp and all my dear friends on here I'm a tight wad too lol). But us hunters always figure out a way to get our stuff we think we need....as to location at Flatwoods I have been a WVBA officer or regional rep for years, and was one of the officers when we decided to move to a more central location,,,we looked at lots of places ,got a ton of grief for moving,hours on phone but no other place we could find had a room big enough to seat 300 ,seminar and vendor rooms etc ,had a shopping area for wives close by ,,indoor pool for kids AND a local archery club with a range (this one has a huge indoor range as well ) and was centrally located. To move an event of this size to different parts of state each year with the above requirements is impossible....pipestem was as place we looked at but they couldn't handle the crowd ,so we now have a fall rendezvous there which is very nice,,,just my two cents but more to it then meets eye
I wouldn't miss it for any reason except a family emergency or could not get off from work. It is over 2 hours away for me, closer to 3 but worth it.
Got my MO in the mail today before the snow blew in!
10-4, we've got 12 more in the last 2 days
New items added to the auction list on the WVBA website under banquet info.
Not too late to join a great organization and make your banquet reservations!
I got mine in finally see ya there
I think March 1 is the date when the late fee applies, don't be tardy and have to kick in another $10 per seat.
If we can be sold out by March 1, it will gives us more time to work on the seating assignments and won't have to be a last minute task.
Early reservations are much appreciated.
The banquet is one the favorite things my wife and I do throughout the year. We leave the kids at home, get a room, and take a mini vacation in WV. Other friends come with their wives who go shopping or do some spa stuff while we go to the lectures. We have lunch together and catch up on the year. The dinner is great and the facilities are super along with the event being the best. I drive nearly 3 hours to hunt, scout, run trail cameras, and build food plots on my lease in southern WV multiple times a year. For anyone to drive 2 or 3 hours once a year to come to the WVBA premier event in Flatwoods doesn't strike me as a problem. Not calling anyone out but I just don't think we members could have it better.
The auction is Saturday night right?
Yes, at the end of the awards banquet.
I hope to post the banquet agenda on the web page soon (maybe tonight). Been busy with legislation as you might imagine.
I think we've got a good line up of seminars again this year and there are some new vendors too.
And have you heard who the guest speaker is???
Over 10 more seats taken since yesterday and I haven't got my mail yet today.
Remember tickets go up by 10.00 after March 1st and only credit cards can be accepted for payment after March 1st also.
Thanks, Greg
Since the banquet is one week later this year, the Board has decided to extend the due date for tickets and the late fee will not be charged until March 8th.
That gives you one more week to get your reservations in, providing tickets are still available.
