There isn’t much that beats hunting or spending time outdoors, but one activity that comes close (in our book!) is meeting, hanging out, and swapping stories with fellow wilderness lovers.
One of the best ways to meet outdoor enthusiasts is to attend one of the spectacular archery, hunting, or outdoor events held across the United States every year. If you’re looking to meet like-minded sportsmen like yourself, you’ve come to the right place.
Here are our favorite hunting and outdoor events being held in 2023 and into 2024:
Top Hunting and Outdoor Events
Total Archery Challenge
Known as the world’s greatest 3D archery experience, Total Archery Challenge (TAC) is one of the most popular outdoor sporting events in the United States. Each archery event includes 100+ targets that challenge shooters with large distances, irregular angles, and natural obstacles.
TAC hosts several events per year in stunning natural venues all across the country. Their 2023 tour includes the following:
- Beaver’s Bend, OK: March 31–April 2
- San Antonio, TX: April 28–30
- Belvidere, TN: May 5–7
- Killington/Pico, VT: May 26–28
- 7 Springs, PA: June 1–4
- Crystal Mountain, MI: June 9–11
- Big Sky, MT: June 23–25
- Sunlight Mountain, CO: July 7–9
- Terry Peak, SD: July 14–16
- Solitude/Brighton, UT: July 20–23
Though TAC isn’t a competitive event, you can shoot to win a truck after participating in the main event. You can shoot as many times as you’d like, and each arrow in the mark counts as an entry. At the end of the tour, a winner is randomly selected.
RMEF MTN Fest
RMEF MTN Fest is a three-day event held in conjunction with the Big Sky, Montana, stop of the Total Archery Challenge (June 23–25). This event is hosted by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), one of the country’s most influential conservation and hunting outfits.
MTN Fest will feature the World Elk Calling Championship, Total Archery Challenge, outdoor industry vendors, special raffles and membership offers for RMEF, and an after-party with live music, entertainment, and a catered dinner by Chef Jaime Teigen.
The World Elk Calling Championship is one of the highlights of MTN Fest. On Saturday, June 24, contestants will have the opportunity to “out-bugle, out-bark, out-mew and out-chirp the competition” in one of five categories: Professional, Men’s, Women’s, Youth (11–17 years old), and Pee Wee (10 years and younger).
MTN Fest sponsors include Sportsman’s Warehouse, YETI, Bass Pro Shops, and Cabela’s, among other popular, trusted outdoor brands.
SCI Hunter’s Convention
Safari Club International (SCI) works to protect the freedom to hunt and promote wildlife conservation worldwide. This organization hosts a convention for hunters each year in Nashville, Tennessee, complete with exhibits, seminars, meet and greets, keynote speakers, and entertainment from country music singers. Attendees can participate in live, silent, and online auctions for high-ticket items like once-in-a-lifetime hunting experiences and firearms.
Missed this year’s event? The 52nd Annual Hunter’s Convention will take place at the Music City Center (convention center) in downtown Nashville from Wednesday, January 31 to Saturday, February 3, 2024. We hope to see you there.
NWTF Convention & Sports Show
The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), founded in 1973, is dedicated to conserving wild turkeys and preserving our hunting heritage. Its annual Convention and Sports Show attracts 67,000+ attendees annually for four action-packed days in Nashville, Tennessee.
The next NWTF Convention and Sports Show is scheduled for February 14–18, 2024, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. At the event, you can compete in tons of competitions — from call-making to taxidermy — and also participate in raffles, auctions, and exhibitions.
Sheep Show
The Sheep Show is an annual event hosted by the Wild Sheep Foundation in Reno, Nevada. The Wild Sheep Foundation was founded in 1977 and is the premier conservation organization dedicated to restoring wild sheep populations.
The Sheep Show includes an exhibit hall with guides, outfitters, and retailers, as well as auctions and raffles, entertainment, food, and more. The next Sheep Show will take place January 17–20, 2024.
Western Hunting & Conservation Expo
The Western Hunting & Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah, is an annual event that provides significant funding for wildlife conservation and watershed restoration projects that support the missions of Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife and the Mule Deer Foundation.
The next Western Hunting & Convention Expo will be held February 15–18, 2024, at the Salt Palace Convention Center. At the event, you can attend banquets, listen to keynote speakers, bid on auction items and tags, and mingle with hundreds of vendors, including the industry’s top guides, taxidermists, outdoor brands, and outdoor partners.
Sportsmen’s Shows
The Sportsmen’s Shows are held in Washington and Oregon to celebrate hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation west of the Mississippi River. Each event includes 800+ exhibits, hundreds of seminars, new product showcases, and unique show attractions, including movie nights, log rolling, axe throwing, trout fishing, and other fun entertainment for the whole family.
You can purchase daily tickets to the show for $15 per adult and $5 per junior (ages six to 16). Children five and under can enter for free. If you’d like to attend for two days, you can purchase a two-day pass for $24 per adult.
These are the dates, locations, and other details for upcoming Sportsmen’s Shows:
- Washington Sportsmen’s Show: January 31–February 4, 2024, in Puyallup, Washington, at the Washington State Fair Convention Center.
- Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show: February 14–18, 2024, in Portland, Oregon, at the Portland Expo Center.
- Central Oregon Sportsmen’s Show: March 7–10, 2024, in Redmond, Oregon, at the First Interstate Bank Center and the Deschutes County Fair & Expo.
- Saltwater Sportsmen’s Show: Hosted in Salem, Oregon. Dates to come.
Sorinex Outdoors WinterStrong — “INVITE ONLY”
WinterStrong is an annual event hosted by Sorinex Outdoors, a brand which advocates for a strenuous life of adventure and survival. That life includes activities like hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, shooting, cooking, and archery — all things we outdoor enthusiasts love.
In February 2023, outdoorsmen from across the country gathered in South Carolina for WinterStrong 5, an immersive two-day experience filled with shooting, archery, survival, and fitness. By putting their survival skills to the test, participants became better acquainted with their bodies and spirits, and learned how to thrive in the wilderness by collaborating with others.
Sorinex Outdoors partnered with several organizations to bring WinterStrong to life, including YETI, Black Rifle Coffee Company, Eberlestock, and our team at Montana Knife Company.
Unfortunately, both WinterStrong and its counterpart, SummerStrong, are over for this year, but keep your eyes peeled for new dates going into 2024.
Join Montana Knife Company at These Memorable Hunting and Outdoor Events
There’s a reason we recommend these outdoor events to knife owners and outdoor enthusiasts: We love to attend and/or sponsor them ourselves. We hope to see you there in 2023 or early 2024!
