COVID-19 CLAIMS BUCKMASTERS EXPO

Concerns for public safety mean 27th annual event will not take place this August.

MONTGOMERY, AL., July 16, 2020 – Buckmasters Ltd., publisher of Buckmasters Whitetail and Rack magazines and producer of TV shows “Buckmasters” and “The Jackie Bushman Show,” today announced its annual Expo event in Montgomery, Ala., will not be held this August.

A celebration of hunting and the outdoors, the Expo features vendors and entertainment with a sportsman-oriented theme and draws about 20,000 attendees. The 27th annual Buckmasters Expo was slated for Aug. 14-16 at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center. Public health concerns about the Coronavirus made it impossible to go forward with this year’s event on those dates.

“We had hoped the pandemic would have been on the decline by now and we could look forward to another fun Expo, but that’s not possible at this point,” said Buckmasters founder Jackie Bushman. “Given what we know – and what we don’t know – about the virus, the right decision is to postpone the event.”

Bushman said he waited as long as he could, but the decision was clear once the 4th of July holiday arrived with the virus still a serious health risk.

“The Expo has always been about families and the outdoors,” Bushman continued. “We’re not going to do anything that puts families at risk. If, by postponing this year’s Expo, we can help prevent hunters and their families from getting sick, it’s an easy decision. We’d rather everyone was healthy to enjoy another majestic fall in the woods than hold the Expo under so many unknowns.

“Our vendors and sponsors are also friends, and their health was a concern, too,” Bushman continued. “Many of them have been with us since the very beginning, and their feedback has been positive across the board. They’ve all said it’s the right call and to put them down for the next event.”

One of the unique aspects of the Buckmasters Expo is the only entry fee is a can of food donation for local charities The Salvation Army and Friendship Mission. With so many people facing hardships recently, Bushman said that spirit of community support is even more important than usual.

“We can’t have the Expo in August, but we’re going to conduct a food drive that week (Aug. 10-16) to help those charities,” Bushman said. “They’ve been so appreciative of our efforts over the years, and they need our help now more than ever.” More details about the Buckmasters food drive will be announced in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, Bushman recommends making the most of this fall’s opportunities.

“Hunting is one activity you can do while social-distancing,” he said. “There’s no better cure for being cooped up than an evening in a deer stand.”

The Buckmasters Expo has traditionally been held on the third weekend of August each year. For vendor information, contact Donna Gross at dgross@buckmasters.com.