By Jessica Miller
The Southern Tier of New York is well known for its ample hunting and fishing opportunities. Sportspeople regularly cross both state and international borders for the chance to catch their next food source or trophy in the region. These visitors will have an added motivation to travel to Salamanca during the weekend of February 25 and 26: the 2023 Sportsman Show at Seneca Allegany Resort and Casino (I86 Exit 20 777 Seneca Allegany Blvd, Salamanca).
Over 350 tables and 40 booths will be set up to help outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes buy, sell, and trade equipment for their favorite sports. Antique collectors will likewise enjoy the chance to admire and purchase the vintage firearms on display. Those who seek chartered service hunting or fishing adventures also have the opportunity to connect with skilled guides during the show. Animal lovers will particularly enjoy seeing and learning about the western New York wildlife at educational exhibits. If the animals of interest are the ones for permanent display, taxidermists will have these examples of work for viewing.
This broad range of activities at the Sportsman Show is part of the vision of Frewsburg’s own Jim Buck. Buck was an Army veteran and collector of antique and military guns for over 50 years. He had the knowledge and expertise that only decades of passion for the subject can provide. This wealth of information was meant to be shared with like-minded hobbyists.
It was only natural that his 40 years of show production experience would complement his love for gun collection, and these interests culminated in the formation of York-Penn Shows. This unique, outdoors event-focused show organization became known for being well organized; as such, York-Penn shows grew in attendance and popularity across the tri-state area. York-Penn Shows and its annual Sportsman Show at Seneca Allegany continue as part of Buck’s legacy after his June 2019 passing. His family is proud to carry on this tradition of sport show excellence with the 2023 return to the Seneca Allegany Event Center.
As the host venue of the 2023 Sportsman Show, the Seneca Allegany Resort and Casino is offering $10 of free slot play at the casino when proof of admission is shown at the Social Club counter. Tickets for the show are $10 per person, and children 12 and under are admitted for free with an adult ticket. The hours of the show are 9 a.m.—5 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m.—3 p.m.
It is most important for potential firearm shoppers to be prepared for a legal sale. Gun transaction participants at this and similar shows are also required by New York state law to participate in a National Instant Background Check before the sale, no matter the antique status of the firearm. Pistol permit clerks from Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties will be present both days to help facilitate and expedite transactions. Upon confirmation of eligibility to own a gun, a sale can proceed.
Shoppers and browsers alike have two days to enjoy the outdoors inside of the Seneca Allegany Event Center. It is hoped that spending the weekend indoors to shop and learn during the weekend will find everything they need to enjoy the outdoors of the region through the year.