Adirondack Outdoorsman Show attracts thousands to Johnstown

JOHNSTOWN, N.Y. (NEWS10) -  The 21st annual Adirondack Outdoorsman Show kicked off Saturday morning, displaying all things hunting, fishing, boating, and outdoors. The show ran from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday and will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Thousands of people are anticipated to attend over the course of the weekend.

The show featured vendors who sold anything from fishing, hunting, and hiking gear to beef jerky and spices. Vendors from several counties in the state attended the show. Several authors sold books at the show on the history of Johnstown as well as on hunting and cooking. 90-year-old author Donald R. Williams has been attending the shows for over 20 years and was the first vendor at the first show.

"I grew up in the Adirondacks; I grew up above Northville, and I have always loved the Adirondacks and very early on as a school principal, I realized that children were not getting the local history," Williams said. "I always believe we need to know our roots; if we don't know our roots, society starts falling apart."

Williams is known as Mr. Adirondack and got his start as an author after teaching Gloversville students about the history of the Adirondacks, and wanting to preserve his writing. Williams said he wants to let everyone know about the rich history of the region. He sells his 25 Adirondack history books at every show.

"I do it all first hand talking to people and research in all the old documents," Williams said. "I try to get death notices and their career information and all the first hand information I can get. I have been doing these series of, I call it, these research booklets, putting all the research together, say on Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who was the woman's suffrage advocate, and she grew up in Johnstown. She left Johnstown and went to a couple places and Johnstown kind of lost her, but she did all her thinking there."

The show also brought in author Peter Fiduccia, also known as the deer doctor, who sold his books about hunting white-tailed deer.

"These are all the tactics that helps a guy in his success rate, or a girl or whoever is hunting, to have a better success rate," Fiduccia said. "It not only shows about tactics, but also about biology and behavior."

The show is held at the Johnstown Moose Club.