Win, lose or draw, Jackie Gross is an outdoor success story.
Today marks the final opportunity for the public to select the 29-year-old construction company consultant from Silt as the “Eye of the Hunter” Extreme Huntress 2012 by casting votes at (at last check, she was in second place among 10 finalists). But the opportunities for Gross are just beginning.
The self-described “lil’ Southern gal” who grew up hunting and fishing in Louisiana before relocating to Colorado after college will be among the everyday outdoors stars featured at the International Sportsmen’s Expo beginning Thursday at the Colorado Convention Center. Gross will be introduced during seminars by Pheasants Forever regional director Bob Hix, Eastmans’ Hunting and Bowhunting Journal publisher Guy Eastman and at ‘s “Friday Night Bytes” party at the Aquarium Tank.
Gross hunts everything from birds to big game, chasing elk, moose, bears, buffaloes and cougars with her bow.
“I just love it for the adventure,” Gross said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”
Should Gross win the contest that included a celebrity-judged essay on why she considers herself one of the most hard-core women hunters in the world, she will be introduced at the SHOT show in Las Vegas later this month. Afterward, the winner travels to Zimbabwe for an expedition hunt with Martin Pieters Safaris. The hunt will be filmed for an episode of “Eye of the Hunter,” airing on NBC Sports in August. Online voting ends today.
But this week, the spotlight is on the ISE. The 35th annual expo running through next Sunday is the state’s largest and most diverse gathering of outdoor products and services, with more than 500 exhibits attracting between 25,000 and 35,000 paid attendees from across the region.
Among more than 100 free seminars (admission is $15 for adults; children 15 and under and military get in free) are new displays from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s Great Elk Tour and a “War in the Woods” presentation on illegal marijuana grows on public land from Lt. John Nores of National Geographic’s “Wild Justice.”
Other popular features include a 30,000-square-foot “Discover Fly Fishing” pavilion, casting lessons and contests, a sporting dog arena, 3-D archery range, a rifle raffle and Colorado Parks and Wildlife Youth Outdoor Fair. Literally hundreds of guides, outfitters, outdoor personalities and retailers will be showcasing their offerings.
Saturday is the biggest day on the schedule, with doors open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For a more intimate experience, plan to arrive early Thursday or Friday, when the floor is open from noon to 9 p.m. Free parking and shuttles are available from Coors Field. Visit for more information and a map of the floor.
Fly-fishing and films take center stage. The ISE isn’t the only game in town this week. The annual Denver Fly Fishing Show arrives at the Merchandise Mart (451 E. 58th Ave.) this Friday-Sunday. This event is a fly-fishing specific gathering of 150 retailers, tackle manufacturers, fly-tiers, casting aficionados, authors, artists and outfitters.
For the first time, the Fly Fishing Show will include award-winning entries from the International Fly Fishing Film Festival, showcasing the passion, lifestyle and culture of the sport beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Among the films slated to debut are “Cuba on the Fly,” “The Costa Rica Challenge” and “A Backyard in Nowhere.” Others will be named after judging. Film festival tickets are $10 in advance or with admission to the show Friday, $15 otherwise.
The show itself includes a theater program with a complete lineup of films detailing techniques for fishing local waters produced by local legends. A complete schedule of adventure and destination shows, film festival presentations, casting demonstrations, featured fly-tiers and seminars is available at .
Admission ranges from free for uniformed Scouts under 16 to $15 for adults ($25 for a two-day pass, $35 for a three-day pass). Active military with ID are $10.
Scott Willoughby: 303-954-1993 or swilloughby@denverpost.com
