“The chamber actually rotates when it’s fired,” explained the saleswoman as she held the Dirty Harry-sized handgun across her pregnant belly and blasted rounds at the ground.
The weapon fired plastic pellets, thankfully, but it was still a sight to behold and just one of many weird and wonderful sights at the Chicagoland Outdoors Show, which pitched its tent at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont last weekend, attracting the Midwest’s hunters, anglers and lovers of all things camouflaged.
At this 29th annual convention, even the most urban guy could find something to trigger an inner urge to eat ostrich jerky.
So we went looking for some of the odder products for sale. And when we weren’t distracted by diving dogs, the archery shooting range and the fishing pond, we discovered some doozies:
* Two Bears Trading Co. offered purses made from fox hides for the ladies and hats made from black-bear pelts for the fellas. Cost of the hats: $375 and a lifetime of harassment from PETA members and Packers fans. twobears.com
* The Gun and Bow Camera Mount, which affixes to the side of your rifle, enabling you to videotape your kills. “With the popularity of hunting shows, everybody wants to be a TV star,” explained spokesman Rich Dodson, as a video montage of exploding birds played on a screen beside him. “And you can edit out your missed shots.” deerridgeinnovations.com
* The Insect Zapper, an electrified tennis racket that employs 1,500 volts to explode airborne bugs. “You use a different movement for yellow jackets than you would for mosquitoes,” explained Jim Mars, as he swung his product like a pest-obsessed Roger Federer. suspendease.com
More Top Picks Best Shoe Racks For Entryways
* Gunzilla, “The world’s best gun cleaner” made entirely from organic compounds, for those tree-huggers frustrated with dingy AK-47s. topduckproducts.com
———-
Send Guy Page comments, questions or suggestions to [email protected]