SWVA Sportsmen and Coalfields Special Sportsmen recently took a little piece of Buchanan County to Richmond, sharing the county’s outdoor opportunities and its growing elk habitat with sportsmen from across Virginia.
Representatives of the local organizations attended the 44th Virginia Outdoor Sportsman Show, held July 31 through Aug. 2 at the Richmond Raceway Complex.
The three-day event, billed as Virginia’s largest sportsman show, brought together outdoor enthusiasts, organizations and exhibitors for a weekend centered around hunting, fishing and conservation. The show included hundreds of exhibitors, seminars, demonstrations and activities, along with the annual Virginia Peninsula Sportsmen’s Association Big Game Contest.
For the Buchanan County group, however, the trip was about more than attending a show.
SWVA Sportsmen used the opportunity to represent Buchanan County and introduce visitors from other parts of Virginia to what Southwest Virginia has to offer, including the county’s elk habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities.
The group also highlighted the work of Coalfields Special Sportsmen, a part of SWVA Sportsmen that provides outdoor opportunities for individuals with disabilities and others who may face challenges that make participating in traditional outdoor activities difficult.
Among the local representatives attending the show were Ronnie Blankenship, Robert Sauer, Doug Raines, Bucky Blankenship, Brandon Boyd and Tom Hampton.
Throughout the weekend, the organizations talked with visitors about their programs while also giving away prizes and sharing information about Buchanan County.
Coalfields Special Sportsmen operates under a mission of “Enriching lives of individuals facing challenges, through outdoor experiences.”
The organization believes the outdoors should be accessible to everyone, regardless of background, experience or personal challenges. Its programs provide safe, ethical and educational hunting opportunities for individuals who might otherwise have difficulty participating because of physical, financial, social or other barriers.
Through mentors and volunteers, participants are introduced to responsible hunting practices, wildlife conservation and outdoor skills. The experiences are designed not only to teach participants about hunting, but also to build confidence, friendships and an appreciation for wildlife and the outdoors.
Through mentors and volunteers, participants are introduced to responsible hunting practices, wildlife conservation and outdoor skills. The experiences are designed not only to teach participants about hunting, but also to build confidence, friendships and an appreciation for wildlife and the outdoors.
The program works with hunters ages six and older and partners with landowners, conservation organizations, wildlife agencies and community supporters to make its hunts possible.
The trip to Richmond gave the organization a chance to share that message with a much larger audience while also shining a spotlight on Buchanan County.
After returning home, SWVA Sportsmen reflected on the weekend and the opportunity to tell others about the work taking place in the coalfields. For the local representatives, it was a chance to show that Buchanan County’s outdoor heritage isn’t simply about hunting — it is also about using the outdoors to bring people together and create opportunities for those who may not otherwise have them.
Coalfields Special Sportsmen is already preparing for its next opportunity to do just that.
The organization’s Youth Fall Deer Hunt is scheduled for Sept. 25-27. Registration is being conducted online through its partner, Hands of a Sportsman, with a Sept. 1 registration deadline.
The upcoming hunt will continue the same mission the Buchanan County representatives carried with them to Richmond — opening the outdoors to others and creating experiences and memories that can last well beyond a weekend in the woods.
