Ocean County Decoy and Gunning Show

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
They changed the name to Ocean County Decoy and Waterfowling Show!! Blasphemy!! Must have been so as to not offend 'you know who' :rolleyes: My departed friend Pete is surely rolling over in his grave, if he were in one. Still one of the best shows around for outdoors stuff, even if it is now politically correct.

 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,258
Pines; Bamber area
I don't see the harm in taking off the word 'gunning'. Maybe they were attracting a crowd that wants guns for a purpose other than hunting. And, I've never heard someone say they are "going gunning" when they are "going hunting".
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
I don't see the harm in taking off the word 'gunning'. Maybe they were attracting a crowd that wants guns for a purpose other than hunting. And, I've never heard someone say they are "going gunning" when they are "going hunting".

Your apparently not aware of the heritage and culture of the bay region, but thanks for your opinion.

BTW, if you would like to learn about it, this link would be a good place to start, as well as attending that show and visiting the Tuckerton Seaport Museum. My departed friend Paul 'Pete' Mclain is on the list at the link.

 

imkms

Explorer
Feb 18, 2008
587
224
SJ and SW FL
I remember as a kid whenever my father or his friends or relatives went hunting they always called it gunning. Must have been the term in use by that generation and before, haven’t heard it used lately.
 
  • Like
Reactions: h2ochild

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,258
Pines; Bamber area

:smug::smug:

If you had replied kindly;...."but bob, the term gunning has been used along the coast since the time of settlement, here is an example.....etc", I would not have replied the way I did. You have a very difficult time handling alternate opinions.
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
Opinions are just that, opinions. They only mean something to the person giving them. But thanks for yours. As for the term 'gunning', :smug: Enjoy your Sunday; no opinion necessary.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,258
Pines; Bamber area
Opinions are just that, opinions. They only mean something to the person giving them. But thanks for yours. As for the term 'gunning', :smug: Enjoy your Sunday; no opinion necessary.

Opinions only mean something to the person giving them? You are so arcane sometimes.
 

overland1

New Member
Jun 4, 2013
4
7
I've attended and enjoyed this decoy and gunning event with my family for decades, and was just there on Saturday. Sadly, I've also watched its scope and area footprint shrink over the years as the times and economy inevitably change. Anyone remember the bygone art, craft, gunning-related items, and carver displays at the high school?

So if a venue name change increases the likelihood of this event's continuance (and the chance to cultivate a respect for the area and it's history by educating the public), I tell myself just roll with it.
 

GermanG

Piney
Apr 2, 2005
1,111
434
Little Egg Harbor
Yeah, the show’s definitely gone PC. So PC, in fact, that the NRA was invited as an exhibitor this year, after a long absence. They surely must be trying to take the “gun” out of the show. Or perhaps it’s something else.

Gunning is a common term for hunting in South Jersey, but little-used elsewhere, even in the northern part of the state, which has its fair share of hunters. I’ve given countless press interviews about the show over the years and one of the more common questions has been in regards to the name, with the misconception being that it was a gun show. If it were a gun show, I’d defend it to the last breath, but it is not. It started as a gathering of a small and local group of decoy collectors and was quickly turned into an actual show by the Ocean County Parks Department. Other contests related to waterfowling, in addition to decoys, were added in subsequent years, including boatbuilding, duck calling, skeet shooting from a duck boat and hunting retrievers. But the emphasis of the show has always been waterfowling.

Waterfowling is an accurate, long-standing and widely used term for the sport. It is also a more precise one, as “gunning” can refer to deer, rabbit, squirrel or other types of hunting, which are rarely represented by exhibitors at this show. What is represented at the show are vendors and visitors from many parts of the country where gunning is not a term used for hunting. One can hear southern accents emanating from many of the vendor spaces and we’ve even had vendors from Canada. If relevant and desired vendors and exhibitors do not understand the nature of the show, they might not be attracted to it. We also may be losing free advertising in print and online calendars of events for the same reason. I’ve often submitted material that never made it into these calendars, which is unusual for a large event. If clarifying the difference between a waterfowling show and a gun show is considered PC by those looking for bogeymen under every bed, then so be it. The show is primarily intended to highlight and preserve the traditions of the area’s baymen and sportsmen, and the unique tools used by them. The semantics are less important, and were changed to address a wider and changing audience, even in our own region.
 
Last edited:
Top