Birding Fairs to try different Binocs in USA?

[okcmco]

WOW. You birders sure know optics. I can't believe how much more you know than my hunting buddies. I am starting to do some birding and wildlife watching.
I was wondering if anyone out there knows of some birding faiirs in the USA, preferably in the middle of the country. I reside in Oklahoma where the hawks make lazy circles in the sky. I would like to do some side by side studies of the big three european glasses, plus the Nikons, Brunton epochs, Docters, Valdada, and Bushnell elites. Can't find them all in one place, and no one around here has the Nikon Superior Es and the Docters. Any help would be appreciated.
okcmco

PS. Isn't it strange that one could be so excited by and absorbed in optics?

[ranburr]

Don't discount the hunting crowd. If that is you primary pursuit you may want to look over at www.opticstalk.com. That site has some very knowledgeable optics people who are gauging things from a hunters perspective. If your primary concern is birding than this is the site. The two pursuits have different goals in mind and thus have different needs, hence what is ideal for a birder is not ideal for a hunter and vice-versa.

ranburr

[BarbaraM]

The American Birding Association web site - www.americanbirding.org - has a comprehensive list of birding festivals. Click on Resources on the left side of the screen - select Birding Festivals and then use the screening boxes to select month or state - or leave all the screening boxes blank and you'll get the full list. The bottom of Page 7 of the full list starts the dates (late May/June) that are still to come. The info for each festival doesn't seem to mention Optics Fair opportunities so you'll want to contact the person listed for each festival to find out if there will be any opportunity for you to try out any of your target optics. Good luck! Barbara

[Bill Atwood]

PS. Isn't it strange that one could be so excited by and absorbed in optics?

Not in this area of Birdforum.


Although its a bit far, Davenport IA (Quad Cities) is hosting the Midwest Birding Symposium in September. I imagine Eagle Optics will be there.

Actually it just hit me that you are fairly close to a retailer:

Astronomics / Christophers, Ltd.
680 S.W. 24th Ave.
Norman, OK, 73069

About 10 years ago I stopped there on the way to Big Bend NP. They weren't actually a walk-in retailer, but they let me take a look at a few bins they had on display. It was the first time I picked up the Leica 8x32 BA. Its been downhill ever since.