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(Before It's News)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -(Ammoland.com)- The Mule Deer Foundation and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife’s 2017 Western Hunting & Conservation Expo (WHCE) opens next week and the excitement is building for what will be the biggest and best Expo ever.
The 2017 show will feature more than 400 exhibitors across nearly 400,000 square feet of show space offering some of the greatest manufacturers, retailers, taxidermists, guides, and lodges in the outdoor industry.
The 2017 WHCE will be held February 16-19, 2017 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“We’ve been working hard to put the finishing touches on this year’s Western Hunting & Conservation Expo, and the excitement is definitely building” said Mule Deer Foundation President/CEO, Miles Moretti. “The show kicks off next Thursday, February 16, with the ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 am; then we’ll open the doors to hundreds of local school children who will get a firsthand look at the importance of hunting and wildlife conservation in our state and across the West.”
In addition to the expansive show floor, the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo is known for its educational seminars featuring the industry’s top hunters and outfitters providing tips to improve your hunting experience.
This year’s Expo is no exception. Heartland Bowhunters Michael Hunsucker and Shawn Luchtel will be back this year presenting spot and stalk techniques for mule deer. Tim and Ben Schmidt, the brother team that makes up Schmidt Happens Outdoors, will provide their insights into harvesting trophy class bull elk on public lands.
Team Backcountry’s Corey Beckendorf and brothers Jason and Dustin Wittwer will offer their techniques for preparing for successful backcountry hunts. “Muleyslayer” Marc Smith is back again to provide strategies for bowhunting mule deer on public lands.
Pat Romero from Diamond Outfitters will teach seminars on hunting Coues whitetail deer and bull elk in Arizona and New Mexico. Payson, Utah’s Allen Morris is a highly acclaimed game caller who will offer tips on how to be the ultimate predator.
And James Brennan will discuss whether trophy tags are worth the wait and what can be done to draw these elusive tags.
Expo will once again feature numerous hands on activities for kids at the Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience on the show floor. In addition, the Total Archery Challenge 3D course will test even the greatest bowhunters’ skills.
And once again, attendees will have the opportunity to apply for more than 200 Utah big game tags.
The evening events are where the real magic happens. On Friday and Saturday evening, banquet guests will be treated to keynote addresses by Army Special Forces officer John Wayne Walding, and six-time Olympic medalist, Kim Rhode, respectively.
Then the evening banquets move into the exciting auctions featuring some of the most sought after tags, firearms, outdoor equipment, and much more. If you’re unable to attend the auctions in person, there will once again be an opportunity to bid online. After the auctions wrap up, the evening banquets feature incredible musical entertainment.
This year, country music legend Lonestar will perform at the Saturday night banquet, and there will be performances by Aaron Watson after Friday evening’s conservation banquet and Casey Donahew after Thursday’s Welcome Back dinner. For the ladies, Susie Brown will perform live at the Friday afternoon Ladies Luncheon.
“The Western Hunting & Conservation Expo always features something for everyone in the family and once again it is a can’t miss event for the avid western outdoorsman,” commented Troy Justensen, president of Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife. “After all the hard work that goes in to putting this incredible event together, we are ready for it to kick off next week!”
The schedule of events, online registration, and the details of auctions, tags, seminars are available on the WHCE website.
About MDF:
The Mule Deer Foundation is the only conservation group in North America dedicated to restoring, improving and protecting mule deer, black-tailed deer and their habitat, with a focus on science and program efficiency. MDF is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. MDF acknowledges regulated hunting as a viable management component and is committed to recruitment and retention of youth into the shooting sports and conservation.
Get involved on their website or call 1-888-375-3337.
About SFW:
Headquartered in North Salt Lake, Utah, Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife is a charitable, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The mission of SFW is to promote the protection and enhancement of wildlife habitat, assist in providing quality wildlife management programs, educating the public about the role hunters play in wildlife conservation, and perpetuating the family tradition of hunting and fishing.
Visit their website or call 801-936-1386.
This post 2017 Western Hunting & Conservation Expo Opens Next Week appeared first on AmmoLand.com Shooting Sports News .