• Deer Decoying Demonstration Area and Seminars
  Well-known outdoor writer Gary Clancy, who since 1981 has made a specialty of decoy use when bowhunting for whitetails (and written a couple of books on the topic), will present the seminars and host the demonstration area between seminars. He will be available to answer your decoying questions. The intention is to have various brands of deer decoys will be displayed, with standing, feeding and bedded forms.
• Firearms ‘Answer Man’ Information Center
  Got questions on rifle selection, caliber selection, bullet weight, bullet performance, scope selection and use, windage calculations, or whatever? Ron Spomer, firearms and hunting columnist and feature writer for several major hunting magazines and outdoor television host, will be the available expert to answer them. He also will present seminars on the major points of contention, misunderstanding and usefulness (including scope and binocular optics. In fact, the Hands-On Optics Try-out Area will be positioned with this Firearms Information Center.
• Traditional Archery Alley
  Traditional archery is enjoying resurgence. Several manufacturers of traditional gear decided to group their exhibit space to maximize their exposure and make it easier for everyone interested in traditional archery to find them and talk with them. In addition, archery trick shot Byron Ferguson, who uses traditional gear, will have his booth is this area, and the entire Alley will be located close to the Bow Tryout Area, making it easy for you to try any bow you’re interested in.
• Helping Handicapped/Disabled Hunters
  Outdoors Without Limits was formed to create a program enabling the disabled to achieve their dreams in the outdoors. An attended area of the exhibit floor will show hunting blinds, chairs, vision systems, battery-operated shooting accessories and related products to aid disabled hunters.
• Broadhead Collection
  There has been an amazing array of shapes, sizes, dimensions and designs of commercially-available broadheads over the years. The collection to be displayed will be announced soon.
• Three-Day Adult Tickets and Military Personnel Reduced Rate Tickets
  Check the Tickets Page of this web-site for prices and details.
• Antler-Measuring Demonstrations
  There will be one demonstration late Saturday and one late Sunday, with step-by-step explanation of the measuring/scoring procedure. Whitetail antlers will be used. Members of the Minnesota Official Measurers (MOM) will give the demonstrations and explanations of what's being done and why. You will find out why some impressive antlers score lower than less-impressive racks.
• DNR "Wall of Shame" Display
  The new DNR "Wall of Shame" trailer has two walls of illegally taken, and large-antlered, whitetails bucks, black bears and other species. These are trophies that were, in effect, stolen from you.
• Pheasant Hunting Where-To Info Center
  This gorgeous game bird has a huge following. We found "Where can I hunt pheasants?" to be a common question at last spring's expo. This new item will provide some answers, suggestions and directions.
• $1.00 - off money saving discount coupon.
  Printed on all flyers and print ads; PREVIEW magazine and available for downloading on this web-site. Click Here to download $1.00 discount coupon.

• Whitetail Deer, Black Bear & Moose Trophy Contest & Display
  Nearly 150 big game trophy entries are expected. Main contest entries can be from Minnesota and bordering states (WI, IA, SD, ND); there also is a division for trophies taken outside those five states, Measuring/scoring by members of Minnesota Official Measurers (MOM). Take your trophy in the main entrance and follow the signs into the West Arena. Contest fee is $12; in return, you get a three-day pass to the Expo. See the Contests Page for new contest trophy entries and 'measure only' non-contest trophies.
• Trail Camera Photo Contest
  Trail cameras see some strange things among wildlife populations -- and some big antlers -- when no humans are around. See the Contests Page for details and rules, and last year's winning photos. Some of the world's bravest squirrels are shown there. More than 200 photos expected.
• Outdoor Photo Contest
  Photos of your good times in the outdoors make strong, good memories. Show those memories, and your photography skill, by entering this contest. Everyone appreciates great photos. See the Contests Page for details and rules, and last year's winning photos. More than 200 photos expected.
• Taxidermy Contest
  There will be six categories: Bird-Upland, Bird-Waterfowl, Small Mammal, Fish, Big Game-Head & Shoulders, Large Mammal-Full Mount. Deer, bear or moose entries in the taxidermy contest cannot be entered in the Expo’s trophy contest, and vice versa. Entry times -- begin Friday, March 13, 2:00 pm and close Saturday, March 15, at 11:00 am. Entry fee is $15 per item, maximum of two items per category.
  

EVENTS & DEMONSTRATIONS

• Byron Ferguson, Archery Trick Shot
  Byron Ferguson and his entertaining archery trick shooting is an annual regular, simply because he's so much fun to see. He will give two performances Saturday, March 14, and two performances Sunday, March 15. He shoots wooden discs and pennies from the air, snuffs a candle with an arrow, shoots ricochet arrows into a target's bullseye, and bursts inflated balloons while shooting from all sorts of twisted positions. Your entire family will enjoy his archery performance. Ferguson is a veteran bowhunter and has taken more than 180 whitetails, plus black bear, a record-book mule deer, moose and game birds.
• Venison Butchering & Processing
  Bill Hesselgrave and his venison butchering demonstrations also return annually. People like to review Bill's demonstrations to be sure they heard right and remembered right when it came time to do their own venison butchering.
• Cooking Venison & Other Wild Foods
  Plus meat handling, freezing, thawing, seasoning, cooking and serving tips. Be ready to sample some great flavors. A cooking demo will follow each venison butchering/processing demo, in the same seminar room. Come prepared to make notes.

• Optics Hands-On Information Center
  Binoculars and firearms scopes to try out and learn to adjust better for maximum value, maximum use and satisfaction. This will be part of the Firearms 'Answer Man' Info Center because the two topics are interrelated.
• Shooting Ranges (for kids of all ages)
  Airgun, laser firearms, laser archery, NASP (National Archery in Schools Program) archery range are operated under the watchful eyes of adult range masters for best learning and safe operation. One laser range has big game video footage complete with sound; one has video game-type action. Equipment provided at all ranges.

• New Products Special Display Area
  New products from exhibiting manufacturers and sales representatives are displayed together in one area near the entrance for your viewing and inspection ease. All products are identified by exhibitor name and booth number for easy follow-up to get detailed info. Many people don't want a sales person hanging on their elbow when they first look at a new product. This is the perfect opportunity to examine new products on your own. This special display is in the East Arena. You'll see the yellow banners with the black NEW PRODUCTS lettering.
• Food Plot Display Area
  Some things are better understood when seen. The display items change from year to year; there are countless topics to show and explain because there are a lot of facets to food plot evaluation, creation, preparation, seeds used, time of year grown, purpose (feeding or hunting), and on and on. A FOOD PLOT SOURCES OF INFORMATION handout sheet is available, too.
  * Forage Crop Pocket Guide -- This 52-page, info-packed guide book will again be for sale at the Food Plot Demo Area. There's more good info per page in this little booklet than you'll find in any other book. It's affordable ... only $3. It can also be ordered by calling 1-800-324-3337 (8:30am-4:30pm, Central Time) or click here.
  

  FOOD PLOT SOURCES OF INFORMATION

• OWAA National Outdoor Photo Contest Winners
  Some of the best black-and-white and four-color nature and outdoor photography you will ever see. Sponsored by the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA).
• Natural History Displays
  • Complete whitetail deer skeleton -- The deer skeleton is in a glass case, and nearly life-size artwork of the skeleton identifying every bone is positioned beside the skeleton. See how deer are put together. Figure out best aiming point-of-impact for quickest results, where to shoot and where not to shoot.
  • Flint-knapping demonstrations -- See stone arrowheads, spear points, knives and axes made the same as they were made thousands of years ago AND see meat cutting demonstrations with the stone knives. The results are impressive. Stone work by Art Boehm, Conrath, Wisconsin.
  • Minnesota fur-bearing animal hides/pelts/furs.
    Provided by Minnesota State Trappers Association

1. Seminar Speakers
   

   All seminars are FREE once you have purchased your admission ticket. Seminar schedule will be posted as soon as it is completed. Most speakers and topics change every year. The food plot topic (see above) is one of the few that have become continuous, but even here we vary the specific subject matter within the broad food plot field.

2. Exhibit Booths
   

   The place to see NEW PRODUCTS and talk face-to-face with factory reps. Get your equipment and accessory questions answered here. An alphabetical list of exhibitors will be published 45 days before the Expo and updated weekly. Centerfire firearms, black powder and archery gear. Accessories - scopes, binoculars, game and bird calls, tree stands, GPS, scents and lures, hunting blinds, deer feeds, knives, camouflage and other hunting clothing, footwear...and a lot more .... Guides and outfitters from throughout the United States, Canada and South Africa for all types of big game .... Wildlife art and artists, book and magazine publishers, video producers ... Wild game cooking and seasonings, cooking equipment and supplies, jerky and sausage. Many companies work on a rotating basis, exhibiting on alternating years so they can exhibit at more expos over a two-year or three-year span. Those you missed last year may be back this year. Outdoor Lifestyle & Home Decorating Products Anyone who enjoys the outdoors will like these items for home, office, den, cabin or lodge. Products include food seasonings, clothing, cooking gear (kitchen & camp), carved and painted wildlife art, log homes and furniture, antler art, hats/purses/leather goods, etc. These exhibit booths are distributed randomly among all other booths.

3. Trophy Big Game Contest
   See above in Contests section for details.