Salt Lake City, Utah- In just two weeks, the 2019 Western Hunting & Conservation Expo (Hunt Expo) hosted by the Mule Deer Foundation and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife will open and once again this year’s show offers a top-notch event for the avid hunter and outdoors enthusiast. Hunt Expo is held in the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah and is open daily starting at 10 am from Thursday February 14 through Sunday February 17. The show floor is expected to be packed with attendees visiting the more than 500 exhibiting companies throughout the 530,000 square feet of exhibit space. Evening entertainment at the ticketed banquets will feature David Lee Murphy, the Eli Young Band, and LOCASH. This year the show will also host the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo Elk Calling Contest and the Great Salt Lake Waterfowl Calling Contest on Saturday. Detailed information is available on the www.HuntExpo.com website or through the new Hunt Expo smart phone app that can be downloaded on the App Store or on Google Play.
“We are excited to open the doors for another Western Hunting & Conservation Expo and this year’s show continues to build on our tradition of an incredible consumer show as well as our most important conservation fundraising effort of the year,” commented Mule Deer Foundation president/CEO, Miles Moretti. “Attendees will have the opportunity to buy the latest and greatest outdoor equipment, book a dream hunt, and maybe even have a chance to buy or draw some of the most coveted tags in the country.”
A highlight of Hunt Expo is the 200 limited entry, once-in-a-lifetime hunting tags available to all sportsmen by public drawing for just a $5 per hunt unit application fee. Interested individuals can apply online in advance, then validate the application in person at Hunt Expo – or simply apply at Hunt Expo. These special tags will be drawn just two weeks after the show and the only place to apply is at Hunt Expo. Resident or non-resident hunters simply have to have a valid hunting or combination license in the state of Utah to apply for these permits. In addition, the evening auctions will feature governor’s tags in several western states, mule deer tags for Utah’s famed Antelope Island and Henry Mountains, and numerous other exceptional items and opportunities. The 2019 Auction Catalog is available now and buyers who are unable to attend the banquets in person can sign up for online bidding through the Hunt Expo website or smartphone app.
Hunt Expo is always a family friendly event with the extra wide aisles making it easy to push a stroller or herd a group of kids. Of course, those kids will need something to keep them busy and the Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience is just the thing with indoor shooting opportunities as well as plenty of interactive youth activities. And don’t forget to buy a chance to win a M.U.L.E.Y. rifle and pick up M.U.L.E.Y. antlers for all the kids. For the ladies, the ever popular Ladies Luncheon, with a Roaring 20’s “A Little Party and Misbehavin’ Never Killed Nobody” theme, will be held on Friday February 15 with doors opening at 11 am; tickets are still available. The 3-D archery course offers a challenge for more experienced hunters, but even the youngest can try their hand at archery with help from quality instructors. And on Saturday, check out some of the best youth archers in the state in the Utah State Tournament of the National Archery in the Schools Program.
“Hunt Expo has a little something for everyone making it a top sportsmen’s show for people to come to Utah and find their next hunting adventure,” said Troy Justensen, president of Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife. “If you haven’t yet made your plans to attend the 2019 show, there’s still time to make your travel plans and book your hotel. We look forward to seeing you in Salt Lake City!”
The schedule of events, online registration, and the details of auctions, tags, and seminars are available on the WHCE website at www.huntexpo.com.
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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 at www.muledeer.org 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 www.sfw.net or call 801-936-1386.
Contact: Miles Moretti, (801) 230-2207, miles@muledeer.org
Troy Justensen, (801) 557-3352, troy@sfw.net