Inaugural event delights large, enthusiastic crowds of waterfowl hunters from throughout North America

BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA — The Delta Waterfowl Duck Hunters EXPO, presented by Federal Ammunition, brought a flood of excited duck and goose hunters on July 29-31 to the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.

A jam-packed 80,000 square-foot exhibit hall, continuous live stage presentations, world championship duck calling, conservation banquets and awards, decoy carving demonstrations and the universal camaraderie shared by waterfowl hunters kept attendees happily busy from show opening well into each evening. Nearly 25,000 hunters and Delta supporters rolled in for the EXPO weekend.

“As Delta’s first-of-its-kind event, literally years of planning and work went into getting ready for this weekend,” said Brad Heidel, Delta’s senior director of marketing. “We were counting on the devotion of duck hunters from Arkansas and the mid-South, and they came through for Delta, ducks and duck hunters — big time! The No. 1 question they kept asking me was, ‘When do we get to do this again?’”

The Delta Duck Hunters EXPO’s biggest news and most popular attractions included:

• The unveiling of the Delta Waterfowl Million Duck Campaign. Delta Waterfowl is taking the lead for ducks and duck hunters throughout North America by launching the Million Duck Campaign, a bold $250 million initiative to add 1 million ducks to the fall flight every year, forever. Dr. Scott Petrie, Delta’s CEO, announced the plan Saturday night during the EXPO’s Fill the Flyways Gala event.

• The crowning of 23-year-old Byron Womack as the Cutdown Duck Calling World Champion. Womack, of Scottsboro, Alabama, prevailed over a field of 35 world-class callers to claim the title in championship contest sponsored by Mack's Prairie Wings and Drake Waterfowl.

• The sold-out Duck Hunters Banquet on Friday evening saw more than 500 attendees experiencing Arkansas hospitality to raise more than $100,000 in vital support for Delta’s programs through raffles and auctions.

• The Federal Ammunition Delta Waterfowl Duck Hunters EXPO Exhibit Hall was the largest event ever hosted in the Little Rock Statehouse exhibit space. Attendees saw, learned of and bought the latest in waterfowl hunting and dog training gear and apparel from hundreds of vendors. The Realtree Duck Hunters stage, Eukanuba/Lucky Duck Duck Dog stage and the BOSS Shotshells Delta Waterfowl stage provided continuous entertainment, education and excitement throughout the EXPO.

• The Remington Decoys of the Delta Marsh Display shared the incredible 110-year history of The Duck Hunters Organization, as well as a display of vintage Decoys of the Delta Marsh from carvers such Duncan Ducharme, Torry Ward and Dr. Miles Pirnie. Modern decoy carver Richard Pierce of Alexander, Arkansas, offered interactive decoy carving demonstrations.

“Overall, it’s hard to imagine how an inaugural event could have been a bigger success,” Heidel said. “The attendees and vendors all had a great time. The hunters came stoked for the upcoming waterfowl seasons, and they came ready to gear up. A bunch of vendors sold all of the inventory they brought! Most of all, everyone who attended gained a deeper appreciation of what Delta Waterfowl does to put more ducks over their decoys, this season and every season."

Delta Waterfowl is The Duck Hunters Organization, a leading conservation group working to produce ducks and secure the future of waterfowl hunting in North America. Visit deltawaterfowl.org.

For more information, contact Brad Heidel at (651) 403-1772 or bheidel@deltawaterfowl.org.