The schedule for the Western Nebraska Sportsman’s Expo and Nebraska Fur Harvesters Convention is taking shape. Slated for Sept. 26-27, the event will be at the Dawes County Fairgrounds in Chadron, Nebraska, home of the renowned Museum of the Fur Trade in the northwest corner of the state.
“Northwest Nebraska is excited to welcome this new and unique event to the region,” said Kerri Rempp, director of Discover Northwest Nebraska. “With a wealth of wildlife and the Museum of the Fur Trade, Northwest Nebraska is an ideal location for those in the industry to explore, and we look forward to showcasing our area.”
History Channel’s famed “Mountain Man” Paul Antczak, Colorado trapper Dan Gates and an extensive leadership planning meeting for outdoorsmen will headline the event. Antczak will demonstrate wolf trapping Sept. 27 at 9 a.m. while Gates will serve as guest speaker addressing “Defeating Legal Challenges to Trapping.” The Hunting & Trapping Leadership meeting is slated for Friday evening, Blue Creek Traders will feature a mountain man encampment during the expo.
“The community is preparing to welcome expo attendees and two special locations will be open during the convention,” Rempp said.
The Museum of the Fur Trade, which sits on the historic site of James Bordeaux’s 1837 trading post, showcases artifacts and exhibits that highlight fur trading on the North American continent. The museum contains Native American beadwork, camp utensils, trade goods and the largest collection of Indian trade guns in the world. Also on site is an exact replica of Bordeaux’s original trading post. The Museum of the Fur Trade will offer free admission for Nebraska Fur Harvester Association members during the expo and convention.
Chadron State College also plans welcome expo attendees by opening its Cabela’s Collection for viewing. Cabela’s donated two semi-truck loads of mounts to the college several years ago. The mounts are used for teaching and many of them will be on display in Burkhiser Room 231 on the Chadron State College campus.
Back at the Dawes County Fairgrounds, expo attendees will enjoy dozens of demonstrations and vendor booths from leaders in the industry across the United States. Confirmed demonstrations include bobcat trapping by E.J. Kelly, predator calling by Geoff Nemnich, bobcat cage trapping by Jim Ball, fur-pricing trends by Greg Petska, coyote lures by Gary Jepson, snake training your dog by Don Lietzau, badger trapping by Dave Hastings and many more.
Several local presenters also will be highlighted, including Kirk Budd from the Museum of the Fur Trade, Mark Ross with problems on the trapline and Scott Schaefer on predator trapping. Demonstrations and events specifically geared toward women and children are also planned, including kids trapping and predator calling education and Jenna Malinowski, who will present a ladies’-only trapping session.
Early confirmations for the vendor market include Homesteader Lures and Baits, Mackie Hide and Fur, Minnesota Trapline Products, No BS Lures, Top Lot Stretchers and many others.
Information about the Western Nebraska Sportsman’s Expo and Nebraska Fur Harvesters Convention can be found at nebraskafurharvesters.com.
The Nebraska Fur Harvesters, founded in 1973, is dedicated to preservation of the freedom to trap and to continue the traditional wise-use wildlife policies that have given America the most robust wildlife populations in the civilized world.
