Tech Information Centers

Nine hunting equipment subjects loaded with how-to and what-to, etc. All booths located together, with a mini-seminar area. Several subjects will have full-blown seminars in the main seminar rooms instead of mini-seminars at the Tech Info Center.

All tech booths will be hosted by recognized experts in their specific fields.

The tech centers:

* Firearms Answer Man -- Ron Spomer

* Archery Answer Man -- Larry Wise

* Black Powder and Slug Guns -- Dave Henderson

* Optics (scopes and binoculars)

* In Conjunction with Firearms TEC -- Ron Spomer

* Turkey Decoys and Decoying -- Gary Clancy

* Fabrics/Hunting Clothes/Footwear -- Mike Faw

* Food Plots -- Judy Helgeland

* Venison Butchering and Processing -- Bill Hesselgrave

* Wild Foods Handling and Cooking -- Jason Coleman

Basic Hunting Skills Seminars

These will be nuts-and-bolts seminars of 25 minutes or less -- because many new hunters can't sit still longer than that. They shouldn't be overloaded with information at the beginning anyway. Starting out it must be fun and exciting. Parents come along with your kids. First-year hunters of any age are welcome, too.

Contests

* Ohio Outdoor Photo Contest -- Photos of good times in the outdoors make good memories. Show those memories, and your photography skill, by entering this contest.

* Ohio Whitetail Deer Trophy Contest and Display -- More than 350 Ohio whitetail deer trophy entries are expected. Measuring and scoring is by members of the Buckeye Big Buck Club. Boone and Crockett / Pope and Young scoring system is used. Contest fee is $15; in return, you get a three-day pass to the Expo.

Take your trophy to the north side of the Bricker Building and look for the contest entry sign about two-thirds of the way to the west side.

* Trail Camera Photo Contest -- Trail cameras see some strange things among wildlife populations -- and some big antlers -- when no humans are around.

* Ohio State Turkey Calling and Owl Hooting Contest -- Conducted Saturday, March 20, by the Ohio Chapter, National Wild Turkey Federation. This is an NWTF-sanctioned event.

Call Greg Keeton, 614-374-3194, or e-mail trees tump961@cs.com for details. Also, check the State Chapter website (www.ohionwtf.org).

Events and Demonstrations

* Byron Ferguson, Archery Trick Shot -- Byron Ferguson and his entertaining archery trick shooting is an annual event. He is fun to see and his shots are awesome. Your entire family will enjoy his performance.

He will give two performances Saturday, March 20, and two performances Sunday, March 21.

Ferguson has videos and books titled Become The Arrow to help you learn his shooting system.

* Cooking Venison and Other Wild Foods -- A cooking demo, plus meat handling, freezing, thawing, seasoning and serving tips will be given at the Tech Info Center seminar area on the exhibit floor. Be ready to sample some great flavors. Come prepared to take notes. Venison and wild food cookbooks will be available at the Hess Video Productions booth.

* Venison Butchering and Processing -- Bill Hesselgrave and his venison butchering and processing demonstrations return annually. First-timers want to see how to do it right, and returning folks like to review Hesselgrave's demonstrations to be sure they heard right and remembered right when it came time to do their own venison butchering.

ACTIVITIES

* Airgun Range Shooting Ranges (for kids of all ages) -- Laser, Airgun and Archery (free shooting instruction).

Airgun and archery ranges 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. Shooting and safety equipment is provided. The archery range is operated by the Ohio Bowhunters Association. Expo staff personnel operate the airgun range.

* Bow Tryout Area -- "Try before you buy" is an old, and very good, adage. This is the place to find out whether the handle fits your hand, or the draw is as smooth as you like, or...

DISPLAYS

* New Products Special Display Area -- New 2010 hunting products and accessories from exhibiting manufacturers are displayed together in one area near the exhibit floor entrance. All products are identified by exhibitor name and booth number.

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.

* Forage Crop Pocket Guide -- This 52-page, info-packed guide book will be available 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.

* Black Powder Gun Makers' Shop -- Guys from throughout Ohio who have great times building and hunting with firearms from the 1850s. They dress in period costume at the Ohio Deer and Turkey Expo and are happy to show you how the guns were built and to take your questions.

* 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).

Flint-knapping Demo, Natural History Displays. You and your family will enjoy these:

* Complete whitetail deer skeleton in a glass case. Artwork of the skeleton identifies every bone. This will help you 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 thousands of years ago. Stone work by Chris Miller, Lexington.

* Hides / furs / pelts of Ohio fur-bearers -- Provided by Ohio State Trappers Association.

* Live Game Animals and Predators -- Cougar, wolf, black bear, grizzly bear, bobcat, coyote.

Core of the

Ohio Deer and Turkey Expo

Seminar Speakers:

* All seminars are free once you have purchased your admission ticket.

* 2010 Ohio seminar schedule is posted.

* 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.

Exhibit Booths:

See new products and talk face-to-face with factory reps at more than 400 booths. Get your hunting equipment and accessory questions answered here. An alphabetical list of exhibitors will be published 45 days before the expo and updated weekly.

Many companies exhibit on a rotating basis, exhibiting on alternating years so they can reach a wider market over a two-year or three-year span. Those you missed last year may be back this year.

* Centerfire firearms, black powder and bowhunting 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 items and seasonings, cooking equipment and supplies, jerky and sausage.

* Outdoor lifestyle and home decorating items and ideas. Anyone who enjoys the outdoors will like these items for home, office, den, cabin or lodge. Products include food seasonings, clothing, cooking gear (kitchen and 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 booths.

Information

(When and where event is held)

Bricker Building

Ohio Expo Center

(State Fairgrounds)

717 E. 17th Ave.

Columbus, OH 43211

Public Event Hours

* Friday, March 19

2-9 p.m.

* Saturday, March 20

9 a.m.-7 p.m.

* Sunday, March 21

9 a.m.-4 p.m.