February 9-10, 2008 - Our First Annual North Missouri Outdoor Classic

First Outdoor Classic Draws Huge Crowd
By Bill Wehrle/C-T Outdoor Editor Published: Monday, February 11, 2008

CAPTION: The North Missouri Sportsmen's Alliance booth was one of many that packed the Chillicothe Middle School Fieldhouse over the weekend during the first-ever North Missouri Outdoor Classic. The two-day event was sponsored by the North Missouri Sportsmen's Alliance and drew close to 3,000 outdoor enthusiasts.

C-T Photos/Laura Schuler

The first-ever North Missouri Outdoor Classic, held this past weekend at the Chillicothe Middle School, proved to be as popular as event planners hoped it would be and drew a huge crowd of people from both near and far. The two day event brought close to 3,000 outdoor enthusiasts, many of them young families, to Chillicothe where they could browse through a large exhibit area, seek information from outdoor experts and check out some of the best deer mounts exhibited anywhere.

The classic was intended to be an outdoor show for people of all ages and it was, with a “Braggin' Wall” featuring some of the biggest deer ever taken in Missouri, a display of deer racks brought in for measuring from all over Missouri and Iowa, a great variety of outdoor merchandise, including such exotic items as caribou and alligator jerky, plus archery lessons for youngsters, a laser hunting game, face painting and a “bounce room” brought in by Cornerstone Church. Admission prices were low enough that a person could easily bring the whole family (kids under 12 were just $1). Educational seminars were featured daily and offered the opportunity to learn about deer hunting, trophy catfishing, turkey calling and hunting, Missouri's mountain lions and even bear hunting from some of the country's top experts.

The always popular Noodlers Anonymous exhibit offered information on handfishing, a contentious topic here in Missouri but one few people know a lot about. KMZU's Big Buck contest brought in 28 entries to be officially measured during the Classic, with prizes awarded at the event's conclusion to grand prize winner Jeff Ellison of Lexington, who took home an Arctic-Cat ATV donated by Heartland Farm and Lawn, top typical rack winner Jeff Sharp of Liberty, and top non-typical rack winner by Ronald Cole of Richmond.

The National Antler Shed Hunting Club (NASHC) brought their display of some of the largest sheds ever found and were kept busy measuring shed antlers brought in by Classic attendees. At the end of the event they commented that the size and quality of the sheds brought in here were better than any show they'd attended, with the exception of the huge Deer Classic held annually in Des Moines, Iowa for the last several years.

This was the first-ever North Missouri Outdoor Classic brought to Chillicothe by the North Missouri Sportsmen's Alliance, which was formed about a year and a half ago with the goal of providing an annual quality outdoor event in north Missouri. This year's inaugural Classic was even more successful than event planners had hoped, with a “sell-out” crowd of exhibitors and a huge crowd of people attending despite cold weather.

C-T Photo/Laura Schuler

CAPTION: The Missouri Department of Conservation brought an archery activity to the North Missouri Outdoor Classic this weekend which was set up in the CMS gymnasium. The activity was designed to raise awareness of archery and promote the sport of archery in the state's middle and high schools. Youth of all ages were invited to try their skills, with help from MDC officials during the event.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
courtesy of the Chillicothe Constitution Tribune
...click on the photos below to see a closer view.

2008 SPONSORS

2008 Outdoor Classic Program Schedule

Saturday, February 9 – Show Hours 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

10:00-10:45 a.m. Jay Gregory Whitetail Deer
11:00-11:45 a.m. John Jamison Big River Catfishing
12:45-1:30 p.m. Darrel Sidney Canadian Bear Hunting
1:45-2:30 p.m. Jay Gregory Whitetail Deer
2:45-3:30 p.m. MDC Mountain Lion Team
3:45-4:30 p.m. John Jamison Big River Catfishing
4:45-5:30 p.m. Jay Gregory Whitetail Deer

Sunday, February 10 – Show Hours 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

10:30-11:15 a.m. James Harrison Wild Turkey
11:30-12:15 p.m. MDC Mountain Lion Team
12:30-1 p.m. John Jamison Big River Catfishing
1:15-2:00 p.m. Darrel Sidney Canadian Bear Hunting
2:45-3:30 p.m. James Harrison Wild Turkey

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