Salt Lake City, Utah: After two years since the event was last held in-person, the Mule Deer Foundation and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife are excited to once again host the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo (Hunt Expo) February 10-13, 2022, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. This year’s Hunt Expo will feature 460 booths and use more than 680,000 square feet of building space full of the industry’s top outdoor brands, guides, taxidermists, and outdoor partners. Platinum level sponsors for this year’s Hunt Expo include Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, Toyota, Utah Department of Natural Resources, and the Utah Office of Tourism. New for 2022, membership to either MDF or SFW will be included with full Expo registration or as an optional small addition when purchasing day pass entry. Packed full of activities for the entire family, the 2022 Hunt Expo is sure to be a top destination for avid sportsmen and women who dream about hunting in the West.

“We are excited to once again open the doors for another Western Hunting & Conservation Expo. Attendees will be able to find the latest and greatest products and outdoor adventures, but it is also MDF’s annual convention and our most important fundraising event of the year,” commented Mule Deer Foundation President/CEO, Joel Pedersen. “This will be my first Hunt Expo and I am looking forward to meeting MDF members and supporters who are working together to make a difference for mule deer and black-tailed deer across the West. This show will be a celebration of our conservation successes during the challenges we all faced since our last in-person Expo in February 2020.”

Organizers have changed some of the associated events in order to expand interest and opportunities for attendees to participate. On Wednesday February 9th, MDF and MTN OPS are hosting a welcome party at the Marriott Downtown that is open to the public with ticket prices including a membership to MDF. On Thursday night, a new Kickoff Party dubbed a “banquet on steroids” will be hosted by MDF Director of Field Operations Mike Laughter and will feel like a much larger version of a local chapter banquet with exciting games and music by country artist Charley Jenkins. During the day on Friday, the Ladies Luncheon will be Off to the Races in a garden party theme while the Friday night Conservation Banquet sponsored by ACI/Ammo & More includes a keynote address by “Lone Survivor” author Marcus Luttrell. Saturday morning will focus on sweat equity and hard work on conservation projects at MDF’s Volunteer Recognition Event. And as always, the Hunt Expo evening events caps off with the Saturday night banquet that will feature numerous coveted tags in the auction before a concert by country band LANCO.

Another new event for passionate mule deer hunters is MDF’s first Mule Deer Summit that will be open to the public in Room 251 C/D in the Salt Plaza on Friday morning. This session will include a welcome by Ike Eastman, along with presentations by top mule deer experts talking about the opportunities and challenges in mule deer management across the West. The seminar room will have additional speaker sessions scheduled throughout Hunt Expo with a new session by the Boone and Crockett Club’s records program director Justin Spring. Other featured speakers include Jordan Christensen with The Draw, Johnny Mack and Jana Waller, Muleyslayer Marc Smith, Tana Grenda with Bristol Bay Fitness, and a session about hunting in the West by Huntin’ Fool and onX. For those interested in learning more about mule deer management and science, MDF biologist Lucas Olson will be talking about GPS collars and technology in mule deer management, and MDF habitat coordinators Nicole Reed and Jessie Shallow will join a panel on women in wildlife management.

“MDF’s inaugural Mule Deer Summit will bring together mule deer experts and key decision-makers at the state and federal level to explore future opportunities to improve mule deer conservation across the West,” Pedersen continued. “The public is welcome to join us in the morning to learn more about the issues impacting mule deer and hear about how MDF and our partners are working together to try to address these challenges.”

A highlight of Hunt Expo is the 200 limited entry hunting tags available by public drawing for just a $5 per hunt unit application fee. Resident or non-resident hunters simply need a valid hunting or combination license in the state of Utah to apply for these permits with the tag drawing just two weeks after the show. Interested individuals must apply online, then validate the application in person at Hunt Expo. 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. Buyers who are unable to attend the banquets in person can sign up for online bidding through the Hunt Expo website or smartphone app that can be downloaded on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.

The schedule of events, online registration, and the details of auctions, tags, and seminars are available on the WHCE website at www.huntexpo.com or on the Hunt Expo app.

About MDF
The Mule Deer Foundation is the only conservation group in North America dedicated to restoring, improving and conserving 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 men, women and youth into the shooting sports and conservation. Get involved at www.muledeer.org or call (801)973-3940.

Contact: Ray Crow, (801) 973-3940, ray@muledeer.org