The Second Annual North Missouri Outdoor Classic

By C-T Photo / Butch Shaffer

A variety of animal pelts were on display by the Missouri Trappers Association, one many organizations with booths at the Outdoor Classic Saturday and Sunday at Chillicothe Middle School. There were 1,774 people attending this year’s event.

Chillicothe, Mo. -

The second annual North Missouri Outdoor Classic drew over 1,700 people from a broad geographical area to Chillicothe Middle School Saturday and Sunday.

With educational seminars offered hourly by field experts, along with a busy exhibit hall and a youth area, the Outdoor Classic offered a wide variety of educational opportunities for anyone interested in outdoor activities.

Saturday was the biggest day with 1,200 people attending. The event drew people from a 60-mile to 100-mile radius and generated interest from even south Missouri and southern Iowa, according to Steve Shoot, president of the North Missouri Sportsmen’s Alliance, which sponsors the annual event.

“Sometimes, people here don’t realize the importance of the outdoors in north Missouri,” Shoot said, noting that the outdoors influences not only hunting and fishing, but camping, hiking, horseback riding and other activities as well.

The Outdoor Classic provides family-based educational opportunities and Shoot said that he was pleased to see many young couples bringing their children.

“It is a family event and it was good to see that families were taking advantage of it,” he said.
The Outdoor Classic is also a social event.

“Since we no longer have check-in stations, this is now a social event as well,” he said. “Guys will see each other, start swapping hunting stories, walk awhile, look at vendor stuff and then talk some more.”

Vendors who filled up the 67 booth spaces were equally complimentary of the event.
“The vendors were very pleased,” Shoot said. “One guy sold out completely.”

The exhibit hall allowed vendors and conservation organizations to feature the latest in equipment and conservation information. KMZU’s Big Buck Contest again brought the area’s latest trophy whitetail racks to be judged, with prizes given to the top entries and all racks placed on display for Classic-goers to admire.

The educational seminars provided information on deer hunting, trophy catfishing, turkey calling and hunting, duck calling, waterfowl hunting, bear hunting, and more from some of the country’s top experts.

KMZU’s Big Buck contest brought in 37 entries eligible to be officially measured during the Classic, with prizes awarded at the event’s conclusion to grand prize winner Randall Cole, of Rayville, Mo., who won a 2009 Arctic-Cat ATV, top typical rack winner Sam Doss, of Higginsville; and top non-typical rack winner Dex Doolittle, of Moberly.

The Classic’s “Braggin’ Wall,” featuring the very largest (B&C 170 or over) whitetail racks taken in this area over the years returned this year with a display of trophy racks. Official whitetail scorers were available to score not only KMZU contest racks, but any whitetail antlers brought in at no additional charge above the price of admission. Over 100 racks were scored on Saturday, alone. The rack brought in by first-time hunter Kenneth Creech III, 12, of Centerview, won top nontypical honors; and the rack of Ben Sutton, of Chillicothe, won top typical honors. Both hunters received trophies.

A popular stop for those with young children was the Missouri Department of Conservation’s indoor archery range and laser hunting game.

“Kids just absolutely love the indoor archery range and laser hunting,” Shoot said.

In addition to MDC’s displays and exhibits, a wide variety of wildlife information and conservation techniques were offered by many local conservation organizations in the exhibit area, including Missouri Trappers Association, Ducks Unlimited, Quail Forever, Pheasants Forever, the National Wild Turkey Federation and Whitetails Unlimited.