Elko Sportsman’s EXPO

Submitted by Julie Gabrielson

March 4 & 5

The Elko Sportsman’s Expo is back for its 6th year!  Hosted by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) in partnership with the Ruby Mountain Rio’s chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and sponsored by Gateway RV Center, 5th Gear Powersports, and Riverton Elko.  

Visitors walking through the show will see many businesses with products geared towards the outdoors as well as many non-profit organizations related to outdoor recreation.  These vendors offer a large variety for visitors of the Elko Sportsman’s Expo, including camo clothing, boating, OHV’s, RV’s, taxidermy, firearms and much more to be found over the 2-day event at the Elko Conference Center.  

Every year NDOW provides a wildlife and adventure experience in our FREE Youth Activity Room where children can participate in archery, fly tying, a shooting skills game, decorate wildlife t-shirts and learn about Nevada’s wildlife with hands on skins, skulls, antlers, and horns.  

NDOW will have a taxidermy exhibit displaying animals that may be seen while recreating outdoors, giving them a close-up look at these beautiful animals. The Operation Game Thief trailer will also be there with animals that have been seized by game wardens, often with the help of calls from concerned citizens while in the field. 

“We are in our 6th year of the Elko Sportsman’s Expo, and it just keeps getting bigger and better,” says Julie Gabrielson, NDOW Conservation Educator.  “Our goal is not just a great social and shopping event for outdoorsmen, but we also aim to expose and educate anyone and everyone to different outdoor activities and the wildlife that can be found in our great state of Nevada.”

Vendors will also be providing prizes for the free raffle that everyone attending the Expo can participate in and entrance to the Expo is free of charge.  

Proceeds from this year’s Expo will be used by the Ruby Mountain Rios and NDOW to promote wildlife education programs such as NWTF’s youth group Jakes, NDOW’s Trout in the Classroom, as well as many others.