Local Outdoor Experts & Displays Highlight the Kansas Open Season Sportsman’s Expo

A large contingent of local outdoor experts and displays will be part of the Kansas Open Season Sportsman’s Expo at the Overland Park Convention Center, March 11-13.

Paslie Werth, the new world record non-typical whitetail taken by a female, who hails from Kansas, will have her buck on display at the Kansas Expo. She harvested the buck in September of 2020, when she was just 14 year old. The buck’s official Boone & Crockett score is 271-4/8.

Mark Tobin, Brent Frazee, Don Coffee, Phil Taunton, Joe Falco, Kim Burnett, and Kenneth Kieser from the Outdoor Communicators of Kansas/Missouri, will host a Fishing & Wildlife Roundtable each of the three days of the Expo, featuring Tommy Bench and Thomas Heinen, as well as representatives from Wander Woman Outdoors Kansas.

The group will also have a booth, titled ‘Outside for a Better Inside,’ which features outdoor education/information displays, along with a “hands on” casting range for kids, called Backyard Bass. The casting range will be staffed by Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Fish Kansas certified volunteers.

“Having a family-friendly, interactive display, staffed with all of these local experts, will be a great addition to the Kansas Expo,” said Chris O’Hara, Vertical Outdoor Director, Bonnier Events. “Youth are the future of the outdoors community and being able to educate and engage them is a huge benefit that we are fortunate to be able to provide. It is a pleasure to work with the great team that the Outdoor Communicators of Kansas/Missouri have assembled.”

Heinen, a pro bass fisherman, who hails from Kansas, will be conducting fishing demos at the Hawg Tank all weekend. He will also be at the Outdoor Communicators booth, guiding aspiring youth fishers and joining in the Roundtable.

Dion Hibdon, a Missouri native, who won 1997 Bassmasters Champion and was the 2000 FLW Forrestwood Cup Champion, will be conducting Fishing Demos on Saturday only.

Bench, the owner/operator of Gasconade River Guide Service, will also take part in the Roundtable. Born and raised in Missouri on the Gasconade River, he has been guiding and specializing in Smallmouth habits and tendencies since 2007.

Burnett, who excels at fly fishing, fly and jig tying, will also be conducting fishing demos as well and will share his experience as part of the Roundtable.

Kieser, an award-winning outdoor writer of 44 years with several thousand bylines in newspapers and magazines, will be part of the Roundtable each of the three days of the Expo. He has also written many travel articles and has won over 60 writing awards.

Don Coffee, also known by his YouTube name of “Don the Outdoorsman,” has been hunting and fishing since he was a child. He started making YouTube videos in 2019 and created a lot of How-To videos on fundamentals about the outdoors. Coffee also teaches young people how to enjoy the great outdoors, which he will be doing at the Kansas Expo.

Brad Loveless, Secretary for Kansas Parks and Wildlife, will host an Open Discussion and Q&A on Saturday at Noon in Seminar Room A. He welcomes all questions and topics for discussion.

For more information on the Kansas Open Season Sportsman’s Expo and to purchase discount tickets in advance online, visit  OpenSeasonSportsmansExpo.com.

The Kansas Open Season Sportsman’s Expo is sponsored by Thermal King Windows, Hello Garage, Hague Quality Water, Leaf Filter, Unlimited RV.com and Bordner Home Improvement.