The National Deer Association is the nation's leading deer organization working to advance the quality of deer populations, wildlife habitat, and hunting. We accomplish this through education, policy, conservation, and new hunter recruitment. 

Our online Deer Hunting 101 course and in-person Field to Fork programs have helped hundreds of thousands of people begin their hunting journeys. For more information on how you can get started, please visit www.huntdeerPA.com.​

Knowing how to process the deer you've harvested is not only a satisfying activity, it can save you hundreds of dollars and give you a higher-quality finished product. Elizabeth Kligge, Pennsylvania Field to Fork Coordinator, will d​emonstrate how to transform a whole deer into steaks, roasts, and ground meat. Anyone can learn to do this, using just a knife and a little bit of counter space.

Website: The National Deer Association​​​

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers​

 The Pennsylvania Chapter of BHA was established in the spring of 2014 and represents a diverse and enthusiastic group of outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen who seek to protect and improve wild places in the Keystone State and beyond.

We are an informed and engaged group ​of hunters and anglers who value the challenge, peace and solitude that comes from a backcountry experience, whether that be true Wilderness or the nearby Game Land or stream. 
As an all-volunteer grassroots group, the Pennsylvania Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers works to promote, conserve and improve our diverse public lands and stand up for these resources when they are threatened."

Booth:  We're going to talk about small game hunting, primarily squirrel hunting.  We will have squirrel calls that we'll demonstrate and let attendees try, we'll talk about the life cycle of squirrels and where they like to live, the food they eat, and tactics/strategies for hunting them.  I'll also have some preserved grey & fox squirrel tails to bring that attendees can check out as well.  We'll also talk about some of our preferred preparations for squirrel meat, with pictures. ​

Website: Backcountry Hunters and Anglers​​​​

Pheasants Forever​

Pheasants Forever, a national conservation organization with an emphasis on habitat management and development, will be hosting bird dog demonstrations.  Stop by our booth and talk to representatives fr​om the North Central PA local chapter of Pheasants Forever.  We will be available to answer questions about bird dog training and discuss habitat work we've done in the Western PA area.

Website: Pheasants Forever​​

Friends of the Riverfront

Friends of the Riverfront is a non-profit based in Allegheny County that is committed to the expansion, maintenance, and advocacy of the Three Rivers Heritage and Water Trail systems.  The Three Rivers Heritage Trail is a 33-mile riverfront trail system that serves communities across the county – improving local economies, encouraging outdoor recreation, and connecting people to each other and to the riverfronts.  The Three Rivers Water Trail is a series of 30+ river access points, allowing non-motorized boats to launch from these areas.  Along with our community, nonprofit, and municipal partners, we work to improve the lives of Western Pennsylvanians and repair our riverfront ecosystems.  Friends of the Riverfront occupies a unique niche of building partnerships with river and trail communities to engage them in the environmental restoration and protection of their riverfront assets.      ​​

At the Explore PA Outdoors Event, we will have lots of info – including free Three Rivers Heritage and Water Trail maps, free stickers, Trail Development Project information cards, newsletter and volunteer sign-up forms, and more.  We plan to bring Three Rivers Heritage Trail-themed coloring book pages and offer a nature scavenger hunt – in which participants are encouraged to find 5 natural items, and bring back the completed scavenger hunt to win a prize!  

Website: Friends of the Riverfront​​​​

Pennsylvania Trappers Association

 The Pennsylvania Trapper's Association is the oldest and largest state trapping organization in the country, started in 1937 by a handful of trappers seeing the need to organize. They have spent the last 87 years promoting, protecting, and educating about trapping and the important wildlife management tool that it is. The PTA is comprised of 11 districts across the state each encompassing 5-7 counties. They work closely with their affiliates, the Fur Takers of America, National Trapper's Association, Sportsmen's Alliance, and other like-minded organizations. ​

Pittsburgh Di​strict owns and operates 328 miles of navigable waterways, 23 navigation locks and dams, 16 multi-purpose flood-damage reduction reservoirs, 42 local-flood damage-reduction projects and other projects to protect and enhance water resources and wetlands. Pittsburgh's 26,000 square miles include portions of western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, eastern Ohio, western Maryland and southwestern New York. 

The Pittsburgh District is known as the Headwaters District because it includes the upper 127 miles of the Ohio River and the drainage basins of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers which join at the Point in Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River. Additionally, “headwaters" acknowledges Pittsburgh's role as a district of 'engineering firsts' within the Corps of Engineers. The Pittsburgh District has developed expertise to accomplish its varied civil works missions in the areas of navigation, flood-damage reduction, recreation, environmental restoration, hydropower, storm-damage reduction, regulatory, water supply and emergency response with more than 140 years of experience.​

Activity: We will have an interactive macroinvertebrate station where students can learn about the small living things that live within our waterways. We will also have I​D charts to help them identify the differences in each of the critters we ID with them. We will also have small giveaways for the participants to take home.