Entertainer and sportsman Ralph Duren will be one of the featured guests at the upcoming Missouri Waterfowl Festival. Photo provided [Click to enlarge]

During the weekend of the Missouri Waterfowl Festival, entertainer, humorist, wildlife impersonator, and outdoorsman Ralph Duren will add one more notch to his more than 3,000 live programs performed before audiences of all ages.

Duren, a two-time Grand National Wild Turkey Gobbling Champion and the first World Quail Calling Champion, is often described as the "Rich Little of the animal kingdom" or the "Doctor Dolittle of the outdoors," as he performs over 100 wild animal sounds interwoven among humorous stories about growing up in Ozarks of Missouri, hunting, fishing, trapping, and traveling coast to coast performing his "Calls of the Wild" program.

Duren has appeared on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, "CBS This Morning," Tom Snyder's "Late Night," "Swan's Place" and "Home Life" on Family Net, Michael Feldman's "What Da You Know" on National Public Radio, Agri Talk Radio, the Steve and D.C. Morning Show and numerous outdoor television shows on The Outdoor Channel, Versus, ESPN 2, The Sportsmen's Channel, and The Men's Outdoor Recreation Channel.

He also has a weekly segment on Missouri Outdoors and Texas Outdoors television, as well as a monthly appearance on Pepper & Friends on Columbia, Mo.'s KOMU-TV.

Duren has spent 26 years with the Missouri Department of Conservation as a Wildlife Damage Control Agent, Outdoor Skills Specialist, Hunter Skills Specialist, and Public Relations Specialist. He also co-authored the Missouri Turkey Hunter Educational Manual and Missouri Trapper Manual and co-wrote the hunter education movie "It's Your Choice," which is used in hunter education classes in 17 states.

"Every reference that I've heard about him has been that he is a great entertainer and puts on a great show," said Charley Hilburn, director of the festival.

"He's a great guy and he'll talk your ear off telling you his stories about growing up in the outdoors," Hilburn continued.

The Missouri Waterfowl Festival and Sports Show will be held on Friday, Oct. 31 and Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008, at the American Legion Building and Delta Fairgrounds in Kennett.

For more information, visit the festival's online site, www. missouriwaterfowlfestival.com, or contact the Kennett Chamber of Commerce at (573) 888-5828.