Missouri Waterfowl Festival this weekend

Bow enthusiasts will have the chance to show off their skills at the Missouri Waterfowl Festival this weekend, as The Greene Outdoors presents the 3D Archery Shoot.

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A new event will be featured at the upcoming 2nd Annual Missouri Waterfowl Festival that will test the archery skills of individuals around the area.

The 3D Archery Shoot, sponsored by The Greene Outdoors of Steele, Mo., will be open to local residents and will be a points-based tournament.

According to sponsor Casey Greene, classes will be available for women, bow hunters, and youth.

Greene said anyone who wants to enter the contest can do so, or individuals can shoot practice rounds without having to pay to enter the tournament.

Greene said for the tournament, two people will stand on a platform and shoot at three-dimensional animal targets in an effort to get the best score.

The targets will pop up and down, and shooters will have about 5-6 seconds to shoot the target, according to Greene

"[The timer] kind of puts more pressure on you," Greene said. "Not only do you have people watching you, but you [are timed as well]."

Greene said another difficulty is the shooters are only allowed as many arrows as there are targets.

"If it is a five target event, you have five arrows," Greene said. "If you drop one, you got that target missed. You can't pick that arrow up."

Each target has a set of rings, scoring 12,10,eight, or five points.

"Wherever you shoot, you just add up your points and that is how your score is determined," Greene said.

Greene said the target could include deer, elk, wolves, and bears.

At the Greene Outdoors booth, Greene said he will have 3D targets for people to test out the bows available at his store.

Greene said he hopes everyone interested in bow hunting comes out for the event.

For more information on the 3D Archery Shoot, contact Casey Greene at (800) 516-3060.

Another popular contest is the Speed Retriever Contest.

According to Speed Retriever Contest Coordinator Jarrad Sutton, a land course of approximately 100-yards will be set-up with a few obstacles, and the dogs will be timed for the fastest dog to go get the bumper and return to the start.

Sutton said there will be three divisions in the contest -- kids, adults, and open.

Anyone age 15 and under can enter a dog in the kids division, and can enter as many times as they want at no charge.

A trophy will be awarded for first, second, and third place for the three fastest dogs.

Anyone over the age of 16 and older can run a dog in the adult division. Entry fee for the adult division is $5 per run per dog for the first three runs. After the first three runs, the cost increases to $10 per run per dog. A cash prize of $300 will be awarded for the fastest dog in the adult division. Second place will receive $100, and third place will receive $50.

According to Sutton, Hunt Test/Field Trial competitors will be limited to the open division. Anyone over age 16 may enter this division, however, persons who have entered Hunt Tests and other Field Trial Competitions should not enter the adult division, and should restrict their entry to the open division.

Individuals entering the open division may run a dog as many times as they want, for $10 per run per dog for the first three runs. After three runs, the cost increases to $20 per run per dog per run. A cash prize of $1000 will be awarded to the fastest dog in the open division. Second place will receive $300, and third place will receive $200.

Sutton said he thought the event went well last year was a success.

"I think [last year's contest] went very well," Sutton said. "I think it was just as entertaining for the people that were watching as for the people that were running.

"I really enjoyed watching those kids come up there and bring their dog up there and for them to get excited for their dog to bring that bumper back. That really excited me more than anything,"

Entries for the event are taken the day of, and the contest will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24-25.

For more information on the Speed Retriever Contest, contact Sutton at (573) 717-0294.

The Missouri Waterfowl Festival will be held on Saturday, Oct. 24 and Sunday, Oct. 25, 2008, at the American Legion Building and Delta Fairgrounds in Kennett.

The event will kick off at 8a.m., on Saturday with the 5K Run.

The Missouri Waterfowl Festival Schedule of Events is as follows:

Saturday, Oct. 24.

* 7 a.m. - 7:45 a.m. - 5-K Run Registration and Packet Pick-up;

* 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. - 5-K Run;

* 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. - Commercial Exhibits open;

* 9 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. - Duck Calling Contest Registration for all calling events;

* 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Rock Climbing Wall Open;

* 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. - 3-D Archery Tournament prelims runs concurrent through Sunday 2 p.m.;

* 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Speed Retriever Contest starts and runs concurrent through Sunday;

* 9:30 a.m. - 10 a.m. - Ralph Duren - "The Man of 130 Animal Sounds;"

* 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Kid's B-B Shoot;

* 10 a.m. - Duck Calling Contest - Junior;

* 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - Waterfowl Management 365 - 5-Oaks Wildlife Services;

* 12 noon - Duck Calling Contest - Open;

* 12 noon - 3 p.m. - Kid's Decoy Painting Contest;

* 1:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. - Drug Dog Seminar by www.caninunlimitedoftulsa.com;

* 2 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Drug Dog Demonstration outside by www.canineunlimitedoftulsa.com;

* 2 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Ralph Duren - "The Rich Little of the Outdoors;"

* 3 p.m. - Duck Calling Contest - 2-man Meat;

* 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. - Youth Duck Calling Clinic - Butch Ritchenback/RNT Calls;

* 4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Puppy Retriever Training w/ Avery Team Waterdog's Chris Akin;

* 4:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. - Retriever Demonstrations outside w/ Avery Team Waterdog's Chris Akin;

* 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. - Rice Field Hunting A to Z w/ Avery Outdoors' Christian Curtis & Hunter Johnson;

Sunday

* 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Commercial Exhibits open;

* 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. - 3-D Archery Tournament prelims;

* 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Speed Retriever Contest;

* 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Rock Climbing Wall Open;

* 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. - Kid's B-B Shoot;

* 10 a.m.- 11 a.m. - Waterfowl Management 365 - 5-Oaks Wildlife Services;

* 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Kid's Decoy Painting Contest;

* 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - Ralph Duren - "The Rich Little of the Outdoors;"

* 12 noon - 1 p.m. - Youth Duck Calling Clinic - Butch Richenback/RNT Calls;

* 1 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Drug Dog Seminar by www.caninunlimitedoftulsa.com;

* 1:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. - Drug Dog Demonstration outside by www.canineunlimitedoftulsa.com;

* 2 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Ralph Duren - "The Man of 130 Animal Sounds;"

* 2 p.m. - 3-D Archery Tournament Finals;

* 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. - Rice Field Hunting A to Z w/ Avery Outdoors' Christian Curtis & Hunter Johnson;

* 3:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. - Started Retriever Training w/ Avery Team Waterdog's Chris Akin;

* 4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Retriever Demonstrations outside w/ Avery Team Waterdog's Chris Akin;

* 4:30 p.m. - Drawing for the Heartland ATV/Arctic Cat 4-wheeler raffle;

* 4:30 p.m. - Drawing for the Wildfowl Adventures hunt/Shotgun raffle;

* 5 p.m.- Festival closes;

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