THE FOLLOWING IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM EXPOSURE SHOWS
Feathers, foragers, photography and fantastic adventures await visitors of all ages at the 53rd annual KVAL Sportsmen’s and Outdoor Recreation Show, January 30-February 1, at the Lane Events Center in Eugene.
The 2026 featured attractions include the live “Wild Eagle Encounter” presentations. The new “Nature’s Provisions” highlights crafters of locally picked, processed and packaged edibles from land and sea, with the “The Great Maine Lobster Hunt” vacation prize anchoring the promotion. But that’s not the only contest to enter. Patrons can also sign up to win a guided “Maine Bear Hunt” in the backcountry of Maine wilderness. Back by popular demand, the “Parakeet Paradise Experience” returns. And the “Capture the Wild” photography contests will introduce a new category … trail cams!
The “Wild Eagle Encounter” will feature two eagles, and will be joined by a hawk, a parrot and a macaw. Guests can see a demonstration of an eagle swooping down, its talons grabbing a fish from a pool of water. This awesome presentation from the Birdman of Las Vegas is sponsored by Trailer Station USA.
The “Great Maine Lobster Hunt” contest is part of the new “Nature’s Provisions” promotion, sponsored by Bi Mart, features crafters of locally picked, processed and packaged local edibles from land and sea. Patrons can sign up for free at the shows to win the “Great Maine Lobster Hunt” in July, 2026. One lucky winner and their guest will fly from Portland, Oregon to Bangor, Maine for a 4-day coastal culinary experience. Winter Harbor’s own Captain Billy Bob Faulkingham will take the winners aboard his lobster boat for a 4-hour lobster trapping excursion and tour of the surrounding islands, followed by a traditional Maine lobster feed. The winners will also tour Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain, take the ferry to the infamous seaside town of Bar Harbor … and enjoy eating more of Maine’s mouth-watering delicacy … lobster!
The “Capture the Wild” photo contest, sponsored by Bi-Mart, invites outdoor photographers to submit images that reflect the landscapes, wildlife, and backcountry heritage of the Pacific Northwest. There is a new category for game cameras, too! According to curator Dan Amos, “It’s a chance for enthusiasts, weekend adventurers, and seasoned photographers to show what the wild means to them.” Entries will be displayed throughout the show in front of thousands of outdoor families, hunters, anglers, hikers, and industry professionals. Entrants will compete for nearly $10,000 in cash and prizes. Details at www.agentofthewild.com and www.exposureshows.com.
Patrons can also sign up to win an authentic “Maine Bear Hunt” in September, 2026, courtesy of the Oregon Hunters Association. This is a guided 4-day backcountry black bear hunt in a remote Maine hunting camp with Sunkhaze Outfitters. Lodging, meals and airfare from Portland, Oregon to Bangor, Maine are included. Sign up for free at the OHA booths at any of the five shows.
There are also prizes galore at the individual booths just waiting to be won. Sign up to win an 18’ HewesCraft Sportsman Boat, an 8’ SOTAR inflatable kayak, and a new Winch-2-Go. Every paid adult patron can sign up to receive a free one-year digital subscription to Northwest Sportsman magazine in Oregon or California Sportsman magazine in California, a $39.95 value.
Fan favorites will continue to impress and include the Off-Road Outpost, sponsored by Kendall Ford. The Seven Feathers Big Game Room will host the 2026 Legends of the Oregon Record Book, the 2026 Tour of Northwest Big Game and the 22nd annual Head & Horns Competition. A full docket of seminars led by Jody Smith, Davey Jones and more will discuss the hottest outdoor topics. The Sportsmen’s Theater speakers’ schedules (every hour on the hour) and Giant Fish Tank expert demonstrations (every hour on the half-hour) can be found on www.exposureshows.com one week before each show. North American Taxidermy returns to all shows as the “Official Show Taxidermist” with another amazing exhibit of award-winning taxidermy.
Meet the merchants and shop the hundreds of exhibits representing fishing, hunting, camping, boating, off roading, RVing, ATVing, cycling, kayaking, hiking, climbing, foraging, scuba diving, and their supporting advocacy groups and governmental agencies.
Little explorers of any age can start their outdoor experiences in the soft archery and BB gun shooting galleries, and at the ever-popular Live Trout Pond. The huge Climbing Wall will be sure to capture the attention and involvement of high-climbing youngsters.
Guides and outfitters from far away and close to home will be on hand to plan adventures on local and exotic waterways, hunting expeditions and photographic adventures.
Governmental agencies and advocacy groups such as the State Police, ODF&W, Delta Waterfowl, U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Oregon Hunters Association will be represented.
The new and returning exhibits will cover fishing, hiking, hunting, boating, RVing, ATVing, camping, canoeing and kayaking, rafting and more, along with plenty of outdoor recreation-related goods and services.
From novices to old pros, outdoorsmen and women can start their outdoor adventures at these shows through the many unique exhibits, performances, attractions and demonstrations. Start here, then go far!
Hours are Friday, Noon-7:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.; Sunday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Admission is $9.00 for adults or $7.00 with Bi-Mart $2.00 Off coupon (good on Friday & Sunday only), available at www.bimart.com/sportshow. Children 6 to 12 are $1.00 and 5 and under are free. Pre-order your tickets online at www.exposureshows.com.
Seven Feathers Free Senior Friday: Seniors 65 and up admitted FREE from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, courtesy of the Seven Feathers Casino Resort and the Eugene Register Guard. For more information, please visit www.exposureshows.com, facebook.com/exposureshows.
Eagles on the Fly
Look up! Here’s comes an eagle, on the fly. And watch as it swoops down, its talons snatching a fish from a pool of water. This demonstration at the upcoming ExpoSure Sportsmen’s and Outdoor Recreation shows will feature two eagles.
“We want people to see the eagles in action, up close, and to increase their understanding of the birds,” said Joe Krathwahl, the trainer who is also known as The Birdman from Las Vegas.
Nadua, a 10-5-pound white tailed eagle with a 6.5-foot wingspan, will grab the 2-pound plastic fish from the pond and return it to Krathwahl’s glove for a treat. Nadua was hatched in the Comanche Nation’s conservation program in Oklahoma and was the first white tailed eagle hatched in the U.S., according to Krathwahl Joining Nadua on stage will be Sheeba, a bateleur eagle whose species in Africa is endangered. It’s considered the most majestic of African eagles. Sheeba will also fly above the show’s visitors.
“It’ll be a very eagle dominated program,” Krathwahl said, but adding he’ll also be joined by a hawk, a parrot and a macaw, the latter bird accepting donations with his beak after his show.
“More than half of the world’s 60 species of eagles are endangered, including our own golden eagles whose population is declining, so we want to help people understand the birds,” Krathwahl said.
The donations made after each show will go to support Nevada Eagle Rescue, a clinic that works to help rescued birds recover so they can return to the wild.
Great Maine Lobster Hunt
The Great Maine Lobster Hunt awaits two lucky visitors to the 2026 ExpoSure Sportsmen’s and Outdoor Recreation shows.
Show patrons can enter their names for the drawing at the Oregon shows in Eugene, Roseburg, Medford and Klamath Falls, and in Anderson, California.
The lucky winners will receive an all-expense paid trip for two from Portland to Bangor, Maine, a lobster trapping experience, traditional Maine lobster feed and a cruise to nearby landmarks.
Billy Bob Faulkingham, a boat captain based in Winter Harbor, will host the visitors on his boat, FV 51. They’ll check the lobster traps on Frenchman’s Bay.
“Every trap is a new adventure, to see what it is going to have in it,” Faulkingham said, adding the traps are hydraulically retrieved.
In addition to checking the lobster traps, Faulkingham and his FV 51 will cruise the visitors around Ironbound Island with its 100-foot sheer cliffs, around Egg Rock Lighthouse Island for close encounters with seals and eagles, and for views of Cadillac Mountain and Acadia National Park’s Schoodic Point.
The traditional steamed lobster dinner, with sides of clams, corn on the cob, potato salad and blueberry pie, will be held on the FV 51 in Turtle Island Cove.
“We’ll take somebody on what will probably be a once-in-a-lifetime experience on an actual lobster boat to see how it’s done,” Faulkingham said. “Lobstering is one of Maine’s signature and iconic industries and deserves all the support we can muster. Winter Harbor is going to show these lucky winners a unique and epic adventure. Maine lobster is the best.”
https://www.youtube.com/@BillyBobandFaulkinghams/videos
Nature’s Provisions
Your taste buds are going to get an enjoyable workout at the upcoming ExpoSure Sportsmen’s and Outdoor Recreation shows.
Several vendors, offering a variety of flavors with their edible products, will be grouped under the theme of Nature’s Provisions.
“We’ll have interconnecting vendors,” said Joe Daugherty, owner of Daugherty Produce of Klamath Falls. “The purpose is so the visitors get a wide range of flavors from right here in the Northwest. Hopefully they’ll buy our products and then go out and pick their own huckleberries or mushrooms. We want to bring awareness to and offer the great products we have here.”
The vendors include Daugherty “with everything huckleberry,” Fred Sauce of Bend, Juan BBQ Sauce of Christmas Valley, Oregon Jams of Klamath Falls and B&D Meats of Roseburg. Plans for the Nature’s Provisions display also include olive oil and wine products.
John Getz, a mushroom expert from Florence, will be available to answer questions and provide information on different varieties and picking and cooking them.
A special guest at the Eugene show only will be Hoby Wedler, a chemist and entrepreneur who is legally blind, but is known for his senses to identify food, wine and the outdoors.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLxS8-0uMZM/?igsh=MW1xY3hwcGpkenNxdQ%3D%3D.
Maine Bear Hunt
An all-expense paid bear hunt in the woods of Maine awaits a lucky visitor to the upcoming ExpoSure Sportsmen’s & Outdoor Recreation shows.
People can submit their names at any of the five ExpoSure shows and a drawing will be held in mid-March after the final show.
Sunkhaze Outfitters of Bangor, Maine, will play host to the visiting bear hunter. Jeff Fahey and Rob Gould are co-owners of the outfitting business.
“We want the person to get a good taste of Maine,” said Fahey. “We hope to show what a wonderful state we have.”
The hunt, to be scheduled during the second or third week of September, will be out of a traditional Maine hunting camp which is a cabin several drivable miles into Maine’s densely wooded backcountry. The hunter, who can use weapon of his choice, will be set up in a tree stand or ground blind.
“Black bears here are plentiful, but they are wary,” Fahey said. “The average bear is around 140 pounds. A nice bear is over 200 pounds.”
Maine’s black bear record is one that weighed in at 697 pounds.
Shoot Away … With Your Camera
Here’s a chance to give it your best shot … with a camera.
The ExpoSure Sportsmen’s & Outdoors Recreation Shows are presenting the Capture the Wild Photo Contest. Entries will be accepted no later than two days prior to each show in three categories – Landscape, Wildlife and the Trail Camera. Participation is free and open, but will focus on residents of Oregon and Northern California. The contest is an opportunity to celebrate the creativity and passion of photographers who bring nature to life through their lens. Entries submitted prior to each show will be displayed at that show.
“There are so many cameras out there now, the chance of getting something spectacular is definitely possible,” said Dan Amos, a professional photographer for the past 20 years. “It’s a chance for enthusiasts, weekend adventurers and seasoned photographers to show what the wild means to them.”
Amos, who has previously judged photos at the Douglas County and Coos County fairs, will administer the contest and judge the photo entries.
Entries must be a matted 8×10 or 11×14 inch print and include the name of the photographer, an address, the camera used to take the image and an email address or phone number.
Best in Category for each of the three divisions will be awarded $250. The Best in Show Award for most outstanding photo across all three categories will be worth $500. For more information on the contest, check online at agentofthewild.com/photocontest or contact Amos at photocontest@agentofthewild.com or Joe Pate at exposure@roadrunner.com.
Big Game Display
Do you want to see a life-sized, 10-foot-tall polar bear? How about a mule deer buck with a record 17- by 25-point rack of antlers?
The two taxidermied animals, along with several others, will be featured as part of the Northwest Big Game Tour at the 2026 ExpoSure Sportsmen’s & Outdoors Recreation Shows.
“We’re showing the best of the best wildlife ever taken,” said David Morris, director of the tour. “They are unique and each has an interesting history.”
The polar bear was taken in 2007 in Canada. It’s in the Boone & Crockett record book.
The mule deer is the Oregon state record for non-typical bucks with a score of 321 inches. It was taken in 1925 in Oregon’s Umatilla County.
Also on display will be the largest forked-horn Columbia blacktail buck and the Oregon state record whitetail buck in the muzzleloader class. The blacktail buck was taken in Sacramento County, California, in 2015. The whitetail buck features a 7-by-7 non-typical rack. It was taken in Umatilla County.
These four animals will be making their first appearances in the big game display at this year’s ExpoSure shows. The display will feature about 30 record and unique animals.
Hunters are reminded and encouraged to bring their harvested big game to any of the five shows to have the antlers, horns or heads measured for possible entry into record books. Certified Boone & Crockett (rifle) and Pope & Young (archery) measurers will be present to score the animals.
“Every year we hear of some pretty big animals taken,” Morris said. “If people bring them in, they can be officially seen and measured.”
The annual Head & Horns Competition will feature elk, deer, cougar, bear, goat, sheep, pronghorn and moose entries. Each entry that qualifies for the Oregon, Washington, Idaho or Montana record book will receive a ticket for the grand prize drawing, the winner receiving a two-night stay at Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville. That drawing will be held following the final show in Klamath Falls.
Other prizes (scopes, binoculars and other products) will be awarded at each of the four Oregon shows (Eugene, Roseburg, Medford and Klamath Falls) for each method of hunting (rifle, archery and black powder).
State of the Art Rafts
The inflatable boats will be on dry land, but visitors to the ExpoSure Sportmen’s & Outdoor Recreation Shows will be invited to sit in them and dream of paddling on calm or whitewater.
White Water Manufacturing, doing business as SOTAR (State of the Art Raft), will display a variety of their raft products at the upcoming five shows.
“We want people to sit in them and try them out,” said Rachel Lewman, co-owner of the business with her husband Jeremiah Lewman. The company’s manufacturing facility and store are in Merlin, Oregon, just a couple minutes off Interstate 5. The rafts and other custom inflatables are manufactured by hand one at a time.
“We are excited to be in the shows,” Rachel Lewman said, noting this is the company’s first appearance in the ExpoSure shows. “We sell worldwide, but we want to create a bigger presence in our local area. A lot of people don’t know we exist so we want to let people know we’re right here in Southern Oregon.”
A new line of fishing rafts designed for Oregon’s rivers, lakes and creeks will be displayed. The ready-to-go package will be available at a special price at the shows.
Lewman said the rafts are known for their toughness and durability. The company has provided rafts for past U.S. Rafting Championships and for the World’s Toughest Race.
Glenn Newman started the business in 1980. The family’s next generation, Rachel and Jeremiah, began managing the business in 2017 and then purchased it in 2023.
In addition to the fishing raft special, a drawing for an 8-foot lightweight (24 pounds) inflatable kayak will be held at the end of the fifth show in Klamath Falls. Show visitors can sign up for the drawing at the company’s booth at each of the shows.
A New Hawaiian Vacation Concept
Hosted Escapes is all about leaving your concerns and worries at home while visiting the Big Island of Hawaii.
This new vacation concept offers a 7-day, 6-night package deal, according to owner Brandon Allison. Included is pickup at the airport on a Sunday and transportation to their private setting on 3 acres, five days of guided tours, prepared meals every day, and transportation back to the airport on the following Saturday.
Details on this vacation option will be available at a Hosted Escapes booth at each of ExpoSure’s upcoming Sportsmen’s & Outdoor Recreation Shows.
Brandon said, “This vacation fills the void between visitors having to pay crazy high resort prices, or visitors having to figure out their own lodging, rental vehicle, travel plans, navigating to different locations on the island, and then fix their own meal at the end of the day.”
“The tours are to national parks, volcanoes, black sand and green sand beaches, waterfalls, scenic Hawaiian valleys, coffee farms and macadamia nut factories,” Brandon said. “These are set tours, but if somebody wants something different, a vehicle and guidance is provided for them to go on their own. We offer a set tour schedule, but are open to any changes the entire group would like to make.”
“We’re offering a one stop, all-inclusive experience at a very reasonable price ($2,995),” he added. “Nobody else is offering this type of vacation.”
Brandon said the Hosted Escapes vacation concept is also scheduled to be available in Petersburg, Alaska, starting the summer of 2027. Those tours by will include seeing glaciers, whale watching, wildlife viewing, fishing, and scenic southeast Alaskan views.
Visitors to the ExpoSure shows are encouraged to drop by the Hosted Escapes booth and discuss the vacation options with Brandon or other representatives of the company.
Parakeet Paradise
Here’s a chance to get personal with parakeets.
The Parakeet Paradise will welcome visitors at the upcoming ExpoSure Sportsmen’s and Outdoor Recreation shows.
An enclosure about 24 feet long, 6 feet wide and 7 feet tall will feature 100 budgerigar parakeets of the finch family in a variety of colors – green, yellow, blue and white. A small fee will allow a visitor with a handful of bird seed to enter the enclosure and spend a few minutes with the birds.
“It’s a walk-thru bird feeding experience,” said Joe Krathwohl, aka The Birdman from Las Vegas. “It will allow people to have personal encounters with the cute little budgies, a chance to hold and interact with the birds and to enjoy the experience. For some people it’s therapeutic, for some it helps them overcome their fear of birds.” A limited number of people will be allowed in the enclosure at a time. Photos may be taken.
The Parakeet Paradise will be open to visitors during show hours.
“People will be able to enjoy a unique combination of bird shows,” said Krathwohl of the parakeets and a separate presentation featuring eagles. “For bird lovers, it’ll be a fantastic combination of experiences and for the non-bird lovers, it’ll help them become bird lovers.”
Garlic, a Flavor of the Forest
The health benefits of powdered garlic will be emphasized by Nelson Frosland at his Flavors of the Forests booth at the upcoming ExpoSure Sportsmen’s & Outdoor Recreation Shows in Eugene and Roseburg.
Flavors of the Forest, based out of Sutherlin, will be part of the Nature’s Provisions grouping at the two shows. The business specializes in producing freeze-dried garlic powders.
The powder is available in five flavors: regular, spicy garlic, ginger garlic, horseradish garlic and lion’s mane mushroom and garlic.
“The freeze-dried powder keeps all the health benefits of raw garlic,” said Frosland. “The powder is as fine as flour. It’s used like salt and pepper after a food is cooked.”
Frosland explained the powders include 3% sea salt, The salt keeps the garlic from clumping up. At the shows, visitors will be able to sample the powder flavors on cheese bites.
Focus on Taste and Smell
Dr. Hoby Wedler has never taken his senses for granted. That’s because he was born blind and so has had to develop his other senses to the highest level.
He will bring his acute senses to the ExpoSure Sportsmen’s & Outdoor Recreation Show in Eugene.
Wedler has a PHD in organic chemistry and is a fulltime consultant in the beverage alcohol industry and has also dabbled in food product development. He’s made a living out of his senses of taste and smell.
“I’m a sensory storyteller, both educational and entertaining,” said Wedler who has built a career helping others connect with their senses.
According to his resume, Wedler “blends scientific insight with magnetic storytelling to help individuals and brands deepen perception, elevate memory and forge lasting emotional connections.”
He said he believes the senses, especially the ones that are often overlooked, are powerful tools for creating meaning. He brings smell, sound and texture into sharp focus.
His bio states, “By removing sight from the equation, his work invites people to engage more fully with the world and with each other. His unique approach has earned widespread recognition, including being named a Champion of Change by President Barack Obama for enhancing employment and educational opportunities for people with disabilities.”
At the Eugene show, Wedler will talk with visitors, present seminars and conduct some blind folded taste and smell demonstrations using huckleberry and mushroom products. Visitors will be asked to volunteer in the demos.
Wedler said he translates the complex science of perception into accessible, unforgettable human experiences.
Magic Fruit and Fungus in the Dark
Huckleberries and mushrooms, the fruit and fungus of the wild, will be featured during presentations at the ExpoSure Sportmen’s & Outdoor Recreation Show in Eugene.
Come join mushroom and huckleberry legends John Getz and Joe Daugherty along with Sensory Storyteller Dr. Hoby Wedler and explore the true magic of picking and eating mushrooms and huckleberries!
Come prepared for a lively discussion filled with education and entertainment as Dr. Hoby moderates the conversation between Joe and John. We will explore the world of fungus and fruit in the wild with some fun stories, fascinating takeaways, and great conversation. We will finish with a food tasting experience of two incredible huckleberry products and two splendid mushroom products.
But the kicker? Blind since birth, Dr. Hoby has been designing tasting experiences in the dark since 2011, so all these food items will be tasted under blindfold! It’s incredible what we notice when we temporarily remove the distraction of eyesight and let our minds go into a place where we can taste, smell, feel, and hear better than ever.
“It’s incredible what we notice when we temporarily remove the distraction of eyesight and let our minds go into a place where we can taste, smell, feel and hear better than ever,” Wedler said of the blindfold tasting.
Come join us on Friday, January 30 from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. You won’t want to miss this interactive, engaging, and fascinating presentation!
