DOWAGIAC —he 18th annual Hunter’s Rendezvous, a gathering of hunters of all ages, is slated for Saturday, at the Dowagiac Conservation Club, located on M-51 North in Dowagiac.

Admission to the Hunter’s Rendezvous is free and the public is invited to attend. This event is free and open to the public and it will run from noon to 6 p.m. Deer camp chili and hot dogs are available for a $5 donation.

This is the 18th year for the Hunter’s Rendezvous which provides an opportunity for young hunters to learn from more experienced hunters in a casual atmosphere.

“Visitors to the Hunter’s Rendezvous can expect to see a large display of deer, turkeys, and other game that have been harvested from our area,” said event coordinator Richard Atkinson. “Every year we have more deer on display. This part of the event is always a big attraction.”

He estimates that the event attracts between 700 and 800 visitors annually.

Another popular attraction at the Hunter’s Rendezvous is the scoring of trophy bucks. Scorers from the Commemorative Bucks of Michigan and Boone & Crockett Club will be on hand at the Hunter’s Rendezvous to score trophy bucks, as well as turkey, elk and so on.

Atkinson anticipates another popular activity at this year’s Hunter’s Rendezvous to be the virtual reality hunting.

“The club has purchased our own virtual reality hunting equipment that is state-of-the-art. We will have this equipment available for visitors to the Hunter’s Rendezvous,” he said.

In addition, representatives from conservation organizations will attend the event to provide information about the work each group does to protect wildlife and their habitats.

Hunter’s Rendezvous helps area youth in that it raises money for the Dowagiac Conservation Club’s Youth Education Fund. This fund supports such activities as the hunter’s safety classes held at the Conservation Club, Youth Fishing Day and Wildlife Encounters, a program that brings live animals into area classrooms, an educational and interactive presentation.

The fund also sponsors youngsters from the area who wish to attend the Michigan United Conservation Club’s summer camp.

Money is also raised through the Silent Auction.

“Area merchants and conservation organizations have donated numerous items, including hunting equipment, limited-edition prints, apparel and more, to be sold during the silent auction. We also have the Trading Post, which is way for people to buy, sell and trade their used hunting equipment and clothing,” Atkinson said.