UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Hunting-preserve operators and the breeders who supply them with game birds will gather to get the latest management information at the 2007 Pennsylvania Game Breeders and Hunting Preserves Annual Meeting, Feb. 25-27 at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center in State College.

The event is hosted by Penn State's Department of Poultry Science, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Game Breeders Association.

Game birds are big business, according to Michael Hulet, conference coordinator and Penn State associate professor of poultry science.

"There are more than 300 licensed game-bird propagators in Pennsylvania, and the state is home to the largest pheasant breeder in the United States," Hulet says. "Hunting-related tourism also is an increasingly popular leisure activity."

Hulet says the conference will feature practical advice from some of the most experienced game-bird producers and hunting-resort managers. The event will provide tips for the beginner on how to successfully manage game birds and shooting preserves, information on how to address health and other challenges affecting game-bird production, and opportunities for informal discussions with presenters and networking with preserve owners.

Sessions will cover wildlife and the worldwide avian flu situation; game-bird equipment; poultry lighting and ventilation; feed additives and game-bird nutrition; shooting clays; selecting the right dog for your preserve; and other management and business issues.

Participants also can choose to take a poultry technician certification course or tour Penn State's Animal Diagnostic Laboratory.

Registrations will be accepted until Feb. 25 at the door. The registration fee of $100 includes instruction, materials, continental breakfasts, beverage breaks and Monday's lunch. Tickets for Monday's banquet are $30 each.

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For more information about conference content, contact Hulet at 814-863-8934 or by e-mail at mrh4@psu.edu. For registration information, contact Patti Burns at 814-865-5573 or by e-mail at plb8@psu.edu. Information also is available on the Web at http://pagamebird.psu.edu/Conference.html.

Writer/Editor Chuck Gill Phone: 814-863-2713 E-mail: cdg5@psu.edu