Practical Tips from Chris DeWitt...
Clean, accessible holding pens benefit both gamebird producers and hunting operations. At the 2026 NAGA Hunting Club Conference, Chris DeWitt will share practical strategies for maintaining holding pens that improve efficiency, support bird health and strengthen biosecurity.
As owner of DeWitt's Game Farm in Ellerbe, North Carolina, DeWitt brings 37 years of experience operating both a gamebird farm and hunting preserve. His presentation will focus on straightforward, real-world approaches to making bird transfers easier while maintaining the high level of biosecurity required in today's avian influenza environment.
DeWitt's Game Farm delivers more than 90% of its birds directly to customers, giving him firsthand knowledge of the challenges and opportunities involved in transporting and handling birds safely and efficiently.
Because he operates both a hunting business and a gamebird farm, DeWitt offers a balanced perspective that resonates with producers and preserve operators alike. What began as a passion for bird hunting on his family's tobacco farm has grown into an operation that hatches approximately 2 million quail, pheasants and chukar annually. The property also includes a hunting preserve, and premier sporting clays range capable of hosting groups of up to 400 people.
DeWitt joined the NAGA Board of Directors in February and serves on the Hunting Club Conference planning committee.
"Chris fills many needs for our organization," said NAGA President Sarah Pope. "We’ve worked to expand our representation in the southern United States and among quail producers, and he plays an important role in helping us serve the entire gamebird industry. He’s also a polished presenter who will deliver practical, relatable information attendees can put to use immediately."
DeWitt's session is one of 17 educational presentations planned for the fifth annual NAGA Hunting Club Conference, Sponsored by NSSF – The Firearm Industry Trade Association, set for July 20-22 at the Embassy Suites Old Market in Omaha, Nebraska.
Registration, hotel, vendor, sponsor and program information is available here.
