Get off the beaten path at this year’s Wildlife Expo

            Visitors to the Oklahoma Wildlife Expo can try their hand at riding a mountain bike on a dirt trail or even handling an ATV on an off-road course.
            Held at the Lazy E Arena, just north of Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s Wildlife Expo offers hundreds of hands-on outdoor learning opportunities as well as booths and seminars that cover all things outdoors in Oklahoma. The Wildlife Department partners with a wide range of other state agencies, private individuals and outdoor-related companies to host the free event, which is designed to provide hands-on learning opportunities for all types of outdoor enthusiasts while promoting and instilling an appreciation for Oklahoma's wildlife and natural resources.
            Wheeler Dealer Bicycle store in Oklahoma City operates the free mountain biking course, fully equipped with bicycles and safety helmets. Additionally, P&K Equipment is providing ATVs for guests to test drive on an off-road course right on the grounds of the Lazy E Arena. For the fifth year in a row, P&K Equipment also is providing a John Deere Gator utility vehicle to be given away to a lucky Expo visitor.
            Mountain bikes and ATVs offer some off-road excitement at the Expo, but they only scratch the surface of what is available at the event. Guests can try their hand at fishing, kayaking, rock climbing, archery, marksmanship, shotgun shooting and more. Additionally, they can speak with experts and attend seminars on topics ranging from stream fishing to hunting dog training and wild game cooking.
            Visitor also can shop at the Outdoor Marketplace, a huge tent where the state’s outdoor-related businesses will be selling outdoor gear and services. This year’s Expo will also feature popular attractions like wild game calling, birdhouse make-and-takes, wildlife art, wild game meat tasting and more.
            Whether catching a fish for the first time, enjoying a dessert cooked outside in a Dutch oven, or hitting a moving clay target with a blast from a shotgun, visitors to the Expo get the chance to soak up a full weekend of free outdoor knowledge, skills and experiences as hundreds of volunteers and Wildlife Department employees work to keep the event exciting, educational and entertaining.
            The Expo draws tens of thousands of people from across the state to Lazy E Arena each year, including some celebrities such as country music star and Oklahoma native Blake Shelton, who knows how great the Expo can be for families looking to spend time together.
            “I have been to the wildlife expo, and take it from me, it's a lot of fun!” said Shelton. “So grab the kids and come on out Sept. 25th through the 27th! It's all absolutely free!”
            The Wildlife Expo will be held at the Lazy E Arena, just north of Oklahoma City. Expo hours will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily Sept. 25-27. Log on to wildlifedepartment.com regularly to stay up to date on this year’s Expo activities.
            This year’s Expo will again feature “School Day” Sept. 25, when busloads of school students from across the state will arrive and enjoy a day at the event. Educators interested in planning a trip to the Wildlife Expo with their students this year should call (918) 299-2334 for more information.
 
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