September 1, 2000

Wildlife Expo set this fall

Take a walk on the wild side in Austin with your children this fall at the ninth annual Texas Wildlife Expo, the largest festival of its kind in the nation.

The two-day event, designed to promote outdoor activities, is expected to draw 50,000 visitors. Expo activities include shooting sports, fishing, rock climbing, birding, mountain biking, game calling, wild game cooking, fly fishing and kayaking.

Commercial exhibitors provide opportunities to view and buy the latest in outdoor gear. Seminars,workshops and demonstrations introduce visitors to a variety of outdoor skills and prepare them for fun in the great outdoors.

The 2000 Texas Wildlife Expo is a free event produced by Texas Parks and Wildlife and a coalition of conservation groups, agencies and sponsors. Last year, more than 44,000 people attended. Free shuttle service from Reagan High School/Nelson Field and limited parking is available at no charge.

This year, a six-day trail ride, sponsored by the Texas Equestrian Trail Riders Association, kicks off the weekend. The association plans to bring school-aged youths along for half-day outings, with educational activities planned for participating schools along the route.

Expo will run from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Sept. 30-Oct. 1 at the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department headquarters, located at 4200 Smith School Road in southeast Austin. Each fall, the 35-acre site is transformed into a busy fairground where visitors can catch fish, shoot sporting clays, view birds of prey in flight, watch sporting dogs, and learn about wildlife.

The focus is on fun and hands-on learning to acquaint visitors with outdoor recreational opportunities while educating them about responsible use of the outdoors.

“In this ninth year, the Expo message is clear: ‘It’s your outdoors, take care of it’,” said Andrew Sansom, TPW executive director.

“Our hope is that families realize that we’re all responsible today for the outdoors we will have tomorrow,” he added. “There’s a strong heritage of outdoor conservation for many Texans, but as our state becomes more urban, the challenge is to maintain a connection to the land and our natural and cultural heritage. That’s what we hope to accomplish at Expo. Plus, Expo is just great family fun!”

For more information about Texas Wildlife Expo, call 800/792-1112.