Game and Fish Outdoor Expo 2008

will be packed with outdoor fun

Largest hands-on outdoor exposition in Arizona

By Rory Aikens, public information officer,
Arizona Game and Fish Department

The Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo 2008 will be jam-packed with outdoor fun and adventure for the whole family on March 29 and 30 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, just west of I-17 on Carefree Highway.

It’s free.

This premier 1,600-acre shooting facility is once again being transformed into the largest hands-on outdoor expo in Arizona that can keep your family enthused and delighted all weekend long. And there are no admission or parking fees, just lots of fun.

This year’s exciting Outdoor Expo runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit the Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/expo. Last year, the Expo attracted more than 17,000 people and 100 exhibitors.

“Families raved about how much fun they had at the Game and Fish Expo last year,” said Ty Gray with the Game and Fish Department, “This year, we have made this great hands-on event even better. There’s a little something to delight all outdoor enthusiasts. You won’t want to miss it.”

You can come shoot some of the latest firearms from Sturm, Ruger and Co., Glock, Smith & Wesson, Marlin and Benelli. Or test your skill at shooting Olympic-caliber air rifles or fun .22-caliber rifles. You will even be able to see live wildlife up close and personal from the Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center, or catch-and-release a fish at the ever-popular Family Fishing Tank. There is also an interactive nature trail.

Want to test drive the latest all-terrain vehicles or watch customized rock crawlers do amazing feats? If so, you will want to visit the special Off-Highway Vehicle Area.

Expo visitors can also learn to shoot a bow and arrow or see the latest in archery equipment at the newly-enhanced Archery Area. Or you can come try your hand at shooting trap, skeet or sporting clays at the revamped and modernized Clay Target Center.

Interested in the country’s fastest-growing shooting sport, cowboy action shooting? How about tactical-style pistol shooting? Then you will want to visit the Specialty Shooting Range section of the Expo. You can even try your hand at shooting a Gatling gun.

Throughout the weekend, there will be demonstrations and workshops galore. Plus there are more than 100 exhibitors, outdoor organizations, and other interesting booths to visit, and plenty of good food to purchase at the Food Court.

Last year, one outdoor family said that the Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo was more fun than Disneyland and it only cost them a few dollars for the ammunition they shot.

There is also something new this year – a youth education day on Friday, March 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where teachers can bring their classes for a host of educational activities, including live wildlife demonstrations, a wilderness safety course, geocaching demonstrations, fishing, and much more.

The Youth Day will also include the state’s Archery in the Schools competition, which is looking very competitive. This year, there are 100 schools participating in the Archery in the Schools Program conducted by the Game and Fish Department.

For more information on the Youth Day or the Outdoor Expo, visit:
www.azgfd.gov/expo