Less than two weeks remain until the 13th annual hunting and fishing Heritage expo gets underway Sept. 9-11 at the Casper Events Center.

As in previous years, the Expo is a free educational event for all ages and features activities like shooting, fishing, canoeing and archery. There are also more than 150 activities, exhibits and demonstrations designed to help people participate in Wyoming's hunting, fishing and outdoors. Most activities are at the Casper Events Center and surrounding grounds, but .22 rifle, blackpowder and shotgun shooting is available at nearby shooting complexes.

New events at the Expo this year include activities at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, located just east of the Casper Events Center. On Thursday and Friday at the Interpretive Center, there will be reenactments of the Pony Express days with Pony Express reenactment rides. Free shuttles will be running between the two centers and the shooting complexes. Other new activities include demonstrations on camping and day hiking that should appeal to both newcomers and experienced campers and hikers.

Two years ago the expo was changed to a Thursday-Saturday format from the Friday-Sunday to allow more school groups to attend. Activities for students of all ages are available. During all three days, students age 10-18 can pursue the Youth Shooting Pentathlon by participating in shotgunning, .22 rifle, muzzleloader, pellet gun and archery. Participants receive a certificate, patch and a prize. On Saturday, the first 1,000 students completing the aquatic outdoor skills stations receive a free fishing rod and reel combo donated by North Platte Walleyes. Following the Expo on Sunday, Sept. 13, there is a Women's Shotgun Clinic at the Casper Trap and Skeet Club.

Displays and activities will also include: Safari Club International's Sensory Safari; National Wild Turkey Federation's Grand Slam Turkey Display; Laramie River Black Powder Brigade Mountain Man Camp, and Native Americans of the West. There will also be a number of demonstrations and programs by the Laramie Peak Retriever Club, Smoky Bear, Pheasants Forever and live snakes with Wyoming's state herpetologist.

More than 143,000 people have attended the Expo in the last 11 years. Expo hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit the Game and Fish Web site http://gf.state.wy.us [2] or call (888) EXPO-WYO.