VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- 09/16/09 -- Strongbow Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE: SBW) is pleased to report that sampling of a new nickel showing at its wholly owned Snowbird nickel project has returned 1.17% Ni and 0.40% Cu. The Snowbird project extends over 150 kilometres from Strongbow's Nickel King deposit in the Northwest Territories to Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan. The Company believes this area is highly prospective for the discovery of additional magmatic nickel-copper sulphide deposits similar to Nickel King (please see Strongbow news release #09-08, dated July 15, 2009).

In August 2009, company geologists conducted a two week exploration program intended to evaluate a number of priority targets in the Opescal Lake and Heel areas of the Snowbird project. Two new areas of nickel-copper sulphide mineralization were discovered at Opescal Lake, which straddles the Saskatchewan-Northwest Territories border. The most significant mineralization was discovered at the OPN target, where five of six representative samples of mineralized gabbro boulders returned from 0.22% to 1.17% Ni. Gabbro boulders and subcrop that define the OPN target are directly coincident with a 770 m long high priority (greater than 1,000 Siemens) geophysical conductor. This conductor also coincides with the northern third of a discontinuous magnetic high that can be traced for over two kilometres. The sulphide metal content of the samples collected from the OPN target is estimated to be 4.5-5.0% Ni in 100% sulphides. These sulphide metal contents are very encouraging and compare favourably to those calculated for the Nickel King deposit, located 35 km to the northeast.

The second new discovery at Opescal Lake, the NP8 showing, is located approximately 13 km to the southeast of the OPN target. Mineralization at the NP8 showing is hosted within a norite sill that coincides with a 660 m long high priority (greater than 1,000 Siemens) geophysical conductor and magnetic anomaly. Outcrops and boulders of norite and related pyroxenite have been mapped over an estimated strike length of 900 m. Six grab samples of mineralized norite returned from 0.13% Ni to 0.38% Ni. The sulphide metal content for the highest grade sample is estimated at 3.1% Ni in 100% sulphides.

Outside of the OPN and NP8 showings, numerous mafic to ultramafic intrusions have now been mapped in the Opescal Lake area. Of particular interest is a five kilometre long discontinuous trend of magnetic high anomalies located 1.5 kilometres east of the OPN target. This magnetic trend is coincident with at least eight priority conductive targets having conductivity thickness values in excess of 150 Siemens. Ground truthing of these targets has been frustrated by the presence of significant glacial overburden, however, of note is a single grab sample collected prior to 2009, at the southern end of this magnetic trend that returned 4.2 g/t Au, 0.8 g/t Pd, and 0.8 g/t Pt.

An evaluation of the Heel target area, located 30 km south of Opescal Lake and 70 km northeast of Stony Rapids, identified a series of mafic to ultramafic intrusions associated with at least seven priority (greater than 150 Siemens) conductive anomalies. The intrusions are generally weakly mineralized with nickel values typically less than 0.15% Ni. However, the most promising showing discovered to date in the Heel area was sampled in 2008 and returned 0.48% Ni and 0.27% Cu.

The discovery of previously unknown mafic and ultramafic intrusions in close proximity to high priority geophysical conductors is very encouraging and indicates that targets in the Opescal Lake and Heel areas warrant follow up evaluation with ground geophysics and drilling.

Strongbow's exploration programs are conducted under the supervision of David Gale, P.Geo. (BC), Vice-President of Exploration for Strongbow and a Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101. All rock samples are submitted to Acme Analytical Laboratories of Vancouver, BC for analysis. Each sample is weighed, dried and crushed to better than 70% passing a 2 mm screen. A split of up to 250g is taken and pulverized to better than 95% passing a 100 micron (150 mesh) screen. The prepared sample is subjected to an aqua regia digestion and the resulting solution is analyzed by inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Samples that return nickel results greater than 5,000 ppm are re-analyzed using laboratory inserted ore grade standards to provide optimum precision and accuracy. Strongbow conducts an internal quality assurance/quality control program, with the regular insertion of standard, blank and field duplicate samples into the sample stream.

STRONGBOW EXPLORATION INC.

Kenneth A. Armstrong, President and CEO

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed, and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy of this release.

Contacts:
Strongbow Exploration Inc.
Ken Armstrong
President and CEO
604 668 8355
604 668 8366 (FAX)
[email protected]
www.strongbowexploration.com