Girls Camp scheduled at Wappapello June 21-23

This free camp aims to introduce girls to outdoor skills.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation will offer a Discover Nature Girls Camp in the Southeast Missouri June 21-23 at Camp SEMO in Wappapello, Mo.  According to the camp organizer, Conservation Agent Christa Cox, this camp is a free, three-day, two-night experience aimed at introducing girls ages 11 to 15 to outdoor skills in a supportive learning environment.  

“Our goal is to lead the girls in outdoor activities so when they leave they’ll have the skills and confidence to explore our diverse landscape on their own and with their families,” Cox said.

Campers will spend three fun-filled days learning by participating in “hands on” outdoor skills, led by conservation professionals.  Some of the planned activities include hunter education, firearms safety and target shooting, archery equipment safety, walking through a safety trail,canoeing, orienteering and fishing. 

“We will actually go fishing, and we’ll also teach the girls how to identify the fish they catch, how to cast, tie knots and how to clean the fish they catch,” Cox said.

Cox said the Discover Nature Girls Camp is right in line with the Department’s goal to help people discover nature.

“This camp will equip the girls to discover nature on their own for years to come,” Cox said.

To apply for Discover Nature Girls Camp, please contact your local Conservation Agent or the Southeast Regional office in Cape Girardeau at (573) 290-5730 for an application. The camp is limited to 40 girls between the ages of 11 to 15 years old. Applications must be received by April 22.  The first 40 applications will be selected with all remaining applications placed on a waiting list.  For information on this and other nature programs, go online tomdc.mo.gov/CapeNatureCenter.

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Registrations now accepted for outdoor skills camp for girls at Camp Palestine in Johnson County

Kansas City, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is now accepting registrations for a free Discover Nature Girls Camp June 14-16 at Camp Palestine near Chilhowee, Mo., in Johnson County.

   Discover Nature Girls Camp is a three-day, two-night outdoor skills camp for girls ages 11 to 15. This camp provides a supportive learning environment for girls to learn about firearm safety, fishing, conservation management and ethics, water safety and basic canoeing, archery, hunting and other outdoor skills. Participants will have a chance to shoot pellet guns and archery on target ranges under the supervision of experts. They will receive Missouri Hunter Education certification. Campers will get a chance to catch fish in the lake at Camp Palestine.

   

The outdoor activities will be taught by MDC experts. Participants will gain the confidence to explore Missouri’s diverse nature on their own. MDC will provide all the necessary gear and material for camp activities. Campers are accepted in the order that completed applications are received. Completed applications must be received by April 1.

   MDC is also seeking female chaperones who would like to assist at the camp.

  To request an application form and apply for Discover Nature Girls Camp, contact Conservation Agent Brian Bartlett at 816-835-6087, or brian.bartlett@mdc.mo.gov. Applications are also available at the MDC Kansas City Regional Office and the MDC offices at Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center, Burr Oak Woods Nature Center, El Dorado Springs, Clinton and Sedalia.

   For more information, call 816-622-0900. MDC connects people with nature. For information about other MDC educational programs, visit http://mdc.mo.gov.

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MDC: Girls discover nature at Camp SEMO

Campers walk up the trail with their “guns” pointed in a safe direction. This was part of a hunting simulation instructed by conservation agents. The campers engaged a landowner to ask for permission to hunt on private land, walked safely with their firearms and completed several stations where they had to make decisions based on their hunter education experience. (Photo by Candice Davis)

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Twenty-two girls from across southeast Missouri took part in the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Discover Nature Girls Camp this week at Camp SEMO at Wappapello Lake. According to the camp organizer, Conservation Agent Christa Cox, the camp was a free, three-day, two-night experience aimed at introducing girls ages 11 to 15 to outdoor skills in a supportive learning environment.

Cox said girls attended from across the region, coming from Jackson, Caruthersville, Lounds, East Prairie, Poplar Bluff and Greenville.

“We led the girls in outdoor activities such as canoeing, fishing and hunter education so when they leave they’ll have the skills and confidence to explore our diverse landscape on their own and with their families,” Cox said.

Campers spent three fun-filled days learning by participating in hands-on outdoor skills, led by conservation professionals. Activities included hunter education, firearms safety and target shooting, tree stand safety, archery, walking through a safety trail, canoeing, orienteering, fishing, duck decoy and fishing lure crafting.

“The girls learned every step of these processes, like how to identify the fish they caught, how to cast and tie knots,” Cox said.

“They also had the opportunity to sample wild game at supper time, such as venison, wild turkey and catfish,” Cox said. “After experiencing the fun of the catch and the reward at dinner time, I have no doubt they’ll want to head back outside for more.”

Cox said the Discover Nature Girls Camp is right in line with the Department’s goal to help people discover nature.

“Now these campers are equipped to discover nature on their own for years to come,” Cox said.

Each year these camps are limited to 40 girls, who are selected through a first come, first served application process. For more on other opportunities to discover nature, go online tomdc.mo.gov.

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