Family-Outdoors

Image via Wikipedia The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today the launch of a new virtual book club aiming to engage and inspire readers to connect with the outdoors and nature. America’s Wild Read will feature noted ecologist E.O. Wilson’s first novel Anthill, the story of a boy whose Huck Finn-inspired summer in rural Alabama teaches him deeper understandings of nature and its most ruthless predators. Readers will also share insights on two related essays: Thinking Like a Mountain by Aldo Leopold, an early founder of the land conservation movement, and Once and Future Land Ethic, by Dr. Curt Meine, senior fellow at the Aldo Leopold Foundation. Both essays can be accessed online at   http://AmericasWildlife.org/ WildRead . The online discussions of the essays and Anthill will begin on May 8, 2011, and May 22, 2011, respectively. Conservation writers Curt Meine and Will Stolzenburg (author of Where the Wild Things Were) and other scholars, poets, and even ...

Image via Wikipedia You can even add a photo of your favorite hunter. JEFFERSON CITY – Shooting that first turkey is a landmark event in a young hunter’s life. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) helps turn such milestones into mementos. MDC’s First Turkey Program gives participants free commemorative certificates suitable for framing. You can even add a photo of the proud hunter with his or her bird. This tangible recognition of young hunters’ achievements provides permanent reminders that can either substitute for or complement a taxidermist’s mount. To create a first- turkey certificate, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/node/10469 . The same site has forms for a youth’s first deer as well as first deer /turkey certificates for adults. The parallel program for anglers is the First Fish Program. The First-Fish certificate form is available at  www.mdc.mo.gov/node/10474 . Missouri remains a national leader in hunter and angler recruitment because of successful youth programs, hu...

Turkey hunting is an enjoyable activity no matter whether it's done as a family activity or if it's just you as a lone hunter.  There are some aspects of the Spring turkey season , at least the way it's done in Missouri, that make it a great family activity. As you probably know if you have hunted the Spring turkey season in Missouri, or if you are planning on it, the hunting hours are from legal light until 1:00 pm.  This leaves a lot of afternoon time for leisure activity. I have some very fond memories of Spring turkey hunts with my two kids.  Hard hunting in the morning was followed by afternoons of lounging about camp.  Usually, the afternoons are decent weather, and it's hard to beat an afternoon at the turkey campsite where you have nothing to do but read and doze off whenever the urge comes upon you. Safety is the number one thing with turkey hunting as well as all other types of hunting.  Because everyone's in cammo, it's especially necessary to ...

Image via Wikipedia The issue of time is a hard one to get around sometimes.  I must admit that almost all of the lulls in my "outdoor life" have occurred at times where I just got too busy.  When it comes to getting outdoors with my family, I have been fortunate that both of my boys pretty much always wanted to hunt and fish, and my wife is one of those people who really always wants to have some trip or event scheduled out on the horizon. If it were only up to me, I would like to think that I would have the self-discipline to get out regularly, but I don't know.  Or, what if I had kids who were resistant to the idea?  Again, I am just not certain. So my advice on what to do might be seen as coming from someone who has no first-hand experience.  I admit this is true, but I am able to convey knowledge I have gathered on the subject. According to Maller, Townsend, St Leger, Henderson-Wilson, Pryor, Prosser, and Moore (2010), "... modern society, by its ver...

Image by eTombotron via Flickr First of all, the best place to camp this Summer may very well be in your own back yard.  If you have small children, and the budget is tight and time is short, your younger children will love a backyard camping adventure. It's even better if your local area will allow a campfire so you can roast hot dogs and marshmallows.  But even that is not a necessity.  The important thing is that you get out. But if you have the capability to get out and travel a bit, clearly the possibilities are almost endless.  No matter where you live in this country, there are great options for camping.  We thought we would look at one or two areas in various regions throughout the country.  If you have some additions you feel need to be on the list, feel free to leave a comment. We will be confining the list to public campgrounds because we believe that there are so many wonderful state and federal areas supported by our taxes that it is a sha...

Basic Camping Information for Families

This Summer promises to be an expensive one with regard to high gas prices.  Does this take the option of family camping trips made via car travel unaffordable?  We think not. Camping is one of the least expensive options when it comes to family vacations.  There simply is no way we know of for the family to find lodging and get meals for anywhere close to a comparable price.  This still holds true as gas prices in our area have increased from $2.60 or so per gallon to $3.80.  This increase seems like a lot, but that of course depends in part on the fuel efficiency of the vehicle you drive. Let's say you are in the lower end of that spectrum and get 15 mpg.  Taking a 300 mile trip is going to use 20 gallons of fuel.  The $1.20 increase per gallon equates to a $24 increase in fuel costs.  This increase in price, while not inconsequential, still has camping a great and economical way to travel. We have not even discussed all of the great fami...

In 2006, we took a trip through the American West - Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota.  We visited Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, the Little Bighorn Battlefield, Mt. Rushmore, and much more.  We camped or stayed in cabins and firetowers throughout.  Here is a slideshow of our trip.