Outdoor skills camps for youth
Frederick County Parks and Recreation offers a series of outdoors skills camps for youth ages 6 to 16 throughout the summer. In the archery and bushcraft skills camp, youth ages 11 to 16 will learn safety and the basics of archery, how to make a bow, shelter building and other skills. Camps take place July 5-8, July 25-29 and Aug. 1-5. An introduction to wilderness survival camp, for ages 6 to 9, takes place July 11-15, where participants will learn the basics of thriving in the wild, from shelter and fire building to knots and primitive skills, among others. An advanced wilderness survival camp for ages 9 to 14 takes place July 18-22. Participants will work on their own and in teams to problem solve various skills challenges, such as shelter, fire, tool use, knife safety, knots, primitive skills and more. Most camps take place at Pinecliff Park, Frederick. Fees vary for each camp. To register and for more information, visit recreater.com or call 301-600-2936.
Register now for BOW weekend in August
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will hold a Becoming an Outdoors-Woman weekend of workshops Aug. 12-14 in Garrett County. Designed primarily for women, it’s an opportunity for anyone 18 years or older to try outdoor activities or improve their skills in hunting, fishing, tracking, outdoor cooking, kayaking, fly tying, survival skills, chainsaw skills, shotgun and rifle skills, hiking, reading a map and compass, canoeing, bow hunting and archery, camping, trapping and more. Each person can participate in up to four sessions. The cost, including lodging, meals, a BOW T-shirt and use of demonstration equipment, is $175 if registered before July 24, plus the cost of any required hunting or fishing license. The program will be held at the Western Maryland 4-H Center in Bittinger. Lodging is dormitory style. Some scholarships are available. For registration and other information, visit dnr.maryland.gov.
Hunter education courses
The Thurmont Sportsman Conservation Club, Hunt Club Road, Thurmont, will hold a Maryland Department of Natural Resources-approved hunter education classroom course from 6 to 9 p.m. July 13, 14 and 15, and 8 a.m. to noon July 16. The course includes classroom instruction and practical exercises, including familiarization with a variety of firearms and firing a shotgun and rifle at targets to demonstrate knowledge and safety. There is also a written test. Students under age 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. On Aug. 13, a bowhunter education course will be held at Frederick County IWLA, on Reels Mill Road, Frederick. For more information, to register or to see the schedule of other course locations, visit dnr.maryland.gov.
