REGISTER NOW FOR SUMMER CAMP
IN THE OCALA NATIONAL FOREST
CONTACT: Cardinal Collins (352) 625-2804
Do your children long to spend their summer days in the great outdoors? Would they love the chance to learn about wildlife from the experts, or swim, hike and canoe with other children their age?
Then its time to sign them up for the Ocala Outdoor Adventure Camp at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissions (FWC) Ocala Conservation Center in the Ocala National Forest.
The summer camp is for boys and girls ages 10-15 and is based on wildlife conservation, firearm safety and outdoor skills. This year the camp offers five one-week sessions with all-new programs beginning June 19.
The primary goal of the camp program is to provide children with the necessary skills and knowledge to become better sportsmen and women, while instilling an awareness of firearm safety, conservation and wildlife stewardship. In addition, campers will fish, canoe, swim, hike and participate in many other outdoor activities.
Tuition is $295 per camper per week and includes lodging, food, program materials and instruction for each session. Each week-long session is divided into four groups based on their individual focus: Wild about Wildlife, Wet and Wildlife, Hunting and Hunter Safety and Expedition. All programs are new or significantly revised in format and scope from previous years.
Campers in Wild about Wildlife, a new program this year, will have a chance to go wild exploring nature, said Cardinal Collins, director of the Ocala Conservation Center. They will learn about wildlife management and enjoy many camp activities including basic wilderness survival and field first-aid training, canoeing, fishing, hiking, shooting sports and other hands-on outdoor programs.
For those who simply cant resist the water, the camp offers another new program, aptly named Wet and Wildlife.
This program gets into the fun of fishing, marine ecology and boating safety. In addition to the traditional camp activities already described above, Wet and Wildlife campers will have the opportunity to become certified in the FWCs Boater Safety Course, Collins said.
For the intermediate level camper, the camp offers the Hunting and Hunter Safety group.
These campers will learn about wild game and its habitats, and apply this knowledge to developing ethical hunting skills. Then they will have a chance to get their hunter safety certification. They will receive firearm safety as well as shotgun and rifle shooting instruction from National Rifle Association-(NRA) certified range safety officers. And, they will receive archery instruction from National Archery Association-certified instructors, while participating in numerous shooting range activities. They will also have a chance to participate in many camp activities including basic wilderness survival and field first-aid training, canoeing, fishing, hiking, and other hands-on outdoor programs, Collins said.
The final program is for advanced campers who have already completed a hunter safety course.
The Expedition group is designed for the camper with an avid interest in the outdoors who already has successfully completed the hunter safety course, Collins said. Expedition is an outdoor adventure, including a trip into the forest for two days of primitive camping. Before leaving base camp, campers will prepare for this experience by learning the fundamentals of wilderness survival, orienteering, backpacking and campsite preparation.
The Ocala Conservation Center is on a 57-acre peninsula, rich in history and wildlife in Marion County in north Central Florida. Located just 20 miles east of Ocala, it is beautifully situated on Lake Eaton in the heart of the Ocala National Forest. Facilities are rustic, yet comfortable, with air-conditioned cabins and dining hall. Classrooms are fishing piers, shooting ranges, nature trails, Lake Eaton and the vast Ocala National Forest.
For more information or for registration materials for the summer program, call (352) 625-2804 or go to MyFWC.com/camps.
IN THE OCALA NATIONAL FOREST
CONTACT: Cardinal Collins (352) 625-2804
Do your children long to spend their summer days in the great outdoors? Would they love the chance to learn about wildlife from the experts, or swim, hike and canoe with other children their age?
Then its time to sign them up for the Ocala Outdoor Adventure Camp at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissions (FWC) Ocala Conservation Center in the Ocala National Forest.
The summer camp is for boys and girls ages 10-15 and is based on wildlife conservation, firearm safety and outdoor skills. This year the camp offers five one-week sessions with all-new programs beginning June 19.
The primary goal of the camp program is to provide children with the necessary skills and knowledge to become better sportsmen and women, while instilling an awareness of firearm safety, conservation and wildlife stewardship. In addition, campers will fish, canoe, swim, hike and participate in many other outdoor activities.
Tuition is $295 per camper per week and includes lodging, food, program materials and instruction for each session. Each week-long session is divided into four groups based on their individual focus: Wild about Wildlife, Wet and Wildlife, Hunting and Hunter Safety and Expedition. All programs are new or significantly revised in format and scope from previous years.
Campers in Wild about Wildlife, a new program this year, will have a chance to go wild exploring nature, said Cardinal Collins, director of the Ocala Conservation Center. They will learn about wildlife management and enjoy many camp activities including basic wilderness survival and field first-aid training, canoeing, fishing, hiking, shooting sports and other hands-on outdoor programs.
For those who simply cant resist the water, the camp offers another new program, aptly named Wet and Wildlife.
This program gets into the fun of fishing, marine ecology and boating safety. In addition to the traditional camp activities already described above, Wet and Wildlife campers will have the opportunity to become certified in the FWCs Boater Safety Course, Collins said.
For the intermediate level camper, the camp offers the Hunting and Hunter Safety group.
These campers will learn about wild game and its habitats, and apply this knowledge to developing ethical hunting skills. Then they will have a chance to get their hunter safety certification. They will receive firearm safety as well as shotgun and rifle shooting instruction from National Rifle Association-(NRA) certified range safety officers. And, they will receive archery instruction from National Archery Association-certified instructors, while participating in numerous shooting range activities. They will also have a chance to participate in many camp activities including basic wilderness survival and field first-aid training, canoeing, fishing, hiking, and other hands-on outdoor programs, Collins said.
The final program is for advanced campers who have already completed a hunter safety course.
The Expedition group is designed for the camper with an avid interest in the outdoors who already has successfully completed the hunter safety course, Collins said. Expedition is an outdoor adventure, including a trip into the forest for two days of primitive camping. Before leaving base camp, campers will prepare for this experience by learning the fundamentals of wilderness survival, orienteering, backpacking and campsite preparation.
The Ocala Conservation Center is on a 57-acre peninsula, rich in history and wildlife in Marion County in north Central Florida. Located just 20 miles east of Ocala, it is beautifully situated on Lake Eaton in the heart of the Ocala National Forest. Facilities are rustic, yet comfortable, with air-conditioned cabins and dining hall. Classrooms are fishing piers, shooting ranges, nature trails, Lake Eaton and the vast Ocala National Forest.
For more information or for registration materials for the summer program, call (352) 625-2804 or go to MyFWC.com/camps.
