2002 Discover The Outdoors Camp
By Stan Rauch, MBA DTOC Coordinator
The 4th annual Discover The Outdoors Camp was conducted June 28-30 by the Montana Bowhunters Association in partnership with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Held at FWP's Beartooth Wildlife Management Area near Holter Lake, the goal of the DTOC is to give single-parent families an opportunity to try different outdoor skills so they can be more comfortable with being in nature, gain an appreciation for the outdoors, and learn natural resource ethics. A concept originated by the Pope and Young Club, the Discover The Outdoors Camp program is provided to single-parent families because many single heads of households in today's world simply do not have the time, resources or knowledge to take their children into the outdoor environment.
As in the past, this year's camp was provided free of charge to the attendees who were selected to attend on the merits of the applications they submitted. Funding for the program is provided by the MBA with FWP contributing significant manpower and material resources. FWP has been a valued partner with the MBA since the first camp was conducted in 1999 and the Department's Beartooth facility is ideal for conducting the event's various activities.
This year's DTOC saw the 20 attendees enthusiastically shooting bows and arrows, 22 magnums, and they had a go at the 22/250 and 20 gauge too. They tried their hand at tossing a 5 foot arrow from an atlatl, fished on Holter Lake and received their own fishing gear to take home with them. They learned about camping and survival skills so they have some practical knowledge in dealing with emergencies in the outdoors. All of the attendees started their own fire without the use of matches, put up shelters, and learned how to use an emergency signal mirror. There was a session on cooking in the outdoors with some good eats produced in the process. They set up a big tipi where a memorable evening program was held that provided some thought provoking reflections and lessons on respect for the land, wildlife and each other as practiced by earlier Native Americans. There was fun around the campfire and team building exercises that emphasized the value of teamwork to solve problems and attain goals. There was an evening boat tour through the Gates of the Mountains on the Missouri River where they saw bighorn sheep, mule deer, eagles, ospreys and Indian petroglyphs. New friends were made and there was noticeably increased bonding between adult and young person as a result of their participation in the activities together. All in all, it was a highly successful and enjoyable camp.
The MBA, FWP and other volunteers who conducted the DTOC received a great deal of personal satisfaction from helping the attendees learn about the outdoors and how to enjoy it. The dedicated camp staff consisted of MBA members Jim Hofer and Stan Rauch along with FWP personnel Liz Lodman, Dave Yerk and Craig Marr, (Dave and Craig are also MBA members). Special invited program presenters were Ron Kummefeldt of Survival Consultant Group and Mike Cavey of the state 4-H office. Both of these gentlemen are experienced educators who obviously enjoy working with young people while enthusiastically sharing their knowledge. Other FWP folks who made the boat tour, organized by Dave Yerk, such a big success were Bruce Knutson, Josh Doniak and Neal Whitney. In addition to all of the above volunteers, a big thank you goes to the FWP Region Four headquarters in Great Falls for providing the camp facility and the three excellent volunteer camps cooks.
As a result of the positive response from the campers, it is apparent that the MBA/FWP partnership in conducting the DTOC is providing a quality outdoor learning experience for the single-parent families that attend.
