Events

Registration required (ages 18+)

Enrich your life by nature immersion to reduce stress, boost immunity, lower blood pressure, improve sleep and many more possible health benefits. Topics to look forward to this year include: Summer Solstice Kayak, Butterfly Picnic and Sound Therapy. Hang around with a naturalist in a quiet alcove of Burr Oak Woods to enjoy some easy nature journaling time from a hammock or camp chair you bring or recline on our tarp (bring a blanket, etc.).

Be right on target! Try your hand at archery and experience a fun way to enjoy the outdoors. All archery equipment will be provided. Adult supervision is required for ages 9-17. This program will take place entirely outdoors so please dress for the weather. In the event of high winds or rain this program will be cancelled.

Have you, a friend or the kids wanted to try archery? Join archery instructors at Smithville Lake for some fun outdoor time learning about equipment, the shooting range, eye dominance and all the ins and outs to get you started. We will do some target shooting to improve newly learned techniques or brush off some rusty ones. National Archery in the School concepts will be used. All equipment will be provided. All participants must be registered and be wearing closed toe shoes. (Please note 2 sessions)

Warblers are difficult birds to recognize but a joy to many. Join naturalist Jordi Raos as she discusses how to improve your warbler identification. Naturalist Notes is a regular program where a naturalist showcases one of their favorite nature topics. All ages are welcome, but this program is designed for ages 10-adult. Please include a valid email address when you register so we can send you a virtual program link. This program will not be recorded.

Witness a “marsh concert” presented by the toads and frogs of Missouri.

Join us for an evening out on the levees at the Marais Temps Clair Conservation Area. We will learn how to identify toads and frogs by their calls.

Please bring a small flashlight, water, snacks, and dress for the weather.

Participants will meet at Marais Temps Clair Conservation Area on Island Road.

Come on over to Rockwoods Reservation for afternoon of Spelunking! We will begin this program in the classroom at the Rockwoods Education Center, where we will learn more about caves in Missouri, what kind of critters we might find in them, and why our cave ecosystems are so special! After about 45 minutes in the classroom, we will gear up in our helmets and knee pads and head to Bathtub Cave to do some exploring.

**Note: You will have to crawl into the entrance and crawl in the cave. The very beginning of this cave is roughly 1 foot tall.

Please dress appropriately for the weather and for 55-degree temperatures. Please wear pants and a long sleeve shirt that you do not mind getting dirty. An extra change of clothes, water, and a snack is recommended.

Helmets and one flashlight will be provided. Please wear rubber boots as well and bring 2 additional sources of light (such as headlamps or flashlights).

If large clusters of bats are encountered, the field trip portion will be cut short. Program will be canceled in inclement weather and rescheduled at a different date.

Please register each person attending individually.

***Only the age range (7 and up) will be allowed in the cave.***

Discover the basics of archery shooting. We will cover bow nomenclature and shooting techniques before we go shoot on the static archery range. You may bring your own bow to the program or use ours.

This program is designed for those who have had some experience with shotguns. We will cover safety, appropriate guns and ammunition, rules of the game, etiquette on the field, and field layout. Firearms and ammunition will be provided, or you may bring your own.

Tweet tweet, spring is a busy time for birds! Fly on in and learn about birds you might see in your backyard and what makes these animals so special! We will be going outside if weather allows. Registration required. Ages 3-6.

Cast iron cooking is a fun and tasty way to add to any outdoor adventure. This series of virtual programs is designed to boost your knowledge so you can cook a wide variety of great recipes around camp while making it fun and easy! In this sixth and final virtual program of the series, we will talk about finding and developing recipes and how to make any recipe work in camp, around a campfire, or maybe just at home!

Join us virtually to learn the basics of wildflower identification in Missouri’s southeast region. Many of the plants featured here are found statewide, but the swamps and bottomlands of the Bootheel offer a variety found nowhere else in the state. This program will also feature several recommended hikes to take what you learn virtually and stroll through the spring forest to find these flowers on your own. Please make sure that your MDC account includes an accurate email address so that you can receive a link to the virtual program.

Walk-in (all ages) Join us for a celebration of nature as seen through the eyes of area students. View student artwork portraying nature in their different neighborhoods, talk with some of the artists then stick around for the awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. If accommodations are needed, please e-mail the instructor at least one week prior to the program.

This program will teach the fundamentals of shotgun shooting. This class includes equipment, safety, stance, and shooting techniques. Shotguns and ammunition will be made available.

This virtual program will provide a time for hunters or hikers to discuss basic survival items that will help you if you were to become lost overnight in the woods.

MDC Science programs highlight the incredible work done by scientists with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Don’t miss your chance to learn about barn owl biology in Missouri. Natural History Biologist, Rhonda Rimer, will give an informative presentation about this project and more, followed by a question-and-answer session. A live barn owl from Dickerson Park Zoo will also be featured. All ages are welcome, but this program is designed for ages 12-adult. Please include a valid email address when you register so we can send you a virtual program link. This program will not be recorded.

Create a unique, wearable work-of-art using a turkey feather. Not only will you take home a personal souvenir, but you will also learn about turkey hunting in Missouri. This is a hands-on class and participants must be at least 16 years of age to participate.

Registration required (adults) The middle of April is generally the peak bloom of spring ephemerals in the Discovery Center landscape. Ephemerals like bluebells, bloodroot and anemones are short lived blooms that have to flower and pollinate before the trees leaf out and cast the forest floor in shade. Join a naturalist for an evening stroll amongst the blooms. If accommodations are needed, please e-mail the instructor after registering and at least one week prior to the program.

Join MDC naturalists and area birders as we discover the avian life that calls Runge home. These short birding walks are for all experience levels. We will gather near the front doors of the nature center. Binoculars and field guides will be provided for those who need them. Registration preferred. Ages 8+

NOTE: new start time! Grab your hiking stick for a guided hike at Don Robinson State Park (Jefferson County); 4 miles – moderate. Meet at the Runge Nature Center or the trailhead. Some transportation is provided but carpooling may be necessary. Hike leaders will contact participants before the hike to give directions if needed. Wear sturdy shoes, dress for the weather, bring a water bottle, and pack a lunch/snack.*Attend 10 Runge hiking programs in 2023 and receive a prize AND to a chance to win a larger prize at the end of the year! Hiking is a healthy way to enjoy the outdoors. Registration required. Ages 18+

Celebrate the season by joining a Naturalist guided hike on the Rock Quarry Trail Short Loop. Learn about the identification and ecological importance of native wildflowers, plants and trees we will observe along the way. Participants should be able to hike 1 mile on a trail that requires moderate – difficult effort.

Wear good hiking shoes and dress for the weather. Please bring water and any other hiking needs.

Participants will meet at the Pavillion by the Education Center. Please register each participant individually.

Tweet tweet, spring is a busy time for birds! Fly on in and learn about birds you might see in your backyard and what makes these animals so special! We will be going outside if weather allows. Registration required. Ages 0-3.

How well do you know your toads and frogs of Missouri? Learn how to identify some of the frogs and toads that live in southeast Missouri as we play frog call bingo and take a trip down to the pond. Please wear boots and clothes that can get muddy.

This class will provide 1-on-1 instruction for those shooters that have some experience shooting clay targets but haven’t shot 5-Stand before. Participants will get the opportunity to shoot 1 round of 5-Stand with the instructor working through strategies and techniques for the different bird presentations on the menu.

• Participants will need to bring their own firearm and ammunition with them

o Recommended to bring Improved Cylinder or Modified Chokes

o Shot size must be 7.5, 8, or 9

• Participants can come for instruction during business hours of the specific day they signed up for on Wednesday (1:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.) or Thursday (10:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.)

• Shooters will need to check in for their 1-on-1 round at the main range office by the rifle/pistol range.

How well do you know your toads and frogs of Missouri? Learn how to identify some of the frogs and toads that live in southeast Missouri as we play frog call bingo and take a trip down to the pond. Please wear boots and clothes that can get muddy.