Discover Nature

5 Ideas for Family Fun

To find more events near you, call your regional office or visit mdc.mo.gov and choose your region.

Discover Nature – Families: Archery Basics

Sept. 8 • Thursday • 6–7:30 p.m. Southwest Region, Andy Dalton Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center, 4895 N. Farm Road 61, Ash Grove, MO 65604 Registration required, call 417-742-4361 All ages, families

Learn how to handle and shoot a bow and arrow, and then go practice on the static archery range. You may bring your own bow or use ours.

Day on the River

Sept. 17 • Saturday • 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Southeast Region, Cape Girardeau

Conservation Nature Center, 2289 County Park Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 No registration required, call 573-290-5218 for more information All ages, families

Discover what the river has to offer. Hands-on activities will teach you the importance of the Mississippi River and surrounding wetlands. This event is fun for the entire family, featuring live river animals, Asian carp samples, and free boat rides on the Mississippi. Boat rides will take place every half hour (except from 12–1 p.m.) at Riverfront Park.

Monarch Tagging

Sept. 17 • Saturday 9 a.m.–12 p.m. St. Louis Region, St. Louis Regional Office, 2360 Hwy D, St. Charles, MO 63304 Registration required, call 636-441-4554 beginning Sept. 1 Ages 8 and older

Monarchs are migrating through our area, so drop in and become a citizen scientist. Learn about flight patterns, monarch behavior, proper netting techniques, and hopefully tag a few in an effort to track their southern flight.

Monarch Mania

Sept. 17 • Saturday • 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Kansas City Region, Discovery Center, 4750 Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO 64110 No registration required, call 816-759-7300 for more information All ages

Discover the majesty of this butterfly through hands-on activities that will leave you in a state of monarch mania. There will be monarchs to tag and release, milkweed giveaways, and much more. Join the mania and learn how you can help our monarch butterfly population.

National Hunting and Fishing Day

Sept. 24 • Saturday • 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Northwest Region, Hartell Conservation Area, 544 NE 280th St., Plattsburg, MO 64477 No registration required, call 816-271-3100 for more information All ages

This is a day for families to discover nature together. Bring your own fishing rod or borrow one of ours (limited supply). If you want to fish, a Missouri fishing license is required for anyone 16 years or older.