Stay in Touch with MDC news, newsletters, events, and manage your subscription
Xplor reconnects kids to nature and helps them find adventure in their own backyard. Free to residents of Missouri.
A monthly publication about conservation in Missouri. Started in 1938, the printed magazine is free to residents of Missouri.
Kansas City, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and Ducks Unlimited (DU) hosted Family Outdoors Day Sept. 24 at the James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area in Lee’s Summit. The annual event celebrates National Hunting and Fishing Day by providing hands-on instruction in archery, fishing, trap shooting and atlatl throwing. Plus visitors enjoyed conservation exhibits and crafts.
Bluegill were biting at Nell Lake, where experts provided loaner fishing gear, bait and tips on how to fish. A special feature of this year’s event was provided by Nathan’s Catch. Russ and Lynn Giron of Lee’s Summit gave away 300 fishing rods and reels to youngsters under 15 in memory of their son, Nathan Giron, who was killed in an automobile accident in 2015. Russ Giron said the family wants to help youngsters connect with nature and enjoy the outdoors.
DU volunteers helped with casting instruction, provided free Greenwing memberships to youths, and staffed a maze that visitors traversed by identifying duck wings.
MDC will host other free family outdoor events this fall. The Burr Oak Woods Nature Center will offer "May the Forest Be With You" on Saturday, Oct. 1. The event will feature guided hikes with Star Wars characters explaining how trees benefit our planet. Performances are from noon to 3:30 p.m. and from 6 to 7:30 p.m. For information, call 816-227-3866.
MDC’s Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center will host “HOWLween” with nature displays, crafts, candlelit trails, and campfire fun 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14. For information call 816-759-7300.
To learn more about MDC outdoor programs, visit http://mdc.mo.gov.
