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Home  News Latest Little Critters Day Camp at Boone and Crockett
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Little Critters Day Camp at Boone and Crockett |
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Wednesday, 13 August 2008 |
 ROCK JUMPER – Brad Perkins, son of Cindy and Jon Perkins of Conrad, attended the Little Critter Day Camp at the Boone and Crockett-E. Rasmussen Wildlife Conservation Center near Dupuyer recently. He is on a hike to beaver ponds on the property to go fishing, but also found rock jumping to his liking. Photo courtesy of JoAnne Cobb
Two shuttles ferried campers each day to and from Choteau and Conrad. The Choteau shuttle also stopped for youth in Bynum. The shuttle from Conrad made an additional stop at the Dupuyer Post Office. Both shuttles arrived at their destination, the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch and the Rasmuson Wildlife Conservation Center (RWCC), which is 11 miles west of Dupuyer. Exuberant young campers arrived with back packs and smiles ready, for two full days of outdoor adventures.
The enthusiastic campers were greeted at the door by the Program staff, the impressive mounted “Falls Creek” grizzly bear and a mountain lion. The expansive great room floor was covered with various big game hides and smaller furbearing animals. On the tables, skulls, horns, and antlers were on display, along with many species of birds of prey and upland game birds for the wide-eyed youngsters to study.
The first day the campers explored the out-of-doors on the Boone and Crockett Club Watchable Wildlife Trail south of the education center. They were led by Program staff in field explorations and accompanied by several parent chaperones. Binoculars and compasses were employed as the campers gained their bearings here on the Rocky Mountain Front.
On the way to the trailhead, the Little Critter campers spotted a young coyote pup, and while hiking discovered a well defined mountain lion track. Campers learned how to make plaster casts of tracks in the field by casting this track as wells as a mule deer track. Returning to the RWCC, campers and adults were treated to the first of several excellent meals prepared by Leslie DeVries; grizzly bear shaped sandwiches, among other things. After a satisfying lunch, everyone relaxed on the hide-covered floor, listening as Lisa Flowers, Program director, read a wildlife story.
A thunderstorm rumbled overhead as the 10 attentive campers decorated their own camp T-shirts with a variety of wildflowers and other animals.
Cindy Perkins, mother of camper Bradley, assisted with the artwork as did many other volunteers. Mark Major, Teton County Extension agent from Choteau, father of camper Rebekah, helped demonstrate the wildlife identification game called “Who am I?” The kids gave him clues until he could identify what animal he was, and then they all took turns figuring out their own animal puzzles. The afternoon concluded with all the campers creating their own plaster casts of native wildlife tracks.
The second day of camp was especially fun, as all 10 of the young campers spent the morning fine-tuning their casting and fish identification skills.
After lunch, the entire camp hiked out to beaver ponds on Dupuyer Creek to test their fishing skills and explore the banks of the wetlands. One little camper, Zaveya Swenson, captured a frog, while Caulen Boehmler from Idaho, was the camper with a knack for catching fish.
Another camper, Piper Schultz, came from the Missoula area with his mother Casey to study wild animals in the outdoors, and hone Piper’s tracking skills. They spent the day learning how to fish. Camper Johnny Rappold and his mom Becky said, “It was a wonderful way to spend two summer days and the kids really enjoyed it”.
Due to the success of this program it will again be offered in the summer of 2009. If interested please call 406-472-3311 for dates and more information.
Editor’s note: This article was submitted by the Boone and Crockett Club staff.
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