Youth Field Day is an event conceived by the Pennsylvania Game Commission a few years ago as a way of introducing our youth to the great outdoors. Today these events are held at various locations around our state.
Our local Youth Field Days, held today, included hands on seminars on all terrain vehicle safety and regulations, turkey hunting, archery, rifle shooting, trap shooting, furbearer trapping, boater safety and muzzle loading rifles. Most of these events are hands on and are conducted by officers from the Pa Game Commission, Pa Fish & Boat Commission, and DCNR (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) along with local enthusiast.
In recent years youth participation in the outdoor sports has dwindled considerably. This event is a fun filled day designed to spark an interest in the outdoors. As to whether events such as these will help pry our youth away from their keyboards, TV’s and other assorted electronic gadgets has yet to be seen.
In this photo a young lady is firing a muzzle loading rifle possibly for the first time.
As I observed and photographed this event I realized there was no one representing one of the greatest of all outdoor sports. No one was introducing these children to Outdoor Photography.
Already plans are being made to fill this niche. If all goes well, next year yours truly will be working our local event, attempting to instill in these youth the love of the outdoors captured through the lens of a camera.
Our local Youth Field Days, held today, included hands on seminars on all terrain vehicle safety and regulations, turkey hunting, archery, rifle shooting, trap shooting, furbearer trapping, boater safety and muzzle loading rifles. Most of these events are hands on and are conducted by officers from the Pa Game Commission, Pa Fish & Boat Commission, and DCNR (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) along with local enthusiast.
In recent years youth participation in the outdoor sports has dwindled considerably. This event is a fun filled day designed to spark an interest in the outdoors. As to whether events such as these will help pry our youth away from their keyboards, TV’s and other assorted electronic gadgets has yet to be seen.
In this photo a young lady is firing a muzzle loading rifle possibly for the first time.
As I observed and photographed this event I realized there was no one representing one of the greatest of all outdoor sports. No one was introducing these children to Outdoor Photography.
Already plans are being made to fill this niche. If all goes well, next year yours truly will be working our local event, attempting to instill in these youth the love of the outdoors captured through the lens of a camera.
7 comments:
Yep Salty, that's sad but true about the photography. While conservation agencies give lip service to "watchable wildlife", etc., it seems that little is actually done to promote the non-consumptive aspect of the outdoor experience. That needs to change and it sounds like you will hopefully be the first in our area to do something to help change the status quo.
Great image, The paper should print this one.
That would be awesome if you could do that next year!
I do hope you will be able to work the event next year! What a swell idea!
Super fun pic of the young girl.
If that was here in England the papers would twist and turn this story into something horrible, as you all must know the UK tends to frown on guns and there uses, folk seem to think that farmer and farmers alone should only have guns. Young lads with air rifles are now surrounded by Armed police and told to drop their weapons, while a Police helecoptor flies above. The lads in question were shooting rabbits in season.
What you show here is the right way to go about it, education and choice is what should be done... not outlawing everything because what someone might or might not do.
I do find your views very refreshing and a pleasure to view and read Salty...
Tommy-No Gun-England ha!
That girl looks like she knows what she's doing for the first time. Your right, What are they thinking? No outdoor photography! Maybe, you can teach a class.
Teaching photography to the young'ns would be a great project! Preferring to shoot wildlife with cameras myself, it seems like there should be a lot of interest from the kiddos. Especially since digital photography has made picture-taking really accessible. Besides, with a camera you get to shoot all kinds of stuff that doesn't have a season :P
Thanks for the picture and being at the event. That is my daughter in the picture. I had 4 of my daughters there that day. I enjoyed chatting with you and I do hope you can do something next year. I told my oldest daughter what you were thinking, she wasn't there that day, and she might tag along next year if you're are able to have a station on photography. Thanks again.
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