BY D’ARCY EGAN

Mark Witt, left, and Jim Brown of the Ohio Division of Wildlife taught boys and girls how to accurately shoot a .22 caliber rifle at the 2018 “Day on the Wildlife Side” camp. A great deal of safety instruction is involved as youngsters work on their marksmanship. (Photo by D’Arcy Egan)

Ottawa County has a wonderful outdoor heritage of fishing, hunting and outdoor sports that range from birdwatching to boating and beyond. To ensure that outdoor heritage is passed along through the generations, The Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District, in cooperation with the prestigious Winous Point Hunt Club, Ohio Division of Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering youngsters a “Day on the Wildlife Side.”

While the day in wild places won’t arrive until Thursday, July 25, it is important to make plans now. The special camp is limited to only 60 boys and girls. The cost is $20, which includes lunch and an army of helpers and instructors.

Youngsters in the fifth through eight grades are welcome for the wild time at the Winous Point Hunt Club in Port Clinton, learning a variety of outdoor skills in a fun and safe environment. Activities range from archery and bird banding to fishing, canoeing, shooting, lessons on wildlife habitat and the environment, as well as the history of the Winous Point Hunt Club, North America’s oldest waterfowl hunting club.

Parents and teachers can call the Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District at 419-898-1595 for more information, or visit ottawaswcd.com.

Kids should dress for the muck and mire of a wonderful swamp, but should bring along sunscreen and certainly some insect repellent. Expect to see some of the most magnificent waterfowl and songbirds of Northern Ohio, and perhaps help band and release the diminutive songbirds.