Outdoor News Daily

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment today announced the launch of the new Explore Bowhunting program. Explore Bowhunting is an outdoor conservation education program that focuses on the interactions of people with wildlife.

The program, developed by the Archery Trade Association (ATA), teaches students how to interact with the natural world by developing the basic skills used to bowhunt, which focus on getting close to animals. Not only does Explore Bowhunting teach students how to interact with nature using ageless hunting skills, it also teaches students an appreciation of what is around them and enhances their encounters with the outdoors.

The program is designed for students ages 11-17; however this does not limit the use of the program. Adults and younger students would also enjoy this innovative curriculum.

“The Explore Bowhunting curriculum is more than a tool to teach bowhunting. It is designed to teach students how to feel comfortable in the outdoors whether the goal is to bowhunt, photograph wildlife, or interact with nature for any purpose,” said Mary Emmons, DNRE Archery Education coordinator.

The activities within the curriculum can be used from start to finish, individually or in units to teach the basics of bowhunting or to teach students necessary skills to get close to wildlife. “However, Explore Bowhunting is not a replacement for Hunter Education or the International Bowhunter Education Program (IBEP),” Emmons said.

The DNRE is currently seeking teachers, after school and recreational program leaders and others who are interested in implementing the Explore Bowhunting curriculum. Educators will be required to attend a free one-day instructor workshop prior to program implementation.

For more information on Explore Bowhunting or to register for a workshop, contact Mary Emmons at (517) 241-9477 or e-mail her at emmomsm@michigan.gov. You may also visit the DNRE website at http://www.michigan.gov/explorebowhunting.

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