Learn all about the most beautiful species of waterfowl in our area. Learn from an IDNR biologist about the banding process for wood ducks found at Gardner Camp. We will discuss how and why wood ducks are banded, the life cycle of a wood duck and talk about their unique nesting preferences. After this,…

Advanced Youth Archery LeagueOpen to youth ages 10 and up with prior archery experience. Take your archery skills to the next level with our Advanced Archery Course at Gardner Camp! This 6-week league-style program is designed for youth who have mastered the basics and are ready to focus on more advanced shooting techniques, form refinement,…

Trapshooters: Grab a buddy (must be 12 & up) and sign up for Gardner Camp’s 2-person Buddy Trapshooting League. League competition will run for 6 weeks on Tuesday evenings at 5:30pm beginning on June 9th. Teams will shoot 25 targets each week with a team total of 50 and all shooting will be done from…

Learn all about the most beautiful species of waterfowl in our area. Learn from an IDNR biologist about the banding process for wood ducks found at Gardner Camp. We will discuss how and why wood ducks are banded, the life cycle of a wood duck and talk about their unique nesting preferences. After this, the…

Advanced Youth Archery LeagueOpen to youth ages 10 and up with prior archery experience. Take your archery skills to the next level with our Advanced Archery Course at Gardner Camp! This 6-week league-style program is designed for youth who have mastered the basics and are ready to focus on more advanced shooting techniques, form refinement,…

Trapshooters: Grab a buddy (must be 12 & up) and sign up for Gardner Camp’s 2-person Buddy Trapshooting League. League competition will run for 6 weeks on Tuesday evenings at 5:30pm beginning on June 9th. Teams will shoot 25 targets each week with a team total of 50 and all shooting will be done from…

Participants MUST attend both Friday 7/24 (5:30-9:00pm) & Saturday 7/25 (8:30am-3:00pm). This is a required course prior to being issued an IL Hunting License. Taught by IDNR Hunter Safety Education Instructors, these courses cover the basics of: • hunter responsibility and ethics • treestand safety • firearms and ammunition • field safety • first aid…

Advanced Youth Archery LeagueOpen to youth ages 10 and up with prior archery experience. Take your archery skills to the next level with our Advanced Archery Course at Gardner Camp! This 6-week league-style program is designed for youth who have mastered the basics and are ready to focus on more advanced shooting techniques, form refinement,…

This Introductory Star Party is a perfect way to introduce the night sky to youth, ages 10-17. We'll kick off the adventure inside our amazing StarLab planetarium, then we'll go outside and let the night sky be our guide as we identify constellations using a sky map and learn other interesting facts. This is a…

Trapshooters: Grab a buddy (must be 12 & up) and sign up for Gardner Camp’s 2-person Buddy Trapshooting League. League competition will run for 6 weeks on Tuesday evenings at 5:30pm beginning on June 9th. Teams will shoot 25 targets each week with a team total of 50 and all shooting will be done from…

Youth age 12-17 will experience an immersive 2 days at Gardner Camp preparing for bowhunting season. We will provide youth with hands-on, interactive shooting and field experience to ready them for bow season. Experienced instructors will take time teaching bowhunting field techniques – shot placement, blood trailing, game retrieval, tree stand safety, trail camera tactics,…

Beginner Hunt Club is for youth ages 10-17 who have a basic interest in hunting. The Club meets 5:30-7:30pm monthly starting on 2/11, 3/11, 4/8, 5/13, 6/10, 7/8, 8/12, ending on 9/9. Participants should plan to attend all eight monthly meetings. Topics will include: pheasant, turkey, deer, and waterfowl hunting, habitat management, archery, gun safety,…