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FEATURE ANNUAL EVENT: ULTIMATE OUTDOOR CHALLENGE: 3-ON-3

Offered annually each May, teams of three junior high or high school-aged youth represent their school and compete in 4 outdoor sporting areas – 3-D Archery, Trapshooting, .22 Rifle Shoot and Kayaking. The winning team is awarded a cash prize for their school as well as a prize package.

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Mentored Youth Hunting

Hunter Safety

Hunter & Trapping Safety

Hands-on training with knowledgeable and experienced individuals is the best way to introduce youth to outdoor recreation. Our safety trainings include both classroom work and field training so that youth are both safe and excited about getting outside.

FEATURE ANNUAL EVENTS

  • Gardner Camp Hunt Club – year-long hunting program begins each February 
  • IL Dept of Natural Resources Hunter Safety Course – each August
  • Illinois Trappers Association Youth Trapping Camp (ages 8+) – each March

Look for upcoming free programs on our EVENTS CALENDAR.

Waterfowl Hunting

Youth Waterfowl Hunting

As the area’s only youth-focused waterfowl hunting program, Gardner Camp provides youth and mentors with an experience they’ll never forget. October - December

Learn More About Youth Waterfowl Hunting
Youth Deer Hunting Program

Youth Deer Hunting

Whitetails! Located in Pike County, Gardner Camp is dedicated to its mission in providing youth with a successful and memorable deer hunt. Whether hunting with a bow or a shotgun, youth and mentors spend quality time together experiencing the wonder of the outdoors. October - January

Learn More About Youth Deer Hunting
Dove Hunting Program

Youth Dove Hunting

Nothing compares to the excitement of dove hunting, especially for youth in the field for the first time. Sunflower patches, wheat fields, dummy power lines, dead tree perches and mojo decoys make dove hunting at Gardner Camp a memorable experience for youth and their accompanying adults. September

Learn More About Youth Dove Hunting

Gardner Camp partners with organizations to offer youth the highest caliber mentoring and instruction on subjects related to hunter safety, hunting heritage, waterfowl and migratory birds, wildlife and habitat management through a variety of educational strategies. This will include teaching youth the basic skills, values, techniques and responsibilities of hunting. Gardner Camp wishes to partner with organizations to increase the number of youth who participate in hunting activities and provide a safe, positive hunting experience for all youth.

Interested in hunting at Gardner Camp?  Find out more information and how to apply here.

Outdoor Education

Astronomy

Astronomy

Far from city lights with a clear viewing sky unique to the area, Gardner Camp provides the area's best opportunity to learn about astronomy and the night sky! Our featured StarLab digital planetarium and our high-powered telescope technology elevate lessons in astronomy and space science into interactive and immersive experiences. Monthly events or upon request.

 

Look for upcoming free programs on our EVENTS CALENDAR.

 

If your youth group would like to request a free program, check out our 'You Pick' Program Menu.

 

Learn More About Astronomy

Kayaking

Kayaking, Fishing & Water-Based Adventure

Take your water recreation skills to the next level. Take paddling lessons within Gardner Camp’s beautiful wetlands overlooking the Mississippi River bluffs – Learn how to go frogging, catfishing, how to clean your fish and how to cook your fish on our new lake.

Look for upcoming free programs on our EVENTS CALENDAR.

Outdoor Skills

Trail Hiking & Outdoor Skills

The trails at Gardner Camp are perfect for learning new skills like how to navigate through the woods using a compass, what plants you can eat safely and what types of trees grow in wetland areas. We also teach youth how to use nature to be healthy – nature can be used to relax or used for exercise.

Look for upcoming free programs on our EVENTS CALENDAR.

Waterfowl Ecology

Wetland & Waterfowl Ecology

Located adjacent to the Mississippi River, Gardner Camp features a unique and beautiful wetland that provides habitat for many species of wildlife and plants. We are also a stopping place for migrating birds and waterfowl. To learn more about wetlands, we explore and study our wetlands and its inhabitants with youth – we catch tadpoles; we measure water quality; we observe the colorful features of ducks in order to correctly identify waterfowl.

Look for upcoming free programs on our EVENTS CALENDAR.

Wildlife Education

Wildlife Education & Management

What’s more fun than…..checking a trail camera? Or tracking an animal’s footprints? Or feeling the fur of a red fox? Or figuring out why we plant crops for wildlife? Our wildlife classes explore all the exciting topics about the critters that call Gardner Camp home.

Look for upcoming free programs on our EVENTS CALENDAR.

Learning Lab

Outdoor Classroom/ School Partnerships

Partnering with schools and youth groups, the natural ecology of Gardner Camp provides an experiential, hands-on learning lab for students to study concepts learned in the classroom.

Are you a teacher interested on utilizing Gardner Camp as an Outdoor Classroom or Learning Laboratory? We are in the process of developing curriculum for our Outdoor Classroom and would love your input. Please send an email to: Jen@GardnerCamp.org and let's talk!

Look for upcoming free programs on our EVENTS CALENDAR.

Try our free Local Online Science Modules for classrooms!

Gardner Camp collaborates with youth-serving non-profit organizations in offering high-quality outdoor recreation and science-based programming to achieve shared positive outcomes that benefit youth.

If your classroom or youth group would like more information on scheduling an outdoor education activity, please contact us at info@gardnercamp.org or 217/242-3534.

Shooting Sports

Archery Program

Archery

Basic and intermediate instruction on both Genesis compound bows and Mathews Mission bowhunting equipment - we offer a static range and 3-D range winding through the woods.

Explore Archery

Our Archery program is a registered USA Archery – Explore Archery Club.

FEATURE ANNUAL EVENTS

Whitetail Archery Academy (ages 12+) – each Summer

Ultimate Outdoor Challenge (ages 12+) -each May

 

Look for upcoming free programs on our EVENTS CALENDAR.

Air Rifle Program

Air Rifle

Basic instruction on standard break-over air rifles - we offer a static range and interactive target stations within the woods.

Look for upcoming free programs on our EVENTS CALENDAR.

Trapshooting

Shotgun

Basic instruction on safe, proper shooting techniques - we offer 20-gauge shotguns and an automatic trap thrower that can present targets at varying angles and elevation.

FEATURE ANNUAL EVENTS

Ultimate Outdoor Challenge (ages 12+) -each May

 

Look for upcoming free programs on our EVENTS CALENDAR.

Wingshooting

Wingshooting

Wingshooting is the act or practice of shooting at game birds in flight or at flying targets - we offer an annual Wingshooting Clinic in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources annually.

Look for upcoming free programs on our EVENTS CALENDAR.

Gardner Camp partners with non-profit organizations in offering unique shooting sports facilities, education and events in the disciplines of archery, air rifle and shotgun.

If your youth group would like more information on scheduling a shooting sports activity, please contact us at info@gardnercamp.org or 217/242-3534..

Forms

Waiver

Release and Waiver of Liability form

Scout Badge Completion Sheets

Signs & Wonders of Wildlife  Girl Scouts ¦ Boy Scouts

Creating Wildlife Homes: Ag & Wildlife Management  Girl Scouts ¦ Boy Scouts

Wetland Exploration  Girl Scouts ¦ Boy Scouts

Astronomy Star Party  Girl Scouts ¦  Boy Scouts

Shooting Sports: Archery  Girl Scouts ¦ Boy Scouts

Shooting Sports: Air Gun  Boy Scouts