DSU Spring Outdoor Youth Camp
March 9-12, 2020
Delta State University
The third annual Delta State University Spring Outdoor Youth Camp offers children ages 9-11 opportunities to hunt, fish, and pursue related nature activities.
The camp, a partnership with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks, and US Fish and Wildlife Service, educates and trains the next generation to appreciate the outdoors while encouraging them to hunt and fish responsibly. Participants practice wildlife and fish identification, nature photography, bird watching, water quality analysis, casting fishing rods, fishing with live bait, cleaning fish, target shooting with bow and arrow, tracking animals through radio telemetry, and trekking with compass and GPS. Attendees also learn about ecology, conservation, and ecosystems; hunting and fishing regulations; and personal safety.
Most sessions occur on the Delta State campus. There also will be outings to Bear Pen Park in Cleveland, Dahomey National Wildlife Refuge in Boyle, and Delta State’s Center for Science and Environmental Education in Merigold. Camp founder/director Dr. AHM Ali Reza, associate professor of biology and environmental sciences at Delta State and coordinator of the wildlife management program; and Chad Washington, a fisheries biologist with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, are joined by several experts in the field and Delta State biology professors as guides.
Registration and fees
Register for the camp online through the above link. The $200 course fee must be paid in full before March 3, 2020. Make checks payable to “DSU Spring Outdoor Youth Camp” and mail them to DSU Spring Outdoor Youth Camp, DSU Box C-4, 1003 W. Sunflower Road, Cleveland, MS 38733.
Camp objective
The overall objective of the Outdoor Youth Camp is to educate and train young members of the community to be responsible citizens with a deep love for the outdoors while encouraging them to hunt and fish responsibly.
The overall objective can be broken down to the following short-term objectives:
- Introduce camp participants to the ecological aspects and conservation of ecosystems. Basic understanding on how the outdoor system/nature works.
- Provide introductory training on personal safety, outdoor navigation, using a compass, GPS, and maps with a very basic training on outdoor photography.
- Offer training on the concepts of fish and fishing, including fish identification, types of fish sampling equipment, water quality, types of fishing tackle, fisheries biology and management.
- Provide opportunity for the participants to fish in a lake and learn how to properly clean, preserve and utilize fish that they would catch.
- Introduce participants to the different common wildlife species in Mississippi Delta, their proper identification, ecology and natural history, study techniques, and conservation management issues.
- Discuss the scientific aspects of hunting, hunting and fishing regulations, license requirements, different hunting methods and how to implement it outdoors.
Camp organizer
The DSU Spring Outdoor Youth Camp 2020 is jointly organized by the Division of Math and Sciences of Delta State University, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Instructors and resource persons
A team of instructors headed by Dr. AHM Ali Reza from Delta State University will coordinate the outdoor camp. The tentative composition of the team of instructor is:
Camp Director:
Dr. AHM Ali Reza, Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Wildlife Management Program at Delta State University.
MDWFP Rep.
Mr. Chad Washington, Fisheries Biologist, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.
Volunteer Instructor:
Dr. Ellen Green, Associate Professor of Biology and Chair of the Division of Math and Sciences, Delta State University.
Volunteer Instructor:
Dr. Eric Blackwell, Associate Professor of Biology, Division of Math and Sciences, Delta State University.
DSU Student Volunteers:
More than six experienced Delta State students will be facilitating the youth camp and help the campers.
Camp Volunteers:
Two to three professionals from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks will also help organize the outdoor youth camp.
Scholarships
Four spots for the camp will be reserved for scholarship recipients. Applicants must write two essays as indicated on the online registration form. Scholarship recipients will be notified through email on March 3, 2020.
What the camp provides
Lunch and two snacks every day. All camp-related travel expenses. A camp themed t-shirt, set of fishing gear, pictorial field guide on Mississippi wildlife, pair of binoculars, and a book on Mississippi fish. Numerous other giveaways.
What campers should bring
- Clothing: any comfortable clothes, but athletic clothes recommended. Additional extra clothes and socks recommended.
- Shoes: no open-toed shoes. Boots recommended.
- At least two 20-oz. bottles of water per day
- Backpack with pen/pencil and a notebook
- Insect/mosquito repellent
- Sunscreen
Delta State on-campus sessions
All indoor sessions of the outdoor camp will be held in DSU’s Caylor-Walters building. Some sessions will be held in other locations across campus. Camp participants will tour the science building and different sciences laboratories.
Off-campus sessions
Outdoor youth camp activities also occur in several off-campus locations.
Off-campus map
*Click to view larger
- Bear Pen Park, Cleveland: The park is located in the west side of the City of Cleveland and is a popular recreational spot. It includes a famous duck pond that has been improved by the city recently. All fishing-related activities happen in Bear Pen Park.
- DSU’s Center for Science and Environmental Education (CSEE), Merigold: CSEE is located in 7 miles north of Cleveland, close to the City of Merigold. This fenced-in property is owned by Delta State and used mostly for research activities. Hunting weapons display and target practice with pellet gun and tranquilizer gun take place here.
- Dahomey National Wildlife Refuge, Boyle: The refuge, about 15 miles southwest of Cleveland, is the largest remaining tract of bottomland hardwood forest outside the mainline levee. The camp will use the Happy Hollow Lake portion of this U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-managed refuge for outdoor activities as well as water quality exercises.
Camp Photos
Camp Schedule
9 March 2020 [Day 1: Introduction, navigation skills, and photography]
| Time | Activity | Location |
| 8 – 8:30 AM | Camper arrival | DSU Biology |
| 8:30 – 8:45 AM | Welcome, icebreaking, and housekeeping | Caylor #101 |
| 8:45 – 9 AM | Introduction to the youth camp | Caylor #101 |
| 9 – 9:30 AM | “Get to know you” game | Caylor front yard |
| 9:30 – 10 AM | Basic ecology refresher | Caylor #101 |
| 10 – 10:15 AM | Break/snack | DSU Biology |
| 10:15 – 10:45 AM | Navigating through the stars at Wiley Planetarium | Walters #124 |
| 10:45 – 11:45 AM | Tour of science building/ Meet math and sciences professors |
DSU Biology |
| 11:45 AM – 1 PM | Lunch on-site | Caylor Hall |
| 1 – 1:30 PM | Nature photography basic training | Caylor #101 |
| 1:30 – 3:45 PM | Navigation skill and scavenger hunt | DSU Campus |
| 3:45 – 4 PM | Break/snack | DSU Biology |
| 4 – 4:30 PM | Review and wrap-up | DSU Biology |
10 March 2020 [Day 2: Fisheries and fishing]
| Time | Activity | Location |
| 8 – 8:30 AM | Camper arrival | DSU Biology |
| 8:30 – 9 AM | Fishing diversity and identification | Caylor #101 |
| 9 – 9:30 AM | Fishing gear: rods/reels, hook/corks, line/knots, live bait, artificial lures | Caylor Hallway Caylor front yard |
| 9:30 – 10 AM | Fishing and boating safety | Caylor #101 |
| 10 – 10:15 AM | Break/snack | DSU Biology |
| 10:15 – 10:45 AM | Introduction to fish management, regulations | Caylor #101 |
| 10:45 – 11:15 AM | Invasive fish species | Caylor #101 |
| 11:15 – 11:45 AM | Hands-on fish identification | DSU Biology |
| 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM | Lunch in DSU Café/food court | DSU Campus |
| 12:45 – 1 PM | Commute to Bear Pen Park | Bear Pen Park |
| 1 PM – 1:30 PM | Casting practice | Bear Pen Park |
| 1:30 – 3:45 PM* | Active fishing/fish cleaning | Bear Pen Park |
| 3:45 – 4 PM | Commute to Delta State | DSU Biology |
| 4 PM – 4:15 PM | Break/snack | DSU Biology |
| 4:15 – 4:30 PM | Review and wrap-up | DSU Biology |
Note: *Campers can leave from Bear Pen Park with their parents after this activity. Must report to the camp staff before doing so.
11 March 2019 [Day 3: Hunting, wildlife identification, and research]
| Time | Activity | Location |
| 8 – 8:30 AM | Camper arrival | DSU Biology |
| 8:30 – 8:45 AM | Introduction to native Mississippi wildlife | Caylor #101 |
| 8:45 – 9:30 AM | Common and native Mississippi wildlife identification exercise | DSU Campus |
| 9:30 – 10 AM | Waterfowl and its management | Caylor #101 |
| 10 – 10:15 AM | Wildlife management and hunting Hunting techniques, regulations, license |
Caylor #101 |
| 10:15 – 10:30 AM | Break/snack | DSU Biology |
| 10:30 – 11:45 AM | Wildlife radio telemetry exercises | DSU Campus |
| 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM | Lunch on-site | Caylor Hall |
| 12:45 – 1:15 PM | Wildlife ID quiz | Caylor #138 |
| 1:15 – 1:30 PM | Commute to CSEE | CSEE (DSU) |
| 1:30 – 2:15 PM | Training and target practice session organized by Archery in Mississippi Schools (AIMS) | CSEE (DSU) |
| 2:15 PM – 3:45 PM | Gun safety, hunting weapon display, and target practice with pellet gun and tranquilizer gun | CSEE (DSU) |
| 3:45 – 4 PM | Commute to Delta State | DSU Biology |
| 4 PM – 4:15 PM | Break/snack | DSU Biology |
| 4:15 – 4:30 PM | Review and wrap-up | DSU Biology |
12 March 2019 [Day 4: Habitat, nature study, and conservation]
| Time | Activity | Location |
| 8 – 8:30 AM | Camper arrival | DSU Biology |
| 8:30 – 9 AM | Introduction to habitat ecology, wildlife refuge and national park systems | Caylor #101 |
| 9 – 9:30 AM | Commute to Dahomey National Wildlife Refuge | Dahomey NWR |
| 9:30 – 10 AM | Introduction to the Dahomey NWR | Dahomey NWR |
| 10 – 10:15 AM | Break/snack | Dahomey NWR |
| 10:15 – 11:15 AM | Fun learning with US Fish and Wildlife Service | Dahomey NWR |
| 11:15 – 11:45 AM | Common tree identification at Dahomey NWR | Dahomey NWR |
| 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM | Cookout at Dahomey Headquarters | Dahomey NWR |
| 12:30 – 1 PM | Bird Identification at Dahomey NWR | Dahomey NWR |
| 1 – 2:30 PM | Hiking and habitat survey at Dahomey NWR Mammal signs, herp and invertebrate sampling |
Dahomey NWR |
| 2:30 – 3 PM | Commute to DSU Campus | DSU Biology |
| 3 – 3:30 PM | Break/snack | DSU Biology |
| 3:30 – 4 PM | Evaluation, closing remarks, certificates (Parents are invited and can take photos.) |
Caylor #101 |
Note: Schedule subject to change.
