“Outdoor Adventures is designed to introduce students to a lifetime of opportunities in the great outdoors through coursework and activities in their PE classes,” said Scot McClure, program coordinator for the Dallas Ecological Foundation. “This is not your traditional PE course. Instead of teaching PE with basketballs and tennis rackets, we use rods and reels and bows and arrows.”

The curriculum is accredited by the State of Texas and aligns with national education standards.

School participation has grown from 21 to 110 in just the past five years. The program appears poised for continued growth.

McClure said, “Many schools now have a waiting list because Outdoor Adventures classes fill so quickly. Teachers and principals say this is one of the most exciting programs because students need a fun class that motivates them to stay in school and concentrate on all of their studies.”

Educators say enrolled students often see improved self-esteem, attendance, discipline and grades.

Many students also get involved in extracurricular activities, especially at schools where archery teams, fishing clubs, etc., are created as spinoffs of the Outdoor Adventures program.

Joe O’Dell, a PE teacher at Austin Middle School in the Irving Independent School District scheduled over 200 students for Outdoor Adventures this fall, saying, “Outdoor Adventures teaches students how to enjoy the outdoors and truly meets the needs of all our students.”

Teachers in the Outdoor Adventures program receive special training, complete scope and sequence, syllabus, daily lesson plans and cross-curricular opportunities in math, science, writing, technology and other applications, and more.

A key partner is the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The agency’s hunter education, boating safety, angler education and National Archery in Schools Program coursework and activities are incorporated into program curriculum.

Other partners include Midway USA Foundation, Inc., Houston Safari Club and numerous private donors.

The Dallas Ecological Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation. Its mission is to serve as a grant and funding medium for public and youth education and wildlife and habitat conservation programs worldwide. Through the foundation, DSC is addressing conservation and education issues worldwide. Learn more at www.dallasecologicalfoundation.org.

Schools participating in the Outdoor Adventures education program include: 

High Schools:
Allen 9th Campus
Argyle
Arlington
Arlington Bowie
Arlington Lamar
Arlington Martin
Arlington Seguin
Burleson Centennial
Cedar Hill
Chico
Woodlands College Park, Conroe ISD
College Station
Colleyville Heritage
Coppell
Crowley North
East Central San Antonio
Electra
Elkhart
Garland
Grand Prairie
Grand Prairie 9th
Grand Prairie Dubinski Career
Grand Prairie South, 9th
Grand Prairie South
Grapevine
Grapevine Colleyville, ISD Bridges
Greenville
Hardin
Irving
Irving Academy
Irving MacArthur
Irving Nimitz
Katy
Keller
Keller Central
Keller Fossil Ridge
Keller Timber Creek
Kountze
Lake Dallas
Lewisville
Lewisville Flower Mound Marcus
Lewisville Hebron
Lewisville The Colony
Lexington
Lovejoy
Mansfield Career/Tech.
McKinney
McKinney Boyd
McKinney North
Mercedes
North Forest
Northwest Byron Nelson
Northwest Justin
Paris
Pasadena
Pasadena Dobie
Pasadena Memorial
Pasadena Rayburn
Pasadena South Houston
Pilot Point
Plano
Plano East
Plano West
Rio Grande City Grulla
Rockwall
Rockwall Heath
Rusk
Somerset
Southlake Carroll
Stephenville
Trinity HEB
University of Texas Charter Schools
Middle Schools:
Argyle
East Central Heritage
East Central Legacy
Ennis Junior High
Houston ISD-Lanier
Irving ISD-Austin
Irving ISD-Bowie
Irving ISD-Crockett
Irving ISD-de Zavala
Irving ISD-Houston
Irving ISD-LBJ
Irving ISD-Travis
Joshua Loflin
Lewisville Arbor Creek
Lewisville Creek Valley
Lewisville Delay
Lewisville Downing
Lewisville Durham
Lewisville Griffin
Lewisville Hedrick
Lewisville Huffines
Lewisville Killian
Lewisville Lamar
Lewisville Lakeview
Lewisville McKamy
Lexington
Maypearl Junior High
Mercedes
Mineral Wells
Northwest Pike
Paris Junior High
Prince of Peace Carrollton
Roma Berrera
St. Mary’s in Sherman
Southlake Carroll
Utley-Rockwall
Garner E.S.-GPISD

About Dallas Safari Club (DSC)
Desert bighorns on an unbroken landscape, stalking Cape buffalo in heavy brush, students discovering conservation. DSC works to guarantee a future for all these and much more. An independent organization since 1982, DSC has become an international leader in conserving wildlife and wilderness lands, educating youth and the general public, and promoting and protecting the rights and interests of hunters worldwide. Get involved at www.biggame.org.

AllAboutExotics is pleased to announce that Rocky Woodford Outfitting is joining our ‘Find A Hunt’ exotic outfitters directory.  Rocky and Jerrie Woodford run a first class hunting operation that provides hunters from all over the country the chance to bag a trophy in the great state of Texas!

With Rocky Woodford Outfitting, hunters have the opportunity to hunt very large areas of privately owned land where the land owner and Rocky work together to accomplish one goal – produce large trophy Whitetail Deer, Texas Exotics, Pronghorn Antelope, and mature Spring Turkeys. For over 16 years, they has been guiding hunters on dream hunts in West and Southwest Texas.  They offer both high fence and low fence hunting options for hunters looking for that once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Choose from over 40 species of exotics, from axis deer to zebra, to go along with exceptional whitetail, pronghorn and Rio Grande turkeys.

View some of their past clients’ successes in their Exotic Hunting Trophy Gallery.

Rocky Woodford Outfiitting also takes pride in leading youth hunters afield.  They call these young hunting up-and-comers their “young guns” and they insist that they are always welcome as part of father/son, mother/daughter hunts or on their own.  Seeing a lot of game holds their interest and gives them the opportunity to truly enjoy the outdoors sport of hunting.  A concentrated effort is made to accommodate our ‘young guns’ special needs such as any diet requirements (usually hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and grilled cheese sandwiches).  

Rocky and Jerrie are one of the few outfitting teams that actively participate in the hunts the offer. This is the best way they’ve found to keep a “hands on” approach, in order to truly gauge customer satisfaction. Rocky not only oversees the hunt, but also guides.  Jerrie serves as hostess and prepares meals.  The Rocky Woodford team  includes guides that, aside from being avid hunters themselves, utilize all their knowledge and training to make certain each hunter enjoys a rewarding hunting excursion.

Call Rocky or Jerrie today to schedule your next hunting adventure with Rocky Woodford Outfitting – (325) 255-2335  or find out more @ their AAE Outfitter page!

Fourteen year old, Braden Shields, was luck enough to harvest this amazing non-typical axis buck  in Kimble County, Texas.

Kimble County is located in the heart of the exotic hunting mecca, known as the “Hill Country” of Texas.  There are thought to be more exotics per acre in this area of the Lonestar State, than any other place on earth!  Braden’s buck is beyond a unique trophy.   Though velvet antlered bucks are commonly harvested, taking a 9-POINT axis buck in velvet is anything but common!  Most axis have 6 typical points growing up, back and out above the deer’s head.  Every so often, you will see 1 or 2 extra points growing just above the browtines, but 3 extra points is very rare.  This was Braden’s first ever axis…that’s quite a start, Braden!  Congrats on a super exotic trophy!

See more exotic trophy pics in the AAE Trophy Room!

If you have a unique exotic trophy to share, email it to us at: allaboutexotics@gmail.com or post it in the AAE Forum.

Date: Dec. 4, 2010
Time: 9am to 1 pm
Location: Texas Hidden Springs Ranch, Seguin, Texas
Cost: $20

For more information or to register a child for the youth safari camp, visit the ADWA website @ www.DeerWildlifeAlliance.com

The camp is designed for kids ages 10-16 to come out and enjoy God’s great outdoors.  The children have the opportunity to harvest a big game animal, gain their hunter education certificate, angler education certificate, learn about archery, rifles, shotguns, wildlife management, land management, fellowship with other young outdoorsmen and have fun on a ranch for a week.

“This will be an experience that the kids will not soon forget,” said Austin Brashier, the Camp Director.  “To spend a week in the outdoors hunting, fishing, swimming and fellowshipping with other young people will be the ultimate outdoor adventure.”

The campers are given the opportunity to raise their own money to pay for camp.  Each year the Adventure Camp offers a raffle that includes hunts, fishing trips and summer camp spots.  The tickets cost is $10 each and 100% of the proceeds go directly toward the camper’s tuition.  

The camps will take place the months of June, July and August.  The ranches that host the camps are Kent Creek Ranch,  and the 700 Springs Ranch.   This year the girls camp will take place at,  Rhino Outdoors.

The daily activities include hunting in the morning followed up by brunch and morning activities. During the afternoon hours the kids spend time swimming and fishing on the different rivers and creeks on the ranches.  During the mid afternoon hours the kids enjoy a quiet fellowship time, hunting videos or sports related activities.  In the evening the campers gear up hunting and playing on the ranch.  After we return from the evening hunt we share stories from the hunt and head to the fire ring for our fireside devotional time.

For more information you can go to the website at www.coacamps.org.  Or you can give them a call at 830-708-1198.

AUSTIN, Texas – Hunting affordability and accessibility are growing concerns in the outdoor industry, but it was not a problem for nearly a dozen children and their parents who enjoyed the thrill of the hunt and the taste of pork at the 2nd Annual Pigapalooza Youth Hog Hunt. Sponsored by the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance (ADWA), the event was recently hosted at the DB Hunting Ranch in Bertram, Texas.

“The Pigapalooza is always a fun event for the kids but, more importantly, it is another means for us to address the growing problem of hunting affordability and accessibility,” says John Meng, president of the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance. “Our children today are the sportsmen and conservationists of tomorrow. We, as a society and an industry, must work now to ensure that wildlife stewardship and outdoor participation exists 10, 20 and 30 years from now. The Pigapalooza is only one event during the year, but I know each and every one these kids will remember this experience for a long, long time.”

The Pigapalooza Youth Hog Hunt provides a fun and affordable hunting opportunity for children, ages 8-17, and serves pork sandwich lunches and educational activities to help inform children about wildlife issues. At this year’s event, Wildlife Analytical Laboratories (www.DeerAge.com) provided an informative talk on wildlife stewardship and aging deer through forensics, while other ADWA volunteers provided sessions on duck calling, archery and led a nature walk. In addition to the hunt, children also received free duck calls, scent-masking sticks from Trophy Blend Scents, ADWA caps and a chance to win a free hunt at the ADWA Youth Safari Camp opening later this spring.

“It was a pleasure to be at this event,” says Henry Chidgey, owner of Wildlife Analytical Laboratories. “I very much enjoyed the opportunity to share some of our passion and knowledge about wildlife stewardship with the young folks and I really want to compliment ADWA and the work they do.”

The American Deer & Wildlife Alliance is a non-profit organization working to promote the deer and wildlife industry and to preserve our American outdoor traditions. As a part of its public education efforts, ADWA produces Points Journal, a full-color magazine covering industry news, products and services; Spikes Magazine, a quarterly youth publication distributed to summer camps and public libraries across the country; the Outdoor Patriot, a monthly podcast which features commentary and industry guests; and sponsors Keith Warren’s Deer & Wildlife Stories, a nationally broadcast television program on the Pursuit Channel. ADWA also produces the iHuntAmerica.com website (www.iHuntAmerica.com), a comprehensive search engine for hunting ranches, game preserves and outfitters.

For more information on the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance and/or to become a member, please call 877.331.8607 or visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org.

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth of the deer and wildlife industry, and to preserve our American outdoor traditions. For more information on the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance, call 877.331.8607 or visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org.

Hey Kids,  are wanting a trophy exotic of your own??  Now is your chance!  The Christian Outdoor Alliance is offering summer camps that will allow you to earn your way into an Exotic Trophy Hunt in the Texas Hill Country!

“During your camp you will get to spend an entire week on a real Texas hunting ranch.  The daily activities include hunting, fishing, and swimming.  We want you to come out and have a great time in God’s great outdoors!”

Parents Can’t Say No!

You pay your way to summer camp by selling raffle tickets.  Can you sell enough to earn a Trophy Exotic game animal? (Warning: Your dad will be Very jealous when you do!)

4 Levels of Camp Choices – Starting at ONLY $500

Get started today for 2010 camps

For more information visit www.COAcamps.com

(830) – 708 – 1198

email: austin@coaoutfitters.com