Video summary
The 26th annual Youth Squirrel Hunt Campout was successfully held at Jenny Wiley Lake on August 14th and 15th, offering children and their families a unique opportunity to reconnect with nature. Hosted by Jeffrey Goel, the president of Floyd County Hunter Education, the event was designed to pull young people away from screens like cell phones and tablets, encouraging them to spend quality time outdoors with parents, uncles, and other family members. The primary goal of this long-running tradition is to immerse kids in the natural world while teaching them essential safety protocols and practical skills related to hunting and fishing.
Throughout the two-day event, participants engaged in a variety of activities that blended education with entertainment. A key highlight was the kids' fishing tournament, which featured plenty of prizes for both participation and performance. Beyond fishing, the campout included instruction on first aid and survival techniques, ensuring that the children learned how to stay safe in the wild. The schedule also featured exciting competitions such as BB gun shooting, archery, a turkey call contest, and a casting contest, all of which earned participants certificates and awards. These diverse activities were supported by abundant food for everyone and numerous door prizes, creating a fun and engaging atmosphere for all attendees.
The event honors the legacy of original law instructors who started the campout years ago with the mission of keeping families connected to the outdoors. Their vision continues today through dedicated volunteers who serve as hunter safety education instructors, guiding the next generation in responsible outdoor practices. The organizers emphasize that time is precious and encourage anyone interested to volunteer or become an instructor to help sustain this valuable community tradition. By fostering a sense of family bonding and teaching safe hunting and fishing methods, the campout ensures that these traditions endure for future generations.
In conclusion, the 26th Youth Squirrel Hunt Campout stands as a testament to the power of community involvement in promoting outdoor education and family unity. The event not only provided immediate enjoyment through competitions and nature exploration but also instilled lasting lessons about safety and environmental appreciation. For those who missed this year's gathering, organizers have urged families to mark their calendars for next year, ensuring that the opportunity to learn from experienced mentors and enjoy the great outdoors remains available. This annual celebration serves as a vital link between past generations of instructors and current families, preserving a cherished tradition of getting kids back into nature.
Read the full video transcript
On August 14th and 15th, the 26th annual
squirrel hunt for the kids was hosted at
Dwey Lake with everything from fishing
to hunting and even BB shooting. Here we
have Jeffrey Goel, president of Floyd
County Hunter Education to tell us more
about the event.
>> 26 years uh just getting the kids and
their families outdoors, just getting
them out and enjoying nature and getting
them away from the cell phones and all
the tablets and everything that's going
out. Just get them back into nature. Uh
we focus on uh trying to teach them a
little bit of safety while we're here,
tricks of the trade and just get them
outdoors to have a good time.
>> Uh while we out here, um while we're out
here, we have a kids fishing tournament.
Uh we also uh will teach them first aid
and survival.
Uh we feed them, of course, uh lots of
door prizes, lots of fun uh squirrel
hunters that want to participate in the
hunt. We actually take them across the
lake and allow them to hunt to give them
a chance to get outdoors with their dads
and moms and uncles, papas, anybody.
>> The recovery resource center located
inside the Pike County Health Department
offers [music] support, guidance, and
resources for you and your family. Call
509-5500.
That's 509-5500.
Recovery starts here.
>> With plenty of prizes for the kids and
food for everyone attending, it made the
event all the more fun. If you miss it
this year, make sure to mark your
calendar for next year so you and the
family can go out and learn hunting
safety and more with the community.
>> Oh yes, we have plenty of prizes for the
little kids fishing tournament. We've
got prizes for it. We got prizes for uh
participating. We actually let uh after
the fishing tournament's over and we
have our lunch, we actually have events
for them to do a BB gun shoot, archery,
a turkey call contest, and a casting
contest. Uh we got certificates for
those. Um, we just got a lot of things.
This event was started many years ago uh
by law instructors that have passed on
and their goal was to just keep it
going, getting kids outdoors with their
family, spending time with their
families, teaching them safe hunting,
fishing, whatever we can. Um, I just ask
that anybody that would be interested in
volunteering, uh, become a hunter safety
education instructor, uh, possibly just
get outdoors with their kids and, uh,
just have a good time cuz time is very
precious. Reporting for Mountaintop
News, I'm Connor Kidd.