What began with a handful of classes at the Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center in Cadillac, Michigan, has evolved into a statewide opportunity for in-depth learning about a variety of outdoor topics – from fly fishing to food plots to photography.
About 300 students participated in the DNR’s Outdoor Skills Academy during its first year in 2014. By 2018 that number had nearly doubled to almost 600 participants.
“Our classes offer more than just a brief taste of outdoor activities – we spend a full day or more teaching the needed skills to get out and try those activities,” said Ed Shaw, interpreter at the Carl T. Johnson Center and originator of the Outdoor Skills Academy. “We provide gear, hands-on experience and expert instructors.”
These instructors – also known as “pro staff” – are knowledgeable and proficient in the outdoor pursuits they teach. Among the upcoming classes, for example, are a whitetail food plot and habitat management clinic with staff from Killer Food Plots, a class on attracting butterflies with native plants taught by naturalist Craig Elston of CDE Nature, a walleye fishing clinic with professional anglers and a wildflower photography workshop by world-renowned photographer Tom Haxby.
Upcoming classes include:
Feb. 23-24: Hard Water School (ice-fishing class)
March 23: Steelhead Fishing Clinic
April 13: Turkey Hunting Clinic
April 14: Walleye Fishing Clinic
April 27: Bass Fishing for Beginners Clinic
May 4: Beginners Fly-Fishing Clinic
May 18: Whitetail Food Plot and Habitat Management Clinic
June 8: Attracting Butterflies with Native Plants
Get more details and register for classes at Michigan.gov/OutdoorSkills. Additional classes will be posted throughout the year, so check back often.
