Total Immersion. The duck-focused North Dakota Waterfowl Brigade Camp will provide in-depth instruction in a variety of topics focused on waterfowl conservation, habitat, and hunting for participants age 13 to 17 at the 4-H Camp in Washburn N.D. from July 7 to 11. Registration for the camp is open until Mar. 15. Simonson Photo
By Nick Simonson
In its second year, the North Dakota Waterfowl Brigade Camp is set for July 7 to 11 at the 4-H Camp in Washburn, with an intensive conservation and leadership focused curriculum open to participants age 13 to 17. During the five-day program, those participants, dubbed cadets, will focus on wetland ecology, waterfowl biology, presenting on conservation topics, and learning from mentors in the field from all areas related to the preservation and advancement of the prairie pothole region and the duck and goose species it sustains, according to Elizabeth Palarski, Texas Brigades Program Manager for the event.
“It’s five days of hands-on waterfowl, wetland ecology, and leadership development for these kids. So, it’s a great opportunity for the kids and we’re a volunteer-based organization, so we’re always looking for other adults to help out as well,” Palarski details of the program.
The camp provides the cadets with information that will not only grant them a better understanding of wetland environments and the inputs necessary to preserve and advance those places that harbor ducks but also help connect them with wildlife professionals across a number of niches related to the topic for hands-on experience and networking. From working with wardens, wildlife veterinarians, avid hunters, shooting sports instructors, and those who simply love being outdoors, those participants will be exposed to duck sampling methods, wetland painting and photography, in-the-field enforcement techniques, technology such as drones to survey nesting areas, thermal imaging viewers to identify broods, and net launchers to capture, inspect and release ducks, according to committee member Dane Buysse, who also works as a Field Biologist for Ducks Unlimited.
“This is a dream camp for any kid that has interest in the outdoors. We’ve got Menoken Farm there talking about soil health. We have biologists talking about the parts of the bird, you get to actually dissect waterfowl. We’re doing trapping with the birds and testing for avian influenza; they’re getting to shoot off rocket nets. They’re getting to learn what the Ducks Unlimited team is doing with drone research and thermal imaging looking at broods,” Buysse details of just some of the topics lined up for the camp, in addition to presentation skills, confidence boosting exercises and clay target shooting events.
More information on the North Dakota Waterfowl Brigade Camp can be found online at www.texasbridgades.org/waterfowl-brigade-nd. Registration is open until March 15, and the cost is $500, with scholarships available to offset some of the registration fee.
“The application costs five hundred dollars, but we tell students not to allow that to deter them. We’re partnering with local Soil Conservation Districts and other entities to help provide scholarships to help these students to attend the camp, and so that’s something they shouldn’t be concerned about when they apply,” Buysse concludes.
Simonson is the lead writer and editor of Dakota Edge Outdoors.