State wants to get rookies outdoors
If you have followed my programs and columns for any length of time, you know I am virtually evangelistic about getting people outdoors.
Outdoor activities such as camping, hunting, fishing and exploring are unparalleled in bonding and creating memories with family and friends. There is also an exceptional value system that develops among true sportsmen and sportswomen. In addition, we need a strong outdoor community to make sure our resources are protected, we maintain access and our heritage of outdoor recreation continues.
A generation or two ago, we were a rural agrarian society. The outdoors was our backyard. Our parents, uncles and grandparents taught us how to fish and hunt. Times have changed. We are now an urban society with a variety of family structures. There are still many people who would love to start their family in outdoor activities, but are overwhelmed by what they need and how to get started.
Logan Wilkins from Colorado Parks and Wildlife joined me on the radio Saturday to share information on the Rookie Sportsman Program, a pilot program initiated by CPW in the Colorado Springs area to help people and families in this situation get started in outdoor recreation. The Rookie Sportsman Program (RSP) was started in 2015 by Colorado Parks and Wildlife as an opportunity for individuals and/or families to try their hand at hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation.
The purpose of RSP is to introduce people to various outdoor experiences who have no previous background or other opportunity to try. It’s designed to educate and mentor people for a year while creating a social support network for participants to use.
Participants are selected from a pool of applicants. All supplies and gear are provided. Applicants need to be able to commit one year to the program and attend specific activities that are part of the program. There are no age restrictions. During the course of the year, participants will experience hunting for turkey, doves, pronghorn and elk. They will go bait fishing, fly fishing and ice fishing.
The course also includes hunter safety, target shooting, camping, learning to cook game and more. The hope is that by exposing the participants to a variety of outdoor activities, they will be attracted to one or more and stick with it. In addition, by tailoring the program to “family” units, it will develop mentors for the younger members of the group to help them continue.
The ultimate goal of the program is to provide a safe, wholesome and ethical environment for new people to experience the outdoors. Hoping these participants will continue the sportsman’s lifestyle and actively participate in the conservation of Colorado’s resources.
In a couple years, CPW will evaluate the program for its effectiveness and use of resources. Hopefully, the program will not only continue but be expanded and provide an opportunity for people throughout Colorado to start experiencing the great outdoors.
Anyone interested in participating in the program should contact Wilkins at area14@state.co.us.