- Captain Mark W. Gore
Hunting and fishing are part of our Florida way of life, but every year fewer and fewer young people hunt, or for that matter, spend any time outdoors. We are leaving our children's education about nature to television and sitting on the couch playing video games, and allowing our kids to waste away indoors. The good news is, there are plenty of places and opportunities in Florida to teach young people about hunting, fishing and the outdoors, and most are nearby. Florida has one of the largest systems of management land in the country and some of the most beautiful state parks a kid's eyes will ever see.

Today's children find it hard to be out in our Florida woods, most do not even have friends or relatives that hunt or even live in rural areas. While it was once routine for children to learn about guns and gun safety from parents, grandparents, friends or even at hunt camp, today most learn about guns from the news and video games.

Our children will soon be the stewards of our outdoor heritage, but every year fewer and fewer understand the importance of habitat and how outdoorsman and outdoorswomen contribute to keeping the balance of all that we cherish intact. They will only see what is really out there by spending time in what God has given us; the beautiful outdoors. Those of us who have a lived it, need to share this with our young people today. We need to teach them gun safety the way our families passed it down to us and by taking young people and getting them involved in our sport. Taking hunter safety classes, learning to shoot and understanding of handling lethal arms teaches kids responsibility that is rarely seen in our youth today.

Teaching the Kids of Today The Great American Teach In
For the last 10 years I have taken the opportunity to bring my outdoor heritage into the classroom. Since my kids were in Kindergarten, I have been coming to their classes and bringing nature to their classmates. We talk a little about my job as a fishing guide and hunting outfitter, and how great it is to work outdoors and enjoy the adventure that every trip brings. I like to bring in wildlife mounts of deer, hogs, and wild turkeys so they can get an idea what it feels like to be so close to such magnificent animals. The real focus is on birds and wild animals found in Florida's diverse habitat of Swamps, Live Oak Hammocks, Pine Flatwoods, and Palmetto Scrub. Each of these habitats has its own special qualities. Each animal has its own special features, and the ability to learn while they touch and feel the different wildlife gives the children even closer connections with things they have never seen before. They touch and feel the antler sheds of bucks that I have found while hiking in the Florida woods. They get to feel the fur of a tanned deer hide while I describe to them how this was the way Indians made leather. I also bring in pet snakes and let them hold a snake for the first time. When they were in grade school I would even bring 2 fishing poles; one for a boy and a pink one for a girl and at the end of the class we would draw a name from a hat and give the fishing poles away. The kids really get excited and are full of so many questions. Many of them had never seen any of these wild things before and they just want to take it all in. This lets these kids discuss the things we talked about at home with their parents and maybe it will get them involved with their kids in the outdoors. This is all I can hope for, just a chance that I can spark a flame in a kid's heart to make them love the adventure we all learned about as kids.

A few years ago after a visit with one of the schools, I was approached by a young man who explained to me that he had never spent a day fishing with his father before. With a big smile he gave me hug after I presented him the fishing pole that he had won and said he could not wait to go home and go fishing. I will never forget that day or that little boy and I knew at that very moment that I had made a difference in his life.

What Can You Do As a Parent to Get Your Kids Excited About the Outdoors?
Fishing is an ideal way to introduce youngsters to nature and the outdoors. Even very young children can learn to love fishing. It is important that you remember to make those all-important first fishing outings short and fun. Plan a trip to a place that's safe, easy to get to and offers alternative activities. Florida State and County Parks are an ideal place to get them started, if the kids get bored, they can play on the playground or go hiking until the fish decide to eat. Bringing lots of snacks and special treats also seems to help pass the time in-between bites.

Choose a spot with plenty of action, a good example is pan fishing for Bluegill; most kids would rather catch lots of little fish than waiting for a few big ones. Keep the tackle simple; a cane pole, hook, split shot, live worms and bobber, and use live bait! Kids find it more fun using live bait, than using artificial baits. Some younger kids enjoy just playing with the bait, so let them do it! Teach them about the fish they are catching, show them the fish's fins and explain how to hold them. Let them see inside the mouth and show them the gills that they breathe with. Take a few fish home for a fish fry with the family, and explain how to revive the fish when practicing catch and release; and that letting some fish go will let them catch more in the future.

Hiring a fishing guide is a good way to help you learn a lot of things in a short amount of time. This can help you on your personal outings with your family. When hiring a guide, be sure the guide you plan to hire knows that you are bringing younger kids and what your goal is for your outing. There are some guides that are not interested in taking the time to help younger kids so make sure you do your homework and choose wisely.

Florida's cooler months are the ideal time to teach kids outdoor skills. There are fewer bug problems and it's always fun to help kids practice skills such as using a compass and marking your trail. You can teach them how to plan a hiking trip and what necessities like water and snacks are needed in your backpack. You may also want to consider teaching how to walk quietly while hunting or watching squirrels, rabbits, deer, and wild hogs as well as songbirds and Wild Turkeys. The Florida Game and Fish Commission is recognizing the importance of getting children interested in hunting, they have been reserving special days for youth deer, hog, and wild turkey hunts each season. During those days, only credentialed youth accompanied by experienced adults are allowed to shoot.

What It Is All About!
Every time I am out with my kids in the outdoors I take the time to give them a hug and tell them I love them, these are the moments that make it all worth it. They will cherish these memories of our time together for a lifetime.

Listening to parents tell me how much their kids talked about my visits to their classes is what makes me keep going back each year. Hearing the kids laugh and get excited about the outdoors makes me smile and feel good inside. Knowing that they got a chance to see and enjoy the things I love about the State of Florida is what it is all about, keeping Our Hunting and Fishing Heritage Alive is the only chance we have. Please take a kid in the outdoors and let the smiles on their faces light up your heart. Wish all a Merry Christmas and a wonderful Holiday season!

Capt. Mark W. Gore is an outdoor writer, guide & speaker from Tampa Bay. He owns Guide Headquarters offering fishing charters & outdoor communications. Contact him by phone at: 813.434.5504 by email at: mgore2@tampabay.rr.com or visit www.captainmarkgore.com.