Area youth participate at MOHEE at Mackenzie Center

Over 4,000 middle school students descended on the Mackenzie Environmental Center outside of Poynette, Wis., on May 15 and 16. to take part in the annual Midwest Outdoor Heritage Education Expo. Most of the students pass through the DNR’s BB Gun range, according to Kimberly Chroninger, DNR Outdoor Skills Trainer. This year the DNR erected two large tents, each of which housed a minimum of nine Hunter Education Instructors and 18 students. To help run the event Sydney Tanner (seventh from the left) and Jim Nosker, representing the Colfax Sportsmen’s Club, went to the Mackenzie Center and worked with the youth both days. Nosker said tens of thousands of BBs were launched at thousands of targets without a single mishap. Students face a bigger risk getting on and off the busses that brought them to the Center than they do on a properly supervised shooting range, he said. —photo submitted

Designed for youth in grades 4-7 the Midwest Outdoor Heritage Education Expo, MOHEE, (pronounced MO’-hee) at the DNR’s Mackenzie Center May 15-16 drew in over 4,000 students.

Most of the students who attend MOHEE pass through the DNR’s BB Gun range, according to Kimberly Chroninger, DNR Outdoor Skills Trainer. This year the DNR erected two large tents, each of which housed a minimum of nine Hunter Education Instructors and 18 students.

Many volunteer instructors were needed for the BB Gun ranges and that’s what brought Sydney Tanner and Jim Nosker to the event, representing the Colfax Sportsmen’s Club. Nosker is the lead instructor of the Colfax Hunter Ed group. He said tens of thousands of BBs were launched at thousands of targets over the two days, without a single mishap. Students face a bigger risk getting on and off the busses that bring them to the Center than they do on a properly supervised shooting range, he said.

Presented by The Outdoor Heritage Education Center, OHEC, (pronounced OH’-heck), a non-profit conservation organization, MOHEE is an annual free field trip event available to schools. MOHEE is an opportunity to extend learning and take learning outdoors before the school year comes to an end, according to OHEC’s website.

DNR’s MacKenzie Center is one of the most diverse education centers in Wisconsin. Located on a 285-acre property near Poynette in Columbia County, the MacKenzie Center has interpretive trails, exhibits, museums and programming available for school and youth groups.

Students attending MOHEE have the opportunity to explore mentored programs on outdoor skills and activities. They have the opportunity to connect with educators, trained safety instructors and other volunteer mentors who provide an enriching and engaging experience with Wisconsin’s natural resources and outdoor heritage.

Due to support from many sponsors, OHEC provides transportation funding to cover cost associated with bussing. Many of the events activities are correlated to state academic standards. New activities are added every year with stations that emphasize hands-on learning experiences where students may participate free.

This year activities included archery,  hound and bird dog demonstrations, pond study, forestry and fire control, BB guns and firearm safety, reptile and amphibians, wildlife ID including live animals, historic fur trade and trapping, outdoor safety including snowmobiles and ATV/UTVs, tracking and game calling, parks and trails and camping, sensory safaris and touch of the wild trailers, fisheries and fly-tying and angler education, tree stand safety, outdoor recreation.

Due to MOHEE’s location, Nosker said that attendance is from southeastern Wisconsin schools and some years a few northern Illinois ones. To make the program more accessible to the state’s high population areas, OHEC has established a similar event at Havenwoods State Forest near Milwaukee. 

Because OHEC rather than the DNR organizes and operates MOHEE, groups making presentations at it have to provide their own liability insurance. That keeps some organizations out, Nosker said. As an example, he explained the Wisconsin Muzzle Loading Association had seriously considered doing a presentation on muzzle loading and tomahawk throwing. However, they were unable to obtain insurance for those type of hands-on activities.

Nosker pointed out that students in the Colfax area can experience the shooting sports through the Colfax Sportsmen’s Club. Besides being home base for Hunter Ed courses, the club also houses the Colfax Scholastic Trap Team and the Colfax Sportsmen Club Scholastic Action Shooting Team. Additionally, he said, the club can make its facilities available to youth groups and provide them training opportunities in rifle, pistol, and shotgun, plus muzzle loading.