The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), in conjunction with the Friends of Sessions Woods, will host a FREE day of outdoor activities on Saturday, September 22, 2012, at the Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area and Education Center in Burlington.
The event celebrates the 75th Anniversary of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) Program, and also recognizes the contributions that hunters and anglers have made to the conservation of Connecticut's natural resources.
This free, day-long event will feature many outdoor-related activities and demonstrations appropriate for all ages, such as workshops about hunting and fishing; field dog demonstrations; .22 rifle, BB gun, and archery ranges; 3-D archery, bait and fly casting instruction and skills challenge; primitive arts and skills demonstrations; live turtles and lizards; and kid’s crafts. Talons! A Bird of Prey Experience, led by Lorrie Schumacher, Master Class Falconer, will provide visitors with an up-close look at live birds of prey.
The Congress of Rough Riders of Naugatuck, Connecticut, will provide scheduled demonstrations of Cowboy Action Shooting. Attendees also will have the opportunity to speak firsthand with DEEP biologists about wildlife and fisheries topics, as well as with representatives from a major outdoor retailers and a variety of conservation, hunting, and fishing organizations.
Kids can participate in several fun activities and crafts, such as track making, face painting, a scavenger hunt, and fish prints. There will be a silent auction to benefit the non-profit Friends of Sessions Woods.
Activities will run from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Handicapped and limited public parking will be available on site at Sessions Woods. Overflow shuttle parking will be available at Lewis S. Mills High School, 26 Lyons Road, off of Route 4 in Burlington. The Friends of Sessions Woods will be selling food and drinks during the event, or you can bring your own picnic lunch.
Connecticut Hunting & Fishing Appreciation Day is made possible due to generous donations from the following: The Friends of Sessions Woods – Paul Petersen Fund, Fishin' Factory in Southington, Jacklin Rod & Gun Club, High Rock Shooting Association, Millstream Preserve, Northwest CT Sportsman's Council, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Safari Club International - CT Chapter, and United Bowhunters of Connecticut.
For more detailed information about Connecticut Hunting & Fishing Appreciation Day and Sessions Woods WMA, go to the DEEP Web site at www.ct.gov/deep/HuntFishDay or call 860-675-8130 (Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM-4:30 PM). Sessions Woods is located on Route 69 (341 Milford Street) in Burlington.
