Ozark Living

June 1. e class is designed to teach children the dos-and-don'ts of firearms, how to safely handle a firearm, and will also teach parents how to safely store their firearms. "It's a very popular class," Dunlap said. "We use dummy guns to learn the actions." In addition, the center offers a rifle marksmanship fundamentals class for beginner shooters. e next class will be held the evenings of June 20-22. A hunter education class will be held the evenings of Aug. 29-31 that will cover safety, ethics, tree stands, four- wheelers, and more. is class is required for anyone over the age of 16 to obtain a hunting license. A daytime version of the class will also be available for younger participants at the marksmanship center. "In Arkansas you are not required to have a (hunting) license until age 16," Dunlap said. "A lot of parents want their kids to get the fundamentals of hunting and shooting." An introductory class on shooting with muzzleloaders will be held Aug. 19. e class will include guns from the 1700s, 1800s and modern muzzleloaders. "It seems like there's a lot of ideas that these types of guns are clumsy and not accurate, but that's not true," Dunlap said. e center will also offer a class on dove hunting on Sept. 2. e Ozark Highlands Nature Center offers additional classes and programs that hunters and marksmen will enjoy, with topics that include shooting BB guns, sling shots and shotguns, archery and trap archery. Call the center for more information. Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center Located at 8300 Wells Lake Road in south Fort Smith, the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center sits on 170 acres of land that was previously part of Fort Chaffee. e center opened to the public in 2006 and is well- known for its interactive exhibits and over four miles of hiking trails. Critter Crunch is a popular program at the Janet Huckabee Nature Center. Each session offers a close-up look at snakes, fish and other creatures common to the River Valley, where participants learn where they live, what they do, what they like to eat, and even how they eat. Critter Crunch is held most Fridays and Saturdays at 2 p.m. during the warmer months. "It's a fun activity," said Danielle Simmons, an educator at the Janet Huckabee Nature Center. "Many of us see fish all the time, but not how they eat." e center offers fishing classes throughout the summer. e classes are held at the facility and nearby lakes, and cover basic fishing skills like baiting hooks, tying knots, and how to cast a line. Art classes and day camps are on this summer's agenda at the Janet Huckabee Nature Center. e art classes are age-appropriate and are oen led by local area artists. e week-long day camps are held in June, July and August for children ages 4 to 6 years old, and feature cras, songs, lessons about area animals, and more. e River Valley Nature Center also offers basic canoeing and kayaking courses most Friday and Saturday mornings on Wells Lake. e 12-acre lake is not too deep, Simmons said, but life jackets are always required. For safety, the center provides lifejackets for its guests and keeps a rescue boat on standby when water- related classes are being held. Other water programs at the Janet Huckabee Nature Center include a four-week paddling class for adults, kiddie kayaking, and in-depth instructional boating classes. e Janet Huckabee River Valley Nature Center also hosts archery classes on Saturdays, with bows available in junior and adult sizes. e classes are held indoors on their temperature-controlled bow range and are open to a variety of skill levels. Both the Ozark Highlands Nature Center and Janet Huckabee Nature Center offer a variety of programs year-round to help people learn about their state's natural resources, and summer is a great time to enjoy them. "It's a great time to come out, and we try to give (visitors) a new perspective on nature. So, we have a lot of activities scheduled each week," Simmons said. "We will have something just about every weekend. We try to make these events really big for families," Dunlap agreed. J.B. and Jonelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center 3400 N. 40th St., Springdale, 833-356-0847 www.agfc.com/en/explore-outdoors/nature-centers/jbjhfohnc www.facebook.com/jbjhfohnc Hours of operation: Tuesday-Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, 479-452-3993 www.agfc.com/en/explore-outdoors/nature-centers/jharvnc www.facebook.com/jharvnc Hours of operation: Tuesday-Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. OZaRK LIVING • May 2023 • 25

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