Central Oregon families came together recently for a hands-on celebration of the outdoors at the Oregon Hunters Association Youth & Family Day, an event designed to connect kids and their parents with nature through fun, skill-building activities.

Participants got the chance to try their hand at archery, build birdhouses, and learn about bass fishing — a lineup that blended creativity, patience, and a love of the natural world into one memorable day. Events like this one give young people a rare opportunity to step away from screens and discover the joys of outdoor traditions alongside the people they love most.

The Oregon Hunters Association has long championed conservation education and family engagement in the outdoors, and this year’s Youth & Family Day carried on that tradition in fine style. By pairing hands-on crafts like birdhouse building with active pursuits such as archery and fishing, the event offered something for every age and interest level, making it easy for the whole family to participate together.

Central Oregon’s wide-open landscapes and rich wildlife heritage make it a natural setting for events like this one. Programs that introduce young residents to responsible outdoor recreation help build the next generation of conservation-minded community members — and, just as importantly, create lasting memories between parents and children.

Whether a child was drawing back a bowstring for the first time or carefully hammering together a birdhouse to hang in the backyard, the spirit of the day was clear: getting outside, learning something new, and doing it together as a family is something worth celebrating in Bend and across Central Oregon.

Sources: Central Oregon Daily