Riley Wilderness Youth Camp Opportunities for Scholarships

lschultz • March 1, 2019

As March begins, it is most definitely time to start thinking about getting your son or daughter registered to attend the Michigan Out-of-Doors Youth Camp. Registration has been open for about a month now. If your son or daughter is new to getting outdoors or has little experience in hunting and conservation, we have the perfect opportunity for them. Come join us for a week of Riley Wilderness Youth Camp.

Photo from 2015 when Mr. George Riley visited the camp to have the lodge named in his honor

At the Riley Wilderness Youth Camp hosted by the Michigan Out-of-Doors Youth Camp in Chelsea, MI and sponsored by SCI-Novi with generous support from the Riley Foundation, children are given the opportunity to learn more about hunting, conservation and even get their hunter safety certificates. For six days and five night’s children ages, 9-14 are given the opportunity to leave their cell phones, tablets and other electronics at home and spend time learning about the environment around them. During their week at camp, youth will increase their knowledge of ecological concepts and broaden their awareness of conservation issues through hands-on nature experience. The campers spend the week living in cabins on a property that consists of 230 acres of white pine forest, bordered on one side by a bog and on another by the waterfront of Cedar Lake.

The goal of the Riley Wilderness Youth Camp is to provide the opportunity for 80 boys and girls to connect with nature and to learn about hunting and conservation. Since 2005, when the Michigan Out-of-Doors Youth Camp, SCI-Novi, and the Riley Foundation began their partnership the Riley Wilderness Youth Camp has sent over 800 kids to the camp. Last year more than 70 of the campers got Hunter Safety certified through this program.
The youth are provided a full scholarship to attend one of two sessions of camp depending on age and interest. The Riley Jr. camp is for boys and girls ages 9-11 and focuses on a sampling of outdoor activities, ranging from archery, and canoeing to fishing and hunter safety class. The other camp option is the Riley Advanced Camp for boys and girls age 12-14. This camp is focused on the skills and techniques of big game hunting as well as wildlife conservation. Youth in the advanced camp will also have the opportunity to become hunter safety certified and will spend time shooting trap and on the 3D archery course during their week at camp.

These scholarships are available to youth who are interested in connecting and learning more about the outdoors and all are encouraged to apply. The candidates who most qualify for the award will meet the following criteria: 1. Youth with limited outdoor experience, 2. Lack of a mentor to help them get started and learn about the outdoors, 3. Not yet having earned a Michigan Hunter Safety Certificate, and 4. Lack of family financial resources to attend a camp like a program.

Please visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCpD07XbzA0l4dODHtr5A_SWXJQsAcswfjsS5sWSr4tc1qxw/viewform

More information on the camp can be found at www.mucccamp.org.

Recent Posts

On the Ground: Brush Piles and Invasive Species at Denmark Township Mini State Game Area

By Olivia Triltsch • May 21, 2026
On Friday, May 15, 2026, high school students who are part of the Reese High Outdoors Club joined MUCC’s On the Ground Junior program and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) at the Denmark Township Mini State Game Area. Students completed a wildlife habitat improvement project by clearing a grassland habitat of invasive woody growth maintained for pheasants. Using the cut vegetation from the area, students constructed several large brush piles throughout the site to benefit small mammals and other wildlife in the area. Maintaining open grassland habitat is important for supporting species that rely on early successional cover for cover or feeding. Due to suppression of natural disturbances, active management helps to control woody vegetation from gradually overtaking the areas and reducing habitat quality for species that rely on the grassland. The project area is near fields planted by the DNR to provide both habitat and food sources for wildlife, making these improvements part of a larger habitat management effort on the property. In total, students directly improved 10 acres of wildlife habitat through this project. Beyond the on-the-ground impact, the event also allowed students to try a hands-on conservation experience and the ability to contribute to habitat management and public land stewardship in Michigan. Projects like this continue to demonstrate the value of engaging the next generation in Michigan's outdoor heritage and wildlife conservation efforts.

On the Ground: Jack Pine Planting Day 2026

By Olivia Triltsch • May 7, 2026
On Saturday, May 2, 2026, a group of dedicated volunteers joined Kirtland's Warbler Alliance, Huron Pines, Saginaw Children’s Zoo, and MUCC's OTG program in planting approximately 4,800 jack pine saplings within the Grayling Forest Management Unit in Crawford County. Jack pines are a critical nesting habitat feature for the once-threatened Kirtland’s warbler. In total, volunteers directly impacted about 7 acres of land were prepared by the Michigan DNR for this planting to allow volunteers to maximize their efforts across the land. This is one of our annual events that is perfect for helpers of all ages and interests.

MUCC Announces Dissolution After Nearly 90 Years of Conservation Advocacy

May 4, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) announces its decision to dissolve after nearly 90 years of conservation advocacy, citing ongoing financial challenges and outlining next steps in an orderly wind-down process.
More Posts