Bong State Recreation Area

The Richard Bong State Recreation Area in Brighton offers the following naturalist programs for 2007. A vehicle entrance fee ($7 daily; $25 annual state residents) is required to attend all programs. Programs start promptly, so please be on time. For more information on any programs, please call (262) 878-5600.

Saturday, Sept. 15: Candlelight Hike, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Bring the family for fall fun by candlelight. Hike the two-mile trail on your own or join us for a shorter guided hike or do both. There will be a bonfire for marshmallows and live music at the Amphitheater. Meet at the Visitor Center.

Saturday, Sept. 22: Crane Watch, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Witness the wonderful spectacle of sandhill cranes coming into the marsh to roost. Delight in the sights and sounds of this amazing evening ritual. Meet at the Observation Platform.

Hunter safety education course

The Wisconsin Sportsman's Association will conduct a hunter safety certification course at the DNR Service Center located at 9531 Rayne Rd. in Sturtevant on Wednesday evenings from 6-8:15 p.m. from Sept. 26 through Oct. 31. The cost is $10 per student and the class size will be limited to 25 students. This will be the last class offered by Wisconsin Sportsman's Association this year. For further information or to register please call Tony Lease at (262) 554-8126.

Friends of the NRA banquet

The Racine/Kenosha Area Friends of the National Rifle Association (NRA) will hold its second annual Friends of the NRA Banquet at 5 p.m. Oct. 5 at Roma Lodge, 7130 Spring St. The banquet features a dinner at 7 p.m., live and silent auctions, raffles, games and limited edition items. The total value of the prizes is estimated at $10,000.

Tickets are $50. Those who purchase a table of eight will receive $160 worth of Friends raffle tickets free.

For reservations or more information, contact Chuck Andersen at (262) 835-9830 or andersen.wisconsin@engineer.com, or Todd Kapp at (262) 862-2602 or widssquchairman@aol.com

Information also is available on the Web at http://www.wrpa.com

The Racine/Kenosha Friends of NRA supports youth programs, shooting range development, firearm safety and hunter education.

Burlington Club hosts Kids Shoot

The Burlington Conservation Club will host the annual Kids Shoot Sept. 17-18 and Sept. 21 at the clubhouse and trap range on Brever Road (about one half mile south of Hwy. 142). The shoot is open to children ages 12-16. Sign-up begins at 6 p.m. Monday and the child must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. A one-time fee of $5 per child will be charged with the club providing all shells (12 and 20 gauge) and targets. Children should have their own gun; however, some guns will be available for use.

Participants will be individually coached in gun handling and shotgun shooting of clay targets thrown at the trap range on Monday and Tuesday evenings. Practice sessions are required to be eligible to shoot for trophies.

On Friday evening, the children will shoot a regular round of 25 targets with trophies awarded to the high shooter in each age group. A high gun girls' trophy also will be awarded. The club will provide brats, hot dogs, sweet corn and soda to all shooters Friday evening. Non-shooters will be charged a nominal fee.

For more information, call Dale Burright at (414) 581-4149 or evenings at (262) 763-2595.

Great Lakes topic of presentation

Brian Shuter, a research scientist in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, will discuss "Effects of Climate Change on the Fish and Fisheries of the Great Lakes Basin" at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 24 at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, 75 Maritime Drive, in downtown Manitowoc.

Shuter's talk will be followed by a presentation by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Chief Michael Staggs on the recent outbreak of VHS disease (viral hemorrhagic septicemia) in Wisconsin fish.

Shuter's lecture is sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute and the Wisconsin Maritime Museum.