Michigan Out-of-Doors Camp Scholarships Available through Riley Foundation

lschultz • April 3, 2020

As April 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 two months now and some of our programs are filling up quickly. 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.

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 the outdoors, 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 almost 900 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 shotguns and archery 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 at least one of 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.

To apply for the scholarship please visit:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdxUJqJq-p1B8xiwftg7aS4CLZbzOBptXhisaaAHb-yKB7IQ/viewform

If you have any questions or would like to know more about our camp you can visit our website at www.mucccamp.org or email the Camp Director Max Bass and mbass@mucc.org

Recent Posts

New Partnership: Certified Wildlife Habitat with National Wildlife Federation

By Olivia Triltsch • October 23, 2025
Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) is proud to announce a new partnership with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) to bring the Certified Wildlife Habitat ™ program to communities across Michigan. This collaboration connects MUCC’s long-standing commitment to conservation with NWF’s national effort to create, restore, and certify habitats that provide food, water, cover, and places to raise young. Together, the organizations aim to inspire individuals, schools, and communities to take action in their own backyards to support native species. Through this initiative, MUCC will help expand awareness of the Certified Wildlife Habitat program, integrate it into its volunteer network, and provide resources to landowners interested in enhancing habitat on their property. One of the greatest benefits for volunteers comes from the knowledge gained in understanding wildlife habitat enhancement, allowing for the application to private land habitat enhancement. In addition to this, much of the work we do for habitat can apply to a variety of species, from rabbits to wood ducks, even birds of prey. The partnership will also promote community engagement opportunities through educational events, workshops, and collaborative restoration projects. In coordination with efforts like the certified wildlife habitat, MUCC hopes to expand conservation efforts across Michigan. Our award-winning, statewide volunteer habitat program, On the Ground (OTG), works to conserve, protect, and enhance wildlife habitat. In 2025 alone, OTG worked with 739 volunteers across 27 habitat projects, from invasive species removal to river clean-ups. Through the hard work contributing over 2,900 volunteer hours, habitat stewards were able to improve 423 acres of land for wildlife conservation in Michigan. Although OTG projects are not active year-round, we encourage Michigan residents to continue land stewardship on both public and private lands. To qualify for certification through the Certified Wildlife Habitat program, a property must include: Three natural food sources One water source Two places for shelter Two places to raise young Two sustainable practices To determine if your habitat qualifies, visit the NWF website and take the habitat quiz or download the checklist. If your habitat needs native plants, check out Garden for Wildlife to find species native to your area. The $25 application fee includes a personalized paper certificate, a 1-year NWF membership, and the option to purchase lawn plaques and garden flags. Habitats located on school grounds do not have a fee to get certified, so check to see what you might need to qualify today. If you are interested in joining our On the Ground program for the 2026 season, stay connected through our Facebook , Instagram , and OTG webpage for upcoming events.

On the Ground Junior: Fall Event Recap

By Olivia Triltsch • October 16, 2025
In 2025, the On the Ground program conducted 8 junior projects with schools involving 316 students from across the state. From tree plantings to invasive species removal, these students worked to enhance 39.3 acres of public land after contributing over 200 volunteer hours. Visit our website to learn more information about our On the Ground program and On the Ground Junior . To wrap up the 2025 field season, the On the Ground program worked with two classrooms to enhance wildlife habitat and recreational access. Junior programs like these allow teachers to get their students out of the classroom and into hands-on learning about the importance of habitat work while meeting individuals in the field.

October NRC Recap

By Justin Tomei • October 9, 2025
The Natural Resources Commission met today, Thursday, October 9th for their October meeting. The commission reaffirmed its intent to allow for lethal year-round coyote management on public and private land via a unanimously passed resolution before passing fisheries orders, and tabling more for consideration in November. The commission passed Fisheries Orders 210.26 , and 254.25 before tabling 206.26, 219.26 , and 253.26 . Commissioner John Walters provided an amendment to the fisheries order to expand underwater spearfishing opportunities to most of the Great Lakes, allowing for some spatial closures for the protection of particularly sensitive areas. The commission took steps to make good on their promise to allow year-round coyote management, unanimously passing a resolution more clearly stating their intent and what the pending wildlife conservation order will look like. The next meeting is Thursday November 6 in Lansing.
More Posts