The 2025 PA Bucktails field school kicked things off with education, connection, and yes, a bit of rain. From deer biology to nature journaling and everything in between, our newest class of Conservation Ambassadors embraced every moment of the experience. As we celebrate this incredible group of students, take a look at the highlights from the week.
The Bucktails participants arrived, unpacked, and hit the ground running. After settling into their cabins and getting to know their peers, they jumped right into a lecture on the natural history of white-tailed deer. Students pressed plants for herbarium specimens, then laced up their boots for a field walk focused on forest ecology and the impact deer have on their environment.
Students got up close with white-tailed deer anatomy during a necropsy, paired with a lesson on deer health and disease. In the afternoon, they explored the grounds to capture a nature photo for critique and settling in to observe their surroundings during a nature journaling session.
Thursday was a crowd favorite! The morning featured a radio telemetry exercise by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Students learned about firearm safety, observed a sharpshooting demonstration by the USDA, and practiced their archery skills. The day wrapped up with team building, mock media interviews, and an introduction to how Conservation Ambassadors can use print media in outreach efforts.
The final full day of field school began with a college and career Q&A session featuring professionals across wildlife and conservation fields. Later, students jumped into a mock town hall meeting, taking on real-world conservation debates. In the evening, students created their trifold displays. After field school, they will use their trifolds to educate others back in their home communities.
We are beyond proud of our 2025 Bucktails participants. Now as Conservation Ambassadors, they will return to their communities ready to share what they’ve learned and spark change through outreach. We can’t wait to see what this inspiring group will accomplish next!
Don’t forget to click the button below to view the video recaps from our week at Bucktails! Stay tuned for more updates next week from PA Bass!
2025 Bucktails Recap
Posted: June 23, 2025 by Katie Mace
The 2025 PA Bucktails field school kicked things off with education, connection, and yes, a bit of rain. From deer biology to nature journaling and everything in between, our newest class of Conservation Ambassadors embraced every moment of the experience. As we celebrate this incredible group of students, take a look at the highlights from the week.
The Bucktails participants arrived, unpacked, and hit the ground running. After settling into their cabins and getting to know their peers, they jumped right into a lecture on the natural history of white-tailed deer. Students pressed plants for herbarium specimens, then laced up their boots for a field walk focused on forest ecology and the impact deer have on their environment.
Students got up close with white-tailed deer anatomy during a necropsy, paired with a lesson on deer health and disease. In the afternoon, they explored the grounds to capture a nature photo for critique and settling in to observe their surroundings during a nature journaling session.
Thursday was a crowd favorite! The morning featured a radio telemetry exercise by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Students learned about firearm safety, observed a sharpshooting demonstration by the USDA, and practiced their archery skills. The day wrapped up with team building, mock media interviews, and an introduction to how Conservation Ambassadors can use print media in outreach efforts.
The final full day of field school began with a college and career Q&A session featuring professionals across wildlife and conservation fields. Later, students jumped into a mock town hall meeting, taking on real-world conservation debates. In the evening, students created their trifold displays. After field school, they will use their trifolds to educate others back in their home communities.
We are beyond proud of our 2025 Bucktails participants. Now as Conservation Ambassadors, they will return to their communities ready to share what they’ve learned and spark change through outreach. We can’t wait to see what this inspiring group will accomplish next!
Don’t forget to click the button below to view the video recaps from our week at Bucktails! Stay tuned for more updates next week from PA Bass!
Category: Youth Blog Tags: Bucktails, featured, field school, field school recap