DES MOINES - A new venture in the metro is connecting adults with Polk County’s natural resources where they learn to forage, hunt and fish. Edible Outdoors Des Moines is kicking off on March 24, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Des Moines Social Club for anyone interested in learning more about the program. Join us and try your hand at fly tying, build a seed ball to attract pollinators to your neighborhood, and create a beeswax candle all while enjoying delicious wild game hors d’oeuvres.
The Edible Outdoors Des Moines program is reaching out to outdoor folks who normally don’t hunt, fish or forage. Participants will learn different skills such as archery, pan fishing, woodland foraging, hunting basics, upland game 101 and wild edibles. Sessions will be held each month beginning with Outdoor Basics in April and ending with an optional mentored deer hunt and harvest dinner in November.
Participants may become a member of Edible Outdoors for $50 and that allows them first choice of sessions, a cookbook, and covers most, but not all, of the fees associated with the sessions. Participants are not required to become members but there will be a fee for each session.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources in partnering with the Polk County Conservation Board, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Iowa Hunter Education Instructor Association, the National Wild Turkey Federation and the City of Des Moines.