Elementary School for Fishing, Hunting & Shooting Opens Its Digital Doors

Anybody, of any age, can learn how to fish, hunt, or shoot-for free-at the School of Outdoor Sports. The school, at www.learnoutdoorsports.org, is brand new and receiving students now.

"There's never been anything like this," says Todd Siebell, School CEO. "The old system, where a family member or friend would teach you, is all but broken in our modern world."

Declining participation in these traditional outdoor sports is well documented, Siebell says, due to numerous factors. The nonprofit school addresses every modern reality and works to overcome obstacles between would-be beginners and lifetime attachments to the outdoors.

"At the School of Outdoor Sports," he says, "you don't need to 'know anybody' to get started, and there is no charge. Lessons are video-based, taught by expert instructors. People love to learn by watching videos. It's so much easier to understand when you show a beginner how to do something. And students can watch lessons as many times as they want, until they get it."

Good students always have follow-up questions. The school has expert instructors standing by to answer individual questions.

"Nobody is ever left to struggle on their own," says Siebell.

Getting beginners to fully understand the basics, so they taste success right away, is the formula for turning large numbers of people into active participants, says Mark Strand, founder of the school.

"This will standardize the level of instruction," says Strand, "and make it available to everyone. No matter where you live, no matter what time of day you can study the lessons, high quality teaching is waiting for you.

"By helping beginners succeed, early on, they can decide if any certain type of fishing, hunting, or shooting is for them. That's the only way they can make good decisions. We encourage beginners to sample anything that sounds fun, and freely choose favorites. That's the recipe for creating more true anglers, hunters, and shooters."

How it Works

Students are greeted at the school with three main choices: fishing, hunting, or shooting.

After clicking one of these buttons, they are taken to the home page of the chosen school. There, they are welcomed by the lead instructor. Then, they study the overall basics of that subject.

After studying the lesson, and asking any questions they have, they declare they understand the basics and are sent a Basic Angler, Basic Hunter, or Basic Shooter diploma.

"In the overall basic lessons," says Strand, "students are taught most of what they will ever need to know. In other words, after studying the basics of fishing, they will understand fishing, no matter where they go, no matter what species of fish they want to catch. Same thing for hunting and shooting."

The overall basic lessons are available now, with a long list of specific lessons being developed and offered as they are ready.

"After they understand the overall basics," says Strand, "they choose what they want to try. For example, they study overall hunting basics, then they might choose deer hunting, or turkey hunting, or duck hunting. Same types of choices in the fishing and shooting schools."

Meshing with Existing Efforts

The School of Outdoor Sports is friend and ally to all existing efforts to get beginners started. For example, mentoring groups are forming alliances with the school, and students needing mentors are linked up with them. Also, formal programs that get beginners out in the field (youth deer hunts, shooting days, fishing clinics, etc.) will find the school keeps those beginners going, after they get their feet wet.

"Our lessons will also raise the level of training for mentors," says Siebell. "Anyone from a single mother who would like to take her kids fishing, to an existing mentor looking to brush up on the basics or learn something new, will find a great free resource."

There's more to the school, including a classroom that guides beginners as they shop for gear.

"This is the ingredient that's been missing up until now," says Siebell. "Getting past the learning curve has always been intimidating. There is a lot to learn, and beginners need to succeed in order to become attached. Finally, our outdoor traditions have a dedicated elementary school. A place where beginners, young and old, get off on the right foot, and get help every step of the way."

Do you know someone who'd like to learn how to fish, hunt, or shoot?

Guide them to the School of Outdoor Sports.