6 HUNTING & FISHING GUIDE 2020
Messenger-Inquirer Tuesday, August 25, 2020
David Ayer of Rockport, middle, signs a geocaching logbook after finding a cache with Jennifer Schehr of Cincinnati, left, and Jodi Spalding of Swartz Creek, Michigan, during the soft opening of Owensboro’s Barbecue, Bourbon and Bluegrass Geotour on Aug. 15. Visit Owensboro partnered with AFK Geocaching of Cincinnati to put on the event where geocachers searched the park using the Geocaching App to find “geocaches” and sign a log in the container. Visit Owensboro officials are hoping to host more — and bigger — geocaching events in the future. Photo by Greg Eans, Messenger-Inquirer
Safe, family-friendly adventuring Outdoor activities are seeing a rise in popularity thanks to social distancing measures put in place to combat spread of the coronavirus. As temperatures cool off and autumn colors begin appearing, try some of these options. GEOCACHING
Take your family on a virtual treasure hunt by geocaching. Download an app, such as Geocaching, to locate caches in various outdoor places, then hunt for them and log your success. Recently, an estimated 300 families from 15 states visited Owensboro for “Barbecue, Bourbon and Bluegrass,” the city’s first big geocaching event. Officials are hoping to build a wider network of geocaching sites and even land GeoWoodstock XIX, the world’s largest geocaching festival, in 2022.
PRODUCE PICKING
Produce picking is a popular autumn activity, but families need not wait for the autumn harvest to enjoy a day picking fruit or vegetables at a nearby farm such as Reid’s Orchard or Cecil Farms. Visit during its har vest season, teaching
children about how the foods they love are grown and eventually make it to the family dinner table. Be advised: Some farms have changed the way they host public picking because of the pandemic. It’s best to contact the farm before visiting with your family.
NATURE BINGO
Draw up a bingo card, fill it with various plants, bird and wildfire, and then visit nearby parks and nature trails and see who amongst your family can check the most boxes (and score the most points).
OUTDOOR ART CLASS
Pick a pleasant afternoon and set up an outdoor painting station, encouraging ever yone to
paint what they see. Fall is a great time to host an outdoor art sessions thanks to the assortment of vibrant colors synonymous with autumn landscapes.
BONFIRE
A post-dinner backyard bonfire can entice just about anyone outside. Tell scar y stories over a flashlight, put a new twist on s’mores, and make up silly songs.
STARGAZE
Grab some blankets, a thermos of hot cocoa, binoculars and a chart of constellations to enjoy a sky full of bright stars. If visibility is compromised in the backyard, head for a quiet spot outside of town to get a clear view of the night sky.
