Due to COVID-19 and the requirements necessary to keep staff and campers safe and healthy, please be aware that although registration will open with all camp weeks available to the full number of campers as in past years, the specific details of how camp may run are subject to change based on the guidance from the Vermont Department of Health and Governor’s orders.
Green Mountain Conservation Camp (GMCC) offers hands-on learning experiences about fish, wildlife, ecology, botany, forestry, hunter firearm safety, outdoor first aid, and so much more.
GMCC offers opportunities for hiking, canoeing, fishing, archery, .22 rifle and shotgun shooting, orienteering, and other fun activities. Campers have a unique opportunity to meet Vermont State Game Wardens, foresters, fisheries and wildlife biologists, and others who work in the outdoors.
Wildlife education and outdoor skills are the focus of GMCC and the program’s goal is to cultivate a caring attitude among our youth for Vermont’s fish and wildlife resources.
A GMCC Summer: Life Through the Eyes of a Camper
Camp Locations
Buck Lake Camp
1051 Buck Lake Road
Woodbury, VT 05681
Map | Directions
Buck Lake Camp in Woodbury, Vermont is pleasantly nestled in the woods alongside Buck Lake.
Edward F. Kehoe Camp
636 Point of Pines Road
Castleton, VT 05735
Map | Directions
Kehoe Camp is located on Lake Bomoseen in Castleton, Vermont and features a particularly beautiful mountain view.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can attend GMCC?
There are separate weeks for boys and girls.
Basic Week Session:
boys and girls ages 12-14 (Children must be 12 years old before or during the week they attend camp.)
Advance Week Session:
boys and girls ages 12-16 whom have completed the basic week.
Campers cannot attend both a basic week session and an advanced week session in the same summer.
Is your child 15-17? Check out our Teen Conservation Weekend
What do campers do at GMCC?
We focus on activities about natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation skills, with topics including:
- Vermont's fish and wildlife
- Wetland ecology
- First aid and outdoor safety
- Fly-fishing and spin casting
- Fly-tying
- Archery
- Hiking and camping
- Canoeing
- Firearms education
- Forests and forestry
How do I register my child for GMCC?
Cost: $250 for a fun-filled week of learning in Vermont's great outdoors!
Are scholarships available?
Yes. GMCC offers a limited number of scholarships thanks to the Vermont Legislature. To request a scholarship, you must submit the GMCC Income Eligibility Form with your application.
Download a Printable GMCC Scholarship and Income Eligibility Form
Call the Montpelier Office at (802)-522-2925 if you would like the form sent to you.
If your household income is within the allowable limits then your child may be eligible to receive a full scholarship. These scholarships are awarded on a first-come first-served basis and are based on economic need.
Due to the limited number of scholarships not everyone who qualifies will receive scholarship funding. All scholarship applications and information will be kept confidential.
GMCC Sponsors
Civic organizations and fish and game clubs throughout Vermont will sponsor campers. Many of these scholarships are not based on economic need. You must contact your sponsor first and if they agree to sponsor your child they will give you a “GMCC Sponsorship Agreement”. You should keep the original until early December should discrepancies in the billing occur. A PDF copy of the sponsorship agreement is now required to be attached to your application. The GMCC Scholarship form is the only form we accept as proof of sponsorship.
IMPORTANT - Campers receiving a scholarship or a sponsorship and not attending the session they are registered for, will be billed for the scholarship or sponsorship amount unless written notice of cancellation is received at least two weeks prior to the start of the session. An e-mail to FWGMCC@vermont.gov constitutes written notification.
If you are unable to download the file, contact the GMCC office at (802)-522-2925 or E-mail us at FWGMCC@vermont.gov
What else should parents know?
- Arrival Time: Drop off on the Sunday before session starts will be done by ONE parent/guardian accompanying the camper and be staggered by the camper’s last name. Campers with a last name starting with the letters A-M will be dropped off between 2:00pm – 3:00pm, and campers with last names starting with N-Z should be dropped off between 3:00pm - 4:00pm
- Basic Week-Check List of What to Bring
- Advanced Week-Trapper Education-Check List of What to Bring
- Advanced Week-Waterfowl-Check List of What to Bring
- Hunter Education Registration Form
- Medical Certificate Form (Please Note:This is the only acceptable medical form.)
- Camp Addresses and Phone Numbers
If your child is a basic week camper, please remember to complete the pre-camp reading of the hunter education and bow hunting education study guides. Use the links below to access the online study guides.
Online Hunter Education Study Guide
Online Bow Hunting Education Study Guide
For those participating in the advanced week trapping course, please read the pre-camp trapper course guide. Use the link below to access the online study guide.
Questions regarding camp availability and registration:
- Call (802)-522-2925 or email us at FWGMCC@vermont.gov
See also:
- GMCC Junior Counselor Program
- Teen Conservation Weekend
- GMCC Seasonal Positions
- Camp Phone Numbers (Monitored only during camp sessions)
- Green Mountain Conservation Camp Newsletters:
Fall 2021, Fall, 2020, Fall 2019, Fall 2018, Fall 2017,
Fall 2016, Fall 2015, Fall 2014, Fall 2013, Fall 2011, Fall 2010
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