By C.B. Bylander, DNR outreach chief

Let me tell you what’s going to happen on a Saturday morning in October, a day when the air is crisp, the aspens gold, and the sky as blue as a robin’s egg.

Somewhere, not far from your home, a kid is going to awake, look out the window, and then - since there’s nothing better to do - shuffle into the living room to begin the daily search for the remote control.

Next, he or she will click on the TV and possibly a Wii. If it’s the latter, the child will be able to play world golf class courses, participate in homerun derbies, or race speedy little carts against competitors from around the globe.

But really, the child is just clutching a brilliant piece of plastic. The youngster dash here for all of his or her illusions of achievement - will not have taken breath of fresh air.

Outside, a wedge of geese will wing by unseen. A hen pheasant will duck into a ditch and disappear.  Two deer, startled by an unexpected presence, will bound from a thicket and flee, their haunches rippling with power.

I like Wii. It’s fun. I play it with my nine-year-old. But the out of doors offers even more. So, if you get the chance, invite a kid to go hunting with you this autumn. Grouse numbers are up. Pheasant numbers are strong. There’s no shortage of places to hunt. No shortage of kids, either. Heck, you can probably find a partner just down the street. That’s the rationale behind Take A Kid Hunting Weekend, which is Sept. 26-27. Those are the days when adult residents accompanied by a youth under age 16 may hunt small game without a license but must comply with seasons, limits and other regulations.

A few thoughts on hunting. First, it’s as much about discovery as pulling a trigger. Hunting is an ideal way for children to learn about the outdoors and develop a conservation ethic. They can touch, smell, hear and see the building blocks of our natural world. Second, you don’t need to be the sage of the forest or prairie. Just be safe and be yourself. Follow the rules. Take breaks. Go home when it feels right. Don’t push it.

Oddly, when I think of hunting, I rarely hear the bark of a gun. Instead, my thoughts turn to red dawns over cattail swamps, geese honking in the distance, and dogs casting across the prairie, their noses buried in the brush and tails a-wagging. I’ve learned many things from hunting, and one of them is that coffee never tastes better than when drank in a duck blind. I suspect the same is true for a kid’s hot chocolate.

For most of today’s hunters, the “natural path” to becoming a hunter began when they were invited to go hunting. That will be true for most of tomorrow’s hunters, too. When current hunters share their knowledge with someone else the hunting tradition is passed along and stays strong.

So, if you’ve let your small game license lapse, take advantage of Take A Kid Hunting Weekend. For if you do, let me tell you what will happen on some future October day. A child will wake up, dress, and go to the window and look out in hopes of seeing . . . . you. And when that happens, the natural path of our hunting tradition will be trod again.