Founded in 1887 by Theodore Roosevelt, the Boone and Crockett Club can boast a list of hugely significant accomplishments, among them; the protection of Yellowstone, Glacier, and Denali National Parks; the foundation of the National Forest Service, National Park Service, and National Wildlife Refuge System; the passing of the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts; and the establishment of the Federal Duck Stamp Program. It's a long list, and it gets even longer when you consider that each trophy the club records is another validation of the system it helped build, a sign that America's wildlife conservation efforts continue to be a resounding success because of the sportsman's support.

You can't force your child to be a sportsman. But if you find the right way to share your love for the outdoors with him or her, you can create the best hunting partner you'll ever have.

Call in sick. Vote late. Get engaged next spring. Whatever you do, just make sure you're in the deer woods on these seven dates, because there won't be a better time to tag a buck all year. PLUS: The Myths of the Rut, from Dr. Karl Miller.

To pass along a passion for wildlife and a strong conservation ethic, you need to instill in your kids an understanding of animals that has more to do with science than Disney.