Frankfort, Ky. – The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, along with the Kentucky Network of Outdoor Women and the Kentucky 4-H Leadership Center in Jabez, Ky., will host a three-day Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) Workshop Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 for women 18 and older interested in learning outdoor skills.  

Pre-registration is required. The deadline to apply is Sept. 20. The $175 workshop fee includes all meals and lodging for two nights, all session and materials and transportation to and from workshop class sites. Registration forms are available by calling toll free 1-800-858-1549 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays. The workshop begins with check-in at 11 a.m. Eastern time on Friday, Sept. 29. The workshop concludes at noon Sunday, Oct. 1. Jabez is located near Somerset, Ky.

There will be four outdoor instructional sessions during the weekend. Participants may choose from many classes including Fly Tying, Fishing, Basic Shotgun and Rifle Shooting, Archery Skills, Canoeing, Edible and Medicinal Plants, Beekeeping, Campfire Cooking, Wildlife Identification and more. Accommodations are dormitory style and participants may request to room with friends for the weekend.

“We want to encourage women to learn more about the outdoors, and get a chance to experience these activities in a non-threatening setting,” said Beth Spivey-Minch, volunteer BOW Program Coordinator for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.

Sometimes women are reluctant to engage in activities related to the outdoors because fishing, archery, target shooting or hunting are often thought of as male-oriented activities, or they simply don’t get a chance to do so in an environment that assists them in learning how. According to Spivey-Minch, women find these things equally as enjoyable as men do, once they learn a little more about them and have the chance to do them. BOW workshops are about hands-on learning, asking questions and being with others with similar interests who are there to try new things, too.

“There’s no better way to learn basic fishing skills, firearms safety and operation and other handy tips that help us enjoy the world around us,” said Spivey-Minch.

“You make a lot of new friends and by the end of the workshop, it’s amazing how comfortable our participants become with things they never thought they’d be able to accomplish,” she added. “You’ll be ready to be part of the next family fishing, camping or hunting outing and it will be much more fun because you’ll know more about how to do it.”

The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program focuses on building skills, but it also teaches the value of wildlife resources to our quality of life, and shows just how big the role wildlife plays in giving us opportunities for enjoyment really is, Spivey-Minch said. “It’s easy to take for granted and sometimes women aren’t exposed to that message,” she added. “It’s something we all need to understand.”

Spivey-Minch says hunters, anglers and boaters help fund the conservation of wildlife and fisheries resources in Kentucky. She says the quality and quantity of outdoor recreation directly depends on funding the management of those resources. “If you believe conservation is important and beneficial, you can help support that effort through buying a license and getting out there to fish or hunt as often as you can, and encourage your family to find out how much fun these activities are, too,” she said. “We can show you how through this program.”