Contact:  Lynne Hawk, 561-625-5122

FWC offers Outdoors-Woman workshops in 2008

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) offers three workshops in 2008 for women who want to spend a weekend learning a variety of outdoor skills. 

The first Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshop will be March 28-30 at the Ocala Conservation Center, 7325 N.E. 170 Ave., in Silver Springs on Lake Eaton, in the Ocala National Forest, about 20 miles east of Ocala.  The second workshop will be in October at the Wallwood Boy Scout, Camp 23 Wallwood, BSA Drive in Quincy.  The third workshop will be in November at Pine Jog’s Everglades Youth Conservation Camp in the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area, west of West Palm Beach.  These are rustic summer camp facilities with basic, modern amenities, and the lodging is dormitory style, with meals served in the cafeteria.  Sessions will begin Friday afternoon and end Sunday with lunch.

The FWC invites women, 18 and older, to attend the workshops to learn or improve their outdoors skills and enjoy a few recreational activities. In four, 3½-hour sessions, workshops teach skills associated with hunting/shooting, fishing and non-consumptive activities, such as canoeing and camping, at all levels of physical activity.

The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program offers a fun and supportive atmosphere to experiment and enjoy the camaraderie of others who want to learn about Florida’s great outdoors. Although it is designed with women in mind, the camp is open to anyone who wants to learn in a comfortable, non-threatening, non-competitive, hands-on atmosphere. The camp’s instructors strive to make participants feel at ease. 

“Patience is the secret to the success of our Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program,” said Lynne Hawk, director of the program. “Our instructors are here to guide people through the activities. There is no intimidation.”

The cost is $150.  However, partial scholarships are available for low-income, first-time participants. Workshops are limited to 100 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Session topics include introductory courses in bass-, pan- and fly-fishing; handgun shooting and hunting; shooting sports; and shotgun shooting and hunting. Also boating, canoeing/kayaking, map and compass, and small-game-hunting basics will be offered. Participants can learn about Florida whitetails and turkeys and take courses in archery and bowhunting and regular hunting and black powder firearms. Bowhunting and hunter certification courses are also available. Safety concerns are addressed in a personal safety course along with a course on map and compass basics and basic wilderness survival skills, wilderness first aid and reading the woods. Other courses include outdoor photography, bird watching and instruction on becoming a primitive chef.

Information about the workshop and registration is at MyFWC.com/BOW or by calling 561-625-5122.