Aug. 30, 2023
Randy Zellers Assistant Chief of Communications
LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will host a special Becoming an Outdoors-Woman weekend getaway, Oct. 6-8 at the C.A. Vines 4 H Center in Little Rock with workshops throughout each day to help ladies learn how to hunt, fish and be a larger part of conservation in Arkansas.
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman is an outdoor skills program that offers workshops, classes and camps designed for 18 years and older women. The program focuses on providing women the opportunity to learn skills and encourages participation in hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities. These programs offer a supportive atmosphere where women can learn skills that enhance their enjoyment of Arkansas’s outdoors.
The classes fill up quickly, so interested participants should register as soon as possible.
“Even if the registration is full, it’s important to get on the waiting list,” Tara Bennett, BOW and mentored hunt administrative assistant for the AGFC, said. “We usually have cancellations from people who can’t attend, and we often dig pretty deeply into the waiting list to fill those spots. Get on the list now and be at the front of the line when we start making those phone calls to fill spots for this fun weekend of camaraderie and conservation.”
According to Lea White, BOW and Mentored Hunt coordinator for the AGFC, any woman 18 or older who is interested in taking her first steps toward a lifetime of outdoor memories will want to sign up for this weekend-long workshop, filled with classes ranging from Dutch oven cooking, fly fishing and fly-tying to advanced shotgun shooting and turkey hunting.
“About one-third of the courses offered revolve around hunting, another third cover fishing, and the remainder focus on other outdoor-themed activities, White said. “The classes are taught in a group setting to help build camaraderie and many of our participants build some lifelong bonds learning about the outdoors.”
That networking aspect of BOW has been a catalyst for many groups of new female hunters forming their own small hunting clubs to get together after the weekend, either on their own or through future courses offered through the AGFC.
“Finding people to share your experiences is critical to most newcomers in the outdoors, and this format has a proven record for breaking the ice for people who attend,” White said.
The C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center in Ferndale. It is located about 15 miles west of Little Rock. Classes begin at noon on Friday and end at noon on Sunday. Raffles, door prizes and evening programs are included in the event.
Visit https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/201969 to see a full roster of classes and register for the event. You can also visit the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Arkansas Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BOWArkansas to stay up to date on future events and news from the AGFC.
CUTLINES:
WOMEN BESIDE STUMP
Most people who attend a Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program meet a new network of outdoors-minded women to build future memories with.
FIREARMS TRAINING
Learning safe firearms-handling skills is one of many courses to be offered at the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman event in October.