Wanted – adventurous and outdoorsy women wishing to learn more about Florida’s great outdoors in a comfortable, noncompetitive, hands-on environment. If this could be you, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to participate in the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) workshop near Ocala.
The three-day workshop takes place March 9-11 at the Ocala Conservation Center in the Ocala National Forest. The workshop begins Friday at 10 a.m. and ends Sunday with lunch.
Although designed with women in mind, the workshop is open to people 18 years and older who wants to improve their outdoor skills and enjoy several recreational activities.
The program offers a fun and supportive atmosphere for participants wishing to try new things and enjoy the camaraderie of other women wanting to do the same. In four, three-and-one-half-hour sessions, the BOW workshop teaches some of the basic skills associated with fishing, hunting and other forms of outdoor recreation, at all levels of physical activity, with hands-on experience.
“The most popular classes women sign up for are canoeing/kayaking, reading the woods, handguns and archery,” BOW state coordinator Lynne Hawk said.
Other classes available are outdoor cooking, shooting sports, wilderness survival, camping/backpacking, deer hunting, small game hunting, outdoor photography, wilderness first aid, map & compass, pan fishing, fly fishing, boating, bird watching, personal safety, shotguns, bass fishing, turkey hunting, hunter safety course, muzzleloaders, bow hunting and knot tying.
The cost for the three-day workshop is $175, and there are discounted slots available for low-income participants, single parents and college students attending the workshop for the first time. The workshop is restricted to 100 people on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information about the BOW workshop or how you can register, visit MyFWC.com/BOW or call Lynne Hawk at 561-625-5122.
Publisher/Editor Barbara Baird is a freelance writer in hunting, shooting and outdoor markets. Her bylines are found at several top hunting and shooting publications. She also is a travel writer, and you can follow her at https://www.ozarkian.com. View all posts by Barbara Baird
Florida was my first BOW and I loved it!