There’s a moment many women recognize when stepping into a new outdoor space. You’re excited, curious, and just uncertain enough to wonder if you belong. The gear is unfamiliar. The rules feel unwritten. And the quiet question hangs in the air: Am I doing this right?
On the Potomac River, surrounded by floodlights, muddy water, and a boat full of women asking those same questions, the answer became clear. Belonging doesn’t come from expertise. It comes from community.
The most recent Ascend episode follows a group of women invited by Sisterhood Outdoors to try bowfishing together, targeting invasive species like snakehead and catfish. For some, it was their first time on a bowfishing boat. For others, it was a chance to build on skills they already had. What unified them wasn’t experience level, but a shared willingness to learn out loud.
“This is my second time going bowfishing,” one participant says. “It’s like a hybrid between hunting and fishing. You can actually see the fish, and if you don’t catch it, it’s your fault.”
Conditions weren’t ideal. Storms rolled through. Wind and muddy water limited visibility. Success wasn’t guaranteed. Still, the energy stayed light. Missed shots were met with laughter, not embarrassment. Instruction was practical and patient, focused on posture, aim, and safety. Every correction came with encouragement.
For many women, the conservation aspect was what sealed the experience. “At first I was a little iffy about it,” another woman explains. “But then I saw the conservation side of it. We’re going after invasive species, so it kind of marries the two. You’re doing nature a favor.”
That connection between participation and conservation is central to Ducks Unlimited’s mission. DU’s work is rooted in the belief that people protect what they understand and value.
What mattered most, though, was how the women supported one another. “As women, we don’t talk to each other the same way as men do,” one participant says. “So it’s really great to have that female supporting environment, supporting you back in the way that you need to be supported.”
By the end of the night, confidence had replaced hesitation. First fish were celebrated. Misses were shrugged off. Plans were already forming for the next trip.
This story isn’t about bowfishing. It’s about what happens when women are welcomed into outdoor spaces with mentorship instead of pressure. When conservation becomes something you participate in. When learning together makes the outdoors feel possible.
Watch the Ascend episode to see how community, conservation, and mentorship came together on the Potomac.
Learn more at ducks.org/ascend.
The Women's Outdoor News, aka The WON, features news, reviews and stories about women who are shooting, hunting, fishing and actively engaging in outdoor adventure. This publication is for women, by women. View all posts by The WON
