The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announces upcoming workshops for women who want to spend a weekend learning a variety of outdoor skills.
The first Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshop will be Oct. 10-12 at Wallwood Boy Scout, Camp 23 Wallwood, BSA Drive in Quincy. The second workshop will be Nov. 21-23 at the Pine Jog’s Everglades Youth Conservation Camp in the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area, west of West Palm Beach. The third workshop will be March 27-29, 2009, 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 workshops are all held at rustic summer camp facilities with basic, modern amenities, and the lodging is dormitory style, with meals served in the cafeteria. Sessions 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. Four workshops, in 3½-hour sessions, 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 $175. However, partial scholarships are available for low-income, first-time participants. Workshops are limited to 100 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sessions include introductory courses in bass-, pan- and fly-fishing; knot-tying basics; 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 whitetail deer 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 workshops and registration is available at MyFWC.com/BOW or by calling 561-625-5122.
This information originally published on July 17, 2008.
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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announces upcoming workshops for women who want to spend a weekend learning a variety of outdoor skills.
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