Becoming an Outdoors-Woman
Watch a clip about the Outdoors-Woman program on DEC TV.
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) and Beyond BOW are programs designed to teach women outdoor skills. These national programs provide women with information, encouragement and hands-on instruction in outdoor skills such as fishing, shooting, archery, hunting, trapping, outdoor photography, map and compass, survival, camping, canoeing and outdoor cooking. Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshops are designed primarily for women who have little or no experience with outdoor activities. These are three-day workshops that offer many different classes over the course of a weekend.
Beyond BOW workshops are another opportunity for women to learn outdoor skills and are anything we offer that is not the traditional three-day BOW workshop. They may be "next step" classes for women who have completed a beginner class at a BOW workshop. They may be one day, one subject classes. They may even be an actual hunt, canoe trip or camp-out.
BOW and Beyond BOW workshops are open to anyone aged 18 and over - past participants have ranged in age from late teens to the mid-eighties!
Testimonials
"This and previous workshops have really changed my life. I participate in so many activities that I never would have tried otherwise. My husband doesn't hunt or fish, so when I go out to do these things I'm alone, and the education I got here gave me the start I needed to get going and continue enjoying these activities."
"I came here feeling a little out of place and intimidated and am leaving feeling very comfortable and excited about trying some of my new found fishing and hiking skills."
"This program fulfilled a lifelong yearning I have had. Thank you."
"Great instructors, every single one was high quality: knowledgeable, practical & kind."
"I had a great time, I learned a lot and really enjoyed myself. I would highly recommend this program to any woman interested in learning more about our great outdoors. I'm looking forward to going again next year, there are so many other things I would love to try. Without these workshops I would never be able to try out so many new things. I also really enjoyed being with other women that would like to fish & hunt."
"It is a life experience! I wanted to learn skills that my husband, brother and father never had a chance to teach me. And to challenge myself without the guys around, I felt this was my chance."
"This is an extremely wonderful program that brings women together - all ages, all walks of life, with similar interests. It empowers women to take on a challenge that they may have been intimidated to take on their own."
Upcoming BOW Workshops:
2013 Schedule
The 2013 BOW workshop on June 28-30 at Silver Bay YMCA on Lake George is currently full. If you would like to be placed on the waiting list, please e-mail us or call (518) 402-8862.
Print or download a BOW Workshop Registration Form (PDF) (38 kB).
At workshops, we typically offer over 40 courses on topics ranging from hunting and fishing to hiking, camping, and nature study.
View the BOW Workshop Course Guide (PDF) (92 kB) for a description of the courses offered at the workshop. At most workshops participants also have the opportunity to receive their hunter or trapper education certificate. If you are interested, print or download the Requirements for Certification (PDF) (16 kB).
If you have questions, please call (518) 402-8862, e-mail us, or write to: NYS Outdoors-Woman, 625 Broadway, 5th Floor, Albany, NY 12233-4754.
Upcoming Beyond BOW Workshops:
For details about other Beyond BOW workshops in 2013, print or download the Adirondack Foothills Beyond BOW Course Guide (PDF) (62 kB), or review the list below.
January - March 2013
Winter Survival - Fire building, Sheltering and More
Date: January 19, 2013
Cost: $30 per person
Registration Contact: Sheila & Sonny Young, 518-359-8194, adkfoothills@yahoo.com
Snowshoe Round Pond Esker and Bogs
Date: February 9, 2013
Cost: $20 per person
Registration Contact: Sheila & Sonny Young, 518-359-8194, adkfoothills@yahoo.com
Snowshoe Deer Pond
Date: March 16, 2013
Cost: $20 per person
Registration Contact: Sheila & Sonny Young, 518-359-8194, adkfoothills@yahoo.com
April - June 2013
Wilderness First Aid, 9-hour certification program
Date: April 27
Cost: $110 per person (lunch is included)
Registration Contact: Sheila & Sonny Young, 518-359-8194, adkfoothills@yahoo.com
Become Skilled with Map & Compass
Date: May 25, 2013
Cost: $30 per person
Registration Contact: Sheila & Sonny Young, 518-359-8194, adkfoothills@yahoo.com
Stalking the Adirondack Ostrich: Ferns, Flowers and Trees of the Adirondacks
Date: June 8, 2013
Cost: $30 per person
Registration Contact: Sheila & Sonny Young, 518-359-8194, adkfoothills@yahoo.com
Spin Casting Mountain Lakes and Ponds
Date: June 29, 2013
Cost: $70 per person (limited enrollment)
Registration Contact: Sheila & Sonny Young, 518-359-8194, adkfoothills@yahoo.com
July - September 2013
Adirondack Byway: A Raquette Falls Hike & Paddle
Date: July 20, 2013
Cost: $45 per person (limited enrollment)
Registration Contact: Sheila & Sonny Young, 518-359-8194, adkfoothills@yahoo.com
The Complete Hiker - Fun and Safety in the Wildlands
Date: August 10, 2013
Cost: $30 per person
Registration Contact: Sheila & Sonny Young, 518-359-8194, adkfoothills@yahoo.com
High Peak Jaunt: Views from the Summit
Date: September 7, 2013
Cost: $30 per person (limited enrollment)
Registration Contact: Sheila & Sonny Young, 518-359-8194, adkfoothills@yahoo.com
October - December 2013
Wilderness First Aid, 9-hour certification program
Date: October 5, 2013
Cost: $110 per person (lunch is included)
Registration Contact: Sheila & Sonny Young, 518-359-8194, adkfoothills@yahoo.com
Adirondack White-tailed Deer Hunting
Dates: November 6-7 or November 13-14, 2013
Cost: $125 per person; price does not include breakfast, dinner, or lodging (very limited enrollment)
Registration Contact: Sheila & Sonny Young, 518-359-8194, adkfoothills@yahoo.com
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Listserv
Sign up for the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman e-mail notification listserve and get notices and registration information for all BOW and Beyond BOW events sent right to your inbox. To sign up, use this link to subscribe to GovDelivery by entering your e-mail address. Fill in and submit the requested information on the "New Subscriber" page.
This will take you to the "Quick Subscription" page where you will see all the topics that you can receive email updates on from DEC. Scroll to the "Education and Outdoor Skills" category and check the box next to "Becoming an Outdoors-Woman." You will receive a welcome email from DEC confirming your subscription(s).
For further information on the BOW or Beyond BOW program, contact: NYS Becoming an Outdoors-Woman, 625 Broadway, 5th Floor, Albany, NY 12233-4754 or call (518) 402-8862.
More about Becoming an Outdoors-Woman:
- Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Photo Gallery - images of participants in Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) and Beyond BOW Workshops.
