Becoming an Outdoors-Woman

"I had the time of my life! Great instructors. Wonderful women.
I look forward to coming back again next year!"
"I can do it on my own now and teach my kids and my husband!"

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.

Paddling a kayak

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!

Upcoming BOW workshops:

September 5-7, 2008 - Silver Bay YMCA on Lake George, Warren County. Information and registration materials will be available in June.

Upcoming Beyond BOW events:

May 2-4, 2008 - Beyond BOW On Water in the Adirondacks.

October 17-19, 2008 - Beyond BOW Mountains and Streams in the Adirondacks.

October 24-26, 2008 - Beyond BOW Whitetail Deer Hunt in the Adirondacks.

For more information and reservations for any of the preceding events, download the 2008 Adirondack Beyond BOW Flyer (PDF 202kb).

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. All you need to do is click on the listserv link below and follow the directions on the screen. You will get a confirming e-mail back. You must respond to the confirming e-mail to activate the e-mail notification service.

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman listserv

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) 402-8883