Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) is an international program in which women age 18 and older learn outdoor skills through hands-on experiences. With BOW programs in multiple countries, 7 Canadian provinces and 38 U.S. states, BOW in North Carolina is managed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

BOW workshops are held across the state and offer a variety of outdoor skills, including fishing, hunter safety, target shooting, archery, canoeing, motorboat safety, outdoor cooking, tracking and map-and-compass. These sessions provide novices and more experienced participants enough knowledge and experience to pursue their outdoors interests after the workshops!

A BOW Shooting Sports course was recently held at the Wake County Wildlife Club offering attendees hands-on experience with shooting sporting clays with a shotgun, a handgun, several types of rifles and a bow and arrow. The day-long event allowed novice firearm users to develop a comfort-level with the various firearms and those in attendance who were more advanced to hone in on their skills. This event was free-of-charge thanks to the Wake County Wildlife’s generous donation of the use of their facility and a nourishing lunch provided for all participants.

Upcoming events are listed and information on how to register are online at www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/Courses-Seminars-Workshops/BOW.

By: Fairley Mahlum, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's Communications Director