RALEIGH, N.C. –

A women-only deer hunt is scheduled for Oct. 23-24 in Northampton County, with one-on-one guide service, lodging and meals included in the fee. The hunt is limited to 10 participants, who only need to have a hunting license and a willingness to learn. Pre-registration is now open on a first-come, first served basis.

“This hunt is intended for first-time or beginning women hunters, to get them in the field with a knowledgeable guide so they can learn through experience,” said BB Gillen, Becoming an Outdoors-Woman coordinator for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “It’s also a lot of fun.”

More information is available by contacting BB Gillen at bb [dot] gillen [at] ncwildlife [dot] org or calling (919) 218-3638 or (919) 894-3996.

Get N.C. Wildlife Update – news including season dates, bag limits, legislative updates and more – delivered to your Inbox from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Go to www.ncwildlife.org/enews.

The NRA’s “Refuse to Be a Victim” seminar includes easy-to-understand methods that women can use to prevent a criminal confrontation. During the seminar, women will learn:

The responsibility of owning a firearm and firearm safety;

The basic components of a handgun and how they work;

Home and phone security;

Automobile and travel security;

Personal and technological security;

Self-defense devices and training options.

The seminar costs $25 per person, which includes instruction and classroom materials. For more information, contact Mary Polkowski, NRA instructor, at 586-286-SAFE (7233) or visit www.ccwtraining.com. Registration forms for this seminar are located online on the DNR’s Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Web site at www.michigan.gov/bow.

The goal of the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program is to provide opportunities for women to learn skills that enhance and encourage participation in shooting, hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities.

Classes offered include kayaking, canoeing, high ropes, fly-fishing, falconry, archery, upland dog training, biking, nature journaling, rifle/shotgun shooting and nature hikes. Participants sign up for three classes during the weekend.

Lodging, meals, instruction, equipment and evening entertainment are all included in one low workshop fee. To request a conference brochure, which explains registration costs, go to or call the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 or toll free 888-MINNDNR (646-6367).

Participants can register by calling Eagle Bluff at 888-280-9908.

More information about the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program is available online.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is now offering one of its very popular “Becoming an Outdoorswoman” workshops on September 18 – 20, 2009, at the Silver Bay YMCA on Lake George, Warren County.

“These workshops are particularly important in teaching participants useful outdoors skills, introducing them to fun and challenging activities and encouraging them to connect with nature,” said DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis.

Becoming an Outdoorswoman is a program that offers weekend-long, outdoor skills workshops for women ages 18 or older, and is designed for women with little or no experience with outdoor activities. Nearly 40 different classes will be offered at the Silver Bay workshop. These include canoeing, fishing, kayaking, shotgun shooting, GPS, wilderness camping, turkey hunting, day hiking, wilderness first aid, survival skills, archery, outdoor photography, bowhunting, reading wildlife sign, muzzleloading, and fish and game cooking. Women can even earn a Hunter or Trapper Safety Education certificate.

The registration fee is $120, which covers instruction in four classes, program materials and use of equipment. The registration fee does not include meals and lodging at Silver Bay.

Workshop information and registration materials are available on the DEC website. Information is also available by calling DEC at 518-402-8862 or writing to “Becoming an Outdoorswoman, NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754.

The event, for ages 16 and older, will take place at Branched Oak State Recreation Area near Malcolm. Participants will be instructed in a relaxed, noncompetitive and nonintimidating atmosphere.

Preregistration by July 15 is required. A fee of $20 includes lunch and an education manual. Class size is limited. Contact Julia Plugge at (402) 471-6009 or julia [dot] plugge [at] nebraska [dot] gov to register.

CHANUTE — On May 30, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Lil Toledo Lodge, the Kansas Wildlife Officers Association, and the Kansas State Rifle Association, the Women of the National Rifle Association (NRA), and the Kansas Bow Hunter Association will join forces to conduct the area’s fourth Women on Target Shooting Skills For Women shooting clinic.

The event will be held at the Lil’ Toledo Lodge, southeast of Chanute. Activities will run from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m.. Lil’ Toledo Lodge sets along the banks of the Neosho River providing an esthetic setting in the outdoors. The grounds are covered by native oak and hickory trees, and mowed walking trails allow wildlife to be viewed in a natural setting.

This event is for women only and is designed for women who may have never handled a gun. Women who have some experience are also encouraged to attend. Each participant will learn to shoot a variety of guns and bows and enjoy fellowship with other women. The event will give participants the opportunity to shoot shotguns, revolvers, semiautomatic handguns, small-caliber rifles, big bore rifles, and black powder rifles, as well as longbows, recurve bows, and compound bows. Participants will also have the opportunity to use the Laser Shot shooting simulator. Activities are conducted so that each woman can participate at her own pace and at her own experience level. This shooting clinic will also reinforce safe gun handling techniques, the mechanics of loading and unloading guns, and how to use bows and tree stands. In the shotgun shooting portion of the event, all women will be consistently breaking targets in the air before the day is over.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided by Lil’ Toledo Lodge, where women will have the opportunity to meet and talk with the other women about the experiences that they had in the morning events and what they have to look forward to in the afternoon. Women will also have an opportunity to ask questions of the instructors and trainers. There will also be a drawing for items that have been donated by local businesses.

The registration fee is $30 per person, which helps cover the cost of shooting supplies and targets. This event will be limited to the first 35 women who register and pay the fee. All women must be 18 years old. Participants do not need to bring guns or ammunition. All guns and equipment and supplies will be provided. However, participants may bring their own 20-gauge shotguns if they wish. All guns must be checked by the person in charge of the training before they are used.

To participate in the Shooting Skills for Women event, contact the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Pratt Operations Office at 620-672-5911. Ask for Stacy in Hunter Education to pre-register. The event is first-come, first-served, so those wishing to participate should pre-register as soon as possible.

Becoming and Outdoors Woman (BOW) is an outdoor skills program offered by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department each summer.  The weekend-long workshop introduces women to a variety of activities they can enjoy in Wyoming’s great outdoors – from hunting and shooting to fishing, canoeing or wildlife photography.

Wyoming’s BOW camp will be held June 19-21, 2009 at the Whiskey Mountain Conservation Camp outside of Dubois, Wyo.  Women participants can select from a variety of classes and programs, tailoring their experience to individual interests and comfort levels.  Classes include shooting, firearms safety, spin-cast fishing, fly-fishing, outdoor photography, campfire cooking, horse packing, outdoor survival and archery.

The original BOW program was started more than 15 years ago as a way to allow women to learn about and participate in outdoor related skills in a safe, non-threatening environment.  Although interest by women in outdoor activities is increasing across the nation, some still need a nudge to try a new activity like hunting or fishing and turn it into a lifelong passion.  Game and Fish believes BOW workshops give women the chance to take that first step and get involved.

“Some women believe they can’t, or shouldn’t, try a particular activity,” explains Janet Milek, BOW workshop coordinator and aquatics educator for the Game and Fish.  “It can be intimidating starting in an outdoor activity.  We really strive to create a fun, supportive atmosphere.  BOW is a great venue for women to take a risk or learn a new skill so that one day, they can enjoy all of the great outdoor activities this state has to offer.”

New to the BOW camp this year is the option for women to complete the hunter education program required to do any hunting in Wyoming by attending the BOW hunter education field day.  BOW participants can register for and complete an online hunter education course through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, then attend the BOW hunter education field day and satisfy the field day testing requirement.

Evenings are left free for the women to test some of their new skills hiking to nearby Lake Louise or fishing Torrey Creek or the Wind River.  They can also enjoy special programs on wildlife photography and area history and culture or explore the surrounding landscape with other participants.

“It’s not just about the activities, it’s about enjoying the whole experience and the camaraderie of women,” says Milek.

Applications for the June session will be accepted through April 15, 2009.  The three-day event costs $150, which includes all meals, equipment and lodging in rustic cabins.  Space is limited to fifty women, and final participants will be selected through a random draw.

Applications are available on the Game and Fish Web site.

Instruction and participation offered through Becoming an Outdoors-Woman can include bird watching, camping and backpacking, canoe and kayaking, nature photography, wilderness survival, outdoor cooking, stream ecology, rock climbing, shotgun and rifle marksmanship, and fishing, fly-tying and fly-fishing.

“The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program is all about discovery,” said BB Gillen, outdoor skills coordinator for N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, which offers the program in this state. “It’s a chance to discover outdoor adventure, fun and friendship and to discover yourself. Both Becoming an Outdoors-Woman and Beyond BOW, its single-topic extension, are for women looking to expand their experience, not necessarily those who are experienced.”

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman events for 2009:

• April 4 – A Fly-Fishing Experience at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard.
• April 17-18 – Game and Outdoor Cooking at Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center in Johnston County.
• May 1-3 – A Full BOW Weekend at Camp Rockmont near Asheville.
• May 16-17 – Outdoor Skills Session at McDowell Nature Preserve in Charlotte.
• June 12-14 – Hunter Education and Archery at Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center in Johnston County.

Participation is open to women ages 18 and older. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, with a fee covering cost of materials and accommodations. Contact BB Gillen at (919)-218-3638 or bb [dot] gillen [at] ncwildlife [dot] org for more information or to register for any event.

Fees that will increase include:

• Duplicate Watercraft Registration Card – increases from $1 to $5
• Duplicate Watercraft Decals – from $1 to $5
• Duplicate Outboard Motor Decals – from $1 to $5
• Late Fee for application to Title/Register or Registration Renewal – 31-60 days $15; 61 or more days $30. Late fee applies to expired registrations, failure to transfer or title and register watercraft or outboard motors with five horsepower or greater within 30 days of the transaction date.

Notification of Address or Ownership change:,

• Change of Address – was 15 days and now is 30 days
• Change of Ownership – was 15 days and now is 30 days

DNR protects and manages South Carolina’s natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state’s natural resources and its people.

Jan Heavener of Sherwood, Tammy Richardson of Glenwood and Lucy Mize of Ben Lomond are looking forward to representing their home state at the event on Hamilton, a 7,200-acre impoundment of the Ouachita River on the southern edge of Hot Springs.

“It’s a beautiful lake with a big population of spotted bass,” said Heavener, who is a first-time WBT Championship qualifier. “I fished it a few years ago, but I really don’t know the lake. I was there in the hot summer just to learn my way around, and I’ve been back to practice the past few weekends.”

Mize, a one-time WBT event winner who has qualified for all three of the circuit’s championships, said she’ll scout Hamilton for a few days before the cutoff, a practice approach with which she’s most comfortable.

“I have fished Lake Hamilton, but not for several years,” said Mize, who lives more than 100 miles from the championship fishery. “I have some areas in mind that I’ll concentrate on. I think the lake plays to my strengths, but Hamilton is going to be a tough tournament.”

Richardson, also a championship qualifier since the WBT’s inception, spent about a week scouting the lake.

“I have so many other lakes closer to me — Ouachita, De Gray and Lake Greeson — that Hamilton isn’t one I’ve fished a lot,” Richardson said. “But I have competed on Hamilton in team tournaments. This time of year, the fish are in transition to fall patterns, and you can catch them deep and you can catch them shallow.”

All three home-staters said a win in Arkansas would be the icing on the cake of the WBT Championship title, which includes a Triton/Mercury boat rig valued at $55,000, plus $5,000 cash.

The competition will be the biggest event of the WBT season on another count: It will result in the first woman to qualify for a Bassmaster Classic. The Toyota Tundra WBT Angler of the Year, the pro who has amassed the most points through the season, will qualify for the Classic. She will be up against 50 other anglers in the 2009 Bassmaster Classic, set for Feb. 20-22 on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La.

The points leaders going into the Lake Hamilton event are Kim Bain of Alabaster, Ala., who has 890 points; Cindy Hill of Smyrna, Tenn., who has 876 points; and Juanita Robinson of Highlands, Texas, with 855 points.

While one of the points leaders could score both the Classic berth and the championship title, it’s possible that the championship winner will be among the other 17 qualifiers.

The three pros from Arkansas know they are perhaps too far behind to catch the points leaders, but they’re more than happy to be able to focus on taking the WBT Championship trophy.

“All I can do is get out there and try to win it,” Heavener said. “Winning would be the highlight of my career, of anyone’s career. To have it happen in my home state would be even more special.”

For more details on the event, click here.

The event begins at 7:30 a.m. and includes classroom, range and field assistance in the techniques of gun handling and safety, pheasant hunting and game care. There will be shooting practice as well as seminars on wildlife and hunting. A barbecue lunch is included. Permits for the clinic will be selected by drawing. Hunters must have a valid hunting license and provide their own shotgun, safety glasses and ammunition. Hunting dogs will be provided (please do not bring your own dog).

Hunters can apply on the DFG Web site or can download, print and mail an application form available at www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/uplandgame/gamebird/specialhunts. Scroll down and click on “Apprentice Hunts for Women” to find information and a statewide map of the hunts and the application. Applicants must enter their name, address, phone number and hunting license number. Hunters who have just graduated from a hunter safety class and have a priority stamp may enter that number to receive priority in the drawing. Two hunters may enter as one party. The cost is $10 per person payable to Cammatta Ranch on the day of the hunt. There are 36 spots available and the application is due by Nov. 3. Cammatta Ranch is on Hwy 58 near Santa Margarita.

FT. SCOTT — The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the city of Ft. Scott, and local merchants are sponsoring a women-only fishing clinic on Oct. 4 at the Ft. Scott City Lake rearing pond, located south of Ft. Scott and 3 miles west of U.S. Highway 69 on the east side of the lake. This event is for women 18 years and older and is designed to teach all aspects of fishing.

Instructors will cover fishing techniques and provide one-on-one training. Topics include application of basic fishing equipment, how to use different kinds of rods and reels, and what kinds of baits are best for certain fish. A casting contest will sharpen casting skills. There will be a segment on fish identification and explanation of where to find different species of fish. All participants will have the opportunity to catch fish, and lunch will be provided.

Women are encouraged to bring fishing equipment if they have it. For those who do not have equipment, it will be provided.

A $5 registration fee will cover the cost of the event, and each woman will go home with fishing equipment of her own. To pre-register, phone 620-672-5911 and ask for Stacy in Hunter Education. The clinic is limited to 35 women.

The three-day workshop will take place Oct. 10-12 at Camp Wallwood on the Gadsden County side of Lake Talquin. The program will begin Friday at 10 a.m. and end Sunday with lunch.

Although designed with women in mind, the workshop is open to everyone 18 and older who wants to improve their outdoor skills and enjoy a few recreational activities. During four, three-and-one-half-hour sessions, the workshop will teach skills associated with fishing, hunting and other forms of outdoor recreation, at all levels of physical activity.

The BOW Program offers a fun and supportive atmosphere for participants wishing to try new things and enjoy the camaraderie of others who want to learn about Florida’s great outdoors. 

The cost for the program is $175, and there are a few discounted slots available for low-income participants, single parents and college students.

For more information on the BOW workshop and how you can register, visit MyFWC.com/BOW or call 850-413-0085.