If you're a woman in Manitoba who wants to learn more about the outdoors, you might want to consider the 'Becoming an Outdoors Woman' weekend at the end of May.
Becoming an Outdoorswoman (BOW) is a program hosted by the Manitoba Wildlife Federation (MWF). It's designed for women of all ages to learn outdoor skills that will benefit them in all manners of outdoor interests, from fishing to hunting, to outdoor food preparation and so much more.
If you are a newcomer to the outdoors or looking to improve your outdoor skills and talents, BOW can introduce you to a variety of outdoor activities and provide the opportunity for continued skills development in many outdoor areas, through the 30+ workshops instructed mostly by women. So, there is no such thing as a stupid question!
"It is a weekend for women to come together and to learn all those skills that they may not have had a chance to learn, or they don't have someone to teach them, or they're trying to further their expertise on something," explains MWF Events and Membership Coordinator, Dawn Scarfe.
The weekend event is held each spring at Circle Square Ranch in Austin, which offers the perfect setting for fun activities both inside and outside these western-styled buildings. "This is an amazing location," says Scarfe. "They have it all set up like an old western town which lends itself to so many themes."
Eighty women participate in a variety of workshops featuring three specific categories: Hunting, Fishing and Non-Consumptive/After the Harvest workshops.
A live band (which often segues into a fun evening of kicking up your heels), wonderful food and women from every corner of the province makes for a memorable weekend.
The BOW program started in Manitoba 30 years ago, and is now a national program providing hands-on instruction in outdoor skills across Canada and the U.S.