Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine

An unforgettable weekend

By Stacey Kuttler

Come as you are. That is the best way to describe the BOW (Becoming an Outdoors Woman) workshops that thousands of women attend each year around the country and beyond. I had the pleasure of being the guest at one of these workshops in late September, courtesy of ODNR, in Ashley, OH, at Recreation Unlimited.
Hands down, the best part of my first BOW experience was getting to meet the seven women that let me infiltrate their little group. Kelly, Chris, Dottie, Cindy, Kathy, both Jane’s and I got along like we knew each other for years. Showing up alone at a BOW event is okay because the BOW veterans will have no problem welcoming you with open arms. My new friends and I have already made plans for meeting up at future BOW events.

The worst part of the weekend was that it wasn’t long enough. ODNR BOW coordinators Jen Dennison and Matt Ortman made sure we were always entertained. I truly applaud ODNR for putting on such an amazing event.

BOW workshop participants chose four classes from more than two dozen available sessions. I opted for Firearms and Safety, Canoeing, Arrow Making and Waterfowl Hunting. Firearms and Safety could be counted toward the class that ODNR requires before obtaining a hunting license. It included a through overview of effective safety techniques but was also an informative hands-on instruction for those novice to guns.

Canoeing was an absolute blast! Ohio Watercraft officers instructed us on the proper techniques for canoeing. By the end of class they had us on the lake playing a game of ‘canoe football’. Most of us stayed dry, but in a frenzy to grap a loose football a few participants flipped their boats.
My following class that day was on dry land, but it came with its own set of hilarities, Arrow Making. It was hit-and-miss experience, so to speak. I did manage to make two good specimens of arrows. I brought them home as a souvenirs.

It wasn’t unusual to hear the sounds of whistles and applause during some of the other outdoor sessions. Several women conquered the 50-foot Alpine Tower — all the way to the top and back. One of my crew conquered making fire from natural materials in the Fire Building class. The women that participated in the shooting sessions, which included archery, muzzleloading, rifle, shotgun, handgun and instinctive shooting, were able to bring home their targets for proof of showmanship.

There were several sessions that gave women the exploration of the outdoors like Tree Trivia, Map and Compass (getting around out in the vast woods), Outdoor Photography, Backyards for Wildlife (learning to make a habitat conducive for wildlife in your own yard), Backpacking, Basic Tracking and Walk on the Wild Side (discovering the outdoor environment). From what I heard overall, the women that did the Fly Fishing and Fishing for Fun brought in some nice catches.

For women who still wanted to do “girl-type stuff”, they could learn about canning and Dutch Oven cooking. The Dutch Oven class shared their culinary creations with the camp at lunch the closing day. In Canning, women were directed in the art of making jam and fresh salsa. There was something for everyone. But it was the extracurricular activities that really became the hidden gem of the weekend.

Friday night we got to enjoy sitting outside by the fire talking about what a great day it had been, and how great the rest of the weekend would be. Optional mini-classes that evening was held in rock painting, self-defense and bag stamping. Night hikes were scheduled both nights for the night-owls and the adventurers. Tethered hot-air balloons were brought in Saturday afternoon for what I thought was an exhilarating end to the day. I was pleasantly surprised when I learned a DJ was going to be at the lodge that night. That capped a very memorable day for me.

As for the weekend, I appreciate the efforts of the DNR and for those wonderful ladies that took me under their wing, and then carried me to second place in the Calling Contest competition.
BOW events are held throughout the year. I plan on attending as often as I can.
BOW is active in nearly every state and is open to any woman 18 and over, whether they are familiar with the outdoors or not. Visit www.uwsp.edu/cnr/bow for more information. It will make for an unforgettable weekend, I promise.