Since I really got into blogging, a little over a year ago, I have been amazed by the people who share the same outdoor passions as I do. I was fortunate enough to join the board of Becoming an Outdoors-Woman in April and help to introduce a number of women to new activities like fishing, hunting, archery and tracking deer. Each woman had a great story about why she wanted to learn to do these things; “So I can do it without my husband helping me” “I wanted to learn a new hobby” “I have always been interested and never had to guts to try it” so they came to an incredible Skills Weekend in September. It was a chance for women to try new things without worrying about failing while in the woods or on the water.
Learning to fish… I need to work on my stance!
For Christmas, I got a few turkey calls that I am hoping to learn how to use and maybe try some hunting in May if I can waddle my way into the woods.
My friend Robin, is learning to bow hunt and we share stories about our adventures on our blogs. One of the things we have run into as outdoors women, is proving that we belong in the woods alongside our male counterparts.
Just to put it in perspective for all of you out there reading this, when was the last time you told someone that you hunt and they asked you what kind of gun you use or if you gut the animals yourself? Do people question you when you say you are a hunter? Are you taken seriously when you go into a retail store to buy hunting equipment?
That is something many of us women have to deal with as we prove that we belong in the woods with everyone else. And that is why programs like BOW are so important: they give every woman the chance to learn a new skill/sport without worrying about being judged and being allowed to fail and ask questions.
So as I count down to the next time I can go ice fishing or the next workshop I can take to learn how to hunt turkey, I ask that you think about organizations like BOW and get involved. Help to promote more women getting into outdoors activities!
