Becoming an Outdoor Woman

FERNDALE - More than 130 women took up the torch of carrying on our outdoors passions to the next generation at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Workshop, held at the C.A. Vines 4-H Center west of Little Rock during the last weekend in September.

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman is a special workshop held each year to introduce many different aspects of the outdoors specifically to women. Lea Gray, coordinator of the event and the AGFC’s new Hunt Natural program, says offering the program enables women to build confidence in these activities that have been dominated by men for generations.

“Many women who hunt and fish were introduced by a father or a husband who pursued the outdoors,” Lea said. “We try to get as many female instructors as possible to help women who may not have those influences gain the confidence and knowledge they need to get out there on their own and learn how much is available for them outdoors.”

Eighty-five of the women participating in the event were first-time attendees. Women from all walks of life and ages were represented as well.

“We had one woman who had six children and was excited just to have a little time to learn something for herself, and we had others who were students at [University of Arkansas at Little Rock],” Gray said. “Ages ranged from 23 all the way into their 80s.”