Women's Workshop Offers Instruction on Fishing,Hunting,Outdoor Skills

OLYMPIA - Women can learn the basics of fishing, hunting, and other outdoor skills in a September weekend workshop that includes several sessions led by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) experts and other certified instructors.

Scheduled for Sept.14-16 at Camp River Ranch in Carnation, the annual workshop is coordinated by Washington Outdoor Women (WOW), a non-profit program dedicated to teaching women outdoor skills and natural resource stewardship. WOW, now in its 15th year, is an educational outreach program of the Washington Wildlife Federation.

Twenty different classes will be offered throughout the weekend on skills such as archery, basic freshwater fishing, fly fishing and tying, kayaking and the basics of big-game hunting.

Several WDFW staff members will serve as volunteer instructors for the event. Biologist Shelly Ament will teach wildlife identification, while biologists Laura Till and Susan Cierebiej will teach map and compass skills. In all, 32 instructors volunteer their time and expertise at this WOW workshop to help women re-connect with the outdoors.

Workshop participants must be at least 18 years old and must have a current Washington recreational fishing license to participate in the fishing and fly-fishing sessions.

For information about the workshop, including registration fees, see the WOW website ( http://www.washingtonoutdoorwomen.org ) or call Ronni McGlenn at (425) 455-1986.