Montana Becoming an Outdoors Woman Spring Workshops

If you live in Montana and are interested in learning outdoor skills in classes designed just for women, we've got great news for you. Montana's Fish, Wildlife and Parks division is putting on three Becoming an Outdoors Woman classes this spring, for very reasonable prices. The classes are designed for adult women, but are open to anyone 18 years of age and older who has a desire to learn new skills:

A Firearms Shooting class will be held at the Central Montana Shooting Complex in Lewistown on June 13. Participants will gain comfort and confidence in shooting rifles, shotguns and pistols. Participants must have completed a Hunter Education course, NRA shooting course, or the BOW Basic Gun Handling course as a prerequisite to attend. The registration fee of $40 includes lunch and the use of all firearms.

A Muzzle Loading and Primitive Skills Rendezvous class will be held near Thompson Falls June 13 and 14. Participants will experience an 1800s-style mountain man camp and learn to shoot a muzzle loader, throw tomahawks, cook in a Dutch oven, and start a fire with flint and steel. The registration fee of $85 includes two nights' camping and some meals.

A Nature Journaling class will be held at Spring Meadow Lake State Park in Helena on June 14. Before the advent of modern photography, nature was recorded in words and illustrations. This class will explore how to capture not only the physical presence of our experiences in nature, but also the journalists' feelings and interpretations. The class is open to beginner and experienced nature journalists. The registration fee of $15 will include some art supplies.

Registration forms are available on the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov ; click "Becoming an Outdoors Woman", under the Education tab.

For more information, contact FWP's BOW coordinator at: FWP-BOW, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT, 59620; call (406) 444-9940; or e-mail Liz Lodman at: llodman@mt.gov.