Multi-Class Workshop >>

Becoming an Outdoors Women - Colorado willl offer a multi-course workshop August 25-27, 2017.  The 3-day program will be held at Peaceful Valley Ranch in Lyons, Colorado.   It is a breathtaking setting to learn basic outdoor skills and receive hands-on training and experience in several outdoor activities. 

Sign up for the BOW Colorado Newsletter so we can keep you informed of when registration opens for the next event!

Skills may include archery, fly fishing, fly tying, map and compass, outdoor campfire cooking, shotgun shooting, knot tying, wild edibles and more. Workshop instructors are certified in their field and include professional biologists, hunters, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts; all who specialize in providing exceptional training for women. 

Registration covers all instruction, equipment and supplies (except a fishing license required for open water fishing), 3 days and two nights lodging, seven fabulous sit down meals, two evening programs and entertainment, raffles, merchandise and MORE.

In addition, we will offer Beyond BOW classes throught the year in-between our multi-class workshops.  Please visit our Beyond BOW page for additional information.

When a registration opens, one of the below will be in color.  

Winter

Registration for Fall 2017 is OPEN! 

Friday Afternoon

10:00-11:00 a.m. Registration

11:00-12:00 p.m. Welcome and Introductions

12:00-1:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00-4:30 p.m. Session I

• Firearm Safety and Handling

• Fly Fishing

• Medicinal Plants

• Camping 101

• Outdoor Cooking 101

• Reading the Woods

• Outdoor Self-Reliance

4:30-6:00 p.m. Social Hour

6:30-7:30 p.m. Dinner

7:30-8:30 p.m. Evening Program

Saturday Morning

7:00-8:00 a.m. Breakfast

8:00-11:30 a.m. Session II

• Rifle Markswoman

• Beginning Shotgun

• Wild Edibles

• Chainsaw Safety

• Beginning Fishing

• Wildlife Habitat

• Trap Shooting

11:45-12:45 p.m. Lunch

Saturday  Afternoon

1:00-4:30 p.m. Session III

• Rifle Markswoman

• Beginning Shotgun

• Fly Fishing 102

• Outdoor Cooking 101

• Knot Tying

• Geocaching

• Raising Backyard Chickens  

4:30-6:00 p.m. Social Hour

6:00-7:00 p.m. Dinner

7:00-7:30 p.m. Evening Program:

Astronomy

7:30-8:30 p.m. Big BOW Raffle &

Silent Auction Lots of prizes, lots

of chances to win, lots of fun!

Class Descriptions >>

Sunday Morning

7:00-7:45 a.m. Breakfast

7:45-8:00 Closing Comments and

Door Prizes in the Auditorium

8:00-11:30 a.m. Session IV

• Wild Edibles

• Beginning Fishing

• Outdoor Survival

• Emergency Preparedness

• Roadside Warriors

• Bow Hunting

• Camping 101

11:30-12:00 p.m. Pack up and grab a

bagged lunch for the road. Mark your

calendar for the NEXT CO BOW!

PHYSICAL ACTIVITES RATINGS:

BOW classes are geared toward beginners and most are suitable for people of all physical ability levels.

Classes below are described according to the level of physical activity required to participate fully.

We’ve done this to help you decide if the class is right for you. If you are not sure, just ask us for more information.

We’re happy to help!

LEISURELY - Class is not physically demanding.

MODERATE - Class requires moderate level of physical activity; for example, lifting an

eight pound chainsaw or shotgun, paddling a canoe or kayak.

RUGGED - Class is fairly strenuous, and may require hiking/climbing over uneven terrain.

Archery LEISURELY

Learn about equipment selection, safety, choosing camouflage, ethics, distance judging, and have lots of time to practice shooting too.  Your instructor and their  team will provide patient coaching and a wealth of information in this hands-on class that will have you hitting the target in no time.

Beginning Shotgun  LEISURELY to MODERATE

Step up and take aim at some pigeons - clay ones, that is!  This is a fabulous opportunity for participants who are new to shooting or for those who want to polish their skills. Learn how to comfortably handle a shotgun and have fun with the shooting games of trap and skeet. Hunter education instructor Mike Fitzgerald and company will make this a fun and safe experience. (Session A, hunter safety certification, or significant shooting experience required to participate.)

Camping 101 LEISURELY

Camping is fun, affordable and requires surprisingly little planning. In fact, you probably own many camping supplies already! Develop a love of sleeping under the stars! Learn what to bring, how to pick a site, how to pitch a tent, setup your kitchen, start a fire, clean and store gear off-season and more.  Learn the tips and tricks to be prepared for your next outdoor adventure camping!

Emergency Preparedness MODERATE TO RUGGED

This class will help you prepare for unexpected natural disasters and other emergencies. Create an emergency plan and learn what goes into an emergency preparedness kit. Practice using commonly available emergency items. When the time comes, be it flood, wild fire, blizzard or hurricane, you are on your way to keeping you and your family safe and secure.

Fly Fishing 101 LEISURLY to MODERATE

Fly-fishing can look intimidating, but with a few basic skills and a little bit of knowledge, you’ll be ready to cast your line in no time. You will start at the beginning, becoming familiar with different kinds of equipment (rods, reels, and lines) and learn how to tie knots. Then, learn basic casting techniques, what flies to use, and how to read the water to find preferred fish habitat. This class will involve actual fishing. A current Colorado fishing license is required for all class participants. 

Geocaching  LEISURLY 

Did you dream of exploring the world and finding hidden treasure as a kid? Then you might be interested in geocaching, a grown up version of hunting for treasure using GPS technology. What does GPS even stand for? You will find out, plus a whole lot more in this class. Learn about GPS units, how they can be useful when outdoors and what can happen if you depend solely on technology. Finally, put that GPS technology to use as you traverse camp on a scavenger hunt to refine your new skills. Seek out hidden goodies, hide a cache of your own and get a little exercise to boot as you explore this popular outdoor activity. 

Outdoor Campfire Cooking  LEISURLY 

The truth is Dutch oven cooking is a fun, economical, no-fuss way to make amazing meals.  You will learn the basics, such as a Dutch oven is a heavy iron kettle with a tight-fitting lid and is the perfect tool for cooking meats, entrees, soups, breads and even desserts. You will also learn techniques for how to nestle it into a bed of charcoal for slow cooking or to use it over an open fire.

Most of the meals prepared in a Dutch oven are no-fuss, dump-and-go recipes requiring little attention, making this an ideal alternative method for cooking meals when electricity or gas is not an option.  The Dutch oven experts at BOW workshops offer more than just recipes; they share helpful tips for buying, baking, cleaning and properly storing Dutch ovens. Women also learn that not all ovens are created equal, and some kettles are designed for open fire, while others are for charcoal-pit cooking.

Raising Backyard Chickens  LEISURLY 

A small flock of chickens in your own backyard provides you with fresh eggs AND entertainment.  Your BOW instructor will share all he has learned about raising chickens over the past 15 years.  Housing, health, and happiness for chickens will be covered, as well as information on incubating and eating eggs and more more.  

Roadside Warrior  LEISURLY to MODERATE

Enjoying the outdoors includes getting there!  This class will help you prepare for your road trip and deal with unexpected travel issues.  Your instructor or  “outdoor adventure seekers” will share planning techniques, vehicle preparation, and how to handle roadside breakdown issues like changing tires and towing.  Safety, navigation and emergency kits for several scenarios will also be discussed in class to ensure trouble-free traveling in any season. 

Wild Edibles  LEISURLY to MODERATE

Outdoor educator and experiences outfitters will teach you how to find and identify the edible pars of plants, and how to recognize poisonous plants.  Participants will experiment with cooking and tasting roots, leaves, seeds, berries, flowers and fungi. 

Beginning Fishing LEISURELY

Learn how to set up and cast a basic spin-cast rod and reel combo with avid fisherwomen and patient instructors from WI Women Fish, a premiere fishing club that offers clinics for different types of fishing. Knot tying and lure selection, safety and regulations will all be covered. Participants will fish from shore for whatever species is biting at a nearby lake. (A valid Colorado fishing license is required.)

Bow Hunting  LEISURELY to MODERATE

Start off learning the basics of bow hunting.  Your instructor will go over the aspects that make bow hunting fun and  challenging and learn the techniques to become a more successful bow hunter.  They will go over tree stand safety, hunter ethics, and hunter responsibility toward wildlife, the environment, landowners and the general public.

Chainsaw Safety MDERATE TO RUGGED

As the old saying goes, when you cut your own wood, it warms you twice. But you don’t need to be weightlifter to be able to run a chainsaw. Learn how to safely use a chainsaw to remove small trees, trim unwanted tree limbs, and cut firewood. UWSP Forestry professor Les Werner will lead this power tool class that will make you feel powerful!

Firearm Safety & Handling Leisurly

Learn about guns and safe firearm handling in this

hands-on class. Your instructors will help you become comfortable around firearms in an information-packed, upbeat session. Join these fun and competent women for a safe and empowering learning session. (Participants must take this class, show valid Hunter Ed.  Certification, or have significant gun handling experience to participate in Rifle or Shotgun sessions.)

Fly Fishing 102  LEISURLY to MODERATE

If you already have basic fly-fishing experience and knowledge, this class is for you! Review the basics of casting techniques, knots, and reading the water. Then jump into intermediate information like double-hauls, roll casts, and wading techniques before heading to the river to chase the elusive trout! Work on your new techniques on the water with your instructor for real-time help and coaching. This class will involve actual fishing. A current Colorado fishing license will be required. 

Knot Tying  LEISURLY 

Whether you’re securing your kayak to the roof of your

car, tying on a favorite fishing lure, or hanging a hammock between two trees, knot tying is a useful skill. Your instructor will help you master a variety

of knots and applications.

Outdoor Survival  LEISURLY to MODERATE 

Take a lesson from the scouts and be prepared when enjoying the outdoors. A little knowledge and skill will go a long way in making a scary situation better if you ever find yourself in an emergency situation in the outdoors. Learn about starting a fire, finding shelter, collecting and purifying water. Get ideas and checklists for a well-stocked pack and emergency survival kit. Practice basic survival skills like building a makeshift shelter or finding a wayward hiker. You’ll soon know why precaution and preparation could prove to be the key ingredients to surviving a life-threatening situation in the outdoors. 

Reading the Woods  LEISURLY 

Turn off the television and tune into the wildlife around you! Learn to read the landscape around you for signs of wildlife. Try different tools for wildlife viewing like binoculars and spotting scopes. View tracks and sign to know what wildlife awaits you ahead. Build a birdhouse and learn ways of landscaping that will draw wildlife to your backyard. This is the perfect class for hikers, campers, birders, or any woman who enjoys wildlife and treasurers her encounters with the natural world.  

Rifle Marksmanship  LEISURLY to MODERATE

Get on target with your rifle marksmanship with instruction in sight picture, breath control, and trigger squeeze. Learn about range safety and shooting positions. Step onto our range to try different firearms, action types and calibers of rifles. Start with .22s and move up to larger caliber hunting rifles, scoped and iron sights as you test your accuracy on paper targets. Finally, imagine hunting the old-fashioned way with instruction and practice shooting a muzzleloader. Participants must have completed Introduction to Firearms or have completed a hunter education class to participate in this class. 

Spin Fishing  LEISURLY to MODERATE

Spin fishing is a an angling technique where a spinning lure is used to entice the fish to bite.  This class will cover equipment, skills and regulations pertaining to spin fishing. Learn how to tie knots, select lures, trolling techniques and casting.

Wildlife Tracking  LEISURLY to MODERATE

Learn to interpret signs left by wildlife and relate observations to wildlife behavior. Experienced instructors  will lead a hike for track identification, scent stations, food sources, nest sites, burrows, watering sites, variations in ecosystems and movement corridors. Your instructors are lifelong outdoorsmen whose combined knowledge of wildlife is approaching encyclopedic! Bring your critter questions and enjoy a some time in the woods.