Registration for the next Alabama Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) workshop opens on January 9 for first-time attendees and January 15 for both first-timers and those who have previously attended. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) sponsored event takes place at the 4-H Center near Columbiana, Ala., on March 1-3, 2019.

New for 2019, purchase an Alabama resident hunting, fishing or wildlife heritage license and receive a $25 discount on your BOW registration. The discount is for online registration only. To receive the discount, enter your current license number when registering for spring BOW. You must purchase a license prior to BOW registration to receive the discount. Nonresidents can also receive the discount with the purchase of a Wildlife Management Area license or any nonresident license.

BOW is a three-day workshop designed for women ages 18 years or older who would like to learn new outdoor skills. The workshop offers hands-on instruction in a fun, outdoor learning environment. Participants choose from courses such as rifle, pistol, archery, fishing, camping, hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, and many more.

BOW coordinator Hope Grier said the classes offer basic outdoor skills training. “There are many ladies who have not been exposed to these outdoor activities and are apprehensive about trying them,” she said. “BOW is ideal for those women because everything is taught at a beginner level.”

The registration fee of $275 covers meals, dormitory-style lodging, program materials and instruction. Those interested in attending are encouraged to register as soon as possible because enrollment is limited and classes fill up fast.

The purchase of a hunting, fishing or wildlife heritage license not only provides you with a discount on BOW registration, that money is federally matched nearly three-to-one through Pittman-Robertson Act and Sport Fish Restoration Act funding. Those funds are then used to support conservation efforts in Alabama.

For more information on the BOW workshop including the class schedule, visit www.outdooralabama.com/activities/becoming-outdoors-woman or call Hope Grier at 334-242-3620.