Minnesota BOW Offering Seven-Part Intro to Upland Bird Hunting Workshops for Women

 

Ladies, if you’ve wanted to get into Upland Bird Hunting and live in or near Minnesota this could be a fantastic opportunity! The MN DNR is offering a series of workshops in which you can learn everything you need to know. Guys, get your lady involved in Upland Bird Hunting and send her to this great series of classes—what a fantastic Mother’s Day gift!

Minnesota’s BOW is offering a series for women to learn all about upland bird hunting and to participate in several practice shooting days and hunts! Ladies are encouraged to attend the first session on April 21st to learn all about the series. Ladies can then sign up for one or all of the classes based on skill level. To attend the hunts, the ladies must have their firearm safety certification (FAS).

Part 1: Intro to Upland Bird Hunting
04/21/2013: 1-5 PM Cabela’s, Rogers, MN
Topics include: Species, seasons/regulations, equipment, ammunition, guns, and how to dress. Limited to 50 participants. Cost: Free

 

Part 2: Upland Bird Hunting Basics & Gun Basics
05/05/2013: 10AM – 4 PM Wings North, Pine City
Learn the basics of upland bird hunting including where to hunt, gun basics and practice shooting. Guns, ammunition, targets and lunch provided. Cost: $41

 

Part 3: Practice Shooting, Various Dates
05/13, 06/10, 07/08, 08/12, 09/09/2013: Horse and Hunt Club, Prior Lake
Gun handling, shooting practice, wing shooting basics, how to clean a gun, and proper transportation of guns. Bring your own gun and ammunition for this program. Come to one or all the evenings for practice shooting with women. Cost: Fee for clays is $22 per evening.

 

Part 4: Shooting Sports Class
09/28/2013: 9 AM – 5 PM Wings North, Pine City
Learn about the different types of firearms then shoot from standing targets and moving targets. After lunch you will learn how to clean guns. Lunch, equipment and ammunition are included.
Limit to 20 participants. Cost: $44

 

Part 5: Mentored Women’s Game Farm Pheasant Hunt
09/29/2013: 9 AM – 1:30 PM Wings North, Pine City
Game farm hunts are a great way for a beginner hunter to learn how to shoot in the field with planted birds. Mentors and their dogs will guide you through the field. Learn how to anticipate a flushing bird, range of safe shooting and how to hunt in a group. A bird cleaning class will follow the hunt along with a pheasant lunch. Hunters need their own guns and ammunition. Prerequesite is a firearm safety certificate and a shooting class. A hunting license is not required for game farm hunts. Limited to 20 participants. Cost $85

 

Part 6: Ruffed Grouse & Woodcock Hunt
10/12/2013: 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM Mille Lacs Wildlife Management Area
Your morning will be spent in discussions led by Ted Dick, the DNR’s Ruffed Grouse specialist, and Steve Piepgras, the manager of this WMA. We’ll learn about this area and upland game birds. After lunch we will go with our guides and their dogs for an afternoon hunt. Participants need their own cased gun, shells, blaze orange and drinking water for in the field. Dress for the outdoors. For safety, only guides will be allowed to bring dogs. Lunch is provided. Cost: $20 Limit to 20 participants.

 

Part 7: Free Mentored Pheasant Hunt
10/19/2013: Various Locations by Pheasants Forever & Ruffed Grouse Society.
Hunters need their own guns, ammunition, and small game license and pheasant stamp. Only guides will be bringing dogs. Must register by September 10^th. Cost: Free

Read all the details and how to register here.

The Minnesota BOW program offerings are amazing! Fly Fishing, Archery, Archery hunting, Camping, Nordic walking, Shed Antler hunting, Kayaking, Women’s Waterfowl Hunting Series, and many more. You can see all the programs at the link above.

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) is a non-profit, educational program offering hands-on workshops to adult women. We encourage a supportive environment conducive to learning, making friends, and having fun. No experience is necessary and BOW is for women of all ages and fitness levels.

Most states have a BOW program through their DNR and offer workshops on many outdoor-related topics. Find events in your area here.

Alternatively, the National Wild Turkey Federation has Women in the Outdoors programs. I used to be an NWTF WITO event coordinator and held several weekend-long events. They were fantastic. They were a blast. Ladies learned a lot and returned year after year.  That was during the days the NWTF was under the fantastic leadership of Rob Keck, Carl Brown, etc. It doesn’t seem like they have such a great women’s outreach program any more.

Anyway, ladies, get out there and learn shooting, fishing, canoeing, hunting, dog-sledding, snowshoeing–just about anything outdoor-related can be learned at this excellent ladies events!