Finding My Tribe of Wild Women

Kayaking Class BOW Summer 2014

My journey into hunting has awakened my inner outdoorswoman. I knew that I loved nature & hiking, but it has gone far beyond that. Once I began exploring what needed to be done to successfully acquire meat, I realized that just the act of being out immersed in the natural world was, in itself, a gift. Being outdoors, exploring nature, challenging the limits of my physical fitness, and challenging my own ability to interpret nature, to track, navigate, identify plants and fungi and to read the forest, water, and sky were things I wanted to spend time on, in and of themselves.

WWOW Logo

Tomahawk Throwing at WWOW 2014

 

I believe that this spark for adventure was, in many ways, ignited by the women who put together an amazing weekend of learning and bonding for women at a nearby sportsman’s club, mainly Gail Chapman. They call it Wild Women of Washtenaw (WWOW), this is where I took my hunter safety class, in fact I found out about the event because I was looking for a local hunter safety class, and it was less expensive to do this weekend program than to take just that one class elsewhere. In addition to the hunter safety class, I got to take two additional classes, was fed three meals, and camped out with other women seeking adventure in the outdoors. At the time, I was hoping to find another woman or two who would want to go hunting with me, because I was afraid to do it alone. I wanted a guide, a woman who had already done what I was doing and could lead me along the path. As it would turn out, no such woman presented herself, I spent the first year or two doing this hunting adventure largely alone (my husband has kindly come along on a few hunts, even though it is not really his cup of tea) yet desperately seeking another woman to share it with. I gradually became very much accustomed to having my alone time in the woods. I understand now why is was difficult to find a woman to go with me, there is nothing quite like getting out into the middle of a chunk of public land, that no one else is even interested in and spending the whole day in quiet connecting to the natural world around you without interruption, although I personally would gladly take an interested woman out hunting with me.

Knot Work WWOW 2012

Hunter Safety WWOW 2012

At WWOW, the classes ranged from firearms and archery to beekeeping, falconry, and fly tying, there were classes in knot work, self defense, map and compass, etc… and the women I met there were wild and wonderful. I did not find a hunting partner, but I learned a lot and a fire was ignited in me to get out and explore and seek adventure. I attended WWOW for the next 2 years and discovered that the women who hosted the program got the idea from a program put on my the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in my state (and in most other states too) called Becoming OutdoorsWomen (BOW). In Michigan they run events a couple times a year, winter and summer) as well as special activities peppered throughout the year. These programs cover much of the same things as WWOW although getting into much more adventurous territory. I personally have only attended two of their events, but am complete hooked, and plan to attend any of their programs I can. They primarily offer workshops on the north side of the Upper Penninsula in my state. I attended one in February where I learned, Snowshoeing, Ice Fishing, and Winter Camping & Backpacking. This was a weekend program, with many opportunities to meet other outdoorswomen, and opportunities to relax and enjoy the freedom offered by a dominantly female environment.

Snowshoeing BOW Winter 2014

Ice Fishing BOW Winter 2014

I also attended their May program and signed up for Shotgun, Rifle, and Archery to brush up on and refine my skills in these areas. I also took the Kayaking class, because it is something that I want to learn to be able to do on my own. It takes a specific set of skills, knowledge and equipment to be able to maneuver a Kayak, on and off of your car and in and out of the water as a shorter person, all by yourself. I was amazed by the amount I learned in the shooting sports classes. The most valuable thing I think I take away from these weekends is a strong sense of personal empowerment along with a deeper connection to a community of wild women. I may be deep in the woods alone, but as an outdoorswoman I am never alone.

Archery BOW Summer 2014