This participant is leaving the lake as an accomplished fisherwomen. (Photos courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources)

BIG BAY — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is offering a series of workshops for women, inviting them to brave the Upper Peninsula winter in order to learn some outdoor skills.

Becoming an Outdoors Woman is a program originally started by Dr. Christine Thomas at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and has now spread out over three dozen states and a few Canadian provinces, including its introduction to Michigan in 1997. With the outdoor sporting world being a traditionally male-dominated field, the program provides a relaxing, supportive space for women to practice and have new experiences with outdoor activities.

Participants were able to rank their top eight class choices on the registration form, and the coordinators did their best to make sure as many participants as possible are enrolled in their top workshop choices.

The following workshops were available on this winter’s registration form:

• Mountain Bike Maintenance

• Self Confidence

• Wild Game Cooking

• Backcountry Cooking

• Ice Fishing

• Basic Snowshoe

• Advanced Snowshoe

• ABCs of Backpacking

• Cross Country Skiing

• 101

• Mini Film Adventure Making

• Resource Roadkill

• Walking Stick

• Basic Photography

• Archery

• Wilderness First Aid

• Skijoring

• Wild Game Sausage Making

• National Wild Turkey Federation – Turkey 101

• Game Butchering

Michelle Douglas, the employee engagement and equity, inclusion and retention coordinator of the DNR’s Forest Resources Division, took time to talk about how wonderful the responses from attendees have been in previous years.

“It’s tremendous,” said Douglas, “… almost everyone comes back, and they bring someone else with them, whether it be a sister, friend, aunt…. They’ve left empowered and come back wanting to share that (with others.)”

Becoming an Outdoors Woman will take place from Feb. 21-23 at Bay Cliff Health Camp, located at N4175 Baycliff Drive in Big Bay. Registration is currently full for this month’s event, but if you missed signing up this time around, there are summer and autumn events held around various areas in Michigan. More information on BOW workshops can be found online at michigan.gov/dnr/education/public/bow or on the Becoming an Outdoors Woman Michigan’s active Facebook page.

Abby LaForest can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 548. Her email address is alaforest@miningjournal.net