West Virginia Wildlife from Eyewitness News

Outdoor Woman

It's not always easy to find someone to teach you how to fly fish or bag a buck. Now, for women, there is help. Learn how you can become an outdoor woman.

August 30, 2006
Reporter: Patrick McMurtry
Videographer: Brad Rice

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Toni Isbell/BOW Participant says:
"You don't want to start out learning to fish with a bunch of guys, I'll tell you that right now-it's too intimidating."

Toni is one of a growing number of women who are heading into the woods and onto the streams of West Virginia learning all about the outdoors and what it has to offer.

The DNR helps sponsor events called Becomming an Outdoor Woman.

Billie Shearer/DNR says:
"The Becomming an Outdoor Woman program encourages women to participate in outdoor activities. We have two events a year, one in the summer and one in the fall. It is hands-on training for the women."

The DNR provides the instructors for the 100 women who will take part in this weekend's event and there is something for every woman looking to learn something new about the outdoors. You can still sign up for the BOW event this weekend at Watoga State Park.

Billie Shearer/DNR says:
"We see all different ages of women and some come back and tell what they like to do. We have one woman, she's in her 60's and she's hiked 600 miles on the Appalachian Trail. They are so excited about everything they learn and everything they do, they go back and they do it."

"We have mountain biking, nature walks, dutch oven cooking, stream fishing, canoe fishing, how to move around in a canoe, shooting, rifles, shotguns, handguns, archery"

Interesting classes that get women like Toni hooked!

Toni Isbell says:
"I work a lot and my hobby and goal has always been when I retire I'd learn how to fly fish, but my kids cost me so much money I may never retire so I better learn now."

And thanks to the BOW program, that's just what she did. Now Toni can fly fish with the best of them.