The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced today registration is open for its Becoming an Outdoors-Woman fall weekend workshop, which is set for Oct. 11-13, in Marquette County.

The weekend workshop is for women, 18 and older, who are seeking an opportunity to improve their outdoor skills in a relaxed, noncompetitive atmosphere.

“Becoming an Outdoors Woman is a program where each individual is encouraged to learn at her own pace,” said Michelle Douglas, BOW program coordinator in Marquette. “The emphasis is on the enjoyment, fun and camaraderie of outdoor activities and sharing in the success of one another.”

The fall BOW program is sponsored by the DNR and offers instruction in more than a dozen different types of activities, including wilderness survival, fishing, mountain biking, shooting sports, birding, outdoor photography and backpacking.

“Volunteer BOW instructors provide basic and advanced teaching that is tailored to each participant's individual ability, helping participants learn the basics in a short amount of time,” Douglas said.

BOW participants stay and take their classes at the Bay Cliff Health Camp, a universally accessible facility overlooking Lake Superior, which is situated about 30 miles north of Marquette in Big Bay.

Participants will be housed in a dorm-style facility with amenities including a sauna, hiking and biking trails, along with easy access to northern hardwood forests and Lake Superior.

Programs typically fill up quickly, so early registration is encouraged.

The $300 registration fee includes all food and lodging, as well as most equipment and supplies. Registrations will be accepted until the workshop is full. A limited number of partial BOW scholarships are available to help low-income participants with the cost of registration. The scholarship application deadline is Sept. 4.

Class information and registration materials are available online at Michigan.gov/BOW. Registrations must be mailed, with payment, to the DNR's Marquette Customer Service Center stated on the form.

For more information on the BOW program, contact Michelle Douglas at the DNR Customer Service Center in Marquette 906-235-2076, or by e-mail at DNRBOW@michigan.gov.