Becoming an Outdoors-Woman, California announced today the posting of eight 2006 events on its website and is ready to start accepting registrations. The organization has capped the year's calendar of events with a multi-course workshop that wraps several popular courses into three days.

"It's only good news with this year's events," said Susan Herrgesell, president of BOW, California. "The events are wide ranging, with the opportunity to learn how to fire a shotgun or sketch Yosemite's Half Dome. The program provides a complete experience in the outdoors for anyone who wants to be a part of nature."

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman, California, is a non-profit organization dedicated to offering opportunities to learn outdoor skills in a safe, encouraging and supportive environment. Instructors design the courses around one, two or three-day workshops that provide valuable hands-on experiences.

This year's workshops begin in May with "Drawing on Nature," a three-day class in Yosemite Valley with famed artist Bill Peters. In June, the organization offers "Hiking Pole Field Seminar," a daylong outing in Mount Tamalpais State Park with hiking pole creator Jayah Paley; and "A Day at the Range," where participants will learn firearm safety and the proper use of shotguns at the Livermore/Pleasanton Rod and Gun Club.

July offers the "Map and Compass and Wilderness Survival" workshop in El Dorado National Forest. In September, BOW California offers "Fly Fishing" at Bidwell Ranch near Burney. December has two special hunt clinics at the Williams Wilderness Unlimited Property in Colusa County. The first clinic, "Pheasant Hunt," comes on the first Sunday in December, while the second clinic, "Duck Hunt," happens less than a week later.

Clearly, the premiere event for BOW California occurs in October. The organization hosts a three-day multi-course workshop at Wonder Valley Ranch in Sanger. The unique group workshop will provide courses that will cover subjects like firearm safety with both shotguns and rifles, fly fishing, bait fishing, fly tying, map and compass and field orienteering, kayaking, outdoor cooking, identifying wild California plants and animals, archery and bow hunting, knot tying and more.

?Į?Į"We've been described as a scout's camp for grown-ups," said Herrgesell. "What we do is teach someone how to have fun in the outdoors and learn new skills. We give them a chance to make new friends or connect with old ones."

Log onto www.bowcalifornia.org for information on participation, workshop dates and costs, sponsorships, and merchandise. If Internet access is unavailable, call (530) 347-0227 or write to BOW California, P. O. Box 1505, Cottonwood, CA 96022.

The program started in California within the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) more than a decade ago in an effort to reach out to women - what some considered an underserved portion of the population. DFG based the program on a national model, begun in 1990 by a College of Natural Resources professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Since then, the model has spread to most states and several Canadian provinces, with many offering multiple opportunities.

Over the years in California, more than 5,000 women have participated, Herrgesell said.

After budget cuts forced the demise of the program in 2003, DFG helped revive it last year, providing a link on its Website. The new organization is a public benefit corporation supported through private donations. Additionally, the group has tax-exempt status under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, which also allows contributions to be fully tax deductible.