The Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation and the Arizona Game and Fish Department will honor this deserving and outstanding program and its coordinators for their contributions to Arizona’s natural outdoor conservation on August 21, 2021 at the Wigwam Resort, Litchfield Park.

Arizona Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW)

Sponsored by the Arizona Wildlife Federation, the Arizona Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program (also known as BOW) began more than 25 years ago. The program is part of the national Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program started by Christine Thomas, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Resource Management at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1991. Arizona BOW events are held four times per year in various locations around the state and are designed to give women age 18 and older the opportunity to learn outdoor skills in a sage and supportive environment conducive to learning, making friends, and having fun. 

Using elements of the national curriculum with adaptations for Arizona, the workshops offer classes such as hiking, fishing, hunting, shooting and archery, outdoor cooking, GPS, wilderness survival, rappelling, birding, camping, nature relaxation and much more. Evening entertainment and campfires round out the outdoor experience. 

Coordinators Linda Dightmon and Kathy Greene make the BOW camps happen and have constantly improved BOW over the years. They and a team of dedicated volunteers, including Mark Hullinger, one of the original founders of BOW, provide a mix of over 50 classes developed and taught by volunteer instructors at BOW camps.

COVID-19 limited camp opportunities in 2020, but events are back in full swing and ready to connect women to outdoor skills. Upcoming events include a one-day workshop on July 17 in Flagstaff and a three-day, two night camp in Prescott, September 10-12, 2021. Scholarships are available to open the experience to underserved women. Information and registration, including two videos featuring activities and coordinators, Linda and Kathy, provide a great background about the program: https://azwildlife.org/BOW

To buy tickets to the Wildlife for Tomorrow Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame Award Ceremony, visit: https://www.wildlifefortomorrow.org/halloffame