Last month I found myself doing things I never anticipated I would – processing a white rat hide in a taxidermy class, shooting a crossbow, learning about K9 first aid, deciphering how to use a map and compass, and sharing meals, stories, and laughs with fascinating (and super friendly) women I don’t know.

I attended the Becoming An Outdoors Woman (BOW) program, coordinated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in Silver Bay, on Lake George, in early September. The three-day conference offers women from all across New York State and beyond the opportunity to unplug in the Adirondacks and attend four skill-building workshops.

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