Maybe you’ve always wanted to cast a fly rod but never had anyone to show you how. Maybe you’re curious about processing your own deer, or you’d like to feel more confident with a firearm. Maybe you just want to spend a weekend outside, learning something new, with other women doing the same.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s annual Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshop is built exactly for that — and it’s coming back to Middle Tennessee this summer.
The 2026 BOW Workshop will be held June 27–28 at Buffalo Ridge Refuge in Humphreys County, about two hours northwest of Lynchburg. Participants choose three classes from a menu that spans shooting sports, fishing, hunting skills, and land knowledge — all taught in a format designed for beginners.
What you can learn
This year’s class lineup is one of the most varied the program has offered, covering ground that ranges from the practical to the adventurous.
The 2026 edition will include classes in backyard habitat, basic archery, beginning fly fishing, field to freezer, fishing 101, introduction to long-distance shooting, introduction to sporting clays, pistol 101, rifle 101, trapping, utility terrain vehicle (UTV) operation, and wild edibles.
Registration opens April 15
Classes run Saturday morning and afternoon, with a final session Sunday morning. The $100 workshop fee covers all three sessions, Saturday meals, and a Sunday breakfast. Lodging is not included, but camping is permitted on site — bring your own gear — and hotels are available nearby.
Registration opens Wednesday, April 15, at GoOutdoorsTennessee.com under the Events section. Spots are limited and fill quickly; first-time participants will receive priority consideration, so if you’ve been curious about BOW but haven’t made it yet, this year is the year to sign up first.
The BOW program has run in Tennessee since 1991 and is now active in all 50 states and several Canadian provinces. Its premise has stayed consistent across more than three decades: give women access to outdoor skills in an environment where no one is expected to already know what they’re doing.
For questions, contact TWRA Wildlife Education Program Coordinator Daniel Musselwhite at Daniel.P.Musselwhite@tn.gov. •
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