Women's hunting and fishing expo strives for togetherness

The South St. Paul Rod and Gun Club this weekend will stage the first Women's Outdoor Expo, an event where veteran female hunters and anglers, along with novices, will get one-on-one instruction in archery, shotgun shooting, a wide variety of fishing, .22 caliber target practice and more.

Betty Wilkens, a charter member of the host group Women Hunting and Fishing in all Seasons, said Saturday's "gangbusters" expo will combine instruction for beginners, skill enhancement for the experienced and community-building for all.

"You can't be what you can't see," Wilkens said. "They need a feeling that they belong. We want to create an atmosphere where they feel comfortable and supported."

Outdoors skill-sampling clinics for women aren't groundbreaking anymore, but the expo will strive for a new wrinkle by surrounding participants with the welcoming presence of Department of Natural Resources conservation officers and traditional sporting groups such as Women Anglers of Minnesota, Pheasants Forever, the Minnesota Deer Hunters' Association and the nation's first all-female chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Participants are being encouraged to bring their daughters, granddaughters, nieces and other young girls as part of a free admission policy for those under age 18.

The charge for adults is $60 and the number of attendees will be capped at 75 (there was lots of room under the cap as of Tuesday).

Stations will range from simulated hunting in the DNR's popular Laser Shot facility to fly casting and advanced archery practice taught by top-notch bow hunters.

"We're trying to tie everything together and move things forward," Wilkens said.

Women already comprise a third of licensed anglers in Minnesota, while one of every eight hunting licenses in the state is sold to a woman. And whether it's from clinics such as the expo, mentored hunts by the DNR or other outreach efforts, Minnesota women are steadily increasing their participation in bow hunting statewide.

Linda Bylander, who heads the DNR's Becoming an Outdoors Woman Program (BOW), said the percentage of Minnesota deer archery licenses sold to women has grown from 6.7 percent in 2000 to 10.9 percent in 2014.

Bylander said "skill sampler" events such as the one-day Outdoor Expo in South St. Paul are very important to recruit more women into hunting and fishing. BOW will be involved at the expo teaching archery, including a station for beginners.

"Skill sampler programs are great entry points for women," Bylander said. "The big thing is to get women into non-intimidating, supportive environments. We are proud to be a part of it."

She said the new thinking on recruiting women into hunting and fishing is that recruitment has to backed up with "retention" and "reactivation" to build and sustain a wider base. "It's the R3 movement," Bylander said.

Wilkens, 73, said she started fishing at age 6 or 7. At 15, she started shooting a .22. Her husband, too, is a lifelong sportsman and Wilkens herself is a nature photographer, educator, former school administrator and member of the Minnesota Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, a state panel that awards more than $100 million a year in Legacy Amendment funds to support habitat.

Wilkens said her hope is to make the Outdoor Expo an annual event. This year's lineup of activities also includes a clinic to learn how to dress comfortably for the outdoors.

"The connections and the support, that's what's important," Wilkens said. "They should know they belong."

Tony Kennedy • 612-673-4213