OUTDOORS CLINIC TEACHES WOMEN RULES OF HUNTING

The proof of Lisa Crippen's new-found hunting skills can be found above the fireplace of her Chaffee home.

There hangs the head of the eight-point buck the 32-year-old Crippen shot last fall during a managed deer hunt aimed at women.

"I never thought I would do anything like this," Crippen said.

That was before a friend urged her to go to a Wild Turkey Federation Outdoors Women workshop last year. Then she attended a Beyond Becoming an Outdoors-Woman deer hunting clinic, where she shot the trophy deer.

"It was really something," she said of the clinic, which will be held again Oct. 22 through 24 at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge in Wappapello.

"Each person had a guide," Crippen said. "I was impressed with how mine knew the area so well, and he was so serious and professional."

"Not only did I get a deer, but I saw so many that we didn't shoot at," Crippen said.

Crippen is among a growing number of women picking up their guns and heading to the woods to hunt.

"Women are the fastest growing group of hunters in the nation," said Mariah Hughes, outdoor skills coordinator with the Missouri Department of Conservation in Jefferson City.

Many think this is because of programs like Becoming an Outdoors-Woman, which offers programs in 44 states and nine Canadian provinces, she said. It's also because women are finally getting the opportunity to hunt.

"Women are getting out more," Hughes said. "It's no longer unusual to see a woman with a fly rod on a river or a shotgun out hunting."

The Missouri Department of Conservation sponsors two Becoming an Outdoor-Woman events a year, Hughes said. At BOW clinics, participants can get a broad overview of several outdoors topics.

"It won't make you an expert on hunting or fly fishing, but it will get your foot in the door," said Mic Plunkett, Wappapello Lake District senior conservation agent and leader of the deer hunting clinic.

The Beyond BOW events, also sponsored by the Department of Conservation, are more specialized, focusing on skills like fly fishing, hunting, canoeing and backpacking.

"Beyond BOW, as its name implies, takes you one step beyond that," Plunkett said. "It takes one topic and concentrates on it."

The weekend-deer hunting clinic gives participants the skills and knowledge to go on a safe and effective deer hunt, Plunkett said.

Denise Dowling, 34, of Cape Girardeau has never hunted before but has signed up for the upcoming Beyond BOW deer hunting clinic to be able to put venison on her table this fall.

Dowling developed a taste for deer meat when two friends began sharing it with her.

"Both friends are no longer around, and I can't live without it," Dowling said. "So I need to learn to do it myself."

Dowling attended a BOW workshop in May and particularly enjoyed the shooting classes.

"I had never shot guns before, but I really enjoyed it," Dowling said. She especially liked shooting at clay pigeons, "and I was pretty good at it."

Dowling is looking forward to the deer hunting clinic because of its step-by-step approach.

"I needed someone to walk me through the whole process," Dowling said. "I think I'll learn more this way than just sitting out in the woods by myself."

Dowling, like many women, was not exposed to hunting while growing up. She grew up in Sikeston in a family where no one hunted.

Dowling, a park naturalist at Trail of Tears State Park, said in her youth she suffered from the "Bambi syndrome."

"I wondered how anyone could kill one of those big-eyed animals," she said.

Then, working at the state park, she began to realize that hunting is an effective management tool.

"As a naturalist, I do surveys of how high the wildlife population is and verify damage to the resources," Dowling said. When deer populations get too high in state parks, they allow special hunts.

"It's better to shoot a deer and put it on the table than have it starve to death," Dowling said.

"I'm not looking for a monster trophy," she said. "I just want a deer I can eat this fall."

Besides learning to hunt, the spirit of camaraderie among the 20 women on the hunt makes this enjoyable for many women, Plunkett said.

"Lots of women make friends at these events," Hughes said. "They find people to go out and do things with."

Requirements to participate in the deer hunting clinic are previous attendance at a Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshop or the Heartland Outdoor Women workshop held in Wappapello or graduation from a Missouri Hunter Education course.

"We are looking for people who are serious about learning outdoor skills," Plunkett said.

The weekend clinic begins on Friday night Oct. 22 with the arrival of participants. Saturday Oct. 23 is a learning day, where participants go to classes on the history and biology of whitetail deer in Missouri, deer hunting strategies, firearms handling and safety, tracking, tree stands and ballistics. Part of the day is spent shooting guns at the National Guard training center.

Sunday Oct. 24 is hunt day. Each participant is assigned to a guide, Plunkett said. Guides help make sure participants don't get lost. They also share knowledge of tracking, provide tips for aiming and shooting and help field dress animals.

"We encourage the women to do the field dressing," Plunkett said. "If you take a life, you need to know how to use good conservation methods to make use of all the parts."

At last year's clinic, Plunkett said, 10 of the 21 participants harvested a deer, three to four shot and missed and others had an opportunity to shoot but chose not to.

"We don't judge the success or failure of a hunt by whether you kill something, but on whether you enjoyed the experience," Plunkett said. "For some women, just being in the woods and getting close to deer is enough."

When Crippen tagged along on several hunts with her husband and brothers, she said, she might see one or two deer, "but my guide knew just where to go, and we saw so many deer."

She also learned from the day of classes how to look for signs, what to wear and got tips on shooting.

"For anyone interested, the hunt is great," Crippen said. "It makes you realize you can do it on your own."

DEER CLINIC

Outdoors-Woman clinic

Oct. 22-24

Mingo Wildlife Refuge

*Registration $75

*Two nights lodging

*Four meals and equipment

*Equipment, loaner rifle, own rifle

*Registration deadline Friday

*Registration forms at North Cape County Park, call 290-5730 or

*Wappapello, 222-8814