BATON ROUGE — Coronavirus pandemic restrictions and the subsequent postponement of various events disrupted a popular program put on for women by the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

The interruption is over for the state agency’s Becoming an Outdoors Woman Louisiana-style 27-year-old program in Louisiana. LDWF announced Wednesday it has scheduled the first Mini Becoming an Outdoor Woman workshop, an introduction to archery and bowhunting, on Aug. 14 at the Woodworth Education Center six miles south of Alexandria.

The Mini BOW’s Intro to Archery workshop, presented by LDWF and the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, is from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and is $35, according to a prepared statement. Registration for the event, which is for women 18 and older, is limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Mini BOW is a new program designed to introduce women to outdoor activities, a spinoff of the highly regarded Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshop. Mini BOWs offer the same level of introductory hands-on outdoor educational courses but on a smaller scale, Dana Norsworthy, a department spokesman, said.

The Mini BOW course provides basics of archery and guidance to those interested in bowhunting. Students are taught about archery with a lecture and printed handouts.

Mostly, the women enrolled in the program get a hands-on experience with archery gear. As lagniappe, an introduction to bowfishing will be included.

All equipment will be provided.

LDWF officials said one to three courses can be taught either through a one-day or weekend workshop to gain knowledge of a particular subject matter, which might allow the eligibility and participation in advanced workshops where participants can practice and hone basic skills during a Becoming an Outdoors Woman weekend workshop.

To register and learn more about BOW, go to www.lawff.org.bow or follow on Facebook BOW Louisiana Style.

For more information contact Norsworthy at dnorsworthy@wlf.la.gov or go to www.lawff.org/.

Other Mini BOWS hosted by LDWF and LAWFF include Fowl Language, in which women learn waterfowl identification, duck blind-building safety, hunting specific areas, duck calling and duck cleaning. Also, participants experience a taste of wild duck recipes and basic wing shooting techniques, weather permitting.

Mini BOW’s next fowl language workshop is scheduled from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 2 at the LDWF Waddill Outdoor Center in Baton Rouge.

LDWF started its first Becoming an Outdoors Woman program in September 1994. It was a sellout, a big hit, and it has been held for one weekend every year.

The LDWF’s program is modeled after the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program founded nationally by Dr. Christine L. Thomas. Thomas, Professor of Research Management at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, wanted to provide women opportunities to learn skills enhancing and encouraging participation in hunting, fishing, outdoors photography, kayaking and other outdoors endeavors.