Superior resident, Peggy Temple, has been fly fishing for at least 30 years and has guided both men and women on fishing float trips down the Clark Fork River for the past four years with her husband, Steve. They own the fishing guide service, “Clark Fork Trout”, and when Peggy was asked to be a fly fishing instructor for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks “Becoming an Outdoors-Woman” program, she jumped at the chance.

Becoming an Outdoors Woman, or BOW, was designed to introduce women to various outdoor skills. Peggy attended the workshop in Lincoln, Montana earlier this month where she joined 26 other women, and a few men to learn how to lead classes for the program.

“It was a wonderful experience, I learned so much and it’s such a neat program,” Peggy said, “and I met a lot of nice ladies while in Lincoln.”

She explained that it originated at the University of Wisconsin in 1991 and has since grown to be an international program in places like New Zealand and Canada.

It started in Montana in 1994 and Liz Lodman is the state coordinator. She said that the program is designed to teach women to be competent in the outdoors.

“A lot of time women don’t feel comfortable be taught by their husbands, or other men,” she said, “this program is very relaxed and fun for the women.”

Once a year, the three-day workshop Peggy trained for is held in a different location with different classes. This year it will be held in Great Falls in August and they can expect as many as 200 participants.

The workshops include activities such as fishing, shooting, archery, kayaking, outdoor cooking, and more. According to the program’s website, it is an opportunity to learn a new skill or improve on a current hobby and is a chance to meet like-minded women and spend time reconnecting with nature.

A BOW survey said that the program helps to remove barriers that have traditionally kept women from participating in outdoor recreation activities. It said that barriers women encounter include uncertainty about how to become involved in an activity; the fear of looking ‘stupid’ or ‘unskilled’ while participating in an activity; the fear of being the only female in the group; fear of getting hurt while participating in an activity; and the fear of rejection or not fitting in.

The women who attended the training workshop have specialties that they will teach at the event held in August. Peggy’s specialty is fly fishing and she said that she has had previous experience teaching scuba diving when she lived in California.

“I love doing it and I’m excited to be a part of this program,” she said.

Other workshops called “Beyond BOW” are offered as well, for example black powder shooting will be held in June and kayaking in August. Temple will be teaching a woman’s fly fishing class on August 13, as well.

The program is a great way to get women out into nature and buy into taking care of and properly using our resources, “it’s a good way to have an effect on future generations,” said Lodman.