Women and the techniques of turkey hunting

Friday, Jan. 21 — Nine women attended a turkey-hunting workshop in Delta Township this week as part of the state’s effort to involve more women with what is stereotypically known as a man’s world.

The Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) program sponsored by the state Department of Natural Resources offers a variety of workshops and events targeted at teaching women outdoor recreational and hunting skills.

The latest is a series of three turkey-hunting workshops, one of which was held at Gander Mountain, 430 N. Marketplace Blvd. in Delta Township, on Wednesday.

Sue Tabor, the instructor and coordinator of the outreach program, spent three hours teaching turkey calls, scouting, patterning and shooting techniques.

It didn’t take long for participants to fill the classroom inside of Gander Mountain with four different kinds of turkey calls.

“We tried to provide them opportunities to learn about various outdoor activities. We give them enough information so that they can get out and try it this spring,” Tabor said.

Tabor has been turkey hunting for 12 years. She gleaned the skills from a couple of friends back then and now aims to reach out to more women.

“I’ve been doing it long enough that I feel confident teaching other women how to do it,” she said.
Melinda Cosgrove, a workshop participant and a lab technician, thought the practical, hands-on experience was most beneficial.

“The tips on what to do when you are actually in the situation are really useful. I probably would be unsure otherwise,” Cosgrove said. “

“This is a good thing to do before actually going out and trying it. I’ve never hunted before and it’s something I can start with and I feel comfortable,” she added.

The BOW program also offers kayaking, fishing, backpacking, camping and shooting courses.
Tabor will be back at the Delta Township Gander Mountain on Feb. 12 to teach a course on ice fishing. More information and registration forms can be found here.