Family-Outdoors

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s Becoming an Outdoors -Woman program has scheduled one-day winter workshops Jan. 26-27 at Cross Ranch State Park, Center, and Feb. 24, 25 and 26 at Lake Metigoshe State Park, Bottineau. Cross-country skiing (Jan. 26) and snowshoeing (Jan. 27) will be offered at Cross Ranch. Lake Metigoshe offers a variety of classes. A class on dog sledding for first-timers only is available all three days with a limit of six participants per session (this class fills quickly).  Snowshoeing and tracking, winter survival and cross-country skiing are available Feb. 25 and 26. Women interested in the workshops are encouraged to  register online  at the Game and Fish website,  gf.nd.gov . Those interested should sign up immediately, as each class is limited to 12 participants. The cost is $75 for dog sledding and $50 for the other classes. Sign up for a class on two days and receive a $15 discount. Preregistration with payment is...

Image via Wikipedia In the light of a near tragedy in Anoka County this weekend, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is reminding parents to caution their children to stay off ponds, streams and other water bodies that now have a thin coating of ice. Sunday afternoon, an eight-year-old Oak Grove boy fell through a thin coating of ice on a small neighborhood pond. He was rescued after about 15 minutes in the icy water and treated at the hospital. “Kids are attracted to ice like a magnet,” said Tim Smalley, DNR boat and water safety specialist. “They just don’t know how much ice it takes to support a person, nor what is or isn’t safe.” As of Nov. 21, no ice in Minnesota has been reported by DNR conservation officers as consistently four inches thick, the recommended minimum thickness for walking and small group activities. Ice safety guidelines also recommend a minimum of five inches of new, clear ice for snowmobiles and ATVs, and eight to 12 inches for automo...

Image via Wikipedia The Department of Natural Resources will offer a "Winter Discovery Weekend" - designed to give women an opportunity to try a variety of outdoor skills in a fun, safe and non-competitive environment - Jan 27-29 at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center in Roscommon. The event is part of the DNR's Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program, and classes are geared toward beginners, with no skill level required. Participants choose three classes from among several topics offered, including ice fishing , self-defense basics, wilderness first aid, snowshoeing, hiking, turkey and duck hunting and basic pistol shooting. Guests should plan to arrive Friday evening between 4 and 9 p.m. On Saturday, guests participate in morning and afternoon classes (three hours each) with breakfast, lunch and dinner provided as part of the paid package. All sessions are taught by experienced volunteer instructors who enjoy the outdoors and have a true desire to sh...