Keep South Carolina Wild
SCWF is proud to offer programs which provide women of all ages with the skills needed to participate in outdoor recreation – including archery, birding, fishing, hunting, kayaking, paddleboarding, and much more. We now offer two retreats each year, POWR and POWR Up, for women to learn these skills in a supportive environment – see below for details on each of these retreats. We also offer one-day workshops called POWR+ throughout the year in locations around the state to build upon the topics introduced in the retreats.
POWR is the traditional weekend workshop offering up to 8 introductory classes over a weekend. Our POWR event is designed for women to experience nature and outdoor recreation with like-minded ladies in a non-competitive environment. Nature walks, kayaking, fishing, outdoor cooking, and photography are just a few of the nearly 30 classes from which to choose. Participants will have the opportunity to select up to 8 classes and be introduced to many outdoor activities. For this weekend long event, registration will cover the workshop, a T-shirt, meals, and lodging.
POWR Up is an overnight retreat that offers longer classes to allow for in-depth instruction on each topic but still offers the same supportive and non-competitive environment as POWR. Participants choose 3 classes over the 2 day event that include classes like backpacking, kayak fishing, outdoor photography, hunting basics, a guided hike with a Master Naturalist, and more. Each participant should leave the classes feeling confident and ready to try their new skills on their own. For this one night event, the registration fee covers the workshop, a T-shirt, and lunch on Saturday. Lodging and meals (with the exception of Saturday lunch) for this event are on your own.
SCWF also offers POWR+ events throughout the year. These one-day workshops around the state were developed to offer an even deeper immersion into outdoor activities and are open to all women. If you have taken an introductory class at one of our events or if you participate in an outdoor activity but want to connect even more with other women around the state, these one day classes are for you. Topics will vary based on demand and instructors. We launched POWR+ with a Women’s Fly Fishing event on the Chauga River followed by an On-the-Water Boating Orientation/Boat trailering event. Our popular Women’s Spring Hike at Forty Acre Rock, is also a POWR+ event. Upcoming POWR+ events include a Dove Shoot, Saltwater Inshore Fishing using Artificial Lures, and a Sporting Clays event.
Connect to professionals, organizations, and businesses who provide additional
training and/or equipment for participation in various types of outdoor
recreation such as hunting/shooting, fishing, and paddlesports, and more!
2023 was the inaugural year of “Women in Hunting & Fishing Awareness Day”, spearheaded by Representative Heather Bauer. The South Carolina Wildlife Federation was excited to be a part of this effort to help encourage women to participate in hunting and fishing and to inspire them to advocate for and conserve our natural resources.
Check out the slideshow below of some of our favorite images from POWR 2022, which was held at Hickory Knob State Park.