How Women in the Outdoors Works

In the beg­inning, there were women -- women who wanted to hunt.

WITO was created in 1998 as an outreach program for the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWFT), which is an organization dedicated to preserving hunting traditions and protecting wild turkeys. NWTF was founded in 1973 to revitalize the wild turkey population, which it succeeded in doing. Instead of closing up shop after its goals were reached, NWTF decided to branch out into new areas and created WITO [source: NWTF: About the NWTF]. The female-oriented program is aimed at helping women learn more about interactive outdoor activities through hands-on education and expert-driven instruction [source: WITO].

­When the WITO pilot program began, few could have anticipated the response. During its first year, 3,000 female members signed on. By August 1999, more than 10,000 members had heeded the call of the wild [source: Wilbanks Jeter].

From the start, the organization embraced geographical differences, realizing that women on the coast may enjoy saltwater fishing while Midwestern women may prefer hunting. The diversity of programs and classes offered to women has led to its success [source: Wilbanks Jeter]. WITO went from 18 events in 1998 to over 400 events in 2008 [source: WITO].

So now you know there are women all over the nation seeking to learn outdoor skills. But why do they join the group? Read on to learn WITO's mission.

As with all organizations, presenting clear goals is a crucial element to attracting participants, which is why W­ITO states its mission and goals clearly:

Mission:

Goals and Objectives:

­WITO builds on its success by publishing a magazine of the same name and maintaining a Web site. The quarterly magazine is 80 pages long and contains articles on many outdoor activities, including hunting, fishing, health, kayaking, gardening and bird watching, to name a few. If it's related to the outdoors, it's in there. And if not, you can often find the information you need on the Web site's message boards [source: WITO Magazine].

Ready to sign up? Read on to learn how to join WITO.

­Whether you want to hunt, fish, find recipes, build projects o­r just have some good old fashioned girl time, WITO might be what you're looking for. Membership is available to women age 14 years and older (minors will need written permission from a guardian to participate in events). The median age of event participants is 38, and there are opportunities for women from all walks of life [source: WITO].

Memberships are available for purchase for about $30 per year and include a membership card, a logo-covered stainless steel mug, a decal and a subscription to WITO magazine [source: NWTF]. Membership also includes complete access to the WITO Web site.

Special events are held year round in different areas, and members can go if they chose. Attendance requires a paid registration that often includes lodging, meals and transportation when applicable. Local registrants pay a reduced fee [source: WITO]. Members are also encouraged to plan their own events. Creativity and enthusiasm can lead to all sorts of new activities.

Whether you or someone you know is an avid lover of the outdoors or doesn't know a rifle from a fishing pole, you might want to check out WITO to get excited about nature.