Outdoor Journey for Girls (OJ) is a 3-day, 2-night workshop aimed at introducing outdoor skills to girls ages 12-15 in a supportive, learning environment where they have opportunities to try things “hands-on.” The outdoor skills include: canoeing and water safety, fish and wildlife identification, archery, conservation management, firearm
safety, basic shooting, camping, outdoor survival, game care, furbearing, harvesting and fishing.
OJ instructors are DNR conservation officers, biologists and other personnel; county conservation board naturalists; and representatives from other agencies like the Natural Resource Conservation Service and Iowa State University. OJ began in 1992 with one camp, and was expanded to two in 1995. It has been featured across Iowa and the United States in Newsweek and Pheasants Forever magazines, on television (including Nickelodeon), and in newspapers. Several states have attended OJ to learn more and possibly start similar camps in their states. Over 1,500 girls have participated so far. Dates for this year’s OJ are June 11-13 and August 6-8 at Springbrook Education Center near Guthrie Center, and July 15-17 at Hickory Hills Park near Dysart.
Outdoor Journey is sponsored by the Iowa DNR and Iowa Women in Natural Resources with Iowa Pheasants Forever chapters providing full or partial scholarships for most attendees. If you would like more information on OJ, please visit www.iowadnr.gov/oj/index.html or www.iwinr.com/oj/index.html. Contact your local Pheasants Forever Chapter or visit the Iowa Pheasant Forever’s website at www.iowapheasantsforever.org/youth-education.cfm.
Chaperones needed!
Lodging and food provided.
Visit www.iowadnr.gov/oj/index.html
or contact Brenda Vargas, (515) 281- 8300
brenda.vargas@dnr.iowa.gov.