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'It's About Empowerment': Shotguns & Stilettos Class For Women

By Kelly Werthmann

ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- A group of women spent their Sunday morning at a shooting range wearing stilettos.

The women slipped on their high heels to step out of their comfort zone as part of the Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) program.

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"It's all about empowerment," Maureen Mika, BOW Program Director, said. "A lot of women don't want to wear the stilettos, but it's not about that. It's about the fun and the act of getting out and trying new things."

The Shotguns & Stilettos class was located at Colorado Clays Sporting Club in Adams County. It offered women a chance to take aim at a sport they wouldn't otherwise try.

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for women to try. This August, BOW is hosting an entire weekend retreat at the Peaceful Valley Ranch in Lyons where participants can learn a variety of skills on the 101 level.

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CBS4's Kelly Werthmann interviews BOW Program Director Maureen Mika (credit: CBS)

"They're going to be teaching wild edibles, outdoor photography, ropes courses, rock climbing and repelling," Mika said.

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The Becoming an Outdoors Woman program is currently in 38 states and six provinces in Canada. Mika said BOW is now back in Colorado and hopes more women will give it a shot.

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"A lot of women aren't encouraged to try these typically male-dominant sports," Mika said. "Perhaps they're scared or maybe they don't want to go with their husband or boyfriend. This program allows women to do it together and it's an amazing experience."

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Peters said the four-hour shotgun-shooting course was as educational as it was exciting. She is already looking forward to the weekend getaway later this summer.

"If you're like me and you're a city girl, but you live in Colorado, it's kind of beholden on you to learn about the outdoors so you can take advantage of all that Colorado has to offer."

LINK: Becoming An Outdoors Woman

Kelly Werthmann joined the CBS4 team in 2012 as the morning reporter, covering national stories like the Aurora Theater Shooting and devastating Colorado wildfires. She now anchors CBS4 This Morning over the weekend and reports during the week. Connect with her on Facebook or Twitter @KellyCBS4.

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