The Jefferson Sportsmen's Association in Codorus Township unofficially became a sportswomen's club Saturday during the sixth annual Women in the Outdoors.

The event, which is an outreach program for the National Wild Turkey Federation, aimed to bring women to the outdoors with a host of activities, said Missy Rohrbaugh, the event coordinator.

"We try to get a broad scope of women," Rohrbaugh said.

She said the event couldn't happen without help from area sporting clubs and a small army of volunteers.

With a wide range of activities held throughout the day, 23 women moved from station to station, learning everything from identifying edible plants to shooting guns and bows.

Sara Progin of Maryland was trying her hand at trap

Karen Nopper, left, of Harper's Ferry, W.Va., is all smiles Saturday after instructor Darlene Glatfelter, right, showed her how to hit the target during her bow-and-arrow training. Nopper was part of a group of women participating in a day of outdoor activities at the Jefferson Sportsmen Association.
(Daily Record/Sunday News - Jason Plotkin)

As she readied herself, shotgun poised on her shoulder and a steady hand lightly gripping the forestock, she took aim down range.

At the boom of the shotgun blast, pellets quickly tore through the clay pigeon, disintegrating it to an orange dust.

"For me, it's addictive," Progin said after her turn at shooting, "It becomes competitive."

Progin has been coming to the event since it began and said it's a fun day to take in nature.

Rohrbaugh said that, at its peak, the event pulled in about 100 women, but the numbers have declined recently.

"I don't know if it's the economy or what," Rohrbaugh said.

Opposite the trap shooting, Lynn Kraft, an instructor, was getting ready to prepare a sampling of easy-to-cook dishes in a demonstration of outdoor cooking.

The menu consisted of catfish in a can, omelet in a bag, biscuits in a dutch-oven, food in foil, baked beans in a can and a freeze-dried chocolate cheese cake.

The recipes are a quick and easy way to cook food that actually tastes good, something that can be hard to come by when camping.

"I want to give the gals a taste of quick and easy cooking," he said.

For an omelet in a bag, step one is to boil water in a kettle; next, put a few eggs in a heavy-duty freezer bag with ingredients -- Kraft used bacon bits and shredded cheese. Seal the bag so water can't get in, and dip it into the water, making sure it doesn't touch the sides of the kettle.

In about the same amount of time it takes to cook a traditional omelet in a frying pan, the omelet in a bag should be ready.

Kraft said he uses the warm water to clean up after cooking to save time boiling more water.

"When I'm out, I want to hunt and fish, not spend half a day cooking," he said.

OUTDOOR COOKING

Lynn Kraft's guide to easy outdoor cooking:

Catfish in a can

Put cooking oil in a used, but clean, metal coffee can. Place the can on a portable stove or on a rack in the fire to heat the oil. Put breaded catfish in the oil and fry until golden-brown.

After the can cools down, place the plastic lid back on it to keep from spilling and take it home for proper disposal. Don't dump the oil at a campsite.

Beans in a can

Peel the label off a can of bean and crack the lid. For a small can, crack the lid slightly, with larger cans, open the can all but an inch. Place the can in the fire. When the beans begin the push the lid up, or juices begin the cook out of the crack in the lid, the beans should be ready. Use tongs to remove the can.

MORE

For information on Women in the Outdoors, check out www.wo menintheoutdoors.org or the National Wild Turkey Federation's Web site at www.nwtf.org.