With more than 5 million women participating in shooting sports, an increase of 46.5 percent since 2001, the National Rifle Association and Cabela's Hamburg is giving this growing demographic the chance to attend a series of free classes at "Ladies Day Out," Saturday, Oct. 4, beginning at 10 a.m.

According to the latest edition of the National Shooting Sports Foundation Firearms Retailer Survey Report, the number of female customers increased three years in a row. Of the retailers surveyed, 78.6 said more women came to their stores, compared to 72.8 percent and 61.1 percent in two previous surveys. Firearms most often purchased by women were semiautomatic handguns, followed by revolvers, modern sporting rifles, shotguns and traditional rifles."Ladies Day Out" will feature hands-on seminars taught by NRA instructors from the Lehigh Valley Girl and Gun Chapter, Lehigh Valley Firearms Training Center and expert staff from Cabela's. Seminars scheduled are: 10 a.m., A Women's Guide to Shooting and Self-Defense; 11 a.m., The Legal Aftermath of Self-Defense; Noon, Paracord Bracelet Making 101; 1 p.m., Archery 101.For a complete schedule of "Ladies Day Out" and other events access the website at

www.Cabelas.com/ hamburg.**********Driving tours are scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 5, of State Game Lands 141 in Carbon County, with registration from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and State Game Lands 57 in Luzerne and Wyoming counties, with registration from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.State Game Lands 141 consist of nearly 17,048 acres, and the tour will begin at the large parking lot along Route 93 on State Game Lands 141, Nesquehoning Township. PGC personnel will be in attendance to supply each vehicle with a map and explain various points of interest and wildlife habitat-improvement projects.Four-wheel-drive vehicles with high clearance are recommended for this 9-mile, self-guided driving tour, which travels east on a game lands road toward the Lehigh Gorge State Park and back to Route 93, exiting at the parking lot across from the game lands shooting range.This tour will pass habitat-improvement projects completed by the game lands Food and Cover Corps crew located in Carbon County and the National Wild Turkey Federation, The Nature Conservancy and the Ruffed Grouse Society. Representatives from the PGC and conservation organizations will be available to explain the projects and answer questions.State Game Lands 57 consist of nearly 44,600 acres, and the tour begins at the headquarters building complex, Ricketts Station, Forkston Township, Wyoming County. PGC personnel will supply a map to each vehicle and explain various points of interest and wildlife habitat-improvement projects.Four-wheel-drive vehicles with high clearance are required for this 30-mile, self-guided driving tour of habitat-improvement projects completed by game lands Food and Cover Corps crew, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Quality Deer Management Association and Ducks Unlimited.Representatives from the PGC and conservation organizations will be available to explain the projects and answer questions.**********Hunters United For Sunday Hunting is sponsoring a Coyote and Crow Hunt-In this Sunday to draw attention to the hypocrisy of the state legislators not allowing the expansion of hunting for games species on Sunday. HUSH is urging hunters to take photographs of themselves and their friends hunting legally this Sunday and email them to their state legislators.**********Sunday's edition of "Experience The Outdoors," winner of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association's best outdoors radio program award hosted by award-winning POWA member Doyle Dietz, at 7 a.m. on 1410-AM WLSH, at 9:30 a.m. on Magic 105.5-FM and on the Web at

www.wmgh.com by clicking the link to the program, features Susquehanna River fishing guide Rod Bates of Koinonia Guide Service.**********A 30-target, 3-D hunting course is open daily from dawn to dusk, except Sundays from 1-4 p.m. for trap, at Bear's Head Archery, located off Exit 134, I-81, Delano. For information call the club at 570-467-0331.**********Tours of the Pennsylvania Game Commission's two Lycoming County game farms will be held Sunday, from noon-3 p.m. Loyalsock Game Farm is located five miles north of Montoursville on Route 87 on 136 Game Farm Road. Northcentral Game Farm is 18 miles north of Montoursville on Route 87 on 1609 Proctor Road.**********Schuylkill Spurs Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation meets Thursday, Oct. 2, beginning at 7 p.m., at West Penn Rod and Gun Club, 1047 Clamtown Road, Tamaqua. For information, call Jeff Thomas at 570-622-6179, Jeff Post at 570-366-7783 or Mike Corbin at 570-929-1622.