Women Who Hunt

In the recent Dec/Jan issue of Field and Stream, editor Sid Evans made the following request:

There are more than 3 million female hunters in the United States, according to a new estimate by the National Sporting Goods Association. I don’t know exactly how many women read this magazine--I suspect more than a few are stealing it off their husbands’ nightstands--but I’d like to ask for your help.

In 2007 we’re going to publish a special section on women and hunting, and our hope is to answer some basic questions: What’s it like to be a female hunter today? How is hunting different for you? How did you get started?

Please e-mail your thoughts and ideas to...

The women hunters have responded and Field and Stream has 40 of their stories posted in the online magazine. Here are a few of their stories:

Women Who Hunt: True Stories and Photos From Field & Stream's Female Readers

Dear Field & Stream,
My name is Carli Ausmann. I am 14-years-old and live in Wyoming. My Dad is an avid hunter and loves the outdoors, so I took a hunter's safety course last spring so I could go hunting with him. Although I had been turkey hunting with him when I was younger, I had never hunted big game. That is until I drew a Wyoming elk permit this fall. I went out and target practiced until I could hit clay pigeons on the ground at 100 yards. My Dad and I were hunting just two days when we came across a 5X6 bull elk, and I dropped him with one shot! I love to hunt and I don't think that hunting is any different for me than it is for a guy. As a conservationist, I understand the importance of hunting and harvesting. I like being a female hunter, mainly because I enjoy learning about the outdoors, and it is a great family adventure. My male classmates gave me a little static for outdoing them, but that's their problem.
Sincerely,
Carli Ausmann

Hello Field & Stream,
Greetings from Ontario, Canada. I have to tell you I don't read my husbands issues of your magazine, the subscription is all mine. I have been fortunate to be able to have hunted most of my life.

My dad and granddad raised my sister and I, and most of that time was spent in the bush. I have carried my own gun since I was a kid. My dad and granddad built our deer camp about 45 years ago. It is still used to this day and sits on 400 hundred acres of secluded, private land. It was here my lessons were learned, valued, respected, and above all loved.

I hunt deer, moose, turkey, bear, and upland game bird. My favorite store in the whole world has to be Cabela's, and I do spend most of my money there. My family knows never to plan a family event in hunting season, or I won't be there, and my honeymoon was spent moose hunting in Northern Ontario...

...I have never hunted harder or tried to fit in because I was a woman. I stay quiet, humble, and do what I love. Let your ability speak for itself and it will. I have come across women hunters that have this chip on their shoulder about being a woman hunter. They feel they have to defend their right to hunt and to be treated as an equal. You don't! Earn that respect and you will be a respected, accomplished hunter. I don't automatically respect every man that has a gun in his hand either. It comes from what his capabilities and knowledge of hunting, safety, and the outdoors.

Hunting is a passion and a way of life for my family and myself. I feel very fortunate and thankful that I have been able to have the greatest memories in the world as a hunter and outdoorswomen.
Thank you,
Jean Rapson

Hello Field & Stream,
Let me tell you what it's like to be a female hunter today. As a sophomore at Lake Superior State University, there couldn't be a better time or place to be a hunter. Nestled in the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan, it is one of the best colleges for outdoor recreations, such as hunting. I never really hunted much before going to college; only a few squirrel hunts here and there. Once I got to college, though, I realized it was inevitable, and that I would have to learn to hunt if I was planning on spending four years here. My father, being a little worried about me hunting knowing he had not taught me how, took me out on my first deer and turkey hunt during my freshman year of college. This year, I brought the gun to school and got a major kick out of walking across campus carrying a gun case. I had quite a few guys stop and tell me where I should go and what techniques I should use...

...Females hunting are not that different than males hunting. The only difference may be the looks we get! We go out to have a good time, get away from the real world, and enjoy the outdoors. It just so happens that it is not stereotypical for women to hunt. I can see a change taking place though, especially in the younger generations. People are becoming more aware of our changing gender roles and there are a few good men and women who are beginning to get females involved in hunting. We don't know what we are fully missing until we try. I believe that many women would love hunting for many of the same reasons that men do, it's just a matter of getting them out there. I only hope to someday see my own sons and daughters learning to hunt from not only my husband, but myself as well.
Thank you,
Jamie Ellio

These are just three of the stories you will find on Field and Stream. Go and read them all for yourself, or click on one of the pictures above to read the associated story in full.

This increase in woman hunters is both good for the sport, and good for our right to keep and bear arms. If you hunt, invite the women in your life to join you. You could be creating memories and strengthening bonds that last a lifetime.