Girls and Hunting

[cb375hh]

Women are the future of hunting. The sport won't survive if it's just a bunch of old men participating. Women help show that half of the hunting experience is spending quality time with friends and family, many of my non hunting friends dont get that part. As a hunting community we need to be as inclusive a a possible.

[Scooter]

I wish to God that my wife would go hunting with me... When I first met her she was a liberal hippie coffee-shop vegetarian. After 12 years I've managed to get her to go fishing, eating the fish we caught, get her a gun (yes, it's all hers), and during pregnancy a few years back she suddenly had a craving for poultry- so chicken and turkey were added to the menu. She even ate some of the quail I shot this past fall. She sometimes watches me clean the animals I harvest, and I kinda find that a little wierd- but it's time spent together. I'll admit, I've gone on many, many trips to do what she likes- antiques, long walks with no apparent purpose, dressage shows, malls, etc... but she has never gone hunting with me, after many, many times asked. It's a crying shame because she'd like it. She does, however, have a grudge against turkeys due to an incident when she was riding a horse through the western NY woods and a Turkey jumped out and spooked it and bucked her off pretty hard. She has agreed that someday she'll go turkey hunting. BUT, she still is very hesitant to try shooting a shotgun. I have two 20ga shotguns that she could use, but she's so afraid of the recoil that she gets psyched out and won't pull the trigger. I'll keep working on it- and it's funny because there are lots of women (including mine, sometimes) who get sore at their men for choosing to go hunting and not spending time with them, yet when asked to go along and hunt WITH their man- say "No way".

 

Honestly, if I didn't want the hassle of her hunting with me- I wouldn't ask. I just think she would really get a kick out of the experience, it would mean the world to me, and I really believe that we would become closer as a married couple. I mean, the long drives to camp where you can just keep asking all kinds of annoying questions and talking about random crap while I just smile and nod at would seem like a perfect scenario!

[Mocha1545]

Here is another way to look at it. When you're out in the field and there is nothing happening one could start a little with your wife or girl friend.

 

I've learned on this site that there a WAY too many people out there with fantastic optics. Somehow I'd end up as a story in the weirdest thing you glassed up!!

[BeardownAZ]

Tried getting my wife to go but shes not into hunting or shooting but I aleast likes the camping so Ill take that. My daughter may be the hunter as she is now at the age I can get here mind to focus just enough to understand what we are doing plus she enjoyed shooting the AR once so... My son on the other would just rather look for empty shell casings or play with the campfire .

[Elkhunter1]

Here is another way to look at it. When you're out in the field and there is nothing happening one could start a little with your wife or girl friend.

I've learned on this site that there a WAY too many people out there with fantastic optics. Somehow I'd end up as a story in the weirdest thing you glassed up!!

did you learn this first hand???

Yup up in Flagstaff on an Elkhunt that is where I came up with my handle. lol

[PatrickJr]

oooooooo when I am hunting near flagstaff I will only glass for elk!

[THOR]

My self and two friends took my wife out for her first hunt ever and now is hooked! she realized why I talk about hunting and the outdoors so much. I think it is great for men or women to hunt. it shows a world to an individual that there is so much out there to enjoy and shows a respect to the wildlife that only hunters can respect. Nothing better then seeing the sun rise and the world coming alive. Oh yeah she killed a 92 inch coues on the first morning, 287 yards, one shot.

 

[Elkhunter1]

oooooooo when I am hunting near flagstaff I will only glass for elk!

They do have whitish butts too, you will have to look for certain "movements"

[THOR]

My self and two friends took my wife out for her first hunt ever and now is hooked! she realized why I talk about hunting and the outdoors so much. I think it is great for men or women to hunt. it shows a world to an individual that there is so much out there to enjoy and shows a respect to the wildlife that only hunters can respect. Nothing better then seeing the sun rise and the world coming alive. Oh yeah she killed a 92 inch coues on the first morning, 287 yards, one shot.IMGP3804.JPG

 

I wish even a guy like me could have luck like that!

What was good about the hunt is that it wasn't luck....she passed up a lot of bucks then we found the one she killed that was running with an 80incher. she worked her butt off ! I had her set with "the claw" and told her to tell me when she found him because he was bedded to tell me while my friends had him in there glass, she did," I said are the antlers shining behind the prickly pear? " she said "yes"! I turned off the safety and bang, dead buck!

she was laughing because she had never seen three grown men get up and get out there cells and txt and she was the one that left hers at the truck. congrats Babe!

[Mrs125coues]

When I was growing up we had family vacations at the lake, camping and fishing. I loved it! I was always the first one on the boat ready to catch the most fish. As I grew older and realized my dad and uncles were going hunting in November every year( in Texas) for deer, I asked to go. You would have thought that I asked for a million bucks! Keep in mind this was about 40 years ago. I was told that I could not go that women were not allowed in hunt camp. It took me several years of begging to go before I was allowed to tag along, only to be told to stay put in the cabin!! Never got to shoot or hunt! But the desire never left me, just went dormant. I did not meet the right guys untill 14 years ago I met the love of my life. My husband has, in his words, created a monster! I try to tell him, no you just woke it up, but I am so thankful that he came into my life for many reasons. I was very fortunate to have my husband take me and my dad to his brothers place in Texas and have us hunt together, it is one of the most happiest time's in my life, hunting with my Dad. The story is that Mark, Dad and I were in a shooting house, I had just shot a young Axis buck and it was Dad's shot next, when a big Whitetail showed up, Mark told my Dad not to shoot, but to let me take this buck, My first whitetail. I shot and it went around a tree, I was so nervous, had buck fever! Mark told us to just wait about 10 minutes then we would go get it. Well about 5 min later out comes another deer, for a split second we think it was the one I shot, but Mark told Dad to shoot it. Here is the picture of me and my Dad with our bucks. Daddy told me that he was very proud of me and that he was happy that we got to hunt together, that he was sorry that it took all these years to realize that it was not just for men. I am glad that times have changed in the hunting world.

 

Me and my Daddy with our bucks in Texas

 

[scoutm]

Girls (Women) were always part of the hunting and fishing tradition in our family. Here's a great old photo of my grandma with a really nice mule deer.

 

[azslim]

getting to this late, women tagged along on Mom's side of the family but didn't shoot until she hooked up with my Dad, he bought her a .244Rem and it was gung ho after that. I started my daughters shooting when they were young and started them hunting when they were 10 & 12. We had many a great hunt together over the years, just the 3 of us. Good memories.

 

Women hunted on Dad's side just to make sure there was meat on the table if the men were tied up with work. A funny family story, my Great Grandma Annie was a short little Shoshone woman, stood about 4'8". On a family type sheep hunt up Dinwoody Canyon in Wy the guys told Grandma Anne she couldn't go out that day, she had to hang around around camp because they were going into some real rough country and she was too old. So off they went and she hunted around camp with the 30-30. When the guys got back that night just beat they were looking for some food, hoping all day long Grandma had it ready for them. Well she did, big stew in a dutch oven, but she told the guys you aren't getting any of this until you go pack my sheep back to camp. Yep, while the guys were off killing themselves she shot a nice ram from camp, field dressed it and stashed it in the shade. She didn't let them forget that story for a long, long time.

[THOR]

One thing that I have learned, with my sisters and my wife and friends wife- they are more calm when they shoot! We as in guys get more anxious when pulling the trigger. The truth is in my mind, any ways, that they are a better shot for being more calm. I don't get it but I have seen it. I am just glad there are more and more women hunters out there in the last 10 years!!!

I think its great, that is another way to build the sport for generations to come. your wife or girlfriend doesn't stay at camp and cook and clean, she hits the hills with you, wither its your tag our hers and you do It together and then you back to camp and cook up some back straps together. You gotta love it.

[Chef]

Great topic TJ.

Kathi's story is all too real. I wish I could give it 1000 likes.

 

I'm glad things are turning around for everyone to be able to enjoy the outdoors.

[naturegirl]

I was left behind a lot as a kid while my brother got to go with my dad small game hunting. I was left behind when my dad took my brother on back country horseback trips. Get the picture here....

 

Fast forward to about age 30 when I'm re-introduced to hunting. Add another 6 or so years before I'd pick up a gun to hunt and another year for a bow.

 

I was a kid who didn't want to be left home. I ended up becoming a non-hunter (actually almost an anti-hunter) and just about a vegetarian.

 

It's possible I could've been a hunter my whole life, but because I was born without testicles I was left behind.

 

I'd like to see someone tell me I'm not welcome in camp because it's "guys only." New hunters, women, and kids can all teach you something if you are listening.