Women Hunters

[DrMike]

There is a great article on Fox News today about women hunters.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/10/31/thousands-more-women-in-one-state-take-up-hunting.html

There is an untapped market for hunting apparel that will fit women, shotguns and rifles designed especially for women and the entire training endeavor. I'm pleased to note that included among those posting on this forum are a number of men who take time to include their wives, daughters, girlfriends and other ladies in training and participation in the shooting sports.

 

[Guy Miner]

Good article. Yes, there are far more women involved in hunting and shooting than when I was young. I see it as a good thing!

Noticed that Weatherby has introduced a new rifle, specifically intended for lady hunters:

http://www.weatherby.com/products/rifle ... milla.html

My wife doesn't hunt, but she shoots with me a few times every year. I'm running into more and more women who are interested in shooting. The pattern I often see is that they want to learn to shoot a handgun, for self-defense. While learning, they are exposed to far more of the shooting world, and gain interest. My friend who recently went rifle shopping with me is an example. She started shooting with me almost a year ago, handguns, for self-defense while hiking and at home. Over the months she grew more and more interested in rifles and hunting. I suspect she'll be hunting with her own rifle, a year from now.

Regards, Guy

 

[Europe]

DrMike,thanks

The Artemis is a very nice rifle but out of most people's price range. I think the Camilla is also an excellent rifle and will have a very good following among female hunters and is a little easier on the pocketbook. I ask my daughter to check out the Lady Hunter in the 6.5 Creedmoor for my granddaughter. I don't know how well this Savage rifle is made, but it intrigues me. I have also wanted to check out the Guerin/Syren shotgun and the Beretta A400. The Beretta is not specifically built for women, but comes with spacers and the gas operated semi should help with the recoil.

anyway thanks for the post, I have noticed a lot of the members here have a female family member or friend who enjoys hunting so it will be of interest to a large cross section of the forum's membership

 

[Anonymous]

Pretty interesting stuff. I did a piece for a non-profit a few years back. That year 20+% of the hunting licenses sold in AK were sold to women.

I know lots of very accomplished ladies in the field and a lot more who play some role in hunting. My wife likes to go, not much on shooting critters despite being a great shot with a rifle. She loves to butcher, so I guess I really won there.

I'm really glad to see the numbers of ladies. It also seems that the last few years I'm seeing a lot more "non-typical" folks in the field based on the food aspect of hunting. I've managed to mentor three folks now in their 30s and 40s for their first animal who previously had never given it a thought.

 

[DrMike]

I suppose to be precise, I should have referred to the growing number of huntresses (Dianas? Artemises? Nujaliks? Pingad? Banka-Mundis? I can't remember all the goddesses of the hunt). Whatever is the preferred term, it is a positive development to see more ladies in the field. It will ensure that the sport continues for generations to come.

 

[c. schutte]

I think it's great, especially how there are more young women becoming fascinated with hunting, rifles and the sport in general. My wife has zero interest so no hope there. I've two boys who are basically grown now who love the sport. No girls but, if I did they would have been exposed to hunting a long time ago. My hat is off to Sean, Tom and others who have brought their daughters into the sport.

 

[Africa Huntress]

I suppose to be precise, I should have referred to the growing number of huntresses (Dianas? Artemises? Nujaliks? Pingad? Banka-Mundis? I can't remember all the goddesses of the hunt). Whatever is the preferred term, it is a positive development to see more ladies in the field. It will ensure that the sport continues for generations to come.

that is funny Dr Mike. I found myself traveling with my parents from one country to another at an early age, and had to get use to the different descriptions of me as a young girl--girl, lassie, flicka, msichana

Charles, my mother loved to hunt and be in the outdoors and my father loved horses and to be in the outdoors. I did not get a lot of ballet lessons.

Guy, I think that Weatherby rifle will be well received. Does anyone here know anyone who has one and if so their review of it would be interesting.

April, the chances of getting my parents to buy a Savage falls somewhere between slim and not at all LOL

Dr Mike, thank you for posting that link

Best Regards

Jamila

 

[Anonymous]

One interesting demographic note.

If Dad hunts, he might be the only hunter in the whole family. If Mom hunts...chances are very, very good that the whole family hunts.

 

[69gto]

My wife had never fired a rifle before we got married, now she has taken several mule deer including a 181 BC gross, a321 BC gross 6x6 bull, 3 pronghorn, a whitetail buck and several blacktail bucks. My daughter hunts and has taken two muley bucks before she got busy with kids and work, now my 15 yr old granddaughter wants to hunt. By the way my wife is a better shot than me especially off hand.

 

[AK7AN]

When I first married Kelli, ( a little over 30 yrs ago) she felt a little left out when I would go fishing or hunting. I decided I would take her with me and it has worked out beautifully. She has killed a number of Mule deer bucks and 1 cow Elk. We just finished up a second season Colorado Elk hunt in unit 551, no luck but we hunted hard and enjoyed every minute of the hunt and each others company. Makes for warmer nights in the fifth wheel too.. My oldest daughter Becky was able to join us for the first 3 days and that made it all even more special.. had to pry my Weatherby Vanguard 270 win out of her hands before she left.. :lol:

As far as the rifle offering tailored toward women, I would prefer a 22 inch barrel over the 20.. better performance and less muzzle blast and jump.. Kelli shoots a Ruger M77 tang safety in 270 Winchester that I shortened the stock to more suit her LOP..

Take care
Ed

 

[truck driver]

Though my wife was never into hunting she did like to go shooting with me and used to shoot my little .22lr single shot better than me and like shooting my .22 and .38 pistols.
She loves walking thru the woods looking at the wild life and is at home fishing for small mouth bass when she goes with me.

 

[salmonchaser]

Been privileged to help a few getting started.


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[69gto]

I agree with AK7AN, a 22 inch barrel would be a better balanced rifle. If wby. offered a 22 inch in the Camilla I would buy one for the grand daughter.

 

[Polaris]

My wife often complains about the lack of proper fitting hunting clothes and used to complain about the stock on her rifle until I restocked it. A youth was too short, a full size was too long and thick in the forend. I split the difference in the 2 and thinned the forend wood, now it's just right. As for hunting clothes, there is plenty of camo, but few options for blaze orange and cold weather. Her biggest complaint is, her words, no boob space. To get a large enough space in that area she has to go up a couple of sizes and then she's stuck with a baggy coat that's too long. Same in the pants, too tight in the hip, too loose and long on the legs.

 

[salmonchaser]

My ex bought her clothing from an outfit Prioshunting.com. It wasn't any more expensive then good equipment for men. Actually she picked it out I bought it
In any event the equipment flattered the feminine physique but still allowed her to hunt.


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[rjm158]

When I met my wife 25ish years ago we were both working for the same ambulance company. We eventually started dating and at the time she had only shot a gun of any kind a few times and with no instruction, just "Here, shoot this." Plus, her ex had told her that women can't hunt........because they're women (I guess).

She expressed a desire to learn so we started with .22's and eventually moved on to shotguns and skeet. She learned how to lead targets and focus on the sight and ignore the recoil. She used a 20 gauge to reduce the amount of recoil and I eventually bought her a youth sized Beretta 391 because it fit her.

She then expressed a desire to try deer hunting so I put my Remington 700 .260 in a youth stock and she shot it very well. She killed an 8 pt buck on the run at 135 yds on opening morning and she's been hooked since. After that season I bought her a Remington Model 7 .260 and she has killed several deer since with it. She doesn't get to hunt as much as she'd like because of work but she goes when she can.

She also has her CCW and has her own Sig 238 and 938, plus a pink assisted opening Buck knife.

She also has an affinity for camo stuff and now has a collection of significant size and variety.

Ron

 

[Thankful Otter]

One interesting demographic note.

If Dad hunts, he might be the only hunter in the whole family. If Mom hunts...chances are very, very good that the whole family hunts.

There is a lot of truth in that statement, especially in reference to daughters.

A little side story Hodgeman. We had some young female visitors from Quebec visiting in Nunavut and one of them had never been anywhere but a mall and hair/nail salon--it took a little patience but when she left she was able to snow shoe, build a fire, ice fish, and ask if she could come back and hunt with us----but the first few days were pretty funny when she would say, you want me to do what ? where is the T.V. ? there is no wi-fi here ? .

 

[Guy Miner]

:grin:

Thanks for sticking with her and helping her learn.

 

[SJB358]

This little girl is getting excited to hunt some more with Dad. She took her first buck a few years ago but her interest kinda waned a little. I'm about getting her the correct rifle stock (for a Model 70) and any clothing she needs. Once they get excited about it I have no problem feeding that fire.

 

[Anonymous]

My wife often complains about the lack of proper fitting hunting clothes.... she has to go up a couple of sizes and then she's stuck with a baggy coat that's too long. Same in the pants, too tight in the hip, too loose and long on the legs.

My wife complains about this incessantly...particularly for stuff that works in the mountains which is far different than some cotton based tree stand camo.

She's ended up with an irritating mish-mash of mountaineering stuff made for women and over-size, ill fitting men's clothing.

The industry is coming along....ever so slowly. The first company (ie. Kuiu, First Lite, Sitka) that makes women's clothing in a wide range of sizing will sell a pile of them.