) I though it would be better posted here:I'm sure there are plenty more gals out there like Bugs, Laura, Phoenix, SwiftFox, QueenBee, Algonquin and the others that hang out (or lurk) here. Some of the gals just don't know yet that they enjoy being out in the woods because they haven't had the chance to experience it like we have.
Not too many women take up hunting and just go do it. Generally we need to feel that we know as much as we can before we take the first step. Then we want someone who can guide us through those first experiences and reassure us we're not off base. That someone needs to understand that fine line between babysitting and facilitating.
Things like clothing fit, warmth, peeing in the woods, using gear often designed by guys for guys... it's all very different for us than for guys.
We don't often find the camaraderie with others that the guys find. I've never hunted with another woman.
Women can feel awkward hooking up with guys for hunts - we fear that we're holding them back, cramping their style, intruding on their "guy time", and screwing up and ruining their hunt, or that we have ulterior motives.
Women are also mostly raised not to be alone in the dark. Since we've been able to walk we've been taught to be safe, be aware, stay in well lit areas with other people. Hunting goes against that. We also don't feel at all comfortable going up to places we don't know and asking for permission to hunt - we find ourselves thinking: "what kind of woman does that?"
If a guy takes up shooting he'll have friends that think it's cool. Women don't usually get that support. Some people think we're a bit warped or that we're somehow unhappy with being born female.
When I hunted out west it was with a boyfriend. When we moved here I didn't know anyone who would take a girl hunting. The hunters I knew were pretty chauvinistic. I didn't know any places where I could hunt on my own. So I didn't hunt again for many years until I met Tim - I'm glad he's the kind of guy who encouraged me to join him in sport and didn't just keep it as "guy time" with his pals.
So my message is: take a gal to the range! Let her enjoy just shooting. Start with a pellet rifle, then a .22. Once they get comfortable with the equipment they will enjoy the challenge of hitting paper. Go slow. Make it fun. Generally women will need to have things explained a few times and demonstrated before they will try - not because they don't get it the first time, but because they often don't trust themselves to have it right. Most of us weren't raised to be that confident about "guys sports". Somehow deep in our genes we still believe the lie that shooting sports are mostly for guys for a reason. Once a gal realizes she can shoot, it's a really empowering feeling. I'm not sure if guys ever experience it the same way.
Give a gal a chance and the right support and there's a good chance she'll be out there in a tree stand before you know it!
No interest in hunting though.
