Thinning the Herd
Written by Daniel Turner, Thursday October 22 2009
Lincoln, Nebraska was in need of hunters this month. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission feared an over run of the deer population meaning a threat to farm crops and an increase in the risk of vehicular accidents. The deer’s natural predator, the coyote, is being leveled by mange, so the call went out for outdoorsmen to take up the slack. More accurately, the call was answered by outdoorswomen.
Female hunters responded in record numbers to the request from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Teresa Lombard, an experienced hunter who mentors novice women in the art of outdoors life explained it simply by stating that hunting brings women closer to the food chain. Plus, this hunt helped to regulate crop growth by reducing the deer population. And, healthy, abundant crops benefit everyone, including those who do not hunt.
Lombard’s reasoning behind her response to the need for hunters is the rationale behind most women who take up the sport. As their numbers increase women are becoming complete outdoors people. They dress their game and use the meat for food. As one woman who teaches shooting and outdoors courses commented, females are more prone to care less about the rack and more about the food source.
While few argue that the number of female hunters is increasing, there is still a cycle of debate regarding how and why they enter the sport. Many believe it is to allow them to be closer to their father or spouse and that was an early reason behind women taking up the gun and camo. Now though, women are hunting in segregated groups, learning the sport from each other and beginning to increase their skills and knowledge.
Lombard is but one of many women who instruct novices in the sport. Throughout the country classes led by women and for women are becoming standard. They stress weapon proficiency, safety and ethics of hunting. As hunting has moved further onto the internet sites specific to women are flourishing. They offer classes, workshops, blogs, articles and store sites.
Some figures given for the number of women hunters in the outdoors put their ranks at 16% overall, but if that number is true they are making up for lost time in activity and in purchasing. Manufacturers are reporting increased sales of weapons and gear designed for women and crossbows are becoming a popular item as women include bow hunting into their routine.
Marketing always runs from the sublime to the ridiculous and sports equipment for women is no exception. That explains the “Sarah-cuda” a pink camouflage crossbow that was designed and introduced to take advantage of Sarah Palin’s image as a hunter. However, even NPR, a network that Palin would definitely find leftist leaning, has devoted airtime to the increasing number of female hunters and discussed their hunts as occasions to bond and how they are using their kills to feed their families and friends.
Since more women are hunting in a spirit of sisterhood, more tours are beginning to cater to the female only audience. A tour in the Pacific Northwest works in conjunction with the NRA, through their women specific website, to offer weekend excursions in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The tours have been in operation for several years and report marked increases in attendance.
As is true in the case of athletics most instructors find women easier to teach than men since they arrive with less preconceived notions and respond to critiquing better. Additionally, they transition easily into the concept of teamwork and hunt for pleasure, sport and nutritional aspects. Their game becomes table food as they see the more natural benefits of meat that is not farmed for slaughter.
Like team sports women usually come to hunting later in life than men. The increase in classes is helpful because it gives them a forum to learn where they are encouraged by their fellow students. Similar to what you hear when women participate in basketball, soccer, or softball, the students cheer each other and lift the spirits of those who may have a harder time acquiring the skills.
The dedication they bring to learning outdoors life carries through once they have the necessary knowledge. Gun safety and responsible behavior is the hallmark of female hunters and the state of Nebraska was so impressed by those who answered their call for assistance with the deer population that they are now offering classes tailored toward women who want to become hunters.
Anne Vinnola of Team Huntress recommends any woman interested in outdoors and shooting take the clinics that are offered by her organization and others. The Team Huntress Outdoors Adventures Clinic caters to all skill levels. While Vinnola learned the basics from her husband she didn’t see her skill level increase until she began interacting with other female hunters.
Classes organized by women are geared to understand the strength, size, acumen and personality of the student body. In other words, it’s okay to shoot like a girl in a class designed for females. The instructors know the physical range of their students and teach based upon it. The positive reinforcement found in the classes allows women to flourish and become skilled hunters.
The end result of the focus on females in hunting is that it offers women an opportunity to learn a skill and enter a lifestyle that has been previously denied them. As proven by their assistance in Nebraska they are more than able to answer the challenge of outdoor life and have much to contribute by their inclusion. While they assisted in the thinning of the deer herds in Nebraska their involvement in hunting and the outdoors will prove beneficial to the sport of hunting. They are still the minority in the woods, but they are growing confident and stronger. As they continue to develop resources and raise their knowledge and skill level they bring a new, fresh and vital perspective to a formerly male dominated activity that can only improve from their added inclusion.
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