First-hand experiences of women hunters

[Europe]

Hi: You really have a great perspective! I feel very much like you do, and am also a woman; it's not a big deal for me to be alone hiking, camping or fishing, in fact that's how I like it & I've been doing it for 40+ years. Now that I'm older I want to learn big game hunting and have no one to teach me in the empty of Western Wyoming. I would prefer to have a woman teach me, only because my previous male teachers seem to think I'm barely capable of learning the skills necessary and talk down to me. I am strong, a pretty good shot, can be out in the snow and rain without complaining. I know how to find my way with a compass and map, and though slower now, I persevere. How do I find a teacher willing to teach without judgement?

I just heard that we may be celebrating "birthing day people" day in the future instead of "Mothers day", so you may not be able to request a male or female to help you. "I need a hunting person" to help me

All joking aside, welcome to the hunting world, it is great to have you among us and I wish I was young enough to help you. Hunting wife and I would load up a mule with supplies ( with at least one bottle of her home made wine for us to sip around the campfire each evening ) and we would head out. but since that is not going to happen, you might try to run down a young lady named Nicole Quastiere, who lives and hunts in Idaho, Montana, or Wyoming, I forget which. I dont know her personally but others have told me about her and those folks spoke well of her --but--I dont know her personally . What I was told is she was somewhat in the same boat as you a few years back, so if she is not available to go with you or you with her, she might be able to steer you to someone who might help.

As to gender specifically. In reading your post, I understand your desire to go with a female, but personally I would not limit yourself as you might be surprised that the majority of males who hunt big game are stand up fellows. Of course you will run into jerks, just as you will run into bitches, but that happens in all walks of life.

IMHO, your odds of finding a female who is retired, likes to hunt, and likes to teach others, will be slim. Dont limit yourself.

If your experience with outdoor male types in the past has been negative, stick around this forum, you will find many very knowledgable and kind men here who are willing to help you. Great bunch of young men ( for full disclosure, a man under 80 is a young man to me (-: )

good luck and have fun --excited for you

 

[Randi]

Nicole is in wyoming and I think she knows Mr Newberg

very old fashion, with technology being what it is today, but dont discount asking at all your local sporting good supply and firearm companies in your area.

I am the opposite of April, but also from a different generation. All things being equal I prefer to hunt with another woman and know several, in Alaska and Texas who hunt, but unfortunately I don know female hunters in Wyoming.

You might pm, Salmonchaser, he might know someone, as he crosses paths with a wide variety of people from a wide variety of places each year.

 

[MNElkNut]

Nicole's last name is Qualtieri and she has a blog or something called Gear Junkie. She was on a Pheasants Forever podcast recently I believe.

Also, try a local sportsman's club. Lots of old fellers that want nothing more than to share their knowledge.

 

[WesternWyoming]

There aren't a lot of people that I want to spend my vacation time with, I'm not sure I'd waste my time hanging out with someone I didn't like simply to learn something that I could learn via the internet.

Most of my hunting was self taught, my first couple of hunts were with someone but I think the most important lessons I got out of those hunts were 1. I wanted to keep hunting 2. That's a really dumb way to do that... you have mentors on this forum that can help you figure a lot of stuff out.

My unsolicited advice, do it solo or with a friend that's also interested in hunting even if they are a total beginner. What YouTube videos to figure our specific things, gutless method, skinning etc, and then just learn from experience. You will screw up a ton, but you will learn a lot, and in many ways the lessons will stick better. You know to pay attention to the wind, not because Jeff said to, but because you blew out deer 15 times.

Yes, I agree that experience is the best teacher; my comfort in the mountains and deserts comes from living there. But hunting is new for me, so I came here for advice and had no idea that it would cause such a ruckus. Boy howdy. I hope I didn't insult anyone, didn't mean to. I appreciate reading everyone's posts; I couldn't learn about all these lifetimes of experience in any other way.

 

[WesternWyoming]

I just heard that we may be celebrating "birthing day people" day in the future instead of "Mothers day", so you may not be able to request a male or female to help you. "I need a hunting person" to help me

All joking aside, welcome to the hunting world, it is great to have you among us and I wish I was young enough to help you. Hunting wife and I would load up a mule with supplies ( with at least one bottle of her home made wine for us to sip around the campfire each evening ) and we would head out. but since that is not going to happen, you might try to run down a young lady named Nicole Quastiere, who lives and hunts in Idaho, Montana, or Wyoming, I forget which. I dont know her personally but others have told me about her and those folks spoke well of her --but--I dont know her personally . What I was told is she was somewhat in the same boat as you a few years back, so if she is not available to go with you or you with her, she might be able to steer you to someone who might help.

As to gender specifically. In reading your post, I understand your desire to go with a female, but personally I would not limit yourself as you might be surprised that the majority of males who hunt big game are stand up fellows. Of course you will run into jerks, just as you will run into bitches, but that happens in all walks of life.

IMHO, your odds of finding a female who is retired, likes to hunt, and likes to teach others, will be slim. Dont limit yourself.

If your experience with outdoor male types in the past has been negative, stick around this forum, you will find many very knowledgable and kind men here who are willing to help you. Great bunch of young men ( for full disclosure, a man under 80 is a young man to me (-: )

good luck and have fun --excited for you

Thank you Europe for your kind words and welcome! I'm a firm believer in the goodness of most people and will not limit myself to female mentors. I didn't intend to insult all the fine people here. You're right, finding a female hunter with time and patience to teach the many skills that make a good hunter is likely slim. So I will listen and learn. I do find some comfort in knowing that other women experience the same things I have, in stores, on the trail and at work, and in seeing the empathy expressed here. It's nice to meet everyone.

 

[MNElkNut]

it would nice to read about your journey. start a thread and update it with your successes and failures. there are a lot of people that would enjoy reading it. even the little things like shopping for hunting gear.

excuse the lack of capitalization. i am a one handed typer for a while longer.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Yes, I agree that experience is the best teacher; my comfort in the mountains and deserts comes from living there. But hunting is new for me, so I came here for advice and had no idea that it would cause such a ruckus. Boy howdy.

I didn't articulate myself particularly well, I think I was trying to say in person mentorship doesn't need to be a barrier.

 

[Europe]

Nicole's last name is Qualtieri and she has a blog or something called Gear Junkie. She was on a Pheasants Forever podcast recently I believe.

Also, try a local sportsman's club. Lots of old fellers that want nothing more than to share their knowledge.

thank you

Thank you Europe for your kind words and welcome! I'm a firm believer in the goodness of most people and will not limit myself to female mentors. I didn't intend to insult all the fine people here. You're right, finding a female hunter with time and patience to teach the many skills that make a good hunter is likely slim. So I will listen and learn. I do find some comfort in knowing that other women experience the same things I have, in stores, on the trail and at work, and in seeing the empathy expressed here. It's nice to meet everyone.

your more than welcome and thank you for following up to the responses you received. That in of itself, shows you are serious. You will be just fine. Enjoy the forum and your future hunts. As far as insulting anyone, you have to post on the friday music thread to accomplish that

I didn't articulate myself particularly well, I think I was trying to say in person mentorship doesn't need to be a barrier.

"I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant"

and it will not or should not surprise anyone to find out that this was said by someone who once resided in Wash D.C.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Yes, I agree that experience is the best teacher; my comfort in the mountains and deserts comes from living there. But hunting is new for me, so I came here for advice and had no idea that it would cause such a ruckus. Boy howdy. I hope I didn't insult anyone, didn't mean to. I appreciate reading everyone's posts; I couldn't learn about all these lifetimes of experience in any other way.

I don’t think anyone was insulted by any means. I think @wllm1313 was just throwing another way of learning out there for you to consider. I had almost mentioned the same idea. He has posted quite freely here to document his adventures as a self-taught adult onset hunter. Definitely a good option to consider for those who don’t have easy access to mentors. I think many of us experienced people also use some of the online material or books available today to supplement our knowledge too. Learning to hunt is a life-long process.

 

[CouesKelly]

Wanted to throw it out there as a free resource for you in Wyoming, looks like Wyoming Wildlife Federation is putting on a webinar and Q&A on how to apply for licenses and tags. One for residents and one for non-residents. https://wyomingwildlife.org/wyoming-hunting-license-applications/
Go and take a hunters safety course, volunteer at local conservation organizations. You may meet some great people who you can form some good relationships with that could lead to mentorship. Good luck on your journey and keep us posted on your progress.

 

[geetar]

*white women, specifically wealthy white women seem to be quickly losing their privilege.
I wonder how this article would’ve read if it was a female poc holding up the giraffes heart?
Would the article even be written?

Trophy hunter slammed for posing with bloody HEART from giraffe she shot

A TROPHY hunter posed with a bloody giraffe heart which was cut out of the beast she shot. Merelize Van Der Merwe, 32, infuriated campaigners by sharing the photo of her “perfect” Valen…

www.thesun.co.uk

Well to be honest If it was a female person of color holding up a giraffe’s heart it would probably mean she was in her home country and simply doing a little subsistence hunting to feed her family but I get your point lol.

 

[WesternWyoming]

I don’t think anyone was insulted by any means. I think @wllm1313 was just throwing another way of learning out there for you to consider. I had almost mentioned the same idea. He has posted quite freely here to document his adventures as a self-taught adult onset hunter. Definitely a good option to consider for those who don’t have easy access to mentors. I think many of us experienced people also use some of the online material or books available today to supplement our knowledge too. Learning to hunt is a life-long process.

Adult onset hunter! LOL! I can relate to that. What a fun crew we have here.

 

[WesternWyoming]

thank you


your more than welcome and thank you for following up to the responses you received. That in of itself, shows you are serious. You will be just fine. Enjoy the forum and your future hunts. As far as insulting anyone, you have to post on the friday music thread to accomplish that


"I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant"

and it will not or should not surprise anyone to find out that this was said by someone who once resided in Wash D.C.

The Friday music thread?

 

[Jbotto]

Adult onset hunter! LOL! I can relate to that. What a fun crew we have here.

This place is great!!! Glad you’re here!

The Friday music thread?

Every Friday there is a themed music thread in the Fireside sub forum. It is awesome and has broadened my musical horizons and introduced me to lots of music I probably never would have listened to. If you get a minute go back through some of the past Friday music threads and you’ll have endless listening enjoyment!

 

[noharleyyet]

Monday thru Wednesday we argue about Montana tags, boolits, rifles, cats, our own private public land honeyholes, and outfitters, Thursdays are a little hunting and Texas disparagement, Friday is music and we even let wimmens contribute, Saturdays are flat, Sundays are pitchers.....what'd I miss.

 

[RobertD]

Monday thru Wednesday we argue about Montana tags, boolits, rifles, cats, our own private public land honeyholes, and outfitters, Thursdays are a little hunting and Texas disparagement, Friday is music and we even let wimmens contribute, Saturdays are flat, Sundays are pitchers.....what'd I miss.

Cheese, and that every six months or so a new member shows up to tell everyone how wrong/stupid they are about a given subject. Lol

 

[Dave N]

As far as insulting anyone, you have to post on the friday music thread to accomplish that

 

[RobertD]

Adult onset hunter! LOL! I can relate to that. What a fun crew we have here.

You will soon see that this is the best hunting forum around. All other forums are full of dorks arguing. Here is better.

No but seriously stick around, there are some tremendously smart and accomplished hunters here to learn from.

 

[MNElkNut]

A note on calibers....everyone will like you if you say good things about the 7mm-08 (aka 7mm Hunttalk) and make fun of those that shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor (aka 6.5 Manbun)!

So tell us about your experience getting into hunting so far. Have you been out?

 

[KB_]

I personally enjoying teaching people how to suck badly at hunting. Really teaches you to love hunting when you suck terribly at it. Doesn't matter how long you have been hunting for, mistakes get made every step of the way and each time you learn something. Also if you really wanna be successful every year. just hit one with your truck.

All jokes aside. Some people are just not patient enough to teach. If your the high speed kind of hunter, dont offer to teach. New hunters are just that, new... Gender doesnt make a difference, when your new, your slow. This will be my 4th year elk hunting, I've learned to hunt with people that are of your own speed and capability. Much easier to make decisions when you are on an even playing field.