Woman's hunting experience

[Baticus]

I had the pleasure of introducing the gf to hunting. It was always something she wanted to do with her dad. Unfortunately he passed when she was only 15. She did get the opportunity to grow up shooting trap with him, which helped fuel the fire.

She thoroughly enjoys hunting, and has never backed down once the work starts. She also claims to be a "fair weather hunter" but has never once backed out of a hunt because it was too cold. Especially since her work time constraints only allow for a handful of days each season. I've been able to teach her everything I know, and have even learned a lot from her.

But, if only I could teach her elk don't fly...

 

[dirtclod Az.]

She may need an upgrade on her blind...Ha!,Ha!

 

[onpoint]

Regarding Baticus' photo....

1. Is your wife an ornitho-enthusiast? My hunting partner also loves watching the sky when we're hunting, especially when 1000's of sandhills are migrating overhead and stopping over in the nearby waterholes.....



2. And most importantly - that camo is all wrong for that situation.............................................................

 

[MTelkHuntress]

Yeah I still dont agree with wearing makeup while hunting....I've talked to some other women on here about it as well. To me that just says you arent doing it for you, you're doing it to look good. I mean you cant see yourself wearing makeup and I know for a fact if I did wear makeup while hunting, it would be all gone within the first half hour. To be in the mountains or woods is to be there for you and be comfortable with yourself.Thats my view and I get a lot of lip for it, but to each their own, I'm not going to stop anyone from wearing makeup.
I've also noticed this huntress vs hunter and which women choose to be called. To each their own but I like huntress sometimes because women do have to put up with different challenges than men in the hunting world. They are constantly sexualized (and lots of women use it to their advantage), told that women shouldn't hunt, and even get negativity from other women. I've been told so many times that I shouldn't be hunting because I'm a woman by so many customers at my job.
As for hunting with other women...I've never even met another woman that hunts like I do, I've never even seen another woman in the places I've hunted. I hope that changes.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Yeah I still dont agree with wearing makeup while hunting....I've talked to some other women on here about it as well. To me that just says you arent doing it for you, you're doing it to look good. I mean you cant see yourself wearing makeup and I know for a fact if I did wear makeup while hunting, it would be all gone within the first half hour. To be in the mountains or woods is to be there for you and be comfortable with yourself.

My sister and wife always wear makeup will skiing, we ski primarily at resorts so you are going into restaurants for lunch, seeing other people on the lifts etc. Neither of them would even think about bringing makeup camping, or backcountry skiing. My question is do you think it is common for women, other than TV personalities to wear make up on backcountry hunts? I understand why TV personalities wear makeup whenever they are on film, like it or not no one cares if Rinella looks like crap hunting caribou in the brooks range... and after 8 days he does, but our society judges women, it's stupid but it's reality. I also understand women wanting to wear makeup if later that day they are going into town... also I kinda get wanting to feel confident taking the old grip and grin.

I don't have kids yet, if I have a daughter I'm not sure what I would think or advocate.

 

[Jape]

Yeah I still dont agree with wearing makeup while hunting....I've talked to some other women on here about it as well. To me that just says you arent doing it for you, you're doing it to look good. I mean you cant see yourself wearing makeup and I know for a fact if I did wear makeup while hunting, it would be all gone within the first half hour. To be in the mountains or woods is to be there for you and be comfortable with yourself.Thats my view and I get a lot of lip for it, but to each their own, I'm not going to stop anyone from wearing makeup.
I've also noticed this huntress vs hunter and which women choose to be called. To each their own but I like huntress sometimes because women do have to put up with different challenges than men in the hunting world. They are constantly sexualized (and lots of women use it to their advantage), told that women shouldn't hunt, and even get negativity from other women. I've been told so many times that I shouldn't be hunting because I'm a woman by so many customers at my job.
As for hunting with other women...I've never even met another woman that hunts like I do, I've never even seen another woman in the places I've hunted. I hope that changes.

Yeah, the whole hunter v. huntress thing is moot to me. If a woman wants to call herself a huntress I think that is awesome. If she prefers to call herself a hunter, I think that is awesome too.

 

[MTelkHuntress]

My question is do you think it is common for women, other than TV personalities to wear make up on backcountry hunts?

I think some women do. Personally when I come back from hunting and get something from the gas station or run quickly into the grocery store, I dont nornally care what I look like because I'm so dang tired. I guess my head is still in the mountains and out there, it doesnt matter. The animals dont care what your face looks like, they are still going to run away from you. I might rebraid my hair to look a little cleaner or wipe dirt off my face but that's it. I think so many women have lost confidence in themselves without make up and I really wish women would realize that they dont need makeup and sometimes they look the same with it (that whole no makeup, makeup look). But that's not to say that women should never wear makeup. I just personally think it doesnt really have a place in hunting. It's kind of frustrating to see the few women I've noticed in hunting that have a show, wear tons of makeup and curl their hair. I dont watch hunting shows much so maybe there are women that don't do that, but I havent seen them.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

It's kind of frustrating to see the few women I've noticed in hunting that have a show, wear tons of makeup and curl their hair. I dont watch hunting shows much so maybe there are women that don't do that, but I havent seen them.

The meateater epsiode with helen and brittney in MT and then the youtube episodes of Marcus hunting with his wife are the only one that I am aware of... To be honest I've never seen a show where a female host is sleeping in the dirt camping, for that matter meateater, solohunters, and randy's team are really the only one's I know of where a male host is doing that.

I met a transporter who flew a couple of different TV personalities into the field in AK and they said their camps were kinda hilarious + comfort requirements.

 

[The Hedgehog]

The “Extreme Huntress” stuff soured that word.

 

[onpoint]

"With YouTube, you'd think there would be more female shows on there".

Maybe relatively fewer "women" who are proficient and dedicated hunters have drank the kool-aid and became willing to video their exploits, expose their haunts, and inflict their "knowledge" (allover the www.) on every manjack and idiot who is sad enough to watch you tube hunting videos with any regularity.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Just got these in the mail...

 

[Europe]

Good point. Not everyone wants to hunt 60 days out of the year and climb 5000 vert feet a day. That’s ok. One could say unless they do something really physically and emotionally demanding then that person is not pushing themselves enough. I don’t buy it. There is certainly tremendous value in pushing your limits to see what your made of and I enjoy that, but there is also tremendous value in just spending time outdoors, enjoying nature, and spending time with those you love. Hunting should push us, more or less, but we should also enjoy the experience. I have to remind myself of that principle yearly.

I was asked to respond to this thread and I did, on page one, but before the above post, as well as a few others. I agree with hunting wife, as previously stated and also this post by mtnhuntr. Each person should hunt, in whatever manner is enjoyable to them. As I mentioned on a different thread, some of my favorite hunting experiences is river float hunting, or taking a float plane deep into the wilderness, some of the most memorable moments, view wise, was waking up in a spike camp, on top of a mountain, or "closer" to the top. BUT--some prefer to hunt from blinds, some prefer to stay in a motel at night and go out each day, or perhaps an RV. Whatever works for that individual .

As to make-up when hunting, for me personally--never--but to each their own.

As to the word hunter for huntress, I dont think I ever gave much thought about it--either way is o.k. with me, I dont care about that one.

But mtnhuntr in a later post mentioned being criticized for hunting and that one I can relate to, both first hand and through friends and family who have experienced it. It has, at time gotten brutal. Death threats, threats to family, attempts at getting her fired from her job, as well as you need to lose weight, gain weight, wear pants that look better on you, are you trying to hide your boobs, are you trying show off your boobs, you could have put on some makeup before coming in to eat ( at a truck stop, from a female waitress ) , are you a dyke, dont you have any self respect, you should be reported to the aurhtoirutues for teaching your children ( and grandchildren ) how to kill, your a disgrace to motherhood, your a disgrace to women, you should not bath in a creek with men around, how do you go to the bathroom with men around, setting with men and we are all dirty, but I am told, I should clean up and try to look respectable, setting with men my age and older, "aren't you to old to hunt?" Because I hunted I have heard--"My God, your an ugly person"

I enjoyed dressing up and going out to dinner, or a broadway play. I love sporting events and wore make up to those outings, but less than when I dressed up for dinner --- but not when hunting

and now no amount of make up is going to help me look younger, whether I am hunting or not lol

 

[Randi]

Acceptance here in Alaska is no problem at all. The men here, even in the stores, dont talk down to you when you ask a question about a product, hunt etc. You are however expected to pull your own weight. I did not find this to be true when we lived in Texas. Many times we ( females ) were tormented by non hunter types, even in school.

No make up when hunting for me, nor do any of my friends wear make up that hunt with me

 

[Hunting Wife]

I never learned how to apply makeup anyway, so it’s apparently one less thing I have to worry about when I’m getting ready to head out.

I just had an interesting discussion sort of related to this with some coworkers the other day. I had gone out chasing sharptails after work, and the guys were asking how I did the next day. They asked if I ever run into anyone else when I go by myself, and if so, what was the usual reaction? I told them I’ve only chatted with one person ever when I’ve been hunting alone, and he wasn’t a hunter, he was a landowner. He seemed sort of amused to see me out there, but was very nice.

My coworkers mentioned that in all the years they’ve been hunting, they’ve rarely seen other women in the field, and never one hunting alone. I guess what I’ve seen is pretty much the same.

I also have been listening to them tell their hunting stories. They have a revolving door of hunting buddies...this group of guys get together for goose hunting, this group of guys go elk hunting every year, they go with this or that guy for an evening duck hunt, etc. Most everyone in their circle hunts, and they have long lists of potential hunting partners. It struck me how different that is from my experience. Yes, most of the other hunters I know are men. These guys that I work with, the neighbor guy across the street, other people I’ve met through work or other things I participate in. But as a woman, I feel like there’s a definite social stigma in going hunting with a man who isn’t a relative or significant other. As nice and evolved as most of these guys are, I think they would all feel weird going hunting with just me, as opposed to going with another guy. I asked Hunting Husband, and he confirmed that he would feel weird going hunting with another woman, though he assures me that if I did find a male hunting partner he wouldn’t have a problem with it. I’m curious what some of you guys think about this.

So women’s options generally are to either go with a male relative (if you have one that hunts), go alone, or don’t go. Or go with another woman if you can find one, which is exceedingly rare in my experience. Might this be a barrier to getting more women afield? Curious what some of you think.

 

[Europe]

Hunting wife

I agree with you 100%.

I never hunted with a man I wasn't related to until after my husband passed.

In fact, when I was a teenager, my mother told me I was not allowed to hunt with a male I wasn't related to. I never ask my husband whether or not he cared, as being from a different generation than hunting wife, it just wasn't something one considered doing. .

I think the only women I have met that were hunting alone, were bird hunting., with one exception. We met a lady in New Zealand who was on a hunting trip alone ( with an outfitter however ) Her husband had passed and he had asked her to hunt New Zealand as "they" were always going to do so, but never did. She was there to fulfill her promise to him.

The women I know who I would be comfortable hunting with, are my children, grandchildren, and other women that I knew and hunted with when our ( theirs and mine ) husbands were alive.

After he passed and before I got to old to hunt, I always had outfitters question me, a lot, when booking a hunt. Far more than they did my husband when he booked a hunt. "will your husband be with you ? " " have you hunted (type of hunt ) before ?" "Do you realize it will be ( hard, exhausting, cold, wet, no bathrooms, etc etc ) during the hunt", "have you used a rifle of that caliber before ?" " have you (ever ridden a horse before, hiked a mtn, canoed a river, etc ) before"--even, you might want to call so and so, I think their hunts would be easier for you.

I am sure hunting wife, mtnelkhunter, panda bear, randi have all had salesmen who have been "condescending" when buying a rifle, scope, etc.

But, the anger from men and women directed toward female hunters, always bothered me even more than "condescending "

Hunting wife's point about there being a social stigma against a woman spending time in the field or mountains with a man that she is not related to or romantically involved with is so very very true.

 

[Randi]

Hunting Wife, I was and still am curious as to what some of the men on the forum think or feel about hunting with a woman that is not their wife or significant other. And what they think, their wife would say or think about it.

April's response to you did not surprise me, as my mother and grandmother both would agree with her. However I dont find the same "blanket" feelings about it within my group of friends, men and women. None of my male friends see a problem with it and most of my female friends dont see a problem with it, but granted some do, but not because of what society thinks about it. Some feel that men hunt harder and they want to hunt at their pace. Some feel that the kill is all that some men want or get from the hunt and they enjoy and want to enjoy the entire experience of hunting and dont think the weekend is a failure if they came home without filling their tag. Some of my more knowledgable female hunting friends dont feel men, in general, are patient enough and that sometime's a little patience can pay off big time when hunting. These types of comments.

I do occasionally run into a female hunting alone, but not often . I do know FAR more young people that hunt with their mother and/or father, some as young as 6, and many 10 through 17, both girls and boys than I did in Texas.

HOWEVER: I want to be fair and state I have heard women say they want a man that hunts and they go just to be with him and these types do wear make-up, have accidents that need a man to help them and wear clothes way to tight, so women, some women, create the problem of why a female who is married and staying at home, would not want her on the hunt with her husband, especially if it was just those two.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

So women’s options generally are to either go with a male relative (if you have one that hunts), go alone, or don’t go. Or go with another woman if you can find one, which is exceedingly rare in my experience. Might this be a barrier to getting more women afield? Curious what some of you think.

I agree that is kinda the situation, and it is a barrier to entry. That said I had female roommates all through college and I see no reason why women can’t have male hunting partners.

If a female colleague/friend wanted to go hunting I’m sure my wife would be totally fine with it... in the reverse I’d probably be peeved, but that has more to do with my FMO and desire to go every chance I get. Not sure of an activity my wife would be into that I wouldn’t, but if it existed I would be fine with her going with a guy without me, out of state dressage competition??

So yes I think it’s a problem but I don’t think it needs to be... although I have a hard time finding hunting partners and go solo a lot...

 

[MTelkHuntress]

I definitely see that most women hunt with relatives or their partner. I've hunted a couple times with a guy friend and it wasnt weird at all for us but I can see how others would see it as weird. He has a girlfriend but she is fine with it. I think the type of hunting matters a little when deciding to hunt alone. I would never go elk hunting by myself because there's no way I could get one out and I dont know enough people who could help me if I did get one during the week, but I will doe hunt or grouse hunt by myself.
I have seen those hunting camps that some women put on so maybe that's a way to hunt with more women. I'm not sure I would go on one of those because I live to elk hunt, but maybe in the future it's an option.

 

[Pucky Freak]

My wife is not comfortable with me hunting alone with a woman anywhere near my age, unless it was family. I think this mostly has to do with the setting being isolated. If there were a third person along, it would probably be fine. I have female friends that I do other sorts of activities with, which my wife doesn't mind. I also sometimes have business trips with women, just me and one other person travelling, but here again it's in the presence of others (on the highway, at the hotel, at the conference, etc.). If she wanted to hunt with a guy I would not care - although this situation would never actually happen because she would only want to hunt with me or a male relative anyways.

One barrier for women getting into hunting is that there are so few other female hunters for them to hunt with - those women are overwhelmingly already hunting with their family and/or their partner. Another barrier is many male hunters don't want a woman along, although their reasons for this are usually based on misconceptions about women hunters. A third barrier is the women's partner might not want her hunting with a guy or group of guys, or that guy's wife might not want him hunting with a woman. All of these things also decrease the possibility for creating social hunting circles for a woman. This in itself another barrier because I would guess that more men than women prefer to hunt alone.

 

[beginnerhunter]

My wife is not comfortable with me hunting alone with a woman anywhere near my age, unless it was family. I think this mostly has to do with the setting being isolated. If there were a third person along, it would probably be fine. I have female friends that I do other sorts of activities with, which my wife doesn't mind. I also sometimes have business trips with women, just me and one other person travelling, but here again it's in the presence of others (on the highway, at the hotel, at the conference, etc.). If she wanted to hunt with a guy I would not care - although this situation would never actually happen because she would only want to hunt with me or a male relative anyways.

One barrier for women getting into hunting is that there are so few other female hunters for them to hunt with - those women are overwhelmingly already hunting with their family and/or their partner. Another barrier is many male hunters don't want a woman along, although their reasons for this are usually based on misconceptions about women hunters. A third barrier is the women's partner might not want her hunting with a guy or group of guys, or that guy's wife might not want him hunting with a woman. All of these things also decrease the possibility for creating social hunting circles for a woman. This in itself another barrier because I would guess that more men than women prefer to hunt alone.

I asked my wife, she said it could not be just me and another woman. Too sexy lol. She said it would be fine if there were more people going along.