There are many different stereotypes surrounding hunters in general, but as a woman hunter I have experienced a unique set of stereotypes that are only specific to females. Thankfully in the past few years women are starting to make a positive name for themselves in the hunting & shooting industries, and that is slowly helping to dispel these common myths.
We Can't Do It On Our Own
Women are fully capable of putting in the hard work and having the dedication that it takes to have a successful hunt, from start to finish. Most of my hunts are solo hunts, and I harvested my very first deer with a bow while hunting alone. That being said, there are still some aspects of the hunt that I may need help with, like loading a deer into the back of a truck, and I'm okay with that. It really just depends on the person, her experience level and physical capabilities. Everybody is different and I know plenty of women hunters who can harvest a deer, load it into the truck and process it without help from anyone else.
We Don't Have the Attention Span
This can be true for both men and women and is not something that is gender specific. In my opinion, it's more a matter of how dedicated someone is to it. I think if someone is interested enough in going hunting then they will go and endure the long hours in the field that is usually required for a successful hunt. We Are Too Concerned With Our LooksWhile I admit that women do like to feel pretty, getting dressed up and fixing our hair and makeup for every hunt is just not practical and is not something that we all do each and every time. And when it comes down to it we want our hunting apparel to be more functional than fashionable. Hunting is not about looks and fashion. Most women hunters are focused on conservation efforts, making good ethical shots, and providing for our family. |
We Don't Have Good Aim
Have you ever heard of Kim Rhode, Julie Golob or Kirsten Joy Weiss? If so there's not much more for me to say about this stereotype! If not, I highly suggest heading over to nrawomen.tv and seeing just how well they can shoot, along with many other women. Again, this is one that is not gender specific. Anyone, male or female, can become a decent shot with enough practice and dedication.
We Love Pink Hunting Gear
I see so many complaints about this from women hunters and shooters. Personally, I don't mind having a little pink on some of my hunting gear. It separates it from the guys' and gives it a feminine touch. However, I don't want pink on every single hunting item that I own. For a while it seemed that outdoor companies were just slapping pink on products and marketing them as being "designed for women" when they weren't any different than the men's. Then it seemed even the products that were actually designed for women all still had pink on them. Thankfully a lot of companies are starting to take note and are coming out with some different options. Bottom line, women want a good quality product. And, being female, we love to have options and don't want to be stuck with just one color choice. That's not too much to ask, right?
Oh Those Stereotypes
If this didn't help change your opinion about women hunters here are some women I'd like you to look up on social media: Julie McQueen, Sarah Fromenthal, and Jen "The Archer" Cordaro, just to name a few. Like I said before everybody is different. We all come from different walks of life and have different experience levels, making it impossible for all women to fit into the above stereotypes.