Hunting has traditionally been a male sport, but over the recent years, more and more women have been taking it up. In 2001, 10% of hunters were women, and since then, the numbers have been steadily increasing, which when you consider that the overall number of hunters is dwindling, it means that women now play a significant role in the sport.
Women hunters is not a new trend though if you look back through history, there have been several women who have made a mark in this male-dominated pastime. Annie Oakley is perhaps the most famous sharpshooter from the 1800s. Annie represents a strong image that women aspire to be like: she overcame great poverty, prejudice and used her shooting skills to challenge stereotypes and breakdown barriers for other women, not only in the entertainment industry but in sport hunting and self-defense too.
Life is very different now in comparison to the pioneering times that Annie Oakley lived in, so why have the numbers of women hunters increased?
You get to spend time in the great outdoors
Life is busy, hectic and digitally enhanced. Hunting is a brilliant way to spend some time getting back to nature, and getting back to yourself and be in your own thoughts. Spending time outdoors is the obvious way to counter-balance the demands of modern life and proven to lessen stress. Hunting incorporates the benefits of being in the fresh air with exercise, a double-dose of stress-busting activities.
You experience real community and teamwork
Hunting is more than simply taking aim – that plays a minor role in the sport of hunting. There is a real sense of camaraderie among the hunters, from the pre-season preparations to cleaning and packing out the animal. It’s a social sport, and conversations are rich and varied; from exchanging tips on the best camouflage clothes that blend in, such as those from SKRE Gear, top tips on strategy and patience, to the tastiest recipes to cook with, and advice on how to better your shot. Your regular hunting group can quickly become like family.
You take on a challenge
Hunting is very different from the everyday. It is a real physical and emotional challenge and will test your strength, resilience, and endurance. To be a successful hunter, you need to keep your fitness all year round not just for the season. Mentally, hunting challenges you. You need to be able to make swift decisions and control your emotions, but also be patient.
The days of when a man leaves his wife behind for a weekend hunting trip have gone. They see it as a time to spend time in a solid community in the great outdoors, and a way of providing their homesteading family with high-quality naturally reared meat without having to rely on the intensively farmed animal meats of the stores. It’s a controversial subject to many, but you can see how for some, hunting can fill the gaps in modern culture.
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