As hunting season approaches in many regions of North America, a video of South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has recently made the rounds on social media. Demonstrating how South Dakotans “social distance,” she shot a bird out of the sky. For many, hunting is a beloved pastime, but Noem’s video showed something important: Women are proud to be hunters.
The number of hunters in North America has declined in recent years, but the number of women hunters is actually on the rise in the United States. From 2001 to 2013, the number of women who were registered hunters rose 85% to 3.3 million. Of course, while the increase is encouraging, we have a lot of room to grow.
More and more women are purchasing firearms, and the second most common reason was because women wanted to dip their toes into hunting. While it can be discouraging that the overall number of hunters has been declining for decades, this new trend among women could be an opportunity to revive the activity.
Popular culture often portrays hunting as cruel, but those of us who actually participate in the sport know that’s far from the truth. Hunting is about being a good steward of our natural environment. Hunters, for nearly as long as humans have roamed the Earth, have interacted with and maintained ecosystems. We take great care to ensure that animals do not needlessly suffer, and we’re required to follow strict quotas and guidelines to ensure that species are not overhunted.
Through licensing fees and habitat stamps, hunters are actually financially contributing to wildlife management and land conservation. Hunting often prevents the spread of disease and overpopulation, which could lead to damaged ecosystem and wildlife starvation. There are even interesting studies that suggest areas with more deer hunting have less deer-car collisions during hunting season.
As ambassadors for our sports, we have to use the facts, which are overwhelmingly on our side. In response to backlash from her video, Noem explained, “Many … simply don’t understand our South Dakota way of life. We hunt. We fish…” It’s important that we respectfully use our voices to break down the divisions between those who have been immersed in the hunting way of life, and those who haven’t.
As female hunters, we have an incredible opportunity to claim a seat at the table, and demonstrate that hunting should be lauded as an act of stewardship and conservation, just as Noem defended her state’s way of life. It’s important for those traditionally against hunting to see that our community is diverse, and Canadians and Americans alike participate in hunting not to kill, but to spend time with family and friends, put food on the table, and manage the natural ecosystems they cherish.
Eva Shockey is an outdoor enthusiast who uses her passion as a TV host and social media influencer. Danielle Butcher is the executive vice president of The Conservation Coalition.
