I have been hunting since I was a little girl.  Hunting and fishing with my father is some of my fondest of memories.  When we were growing up hunting was not just about the sport of it, we hunted as a source of food. We regularly had fish, venison, pork, rabbit and squirrel as a staple of our diets.  Hunting became a way of life for me.  I new from my first deer at age 7, that I was hooked for life.  I grew up as quite the tomboy, my father never led me too believe that I did not belong in the outdoor world just because I was a girl.  I continued to hunt all throughout my childhood and into my teen years.  when I met my husband to be at age 18, we first hit it off talking about hog hunting, and I knew this was someone I could share my love of hunting with.  Now that we have a family it has been increasingly important to me that my daughter understand that she too can enjoy all the outdoors have to offer regardless of her gender.

I have always been a self sufficient woman, even when it comes to hunting and fishing,and I have always prided myself on that fact. My daughter is now only 2yrs old and we have already done our best to raise her as we have been.  I believe it is important that we teach today's youth, what the outdoors sports are all about.  Hunting and fishing teach discipline, respect and hard work.  These are all attribute that I am instilling in my daughter.  We enjoy the outdoors as a family. Huntley, my daughter, goes with us to the lease, we take her fishing and we expose her to the outdoors every chance we get.  This is especially important for me to do as a mother.  I want my daughter to understand that she has no limitations on what she can become.  Even at this early age she has already showed an affinity for the outdoors.  I am hoping she too will grow up in a world where her gender with not dictate her abilities. 

As women in the outdoors we have a responsiblity to ourselves and our youth to make our voice heard, to get more of us involved, so that we make continue this way of life for all of us. we should all  be stewards of our precious resource, and practice good conservation techniques to preserve our heritage.

I ask that anyone who reads this think about a special woman in there lives whether she be a wife, mother, sister or daughter and think about how you can get them more involved in hunting and fishing.  We all enjoy this right we have as Americans to reap the benefits of our land, it is our responsibility to take care of it.

Images and Files: View all 3 photos / videos here.