http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1013089.html

More women set their sights on hunting

The majestic horned head of a black wildebeest stares from the trophy room of a home in Sachse, a community northeast of Dallas.
The person who shot the animal is Clarissa Norcross, a petite 42-year-old single mom.
"I got him from 170 yards," the 4-foot-11 woman said, holding her firearm of choice, a Remington .243 youth rifle.
The 550-pound Connochaetes gnou that Norwood killed two years ago will soon be joined by the silent, glass-eyed company of several other animals. The Texas hunter fixed them in the cross hairs during a two-week hunt this summer in South Africa, her second safari.
The restaurant owner listed her prey like exotic menu entrees.
"Eland. Kudu," Norcross said, counting on her fingers. "Impala. Zebra. Red hartebeest. And a vervet monkey."
That’s quite a collection for someone who knew nothing about hunting or handling firearms five years ago.
Others, she said, are surprised when told what she does for recreation.
"I’m small. I’m female. I’m feminine," Norcross said. "I’m not afraid [to shoot]. And I’m good at it."
Norcross is part of one of the fastest-growing segments of the shooting and hunting industries.
While the overall number of hunters has dropped — 11 percent from 1991 to 2006 — the number of females who hunted with guns increased 72 percent between 2001 and 2005, according to national reports and surveys.
In Texas, where deer season opened Saturday, about 15 percent (20,000) of 2007 youth hunting licenses went to girls under 17. That’s an increase of 6,000 from 2003, when the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department began tracking the information.
Women are attending hunter-training courses and enrolling in outdoor-education programs sponsored by the department, the National Rifle Association and other groups. The nonprofit WomenHunters provides information on its Web site ( www.womenhunters.com) about firearms, bows, hunting dogs and club hunts and features poetry written by female hunters and hunting stories with titles like "My First Buck."
Texas Women’s Shooting Sports has 800 members worldwide, and the numbers are growing. The DIVAS, as the group calls itself, staged a September clinic in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and had to limit the seminar to 175 participants.
"Some women turn 40 and one of their goals is to learn how to shoot," founder Judy Rhodes said. "A lot are single parents, the breadwinners. Hunting is one way to introduce their children to the outdoors. Others enjoyed it during childhood but then got busy raising families."
Pat Bullard of Aledo is an experienced hunter and DIVAS member.
"In society today, people are facing more and more stress," said Bullard, who recently returned from an elk hunt in Colorado. "Women are looking for an outlet. I can’t think of anything more peaceful than sitting in a deer blind, at one with nature. Also, women are just being more assertive. They’re saying to " themselves, 'I can do this, too.’
Charlie Wilson, a shotgun instructor with the Parks and Wildlife Department, admires the prowess of female hunters he has observed.
"Women are very visual," he said. "They’re more aware of their surroundings" and look for little telltale signs.
"They may see an ear before you see the whole deer. They’re keenly observant and very meticulous taking a shot."
Norcross decided to learn how to handle a gun after witnessing a distressing event five years ago. One moonlit night, a pack of coyotes crept into the back yard of her 10-acre property and ate her pet cat.
She brought a rifle to a DIVAS shotgun clinic but quickly educated herself about the different kinds of firearms and became a proficient marksman.
Norcross took her first animal, a wild hog, on an all-female hunt in Oklahoma.
Caitlyn, her 11-year-old daughter, also hunts.
"She has turned out to be a surefire shot," Norcross said proudly. "Like Mom."

Lakota CEO Dick Williamson told The Associated Press that the bow pays tribute to women who "bear the responsibility of family and work while strengthening the moral fiber of society."

Does he mean hunting strenthens the moral fiber of society? How?


Lakota Industries in Ohio introduced a pink camouflage hunting bow in honor of Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee and avid hunter. The "Sarah-Cuda" model retails for $590.

Hmmm. Now they've caught my interest .

I went to Army Navy a few weekends ago and was quite surprised with the cute camo outfits. In particular a camo halter top, which would be practical in Florida (cept for the friggin mosquitoes.)

I don't think that is what he meant grace....I think he was complimenting the women of our society on their ability to juggle work and family life....And commenting on his belief that it is the women of a society that build and encourage moral fiber.. The bow was homage to that.....Couple of the women at the shop have bright pink bows....actually pretty cool looking......careful though, its a short trip from OH THAT BOW IS PRETTY, I WANT ONE to WHAT BROADHEAD SHOULD I SHOOT FOR THE BEST BLOOD TRAIL?

That would be something to see.

Your wish is my command.

cheater

Ah, the benefits of an overactive imagination…..


The growing number of women in shooting and outdoor activities in general and hunting in particular has been a trend for some time. Of course, so has the declining number of overall hunters. But anyway, I think the growing ranks of women is a positive trend.

Of course, this has never been foreign to me. I’ve been hunting around women all of my life. There are several that I deer hunt with every fall and my wife has started to tag along in pursuit of turkeys. But from talking to people, I think this is the exception rather than the rule. But also anecdotally, I don’t sense any hostility or opposition to hunting with women. Simply a lack of opportunity. Hey, maybe that’ll change.

I hunt with women a LOT...the vast majority of people who travel here to hunt with me and the terriers are women

It's funny. I deer hunt with women a lot, but my wife is the only woman I turkey hunt with. And even then she just tags along. And she's not terribly interested in tagging along on a deer hunt.

About half of my friends who run the local JAKES (youth) portion of the National Wild Turkey Federation that I volunteer with are women. They are very supportive of turkey hunters and the organization, but they don't venture afield. I just thought of that.

My lady friend has been dropping not so sutle hints the last couple christmas' about how cool it would be to have a pink .22 for the range.

I bought her a piggy bank.