You’ve seen those girls decked out in their camo jackets, camo hats, camo purses, camo sweatshirts and even camo prom dresses. They take a million selfies in their deer stand and have pictures of their guns on Instagram. They're the “hunter girls” or “country girls,” who know how to shoot better than the guys.
I wouldn’t consider myself one of those girls (although I have outshot a few guys in my short lifetime) who only wears camo or promotes my array of firearms, but I was raised to be a hunter, have enjoyed the woods all my life and have finally grown into my camo clothes (that once belonged to my daddy). Now that I have moved away to college and have much less time to hunt, I have realized how much I enjoy hunting and why experiencing the woods is so valuable.
I’ve come up with some reasons why I think every girl should try hunting, either with another girlfriend who hunts, a guy friend, her dad (whom she has turned down every time he asks her to go with him), or if she’s lucky, her boyfriend:
1. You’ll get bragging rights
If you have a successful hunt, you get to show off the antlers on your big buck on Instagram and Facebook. Even if you don’t have a successful hunt, you can brag about how you walked five miles uphill through the woods to climb 15 feet up a tree and put up with the -20 degree wind chill that accompanies rifle deer season in the upper Midwest (without complaining, of course).
2. You’ll look good in camo
Why would all those “hunter” and “country” girls take so many pics of themselves in camo? Because they look good! Camo is supposed to make you invisible in the woods, but it’s almost guaranteed you’ll make a guy who loves hunting look twice when he sees you in that camo.
3. The woods can relieve stress
Yeah, you take care of yourself and keep up on your responsibilities: working out, doing laundry and dishes, finishing your homework way before it’s due and calling your mom every day. But what are you doing for your soul? I have a recommendation: If you want to feel fulfilled, leave your phone behind, walk in the woods for a bit and get your mind on the hunt ahead of you. God’s creation heals lots of things, including stress. On the way to your tree stand, don’t forget to look around!
4. It’s exciting!
Say you do go hunting and you’re all settled in your tree stand, you’ve been waiting for hours and haven’t seen anything. You’re second guessing your crazy decision to try something as boring as deer hunting. Then bam! You see these huge antlers pop up in the brush ahead of you. Warning: Buck fever ahead. Your knees will knock, your breath will get shaky and you’ll forget how to blink. Seeing that deer will put a certain pressure on you that’s scary but exhilarating. I’s up to you to outsmart that deer and get a good shot. It’s an opportunity for a great story and some delicious steaks!
5. You’ll get to provide for yourself/family
By going out and hunting, you have tapped into what humans have been doing for thousands of years: providing. It’s very satisfying to know after a successful hunt that you have just provided preservative-free meals for yourself and your family. No grocery shopping required.
6. Guns are fun
I’m completely 100 percent supportive of guns and I don’t apologize for that because guns are fun. When you hit that bulls eye, you’ll feel an adrenaline rush and you’ll want to try it again. Try shooting different types of guns. Handguns can be a cool experience: They’ll make you feel like one of those tough cop guys on TV that break down doors with one fist and take down bad guys. But as always, safety first. Be responsible. Shoot with someone who can teach you safety and safely.
7. You get to think strategically
It’s like shopping, but harder. Instead of mapping out which stores you are going to hit that have all the sales in a mall, you can shop around the woods looking for deer signs to make your hunt successful.
8. It’ll make you tougher
Hunting is not for the faint of heart. Sometimes it’s a long walk to your stand, sometimes there are swamps to walk through, deer scat to potentially step in and bushes with inch-long thorns that can swallow you whole, leaving you with scratches and maybe some scars. Not to mention if you do have a successful hunt, there will be blood, and it will be nothing like watching "Grey’s Anatomy." Walking to class in 3 degree weather with a windchill of -5? Ha. You’ve been through worse if you’ve gun hunted in deer season in the upper Midwest. Just another thing to brag about.
9. You’ll understand what all the hype is about this weird tradition
Once you experience hunting once or twice, you’ll have a feel for what happens in the woods and what’s it like from a hunter’s perspective (and if you have a successful hunt, there is a high possibility you’ll be hooked). You can connect with those guys and gals that always have something to say about their hunting experience. Hunting creates a community that is unique and has a different taste than sports or musical communities have. No wonder it’s been a tradition for so many generations of families!
So, maybe this list didn’t entirely win you girls over, or maybe you stand with those who are against killing animals that are precious to the environment (and I respect that, but man, you’re missing out). But learning about and trying something new is always a great way to expand your experience and your interests.
