How many sunrises and sunsets have you seen this year? How many sports are you engaged in where you can say that you are spending time not only with your family but also with nature and with yourself? Jenni and Julia are two hunters who say that the sport which originally began as a way for them to bond with their father has turned into their passion. Listening to these ladies describe the privilege of being in the woods with the goal of harvesting food for their family and friends, you truly begin to understand how they caught the bug for hunting. Their time in the woods allows them to not only bring food to the table but to “cleanse their souls” and “brings them closer to God.” Spending time with nature the girls say can only be described as a “tranquil and therapeutic experience where you are able to get to know yourself.”

This year the sisters are proud to have received the honor of being called real hunters by their father.

The compliment was earned through early morning alarms, long walks through the woods, and hours spent alone in their tree stands. His words of encouragement mean more than any kill. Hunting will always be a bonding experience for this family. Each year before opening day the family gathers with friends for a big dinner and to prepare for the next morning. The familial support only continues. During their first bow season hunting deer, the sisters recounted how they sat in silence in their tree stands with either their father or brother. Forging these silent bonds have strengthened the girls passion for the sport each year as their skills grew. Jenni jokes about how they would be given the “comfortable spot” in some of the deer stands, if you can call comfortable sitting still for hours, in the cold, sometimes with a piece of wood or a branch digging into your back.

Ties extend beyond the family to the community of other hunters, some of whom are still surprised to see ladies in the woods and the hunting sections of sporting goods stores alongside them. The girls often get starred at getting their coffee after a morning of hunting. Jenni’s favorite story takes place in line at a Cabela’s waiting for her bow to be restrung when a man walks past her and casually asks, “Waiting for your boyfriend?” Julia’s chimes in saying that when she tells people she bow hunts they often ask if her bow is pink. She proudly answers that it is and tells me that version jerkey got her a free oil change this year.

The effort the goes into each hunt is not to be over looked. Julia describes the work that went into getting her first turkey. She was out with her brother when they spotted 5 turkeys, 2 gobblers and 3 hens. Turkeys have notoriously good eyesight, so the two army crawled across a field for one hour before there was a clean shot. Julia describes the amount of effort put in from ducking, being completely still, and all with her brother at her side as “an amazing feeling.”

Jenni’s first season deer hunting she recalled being “almost happy” to have not harvested a single deer. She didn’t think she could pull the trigger, but this is why her second season out meant so much more. The sisters say it’s a constant learning experience and your skills only grow each time you go out. Jenni says that this year going out alone she felt such a sense of pride, especially when she was able to deliver an organic meal to her family.

The girls say that is another factor that keeps them going out into the woods each year. When you harvest your own meat, you know where it is coming from. The animals have led a happy life out in nature as was intended. They were not penned up and bred for the soul purpose of being brought to slaughter. Instead, when a hunter chooses to kill an animal, they seek to do so in the quickest and most humane way possible. The sisters recognize that each time they are taking the life from an animal they should be thankful that this creature is now providing food for them and their family. “In a way that animal is now living on through us.”

Becoming involved in hunting was natural for Jenni and Julia who began shooting skeet and stationary targets from a young age. Their family always enjoyed outdoor activities and the girls also grew up fishing. When the time came for Jenni and Julia to get their hunting licenses, their father was so proud to be able to share this sport with his daughters. The sisters are a part of the growing female contingent who are increasing their participation in the traditionally male dominated sport. From 2010 to 2014 female participation has grown over 83%. As this number continues to grow, I hope that the women can enter the forest with the grace and love of nature that these sisters embody. It is our privilege to walk among the creatures of nature and we should respect the beauty and sustenance that they provide families each year.