April 25, 2014
Female Hunting Participation Increasing, RMEF Hails Growth
MISSOULA, Mont.—The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation applauds recent research that indicates more female hunters are heading into the woods, mountains and backcountry than ever before.
“Hunting is not just for ‘good old boys,’” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “More and more young girls, teenagers and women of all ages are getting out in the field. That’s a great thing and not just for them personally, but also because it bodes well for ensuring the future of conservation and our hunting heritage.”
Data accumulated by the National Shooting Sports Foundation from participation studies conducted by the National Sporting Goods Association shows a combination of 3,346,000 women, toting either a rifle or a bow, actively hunted in 2012 compared to 3,041,000 in 2008. That growth of 305,000 represents a 10 percent increase in just four years. In contrast, hunting participation over that same time period was just 1.9 percent for males.
Those numbers also mirror the overall growth of hunter participation on a larger scale in other recent research. The 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation showed a nine percent increase among American men and women 16 years and older from 2006 to 2011. Over that same time period, the percentage of female participation among all hunters jumped from 9.6 percent in 2006 to 11 percent in 2011.
“Hunting is an American tradition. That way of life holds true despite gender, ethnicity or location. The fact that more girls and women are making their way in the woods or on the water only increases our ties to the wildlife and land around us,” added Allen.