FEATURE: Women Hunt

KAT HUNTER spoke those words as she gazed out into the beautiful, rugged FTW Ranch on the southwestern tier of the Edwards Plateau. This Texan is one of 12 women from throughout the U.S. and Canada participating in the second annual Women’s Hunt, a program of the Wild Sheep Foundation.

On the next to the last day, she was feeling super motivated. “It’s amazing to have arrived with minimal knowledge of rifles and shooting experience,” Hunter said, “and to leave being able to hit a target 700 yards away. And to learn more about hunting and conservation than I could have imagined in such a short time was incredible,”

Each of the ladies experienced the FTW Ranch’s SAAM New Hunter Program. To call it comprehensive would be an understatement.

They learned everything from gun safety and wildlife identification to field dressing and venison preparation. The heart of the course was learning to shoot accurately under different kinds of conditions with guidance from world-class shooters and instructors.

“The shooting program was so good,” said Rachel Bittner of Arkansas.

Having only participated in bird hunting in the past, Bittner is excited to hit the field in pursuit of big game including her dream animal—an axis deer.

Bittner, who works in the wildlife biology field, participated in a project involving axis deer a few years back and fell in love with the gorgeous exotics.

“Now, I have more confidence to make that dream come true,” she said.

In only two years, Women Hunt has created an on-ramp for women with an interest in immersing themselves in the hunting lifestyle.

Applicants are chosen by the group’s committee using a comprehensive application process including an objective, blind assessment, and scoring rubric.

“This year we had a very diverse group of ladies, including four from states out of the range of wild sheep. It’s great to see participants from new places wanting to connect with the program,” said WSF Women Hunt Chair Renee Thornton.

Thornton said the program isn’t just about giving women the tools to hunt but also defending hunting and promoting wildlife conservation.

“The ladies are taught about the North American Model of Conservation and learn about the important work hunters have done and continue to do for wildlife and its habitat,” she said.

The women are charged with giving back to the sport and to wildlife when they return home.

Participants in the inaugural event in 2021 have done everything from teaching conservation in the classroom to submitting articles to Texas Fish & Game.

“We have several this year with wildlife biology backgrounds and all of them are serious about giving back, so I’m excited to see how they make an impact in the months and years to come,” Thornton said.

Hunting and wildlife face many great challenges. From habitat loss to the growth of anti-hunting sentiment, threats loom from the field to the legislature.

Positive changes won’t happen overnight but there are 12 new very empowered and outdoors-educated women coming out of the WSF’s Women Hunt event at the FTW Ranch.

And I have no doubt they will be a force to be reckoned with both in the woods and everywhere challenges to hunting rise.

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—story by CHESTER MOORE

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