http://www.npr.org/2013/10/18/236366868/enthusiasts-encourage-more-women-to-give-hunting-a-shot
by Irina Zhorov October 18, 2013 fromWPRN
The departure time for Wyoming’s inaugural Women’s Antelope Hunt was set for 5:30 a.m. — but that was before a snowstorm hit. By 6 a.m., the electricity is still out, wind and snow are howling and antsy women in camouflage are eating eggs by candlelight.
Marilyn Kite, Wyoming’s first female state Supreme Court justice and one of the people who dreamed up the hunt, is among them.
“We’ve found it to be just great recreation, lots of fun, and the camaraderie of it is why you do it, really,” Kite says. “But we also really like the meat.”
Women still make up only a small percentage of all hunters, but that number has increased significantly in recent years. Now, organizations like the Wyoming Women’s Foundation want to encourage more growth through mentorship.
The group says hunting is an important way to teach self-sufficiency and economic independence — and taking meat home is a part of that, Kite says. “There’s a lot of young women who are single mothers, who are trying to provide for their families,” she says. “And [hunting is] certainly one way to do it.”
“I think women tend to be actually better hunters because they tend to be a bit more patient, and oftentimes are a much better shot, because they tend to be a bit more focused,” Williams says.
By 10 a.m., conditions outside have improved and the hunt is on. Williams and his team of two set off for a private ranch to look for antelopes.
Tara Heaton, a Navy veteran, already has some experience hunting, but she says this is different. It gives her an opportunity to meet “different women from around Wyoming, and more hunters, because a lot of my friends growing up weren’t hunters,” she says.
Heaton is partnered with Crystal Mayfield, a single mother. Before today, both women hunted almost exclusively with their fathers and brothers.
As the three drive through the snow, they spot some antelopes in the distance. They park and start stalking them on foot.
Williams has Mayfield load a bullet in the chamber and they proceed quietly through a snow-covered field strewn with cottonwoods and cows. When they reach a rise overlooking the grazing antelopes, Williams preps Mayfield for her shot. She takes aim, shoots — and misses.
In fact, both women miss their shots today. The 35 mph winds don’t help. But on the drive back to the ranch, Mayfield says she’s not upset. Even missing is easier in the company of women, she says.
“When I missed that shot, I didn’t feel like a loser when I went and told [Heaton] that, ‘Oh, I missed it,’ ” she says. “I didn’t feel like she was going to be like, ‘Oh, you’re a huge loser.’ … My brother easily would have been like, ‘Oh, I can’t believe you missed that. You’re stupid.’ “
As is typical in Wyoming, the next day is sunny, wind-free and beautiful. Both Heaton and Mayfield get their antelopes, and all but two of the 34 participating women come away with a kill.
One first-time hunter says she can’t wait to teach her son how to hunt
Exposing the Big Game 
So depressing. What are these women trying to prove?
That they’ve got balls, too. Few things are more pathetic than women trying to imitate men by killing/abusing animals in order to prove to the world their physical or intellectual equality. Witness the recent disgraceful behavior of Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan in her effort to prove that she can be as irredeemably contemptible as serial animal killer Antonin Scalia. It’s also been noted, by those in the know, that contemporary women scientists often propose the most stressful and cruelest animal experiments, presumably to prove they are just as tough and “unsentimental” as the boys. God forbid that the feminine gender should be outdistanced by men in the race to see who can be most brutal! It’s the default position of the pathologically insecure.
Totally ironic given that one of the strongest objective indicators of female superiority over men is the relatively few women who actually do hunt and the strength of their anti-hunting convictions.
Exactly; “the strength of their anti-hunting convictions” is much more impressive than anything they can do to compete with the boys by mimicking their rotten, childish, evil behavior.
Exactly Geoff. “Pathologically insecure” sums it up. It is the same with woman who wear fur and think it is a status symbol. They too are pathologically insecure and have no self esteem.
cant wait to teach her son how to kill
glad she was not my mom
we need laws to make hunting a crime
Amen.
Great recreation and fun. All women should gain their economic independence by slaughtering something in the woods. Don’t let the male nimrods have all the bragging rights. Nothing like a good kill to bring out the smile in a person! The woman on the right has enough blubber to hibernate through the winter. God how I loathe these people.
Some male behavior is not to be emulated.
HUNT THE HUNTERS who are nothing but cowards with guns with no conscience who thrive on bloodlust, violence and murder.
In other words, psychopaths.
Yes, for sure, they are! That’s why I prefer to disable their vehicles from a strong, defensible position a good distance away. But mostly I just hope they fall through the ice deep in the wilderness…
May these killers be rewarded with painful and inflammatory colon cancer. Have they not read or heard how eating meat, especially red meat increases your risk of colon cancer. Yes, even wild red meat! Nobody needs to eat this meat. Many scientific studies now prove you are healthier if you don’t eat meat. These women, their husbands and other hunters just enjoy killing animals. No one needs a gun to go out into the wilderness, feel and hear nature. Become part of living nature, move with life and watch new life be born. Don’t destroy it.
Such ugly, ugly people. The inside really shows when the outside hunts. FUGLY.
So true Stacey. It’s the same with fur. Fur is worn by ugly people and beautiful animals.
There is no reason to wear real fur! Fake fur is so good now-a-days that from only a few feet away, it looks real. Almost feels real, too. So for those who want to have that one of a kind look, go get some fake fur this Fall, even the cheap bargain stores have fake fur blankets in up to queen size beds for $30 US. Yeah, I looked it up online. 🙂 Three day sale at at Big Lots. Wolves, bears and other creatures thank you!!!
Another point, Goodwill puts real vintage fur coats out around now for halloween. Buy them up if you can to keep them out of use as fashionable items and donate them to people with rescues to use for bedding for orphan animals. I cut holes in a coat and stick a formula bottle nipple through it to raise orphaned wolf pups…
The only justification I can think of for new sheep skin is for medically necessary padding for those unfortunate humans who are bedridden and have bedsores and diabetics with foot sores. I just can’t in any way justify the use for fashion! Anytime used fur or fleece can be repurposed from a garment to medical use, that is a win-win situation. Anyone who has to have the real thing for fashion is a subhuman turd!
Totally agree Melody. In any case, who wants to look like a cave-person in this day and age?? Unfortunately people still think wearing fur is a status symbol. I think those who wear fur nowadays are narcissistic and have no self esteem.
I love your idea about what to do with a vintage fur. So many people inherit fur items and just don’t know what to do with them. This was the topic on one of my posts, where people shared ideas.
http://emynow.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/out-of-grannys-cupboard-when-you-inherit-a-fur-item/
Thanks, Emy! I will read the posts tonight, today I have to get an old Jeep roadworthy before the brutal Maine Winter sets in, at least during daylight hours and I blew another disc in my lower back so every thing is a major pain, literally. But the kids come visit and help me now every few days.
I wish people would associate wearing fur with looking like a cheap street whore, not a movie star.
Another use for vintage fur is to gift it to traditional tribal elders so they can repurpose it into ancient craftwork classes. I think there is a .org that can give a tax deduction for the gift?
Some women will do anything to get a guy’s approval.
Sad but true.
Can’t understand a woman enjoying slaughter-it’s just so wrong. Wrong for men, too
Yes, wrong for all, but especially for women.
I totally agree! How can we raise children to be responsible for the future if we teach them to kill!
“In fact, both women miss their shots today. The 35 mph winds don’t help. But on the drive back to the ranch, Mayfield says she’s not upset. Even missing is easier in the company of women, she says.
“When I missed that shot, I didn’t feel like a loser when I went and told [Heaton] that, ‘Oh, I missed it,’ ” she says. “I didn’t feel like she was going to be like, ‘Oh, you’re a huge loser.’ … My brother easily would have been like, ‘Oh, I can’t believe you missed that. You’re stupid.’ “”
How nice for women to be able to support each other in their quest to kill for fun and recreation.
They should know that speaking out against it is easier than they might think too.
I do that every time I go off the mountain and down to the city. It is even better if you wear your favorite, most beautiful t-shirt of an endangered animal. Then when someone is looking at it Go into your speech. In my experience, I find it best to say “hi, do you like (wolves, etc), too? Did you know they mate for life?” That’s my ‘hook’, almost none of the people know that on the street! Most want to know more! I have a list of websites on scrap paper that I have copied and hand them lists. It works great at the farmer’s markets! And it must be good karma because at the last farmer’s market I won a 32 inch LED, hi-def TV! I got rid of the old energy pig 20 year old TV that day! I can even use the new one with my laptop so I can see better with my old eyes! Folks, try this t-shirt method to ‘break the ice, it works like a charm! I get my shirts from The Mountain, out of Keene, NH, you can get them online. They have the best animal t-shirts, hands down! So get out there and win some hearts and minds! I just gave you all my very best making contact trick. 🙂
Good strategy Melody 🙂
This all makes me so sad and sick to my stomach. I wonder if these women will be haunted by this in later, wiser years or if they will devolve into worse human beings. When I was much younger and in vet tech school at an ag college, I ended up on a feedlot for a time. I felt I had to prove myself tough as a man (it was the ’70’s and my position was pretty unusual) but I quickly became a vegetarian after a month and within another month I was gone. To this day, 36 years later, I am still deeply troubled by what I did and saw. I am glad I left it behind and fast but I did get my hands bloodied. I can never speak out enough against the killing. I pray these women learn that they don’t have to kill to find companionship and pleasure in the wild. May they instead learn to live gently and in harmony with the beautiful animals. I do not wish them ill or harm, just that they please stop the killing.
A professor I had, the respected Ray Dasmann, who was like a surrogate dad to me, once hunted and ran game farms in Africa. But he stopped as his conservation ethic evolved. This world renowned environmentalist told me he “just got sick of all the killing.” May these women also quickly get sick of all the killing.
Thank you Karen, for taking the time hear to speak up about your feelings and how you evolved to become a compassionate person. Thank you for sharing your transition. By the way, I’m right there with you and know, hunters are losing popularity and they know it. They are becoming a smaller group. Soon, it will be very “uncool” to be a hunter…we are almost at that tipping point.
I hope so. And thank you for waking up and walking off your feed lot job. Every time you speak out about it, you redeem yourself a little more.
I once was in a vivisection class in college. We were obliged to perform an operation on lab rats. I cringe at the memory. I was a bio major. We were tp make an incision and locate the pancreas. I was highly disturbed at the screams of the animals when we went to collect them from their cages in the lab. I had these kind of pretty little mice as my companions when I was a girl. The professor told me to do the operation or accept an academic F.
I was sorry to get an F in ebdocrinology that semester.
Endocrinology. But I walked away from biology. But the memory of those screaming mice has stayed with me.
We are not always proud of the things that we do but hopefully we grow as we learn how we might have done otherwise.
I am so proud of you. When I was in vet tech school, we had to kill a rat and cut it open. I participated in that, too. I will never forgive myself. What a dark time. I love rats and have had many as companions. I was so caught up in thinking I had to do these things to “prove” my young self. I am glad kids don’t have to this this anymore. My heart will forever remember that rat and I will never stop speaking up for them. I cry as I type this.
No one that I know of is “without sin”, including moi. The difference between “us” and “them” is that we at least recognize our earlier transgressions and try in various ways to atone. I’m coming to believe that the die-hard knuckle-draggers are physiologically incapable of recognizing their own dementia, however much “education” you throw at them. For them, euthanasia would be the kindest option.
So true, Geoff. All of our sharing shows this. We can evolve. I wish some of these others could too.
Nice thought, but good luck getting even the most demented serial killer of humans euthanized for the good of all others.
Well done on every front, Denderah. For standing up for what you believe. So often we give in to pressure, particularly as children.
I meant, taking the time “here” to speak up…..
Thank you for you kind words, Debra. And I do bring it up when it seems appropriate, outside of this forum. People don’t expect it from me and not many actually know a former feedlot worker. I had been hired as a vet tech to help “clean up” the operation as it was so shoddy. Myself and 2 other women students did our preceptorships there for school. We handled it in various ways. Mine was to flee as soon as work was done and to leave the field of “livestock production.” One left mid-preceptorship. The other would come early and stay late, giving calves extra bottles and attention — and there were a lot of them. I don’t know what became of this woman. I can’t find her. She would beg me to stay and I would plead to go as I hated it so much. I think I stayed late only 1 or 2 times.
I went on to work at the LA Zoo, thinking it was an ark of endangered animals, releasing them back into the wild. I obviously had read way too much Gerald Durrell. That didn’t happen a whole lot — the California Condor being the biggest success in that area. But I left those friends on the inside as well. My compassion evolution was unguided and solitary, being an LA kid in the ’70’s. But at least I did somehow come to and worked on and still work on evolving and wish these other women and men who kill would too. I am hoping the exposure of what seems to be increasing ugliness is truly the last gasp of the dark side. Seeing people in China starting to fight valiantly for the rights of dogs, and just the incredible exposure of these horrors and the progress being made is a triumph. Thanks for this site. I am always impressed and proud of so many of my fellow humans here, as the nastiness is exposed.
I heard this feature on NPR.org and was disgusted by the glorification of these women hunters in Wyoming. I feel like retracting the pledge I made to NPR.org a week ago. I would love to hear a feature avocating for animal/wolf rights!
NPR pisses me off so often these days. I know they do a lot of good reporting but then there is stuff like this. I want to donate to them but just can’t as of late. They have become stupid all too often. But by donating, do we get any more of a say in what they report on and the tone of it?
Karen, WNYC radio is always crying for donations bc of the money they pay NPR for their news feed. NPR doesn’t need donations & if u care about animals why not donate to grass roots, ‘hands-on,’ animal rescue orgs? E.g. as one an animal person just asked me to give a ‘Like’ to, today. (I also rescue & rehab wildlife as a individual out of my own pocket) & spend a small fortune on food, housing & care,) so I know how much donations are appreciated. This is the organization that I learned about today. Just saying.
https://www.facebook.com/OpossumRescueTn/.
You know I must add about my college days-walking away from that lab experience was no grand gesture. I was still a meateater and all around dummy. I was disturbed by that class and I really did not know why. I was very primitive. I am still primitive. But imperceptively some of the fog has lifted. Veganism has helped me immensely.
I would say you are enlightened! And while I am obviously no bodhisattva, I am grateful that I woke up —
Karen-it is very hard to forgive ourselves. I hate my younger self. But that stupid girl is long gone. Why shed tears for her? You had this awakening. And you sound like a mighty fine person.
Yes. Thanks. I don’t want to wallow in my past for too long. I look back and try to have understanding for some of these misguided youth and women. The isolation and culture some of them are in, and perhaps family dynamics and heavens knows what else must form them into these cruel humanoids. I am shocked that what with social media exposing so many to alternatives and to kindness, and a different world than my youth, they still delve into the dark side. Daily I invoke Saint Francis, Durga, Jesus, Buddha, Quan Yin, and all the other spirits and deities to stop the madness. And then I try to take some concrete actions, even if it is only sharing my story, signing some stuff or by wearing an annoying t-shirt to work.
Thanks for all you’re doing, and let’s hear more about these annoying t-shirts.
Ahaha. I have about 100 of them. At least. Have one that is very simple — sez “Bunny Hugger” over the graphic of a rabbit. It is black and the the graphic is white, yellow and red. It got under the skin of some “meat rabbit” farmers. (I work retail and we see all sorts). They wanted to know what it was about and then they informed me of what they did. I told them we were certainly on opposite sides of the spectrum and was imagining them joining me someday. They just stared, bought their stuff and left.
I can imagine that’s what they’d do. Besides Sea Shepherd shirts, I’m got “Support your right to arm bears” and “Hunt each other, leave the animals alone” shirts.
To Karen and Denderah: I totally understand where this shameful feeling comes from. Most of our parents came from a generation where animal rights were not a priority. There were so many things that they condoned and even encouraged- like keeping birds in a cage for example:( My parents never thought twice about taking me to the circus; riding elephants at zoos, eating meat and so on. All we can do is raise awareness among the next generation. They carry the hope.
Yes, Emy, children are the future and they do learn what they live so we must all consider ourselves teachers in everything we DO, everything we DON’T DO and everything we say, even when we think they are asleep. My grandkids are almost grown, they still like to listen to the stories of the old days, which are lessons, songs that are lessons, art and photography, all lessons. Going to the dump is an environmental and a history lesson that shouldn’t be missed out on. My son and grandkids are excellent writers, my granddaughter is a wonderful musician and songwriter in the traditional style without having to attend Berklee’s Americana classes. I wish I could teach her every day, all day! She has no fear of wolves and now educates her friends about them and other animals.
We were those parents who had animals running around the fenced yard and my son always had a pony until he got a diesel VW Rabbit in high school.
I do have regrets! I have guilt of feeding him pork from the family farm. I was working plowing snow for Uncle Sugar at PAFB and on the way, I would pick up donuts for the pigs at a local donut shop. The ones the owner took right off the shelf, I put in a separate bag and brought to work to share with my co-workers. The day-olds went to the pigs, with their other food. When I sent the pigs to be slaughtered, it was wrong, way back then in the early 80s I decided no more pigs! Pretty soon, it was no more chickens or rabbits. After that we just adopted unwanted pets. From there, in the early 90s we got into abused wolfdog rescue. Now I am old and I educate about wolves and wolfdogs. I still will take emergency cases, help other rescues with phone advice and I teach my son how to care for dogs and people, includingly medically. Last night I had to pull quills out of a wolfdog’s nose. My husband was amazed how easy it is when done right. That is my learning curve and how each generation progresses the lessons. My granddaughter will be 18 shortly after Winter solstice. She is a vegan, cat rescuer and is going to go to college to be a teacher! She is also about to get her cosmotology licence, to work as a hairdresser to pay for college! I am so proud of her and my son! My son never has touched alcohol or drugs and is kind and helpful to all people. I have no shame in the legacy that I will leave behind, I know that they will leave the world a better place. For animals and people.
Melody. What a lovely story about personal growth 🙂 As parents all we can do is try instill good values. It is up to the children to use or lose them. It sounds like your family have excellent values and are wonderful, creative people.
I am so sorry about your back – just take it easy. I cannot imagine what it is like living in such a cold climate. I am South African and if the temperature drops below 0 degrees, we all complain.
All the best.
🙂 Thanks, Emy!
Jim, most of my shirts are endangered animals because they are trophy hunter’s choice or in the case of some sea mammals, killed by the thousands for profit. I only educate about wolves, though. E-mail me your size and mailing address and I will look through the bag of new shirts to see what I’ve got. And if you happen to have an extra copy of one of your books, well, I would be thrilled to read it! Let me know if you prefer Wolves, Bears in the forest, Dolphins or the red white and blue tie-died peace sign. I have a new 3 Wolf Moon in a size large. I don’t have everything in all sizes, I buy them when they go on sale only. If I had to guess, I bet you would like the mamma bear with her two babies in the rainforest? The bears are 2 xl.
The one that gets the most looks is the two wolf mates snuggling muzzles but I don’t have an extra one right now. I have the arctic wolf face in 2 xl:-) Just incase anybody is wondering, these shirts are gifts I give to people who help my rescue feed the wolfdogs. The donation has to be at least $25 for a 50 lb bag of dog food. I use two bags a week. You would pay that for the shirt anyway when it is not on sale. If anyone want to help, let me know. I’m not hard to find a phone number for! I don’t have a website yet. Also, I am open to trades. I need a muzzle for the dog, she bites when I cut her toe nails and has given me a couple of bad bites so I need to prevent her from hurting me again. Beady is long snouted and about the size of a Sheltie but is probably half GSD and half Pincer? She is really sweet, she bites but then she licks te bite and whimpers and gives me the big brown begging eyes. 🙂 I rescued her from the vet who would have killed her because her owner died, she’s 7 and suffers from anxiety and bad hips. She made friends with Buttercup, a white wolf. She favors human males and is a friendly lapdog. Beady is black and looks like a half sized GSD. She may possibly be able to be adopted by an experienced, kindly retired or work at home person. She is UTD and spayed. Her adoption fee was paid in advance by her dying owner, so she is free but only if I know you from the animal blogs and your situation and experience levels are up to Beady’s need level. She is silly and loving and very housetrained and will sit and watch the tv with you and wants to sleep while touching your feet with her’s for security. She alerts to all strangers, too. I don’t mind keeping her, she just needs special care here due to her tiny size and sharing the house with wolfdogs twice her size!
Sorry for rambling, Jim, but I love animals and this subject where women are killers of animals is my chance to say, no, we are not! Only sub-humans kill animals. Male or Female! Geoff is correct, in that thinking that killers are different from us, not just in thought and action buy physicially different in their brain function. I will put it simply…they just are not wired right! There is no hunting AND gathering now… it is either/or. I am planting/gathering and living in harmony with all creatures. Only a lazy slob with no soul would kill another being.
Melody S., thanks for rambling, enjoyed every word & so nice to meet ya.