There is often a stigma of discrimination placed on participation in the outdoors. Or at least, there use to be. The amount of female involvement in outdoor affairs has exploded within the last couple decades. No longer is the outdoors
“claimed by men.” Nor should it be. Hunting, fishing, and shooting sports are all magnificent ways for men and women alike to enjoy the adventures offered by the outdoors. Today, many ladies are showing their skills are as keen as any to be found.
The wildlife we pursue is a treasured resource, and these women understand that. For some, their trophies wouldn’t have happened without help from guides, outfitters, and/or trackers. Here are eight such women who carry those titles.
JORDAN BUDD
BUSINESS: GUIDE, OUTFITTER, OWNER OF RUNNING WATER HUNTING LLC
NUMBER OF YEARS GUIDING: 14 YEARS
STATE(S) GUIDING: NEBRASKA
GUIDING FOR: WHITE-TAILED DEER, MULE DEER, ELK, AND MERRIAM’S WILD TURKEY
“I grew up hunting in the Sandhills of Nebraska, but enjoy hunting most of the western states for elusive mule deer bucks,” Budd said. “My guiding style varies depending on the season: archery, rifle, and muzzleloader. The terrain at the ranch transitions from hardwood river bottoms conducive for archery treestands to open sandhill terrain that is accompanied with a spot and stalk style of hunting. It’s great to get a variety throughout the year. I enjoy taking clients on stalks for an optimal experience for hunters and myself.”
STEPH MANTEUFEL
BUSINESS: CO-OWNER, GUIDE OF TOP OF THE FLYWAY OUTFITTERS (www.topoftheflyway.com)
NUMBER OF YEARS GUIDING: 10 YEARS
STATE(S) GUIDING: STARTED GUIDING IN SOUTHERN OHIO AND NOW ALBERTA, CANADA
GUIDING FOR: WHITE-TAILED DEER, MULE DEER, BLACK BEAR, AND WATERFOWL
“Whitetails are my absolute favorite species to hunt,” Manteufel said. “There is something truly special about locating and patterning big, mature whitetails, or other big game species, for that matter. Sharing in the excitement of another hunter’s success and the camaraderie that comes with that, is what makes the outfitting business so special. It’s not every day you get to help make someone else’s dream a reality.”
TINA THORNSBERRY
BUSINESS: OWNER, GUIDE OF BEAVER CREEK OUTFITTERS
NUMBER OF YEARS GUIDING: 16 YEARS
STATE(S) GUIDING: KENTUCKY
GUIDING FOR: ELK, TURKEY, BEAR, AND DEER
“I think I was born to be a hunter and to teach others about hunting,” Thornsberry said. “From a very young age, my dad took me on every adventure he could. That’s part of what got me hooked. My dad passed away 17 years ago. I decided I was going to carry on what he passed down to me as I grew up. I went right after it. I guided free for a couple years to prove I could do it. And then opened Beaver Creek Outfitters and ran with it ever since. I’m very proud to be the owner and guide here at BCO. It was a dream of mine for many years. To be the only female elk guide in Kentucky and the owner of a guide service. I did it and I did it with a passion for my love for the outdoors. And I owe it all to my dad for teaching me how.
“Now, I do everything I can to pass it down the line to our next generation,” Thornsberry continued. “They call me the ‘Elk Princess.’ I’ve carried many names but that one I’m super proud of. I take my job seriously. I love hunting with good people. Hunting always brings out the good in everyone.”
ANDRAYA GRANGROTH
BUSINESS: GUIDE FOR UPPER CANYON OUTFITTERS
NUMBER OF YEARS GUIDING: 7 YEARS
STATE(S) GUIDING: COLORADO AND MONTANA
GUIDING FOR: ELK, MULE DEER, AND WHITE-TAILED DEER
“I grew up in a family of hunters, so being in the pursuit of wild game is in my blood,” Grangroth said. “At a young age, hunting taught me self-reliance, grounded me, and gave me confidence. Being a guide is much more than getting my client an animal. It’s about being present, challenging ourselves, and connecting within.”
BROOKE SNYDER
BUSINESS: GUIDE FOR LAST CHANCE OUTFITTERS (OWNED BY HER FATHER, TRENT SNYDER)
NUMBER OF YEARS GUIDING: TRENT HAS BEEN AN OUTFITTER FOR 30-PLUS YEARS
STATE(S) GUIDING: COLORADO
GUIDING FOR: BLACK BEAR, ELK, MOUNTAIN LIONS, MULE DEER, AND TURKEY
“I have been involved in the family business since I can remember,” Snyder said. “From a young age, I learned wildlife conservation, I guess that’s what happens when you have outfitters as parents. Being able to harvest off the land has taught me more than good hunting tactics. It has taught me the wildlife’s habits and how they thrive on different areas of land. I feel very blessed to have grown up with my parents teaching me to respect the land and respect the wildlife. Each hunt is something to be thankful for and I am fortunate to live in the outdoors of Colorado.”
JAN JENNINGS
BUSINESS: OWNER OF THE LODGE AT CIRCLE J AND BLUE GOAT KITCHEN (WITH HER HUSBAND, DAN)
NUMBER OF YEARS GUIDING: 12 YEARS
STATE(S) GUIDING: MISSOURI
GUIDING FOR: WHITE-TAILED DEER AND WILD TURKEY
“We are in northwest Missouri,” Jennings said. “Growing up on a small farm in Michigan, I got my love for the great outdoors from my big brother at a very young age. He taught me how to hunt, fish, and trap, but most of all; he taught me the importance of conservation. I have carried my love of the outdoors and passion to share outdoor experiences with others into my life here in Missouri. The chase for big whitetails brought me to Missouri, which I know call home.
“I run a small farm with goats, Highland cattle, a few pigs and lots of poultry,” she continued. “I am a beekeeper and own The Lodge at Circle J with my husband Dan. I am also the Missouri State Chapter President of American Daughters of Conservation — a nonprofit organization bringing like-minded women together through conversation and outdoor activities.”
KELLY ALEXANDER
BUSINESS: URBAN BUCKEYE OUTFITTERS
NUMBER OF YEARS GUIDING: 5 YEARS
STATE(S) GUIDING: OHIO
GUIDING FOR: WHITETAILS AND EASTERN WILD TURKEYS
“My father taught me how to hunt at an early age,” Alexander said. “I was blessed to hunt alongside my grandfather until he was 89. Hunting has always been a passion of mine, and it runs deep in my roots. I met my husband five years ago trapping beavers. He is the owner/operator of Urban Buckeye Outfitters. Together, we manage, operate, and guide clients on free-range whitetail hunts. My favorite part of being a guide is tracking the deer. It’s one of the most exciting pieces to the story of the hunt. I love seeing our clients faces when we recover the biggest whitetail of their hunting career. I love sharing these special moments with people who become part of our family.
ANGIE DENNY
BUSINESS: OWNER OF TABLE MOUNTAIN OUTFITTERS (OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1996)
NUMBER OF YEARS GUIDING: GUIDING SINCE 2003 (OVER 20 YEARS)
STATE(S) GUIDING: WYOMING AND IDAHO
GUIDING FOR: ELK, DEER, ANTELOPE, BLACK BEAR, MOUNTAIN LION
“Owning an outfitting/guiding business puts you in a position to have to understand everything from start to finish, meaning advertising, state regulations/licensing, to getting an animal on the ground for a client,” Denny said. “The actual guiding part is the easy part.
“I have always been more focused on getting our younger generation, women, and veterans in the field or at least to camp,” she continued. “Recently, Scott and I were blessed with the opportunity to do just that through a mentor program we have helped shape. We took 30 in the field in 2023, and it was a huge success (10 women, 10 kids, and 10 veterans). We hope to continue to grow this program into the future.”
TRACY SHAW
BUSINESS: ARKANSAS OUTDOORSWOMAN
NUMBER OF YEARS GUIDING: 7 YEARS
STATE(S) GUIDING: HAVE GUIDED IN KENTUCKY, OKLAHOMA, LOUISIANA, FLORIDA, ARKANSAS, AND TEXAS
GUIDING FOR: WILD GAME
“I am an avid outdoorsman and have hunted and fished most of my life when I am not guiding,” Shaw said. “I hunt and fish year-round by myself. I do everything on my own. I hunt, clean, and process all my own meat and try my best to completely live off the land. I try to equip and empower the next generation of hunters. I hope that we always have the freedom to live this way of life.
“I have guided women and kids in the outdoors for seven years now,” Shaw continued. “I also am an Artemis Sportswoman for the National Wildlife Federation and a Wildlife Woman. I volunteer for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and the National Wild Turkey Federation. I also volunteer some of my hunts for veterans and beginners to help teach them skills in the outdoors. I have a nonprofit Arkansas Scholastic archery program where I coach kids in archery and help them to get college archery scholarships. They shoot [from] age 2 all the way up to adulthood. Their families also shoot with them.”
NATALIE SMITH SPALDING
BUSINESS: SPALDING WOUNDED GAME TRACKER, TRACKING WITH TIMBER
NUMBER OF YEARS TRACKING: 5 YEARS
STATE(S) TRACKING: KENTUCKY AND SOUTHERN INDIANA
TRACKING FOR: WHITE-TAILED DEER
“Growing up in the outdoors led to a lifetime passion for hunting, and an obsession with whitetails,” Smith said. “I began archery hunting as an adult, which required me to learn blood tracking on a different level. After training my Labrador retriever to shed hunt, I also taught him to track wounded deer. My love for the hunt and deer shifted to time spent with my dog helping others recover their deer. All it takes is one phone call, and I’m out of my stand to track a deer for a stranger, who I might later call a friend.”
Overall, the outdoors is a place to relax, reflect, and remember. America’s hunting and fishing culture wouldn’t be the same without hunting guides, outfitters, and trackers. Women like these continue to help create memories for outdoorsmen and women.
Without question, there are few better ways to live than with a lifetime of memories in the outdoors. These women are outdoor enthusiasts, and they are poised and prepared to continue shaping traditions wherever they guide, outfit, and track game.
