North American Outdoorsman
    What's Hot

    Our Picks: Best Fly Fishing Vests

    September 26, 2023

    Some ‘Roosies’ for the Ladies

    August 23, 2023

    Year-Round Maine Outdoorswoman: Jesika Lucarelli, Great Mountain Guide Service

    August 23, 2023
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    North American OutdoorsmanNorth American Outdoorsman
    • Current Issue
    • Publications
      • North American Outdoorsman
      • North American Deer Hunter
      • North American Bowhunter
      • Crossbow Magazine
    • Authors
    • Partners
    • Newsletter
    Facebook Instagram YouTube
    SUBSCRIBE
    • Hunting
      1. Whitetail
      2. Bowhunting
      3. Big Game
      4. Stories
      5. How to Hunt
      6. Podcasts
      7. View All

      15 Best Late-Season Deer Food Plots

      February 13, 2023

      Offseason Wintertime Whitetail Prep

      December 30, 2022

      Process your own deer

      October 21, 2022

      Spot-and-Stalk Whitetail Hunt with my Dad

      October 14, 2022

      2023 SHOT Show Hunting Gear

      January 17, 2023

      Process your own deer

      October 21, 2022

      Hunting Woodland Caribou: A Newfound Passion

      August 7, 2022

      Bow Birds

      April 1, 2022

      Getting High on Alberta Bighorn Sheep

      August 23, 2023

      Playing the Wind: The Adventures of Abby and Shaundi         

      August 23, 2023

      The Complete Hunter

      August 23, 2023

      Aim Big, Hit Small

      June 21, 2023

      Playing the Wind: The Adventures of Abby and Shaundi         

      August 23, 2023

      Mom’s First Moose: A Family Hunting Adventure

      August 23, 2023

      Where Memories Are Made

      June 3, 2023

      A Boy’s First Goose

      May 12, 2023

      Find a Mentor and Dive Right In

      August 23, 2023

      Traveling With Your Gun Dog

      August 20, 2023

      21 Rookie Coyote Hunting Mistakes to Avoid

      April 9, 2023

      Where to Shoot a Black Bear

      April 8, 2023

      Campfire Stories Podcast | Ep 188 with Montey DeBoer of Hornady

      July 10, 2023

      Some ‘Roosies’ for the Ladies

      August 23, 2023

      Year-Round Maine Outdoorswoman: Jesika Lucarelli, Great Mountain Guide Service

      August 23, 2023

      Getting High on Alberta Bighorn Sheep

      August 23, 2023

      Playing the Wind: The Adventures of Abby and Shaundi         

      August 23, 2023
    • Fishing
      1. All Fishing
      2. Fly Fishing
      3. How to Fish
      4. View All

      Our Picks: Best Fly Fishing Vests

      September 26, 2023

      Fishing for Dinosaurs: Our Chase for White Sturgeon

      August 13, 2023

      How to Find Summer Steelhead

      June 22, 2023

      Targeting Walleye Throughout the Open-Water Season

      June 20, 2023

      Our Picks: Best Fly Fishing Vests

      September 26, 2023

      How to Pick a Fly Box

      March 3, 2023

      Essential Equipment for Fly Fisherman

      December 20, 2022

      Fly Fishing: Backing, Leaders And Tippets – All You Need to Know

      August 9, 2022

      Lake Texoma: Queen of Inland Striper Fisheries

      March 6, 2023

      How to Pick a Fly Box

      March 3, 2023

      How to Make Winter Walleye Bite

      February 15, 2023

      Hooked! My Love of Ice Fishing for Lake Trout

      February 2, 2023

      Our Picks: Best Fly Fishing Vests

      September 26, 2023

      Fishing for Dinosaurs: Our Chase for White Sturgeon

      August 13, 2023

      How to Find Summer Steelhead

      June 22, 2023

      Targeting Walleye Throughout the Open-Water Season

      June 20, 2023
    • Gear
      1. Gear Reviews
      2. New Outdoor Gear
      3. View All

      Our Picks: Best Fly Fishing Vests

      September 26, 2023

      The Best Hunting Boots for Men and Women

      August 22, 2023

      Our Rundown of The Best Guns For Women

      August 13, 2023

      Sightmark Wraith Mini 2 Thermal Riflescope

      July 14, 2023

      The Best Hunting Boots for Men and Women

      August 22, 2023

      Garmin’s New Lineup of Outdoor Navigation Devices

      March 15, 2023

      2023 SHOT Show Hunting Gear

      January 17, 2023

      TRUE KNIVES SWIFT EDGE HUNT PROCESSING KIT

      December 27, 2022

      Our Picks: Best Fly Fishing Vests

      September 26, 2023

      The Best Hunting Boots for Men and Women

      August 22, 2023

      Our Rundown of The Best Guns For Women

      August 13, 2023

      Armed and Responsible: Gun Myths Regarding Women

      August 13, 2023
    • Field to Table
      1. #eatwhatyoukill
      2. Recipes
      3. View All

      Venison Tacos on a Pellet Grill

      February 21, 2023

      Goose Recipes: Bacon Benedict with Duck Fat Hollandaise

      February 3, 2023

      Fish Stock – Jeff Benda

      May 26, 2022

      Salisbury Steak – Ky Loop

      May 24, 2022

      Snow Goose Ravioli

      August 13, 2023

      Snow Goose Lasagna

      June 18, 2023

      Goose Recipe: Szechuan Style

      April 16, 2023

      Wild Game Jambalaya Recipe

      April 6, 2023

      Our Picks: Best Fly Fishing Vests

      September 26, 2023

      Some ‘Roosies’ for the Ladies

      August 23, 2023

      Year-Round Maine Outdoorswoman: Jesika Lucarelli, Great Mountain Guide Service

      August 23, 2023

      Getting High on Alberta Bighorn Sheep

      August 23, 2023
    • News
      1. Conservation
      2. Editorial
      3. Press Releases
      4. View All

      The NWTF & USDA Sign $50M Agreement to Fight Wildfire Crisis

      October 28, 2022

      Help the Yelp

      March 25, 2022

      Conservation Hunts For Spring Snow Geese

      February 6, 2022

      Tools and Equipment For Whitetail Habitat Management

      February 3, 2022

      Hooyman Joins Best Outdoor Discounts

      December 6, 2022

      Newly Approved IGFA World Records

      April 19, 2022

      USCCA Congratulates Georgia Governor for Signing Constitutional Carry Bill

      April 15, 2022

      The RCMP’s Secret Long-Gun Registry

      January 31, 2022

      2023 SHOT Show Hunting Gear

      January 17, 2023

      Hooyman Joins Best Outdoor Discounts

      December 6, 2022

      Exclusive Women’s Issue

      October 4, 2022

      Kimber Releases New 1911 RAPIDE, R7 Mako, and Limited-Edition Micro 9

      August 19, 2022

      Armed and Responsible: Sweetheart Grips, Significant Others and Self-Defense

      February 19, 2023

      2023 SHOT Show Hunting Gear

      January 17, 2023

      Hooyman Joins Best Outdoor Discounts

      December 6, 2022

      The NWTF & USDA Sign $50M Agreement to Fight Wildfire Crisis

      October 28, 2022
    • Book a Trip
      • Hunting Trips
      • Fishing Trips
    • Login
    North American Outdoorsman
    Home » All Articles » Keeping Hunting Traditions Going: Not Just for Dads
    Featured

    Keeping Hunting Traditions Going: Not Just for Dads

    Kat StevensBy Kat StevensAugust 21, 20238 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Telegram Tumblr Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    It’s a common theme in the hunting world—and the gun world in general—to assume that it’s the man’s job to keep hunting traditions alive. It’s dad or grandpa who will take the kids into the woods to introduce them to all things hunting. It’s dad or grandpa who will teach the kids to shoot, clean deer and whatever else is required. And while it’s fantastic when the men in a child’s life are involved, it’s not just up to the guys to carry on hunting traditions. It’s for moms and other women, too.

    Strong Female Role Models

    As a shooter, hunter and mom, I get frustrated hearing others divide hunters into two groups: hunters and huntresses. While the term “huntress” might sound cool to some, it’s one I prefer to avoid. Hunters are hunters, end of story. That extends to the practice of teaching the next generation of hunters, too. Dad can do it, mom can do it, big sister can do it—as long as the skills are safely passed on, this can be accomplished by anyone.

    For this article, the focus is on moms. Yes, I’m talking to you. The mom who thinks she can’t teach her kids to hunt because she herself never learned. The mom who does hunt but who steps back to let dad handle any and all hunting lessons with the kids. The mom who wants to be in the woods but gives in every time there’s outside pressure to “let the men handle it.”

    daughter
    The author’s daughter at the age of 12 with an Osceola turkey in Florida. PHOTO CREDIT: KAT STEVENS

    Whether you have sons or daughters—and I have both—they need strong female hunting role models. Your kids need to know from personal experience that you can do it all: zero your rifle, go hunting, field dress a deer, drag it out and process the meat. While it’s great for these duties to be shared, it’s also a good idea to make it clear that you can do it yourself. We are not raising our kids to think women can’t hunt. We’re raising them to be confident that women can and should kick ass and take names in every aspect of their lives.

    Moms, you should also be involved with taking the kids to the range, teaching firearm safety and walking them through the stages of zeroing optics. It isn’t just dad that can mount a scope or explain how to properly shoulder a rifle. Mom can, too.

    For those who feel this means stomping all over gender roles, nothing could be further from reality. There’s a difference between bashing one gender over the other and simply making it clear you can stand on your own two feet—or sit in a hunting blind in freezing temperatures—just fine. Hunting has no gender. The deer don’t care who’s behind the gun, but this is something that does have an impact on your kids.

    time
    Time spent together in the woods resulted in the author’s daughter taking this Whitetail buck in Texas. PHOTO CREDIT: KAT STEVENS

    Learning Together

    If you’re a mom who isn’t already a hunter, and if that’s what’s stopping you from taking your kids out, you’re in luck. Hunting doesn’t require an extensive skill set. You don’t need to channel Jim Shockey or Fred Bear in the woods. What you need is an understanding of firearms safety and the basics of shooting. Those are things you can learn by taking classes from a reputable source at a good range. There are also a lot of good books and magazine articles out there you can use to educate yourself.

    Learning about your local hunting regulations and seasons is as easy as hitting Google. Every state now has its annual hunting guide online, making it simple to find out when, where and what you can hunt (and how many).

    Going on an educational and learning journey with your kids to learn how to hunt is a fantastic idea. Your kids will see that you’re open to new things and that you’re willing to admit when you don’t know something, and that you take proactive steps to find out how. When you don’t know how to do something, you do what it takes to learn. That’s an invaluable lesson for our kids.

    Not knowing how to hunt isn’t a reason to tell your kids “No.” Fix it. Learn how to hunt and help them learn, too.

    snacks
    Hunting requires snacks. Snacks also kept the author’s son happy in a deer blind—where this picture was taken—when he was a baby. PHOTO CREDIT: KAT STEVENS

    Hunting: Your Alone Time

    Yes, hunting is often one of the rare times to get some peace and quiet. Spending time in the woods is like church, and we cherish every moment. When you introduce kids to the mix, it becomes an entirely different experience, good and bad.

    There’s nothing wrong with hunting alone. You need to be a relaxed, happy mom, and that means that your alone time just might take place in the woods. It’s absolutely possible to go hunting alone and also occasionally take your kids with you. You can take the time to make sure you get the best possible chance at your target buck, then take the kids out when you feel less pressure to fill your tags. Going hunting 10 times? Just take the kids once.

    You can also use seasons when you wouldn’t typically hunt to teach your kids. That leaves your deer-chasing times for you alone (for now). Rabbits are a great starting point and ducks are a lot of fun because hunting them doesn’t require the same silence as deer. Don’t limit yourself to a single season. Just because deer are the most popular game to hunt doesn’t mean that’s what you must do. Whether you take your kids hunting for dove, deer, ducks, rabbits or hogs, it’s going to be a good time and a tradition worth having.

    What Are We Upholding?

    The traditions you’re trying to carry on with your kids depend on your family. Maybe you’re keeping the hunting going as it has been in your family for generations. Maybe you, like me, started your own hunting traditions. It doesn’t matter if it’s brand new or generations along, a tradition is tradition. It’s up to you to get things going and encourage your kids to do the same.

    fields
    It’s not just about the hunt, it’s also about checking feeders and fields. PHOTO CREDIT: KAT STEVENS

    But You Don’t Want To Hunt

    Maybe you truly do not want to hunt, but your kids do. Find someone safe and trustworthy to teach them and take them out. Just because hunting is not your thing, that doesn’t mean it can’t be good for your kids. Hunting teaches patience, kindness, ethics, responsibility, pride in a job well done and more. It teaches your kids to respect the animals they’re hunting and to go out and get their own food. If you’re really not interested, find someone you can count on to take the kids out for you.

    Something that needs to change in the hunting industry is the idea that it’s a man’s world. It’s everyone’s sport, and it’s everyone’s world, and gender shouldn’t matter. Your kids are watching. Make sure you set a good example in every possible way, including taking them hunting.

    One Hunting Challenge: Clothes and Gear

    It can be a challenge to find hunting gear designed for women. Camo, boots, gloves—they’re largely created for men, and even the lines marketed to women can sometimes be subpar.

    gear
    Irish Setter Women’s Vaprtrek eight inch, 400-gram Hunting Boot is lightweight, comfortable, and long-lasting.
    PHOTO CREDIT: IRISH SETTER

    There are some companies with great products for women, though. These include Prois, Irish Setter, Kuiu, Cabela’s and Nomad. That said, there’s nothing wrong with wearing men’s camo and boots in the woods (or anywhere else). If you’re having trouble finding comfortable gear, venture into the men’s section. Do whatever it takes to camo up and have an excellent hunting season.

    On the women’s side, Nomad’s Women’s Harvester NXT Jacket is a terrific option for crisp mornings in the deer stand. It’s currently offered in Mossy Oak Drop Tine, and there are pants available that go with it. As for boots, Irish Setter’s Women’s Vaprtrek eight-inch, 400-gram Hunting Boot is a nice choice when lightweight, comfortable boots are needed. The gear for you is out there, you just have to track it down. Consider it another type of hunt.

    August 2023
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleTraveling With Your Gun Dog
    Next Article Women in Hunting: Success Starts With Shared Information
    Avatar photo
    Kat Stevens

    Kat Ainsworth Stevens loves nothing more than a day spent in the woods or on the water. She has hunted all over the country for everything from deer to ducks to alligators. Her fishing endeavors range from setting juglines for catfish to catching rainbow trout in mountain streams. And while she’s out hunting, fishing, hiking, and boating, she’s putting gear through its paces.

    Related Posts

    Some ‘Roosies’ for the Ladies

    August 23, 2023

    Year-Round Maine Outdoorswoman: Jesika Lucarelli, Great Mountain Guide Service

    August 23, 2023

    Getting High on Alberta Bighorn Sheep

    August 23, 2023

    Playing the Wind: The Adventures of Abby and Shaundi         

    August 23, 2023

    Find a Mentor and Dive Right In

    August 23, 2023

    The Complete Hunter

    August 23, 2023
    Don't Miss
    Fishing

    Our Picks: Best Fly Fishing Vests

    September 26, 2023By Zach Raynsford13 Mins Read

    Owning a fly vest is a personal choice. You don’t really have to have one to fly-fish. You can still go fly-fishing with a rod, reel, line and a few flies and in truth that is all you really need. As we mature into the sport though we tend to collect “stuff”. This “stuff” consists of everything from lengths of once-used monofilament leader and torn up old flies on still-good hooks, to extra spools of specialty fly lines that we only actually use once a decade but still insist on carrying with us at all times. Packing all this paraphernalia around in the pockets of our fishing jacket just doesn’t work after a while and that’s when we finally decide that we should invest in a fly vest; after all, what good is all this great stuff if we can’t find what we need when we need it?

    Some ‘Roosies’ for the Ladies

    August 23, 2023

    Year-Round Maine Outdoorswoman: Jesika Lucarelli, Great Mountain Guide Service

    August 23, 2023

    Getting High on Alberta Bighorn Sheep

    August 23, 2023

    Subscribe to Updates

    Be the first to know about new issues, premium industry gear discounts, access to exclusive content, & more!

    Stay In Touch
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    about
    NAO is the window into the outside environment for readers pursuing their passions in hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing/kayaking, rock climbing, and all pursuits in the outdoors on the North American continent. We will present stories, tips and techniques to be a better outdoorsman, and be completely at home in the outdoor environment for a day, week, or a lifetime.
    Recent Articles
    • Our Picks: Best Fly Fishing Vests
    • Some ‘Roosies’ for the Ladies
    • Year-Round Maine Outdoorswoman: Jesika Lucarelli, Great Mountain Guide Service
    • Getting High on Alberta Bighorn Sheep
    • Playing the Wind: The Adventures of Abby and Shaundi         
    Quick Links
    • Current Issue
    • Authors
    • Partners
    • Advertise With Us
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    Useful Tools
    • Join Our Newsletter
    • Save On Gear
    • Hunting Resources
    • Where to Hunt
    • Where to Shoot
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    © 2023 Outdoor Specialty Media. Designed by Crossroads Marketing.
    • North American Outdoorsman
    • North American Deer Hunter
    • North American Bowhunter
    • Crossbow Magazine

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.