Thousands of would-be hunters will partake in hunter education courses across the country this spring and as Montana’s hunter and bowhunter education programs kick off, there seems to be a trend continuing to rise.
Recent reports from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks are indicating that female students account for about half of all hunter educational course registrations in the state of Montana.
“When I first got started as a volunteer instructor back in the early 90s it was rare to find more than one female in one classroom. Today, we are seeing almost 50% female students, which is fabulous,” Wayde Cooperider with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks told Kpax.com.
Female participation in hunting education programming has risen by 8% over the past seven or eight years while the bowhunter education program has experienced a 9% increase in the same time period. These statistics seem to coincide nicely with the rise of female hunters across the United States and Canada.
“I think that women females have increased in participation for a number of things. Society has changed our attitudes have changed about the women in the outdoors hunting, fishing that kind of thing,” Cooperider said.
“I think that dads and moms are seeing the value in having their daughters participate in hunting. I think that husbands and boyfriends want to take their spouse or significant other out into the field with them and enjoy that outdoors experience, it’s a wonderful thing,” he added.
As it stands, this is a fantastic signal of things to come. As hunters it is my belief that we all want to experience growth within the industry, giving hunters across North America a firm footing in the protection of wildlife, habitat and our rights to hunting, fishing and enjoying the great outdoors.
