Real Women

I started hunting just a few years ago for two reasons. First, I have always loved being outdoors. I grew up in the south, where fishing and camping were the best part of summer. The second reason was that I was tired of not seeing my husband for 3-4 months every year.

Eventually I accepted my husband’s oft repeated invitation go along with him. One of my first projects was finding suitable clothing for hiking and being in the mountains. The terrain can be challenging and the temperatures can vary greatly in Wyoming. Having been a Soldier with some outdoor survival skills, I had a pretty good idea of what I needed and wanted.

Much to my chagrin, I found plenty of camouflage lingerie and pink sweatshirts, but not a single pair of pants. Honestly, who needs a camouflage nightie? Was I supposed to hunt in that? I just needed a decent pair of pants! Eventually I settled on a good pair of boots, even though they had pink stitching and just wore my old Army pants with a sweatshirt. I was pretty disgusted, but undeterred.

Happily I had some basic rifle skills thanks to my Army training so it didn’t take much to get my rifle sighted in and I was ready to go. I had a wonderful time and shot a nice mule deer. I was hooked. Now I am pretty sure I like hunting big game more than my husband does.

But in the back of my mind I still wondered about the women in those hunting shows with their ample chests, tight pants and perfect makeup. That’s just not me. As I sat around the campfire with our three daughters and granddaughter, I thought about the women in those shows and the women in our camp. I think it’s important for girls to understand they can be themselves and be strong capable women who can do anything. This blog is for all the real women out there every day doing what they love.