Women in the Woods
By Senior Conservation Officer Julie McKarley

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1.2 million women hunt in America. Even though women make up the fastest growing group when you look at hunting numbers, women are still greatly under represented out in the field hunting. Women only make up about 9% of the total hunting population.

To broaden hunter recruitment, to encourage women to hunt, and to educate people about hunting, Idaho Department of Fish and Game sponsors at least one Women’s Hunting Clinic every year. The clinic is for women who are interested in learning more about hunting, archery and firearms. No prior experience is necessary. Expert instruction is provided by local women hunter and bow hunter education instructors.

On August 13, Idaho Department of Fish and Game held its 18th Annual Women’s Outdoor Clinic at the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge, and the Kootenai Valley Sportsmens Gun Range outside of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Over forty women attended the clinic.

The clinic was a day-long event with both classroom and hands-on learning. Attendees started off the day in the classroom learning about hunting safety, laws, regulations, and shooting positions. Then it was outside to learn about outdoor preparation and survival skills. And then on to getting some hands-on practice fly fishing, archery shooting and gutting, skinning, and quartering a big game animal. This year the attendees had a road killed cow moose to practice their new skills on. (Previous years there have been bears, elk, white tail and mule deer.)

Then it was off to the range for a scrumptious lunch and some firepower. The attendees rotated through four hands-on stations; live fire with .22 rifles, map and compass, trap shooting, and live fire with various center fire rifles. Those that had never fired a firearm before started at the indoor range and honed their shooting skills with .22 caliber rifles. From the indoor range the attendees took a break from shooting and learned how to read a topographic map. Once they mastered the map they moved on to use a compass in conjunction with a topographic map.

After intense concentration on the squiggly lines of a topographic map the attendees headed outside to the trap range. At the range they got to rotate through five trap stations and shoot clay pigeons. Cheering and clapping erupted every time an attendee blasted a clay pigeon. After trying their hand at trap, attendees rotated to the outdoor range, where they got to shoot several different centerfire caliber rifles and action types. This was a great opportunity for new hunters to try out various rifles to find out what worked best for them. After a long day all the attendees were excited to take their new skills out into the field.

Are you or someone you know interested in attending the Women’s Outdoor/Hunting Clinic next year? Or are you interested in becoming a volunteer for the Women’s Outdoor/Hunting Clinic? If so, contact Julie McKarley at (208) 819-1309 or julie.mckarley@idfg.idaho.gov

Senior Conservation Officer Julie McKarley is a NAWEOA Torch Award winner for being an outstanding new officer and is based in St. Maries, Idaho.