[broom_jm]

I just got my monthly NWTF newsletter and in it, they mention that the magazine started by Oprah Winfrey, O Magazine, includes an article written by a young woman going on her first wild turkey hunt. Below is a link to the online article...

http://www.oprah.com/food/Women-and-Hunting-Kimberly-Hisss-Humbling-Harvest

I am taking the time to register on that site, so I can comment on hunting and the growing role of women hunters. I was initially very surprised to see Oprah allowing this article to be printed in her magazine, but then I got to thinking about it a little more. Oprah is a VERY smart lady, who has become quite wealthy and influential by understanding modern women...she is not going to ignore the trend of more female hunters going afield each year. I am reluctant to applaud her decision to publish the article, because I don't know what her personal feelings really are, but it is encouraging to see a mainstream magazine, outside of the hunting industry, recognizing the positive and growing influence of hunting on women in this country.

 

[BarkBuster20]

. . . the magazine started by Oprah Winfrey, O Magazine, includes an article written by a young woman going on her first wild turkey hunt. . .

Was a good story, but I have to question her motives... the article did send a good message though.

 

[unclepaddy]

I was shocked recently by a deer hunting story in Backpacker Magazine.

 

[Everett]

Would have posted sooner but I fainted ....in shock. My daughter read it at Barnes and Noble and showed it to me.... interesting. Would be nice to know her motives for sure!

 

[ah-ha]

She's bowed out of her show, maybe out of the day to day decisions at the mag, also?

 

[HardBall]

I heard a similarly positive article on NPR while on my way to work about a teenage girl who loves deer hunting. Here's the story from NPR's website:

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/09/131390073/for-some-girls-the-ultimate-goal-is-to-kill-a-buck

 

[broom_jm]

I'm glad to see mainstream magazines and national radio broadcasts acknowledging the growing participation and influence of women in the hunting and shooting sports. They are absolutely key to the future of our recreational pursuits and the freedoms that accompany them.

 

[kdub]

Just saw a bunch of women down in Mexico on a dove hunt on the Versus channel. Looked like they were really enjoying it.

 

[zachaliles]

my wife has been a bow hunter(for deer) ever since she was 14(minimum legal age in new york to bow hunt). she has given me many many pointers on shooting a bow. actually, i have to give her the thanks for me even being able to shoot a bow with any kind of accuracy. the group i hunt with includes 3 women, and surprisingly they all either shoot muzzle loaders or shotguns. i think its a great thing that women are getting more involved in hunting. that way the only argument over me going out hunting is which stand to sit in. instead of "why are you always out hunting?"

 

[Helix]

had you guys not posted this I never would have known O had a hunting article. Go figure. I think these instances mentioned likely have more to do with the feminist movement than in supporting or promoting hunting. on the one hand they cast hunting in a positive light but only because it was a woman at the trigger. not that I find anything wrong with women hunting but I doubt these publications will ever have an article that paints a man who hunts in a positive way for the sake of the hunting/shooting sports or gun rights and it's role in society.

 

[MikeG]

Here's a little feedback on the subject.

I use my laptop at customer sites. Some of these folks are a bit, well, on the vegetarian side of things in the Austin area, to put it bluntly.

One day, forgetting I had set my background picture to that of my wife skinning a rather large pig (that she killed on Mother's day, no less), I left my laptop on where some of the clients could see it.

They were at once interested in what the picture was about. When it became known that a woman had shot the pig, well, you could not pry them away from the subject. I guess they were enamored of the 'girl power' on display.

I'm glad that her picture put hunting in a positive light. If that's what it takes......

 

[BarkBuster20]

had you guys not posted this I never would have known O had a hunting article. Go figure. I think these instances mentioned likely have more to do with the feminist movement than in supporting or promoting hunting. on the one hand they cast hunting in a positive light but only because it was a woman at the trigger. not that I find anything wrong with women hunting but I doubt these publications will ever have an article that paints a man who hunts in a positive way for the sake of the hunting/shooting sports or gun rights and it's role in society.

I think you nailed it on the head.

 

[broom_jm]

had you guys not posted this I never would have known O had a hunting article. Go figure. I think these instances mentioned likely have more to do with the feminist movement than in supporting or promoting hunting. on the one hand they cast hunting in a positive light but only because it was a woman at the trigger. not that I find anything wrong with women hunting but I doubt these publications will ever have an article that paints a man who hunts in a positive way for the sake of the hunting/shooting sports or gun rights and it's role in society.

I had to think about what you were saying, but you're right. This article probably wasn't about "hunting", as much as it was about women being empowered to do what they want, including controversial sports, such as hunting. Nonetheless, women vote, and raise children, and discuss magazine articles in "O" magazine with other women, so regardless of why the article was included, the net result is a positive affirmation of women in the outdoors.

I guess I look at it like this...if we count on the "good ol' boy club" to keep our hunting and 2nd amendment rights intact, we're in a lot of trouble. Call it the feminist movement or just call it progress, but ladies are getting into the sports of hunting and shooting in unprecedented numbers. From my perspective, nothing could be more valuable to the future of all the shooting sports than for women to be involved. On a more finite scale, I just enjoy having my family with me on hunts. I'm glad to see a major magazine encouraging women to join us in the outdoors.

 

[BarkBuster20]

I had to think about what you were saying, but you're right. This article probably wasn't about "hunting", as much as it was about women being empowered to do what they want, including controversial sports, such as hunting. Nonetheless, women vote, and raise children, and discuss magazine articles in "O" magazine with other women, so regardless of why the article was included, the net result is a positive affirmation of women in the outdoors.

I guess I look at it like this...if we count on the "good ol' boy club" to keep our hunting and 2nd amendment rights intact, we're in a lot of trouble. Call it the feminist movement or just call it progress, but ladies are getting into the sports of hunting and shooting in unprecedented numbers. From my perspective, nothing could be more valuable to the future of all the shooting sports than for women to be involved. On a more finite scale, I just enjoy having my family with me on hunts. I'm glad to see a major magazine encouraging women to join us in the outdoors.

It would be interesting to know where a lot of the feminist hunters stand on the 2nd amendment...wouldnt be surprised if many were in favor of strictly hunting/sporting rifles.. maybe I am just paranoid, but that could be part of there evil scheme... if there is an evil scheme i suppose...

 

[Helix]

As long as the net affect is positive towards shooting/hunting gun rights I won't be writing letters to the editors of O or to the editorial desk at NPR asking that they rethink the entries. I too think it is extremely good for the sport and our way of life to push the topics into the main stream of the media and do so in a positive way.

As for how a true feminist/hunter views gun rights... my guess would be a true and militant feminist would not think twice about denying a man gun rights and while she is still fully armed, hunting him down in the woods... Feminism isn't about equality in my opinion, who would want to be equal anyway.

 

[BarkBuster20]

As long as the net affect is positive towards shooting/hunting gun rights I won't be writing letters to the editors of O or to the editorial desk at NPR asking that they rethink the entries. I too think it is extremely good for the sport and our way of life to push the topics into the main stream of the media and do so in a positive way.

As for how a true feminist/hunter views gun rights... my guess would be a true and militant feminist would not think twice about denying a man gun rights and while she is still fully armed, hunting him down in the woods... Feminism isn't about equality in my opinion, who would want to be equal anyway.

I could not agree with you more. well said.

 

[broom_jm]

As long as the net affect is positive towards shooting/hunting gun rights I won't be writing letters to the editors of O or to the editorial desk at NPR asking that they rethink the entries. I too think it is extremely good for the sport and our way of life to push the topics into the main stream of the media and do so in a positive way.

As for how a true feminist/hunter views gun rights... my guess would be a true and militant feminist would not think twice about denying a man gun rights and while she is still fully armed, hunting him down in the woods... Feminism isn't about equality in my opinion, who would want to be equal anyway.

I would have to wonder how we make the leap from a very introspective article, written with a true woman's sensitivities, on harvesting and processing your own turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, to a "true and militant" feminist. I do not equate one with the other, in any way, whatsoever. In fact, the women I have met who hunt are also strong supporters of the 2nd amendment and none of their traditional feminine values have been lost by virtue of their choice to hunt. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the number of radical feminists who eat meat, let alone hunt, would be fairly small, wouldn't it?

It is my opinion, after having actually read the article, that this young lady did a commendable job of conveying how killing something, even for your own sustenance, is not to be taken lightly. In promoting the sport of hunting among women there will always be a great preponderance who also support the right to bear arms. By making hunting part of the mainstream culture of real women, not extreme, left-wing, militant feminists, we introduce a substantial voting presence who will support gun-related recreation.

Honestly, Helix...I can't begin to imagine where you're coming from, but maybe I'm just not paranoid enough?

 

[BarkBuster20]

Well, i guess the leap was made because of all we know about oprah. I think its a legit fear that left wing millitant feminists will build something up, to tear something else down.

Agree with you broom, female hunters are not a problem, we need more of them. Just have a hard time wrapping my mind around oprah wanting to do any of this for the right reason. As far as the article, it was great. Just hope it doesnt have alterior motives. Cant be too paranoid about this stuff.

Also, i dont think helix was saying anything was left wing feminine millitant like in the article, think that was more so directed towards a comment i made.

On another note...there are quite a few articles in various hunting magazines that tell of female hunters and there successes. I think its kind of natural too second guess the motives of something like this, given the circumstances. I dont think anyone is demonizing the article, that would be a disservice in itself..

One thing that i do find "ODD" is that this woman works for FEILD and STREAM, yet her hunting story is in oprahs magazine..

 

[broom_jm]

I mentioned in the very first post that I was highly suspicious of why Oprah would allow her magazine to publish this kind of article and it would not surprise me at all if there is an ulterior motive. Then again, I think we gun owners have become so distrusting of the mass media that we lump almost all of them into one giant group of leftist anti-gun liberals, when the truth might be that a few of them can see things more clearly. I'm not saying Oprah was being entirely altruistic in allowing this article to go to print, but like I said earlier, she's no dummy and might just be looking to get on this particular bandwagon and stir up some interest in her namesake rag.

Even if some people on both sides of the aisle are a bit uncomfortable with the motivations behind the article, I think it's safe to say it will do more good than harm. As to why the lady works for F&S and was published in O...for all I know, they're owned by the same company? Then again, maybe the editorial staff on O were looking for just the right person to do this kind of article and found her work in F&S to be of good quality? I can't really say.

 

[Helix]

my coment as to militant feminism was directed at a prior coment relating to how that particular leaning related to gun rights. It didn't have anything to do with the O article's writer. if you read the whole thread I think you'll see there was no leaping going on, we were exploring the motivations of the publishers for publishing content outside their normal subject matter.