To hunt or not to hunt: Is it that simple for female hunters?

Abstract

Natural resource agencies and researchers have often focused efforts to reduce the constraints women face in hunting. However, many women continue to hunt despite these barriers, suggesting a need to understand the complex decisions they make. This study explores the decision space that women navigate despite logistical, cultural, and personal constraints. This mixed method study used free lists (n = 50) and semi-structured interviews (n = 22) to identify the most salient decisions women make to go hunting. These included decisions about gear, household responsibilities, hunting partners, land access, and pre-planning. Interviews revealed how women strategically make decisions to navigate constraints by connecting actions across domains such as safety, time, and social support. Gear decisions, for example, were shaped by cost, safety, and confidence, and some women expressed insecurity about lacking the “right” equipment. Many participants also emphasized peer support and sought community with other women. Hunting also required prioritizing personal time, often in tension with expectations around caregiving and household roles. These findings suggest that state agencies and conservation organizations can play an active role in supporting women—not only through outreach and education, but by facilitating access to peer networks and reducing gear-related barriers. Programs like gear libraries or donation drives may reduce early-entry obstacles and help foster confidence. Efforts to reframe women's leisure as necessary may help women who struggle with guilt around household duties. Overall, this study highlights women's agency to navigate barriers, make complex decisions, act on their hunting goals, and it offers practical insights to improve recruitment and retention.

Citation

Jackson, Hayley Nash; Redmore, Lauren; Cheek, Christopher A.; Cheek, Jennifer Zavaleta. 2026. To hunt or not to hunt: Is it that simple for female hunters? Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. 53: 101012.