By Emily Snyder
If you ask most women about their hunting upbringing, they’ll likely credit it to a man, possibly a family member or significant other. If you ask most men about their hunting upbringing, they’ll also likely credit a man. Something you might not hear as often is, “my girlfriend got me into hunting.
My partner, Brandon, started out by sitting in a deer stand with his buddies. But if you ask him who he was with the first time he fired his very own shotgun or who he will be with when he shoots his first upland bird – it will be me. I’ve been hunting since I was 13 years old, it is a part of who I am, and a part of my lifestyle. So, when Brandon called me up this past winter and told me he took his hunters safety class online, I was thrilled. Although I’ve hunted with my dad and brothers most of my life, there’s something special about hunting with your significant other.
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Our first hunt together was for a spring turkey in Wisconsin. The spring of 2021 was especially challenging for turkey hunting in the Midwest. We had one, cold and wet week to hunt turkey’s but man, did we have a good time. Waking up before the sun, feeling the fresh crisp air on our faces that were covered in black Maybelline eye-shadow. Whispering about how excited we would be if one of us got a turkey, or even better yet, what if we both did. I felt like a kid again, overwhelmed with the possibilities of what we could share together. We shared many memories before, during, and after the hunt. We walked around the house for almost two weeks, crying-laughing over the sounds we made attempting to learn a turkey call. The look on Brandon’s face when a grouse erupted from behind a tree is a moment neither one of us will likely forget. Although we weren’t successful, we will always have the memories shared during our first hunting trip together.
Our next hunt will undoubtedly be a public land pheasant hunt with our dog, Cooper, and I couldn’t be more excited. Cooper, a young GSP, came to me about a year before I met Brandon. Coop was all mine and the bond we had was undeniable, that is, until Brandon came into the picture. I’ve never seen a man and dog become one like they did. As much as I am loathe to admit it, Cooper adores him and listens to him better than he ever listened to me. Cooper continues to learn, and hunting with Brandon will be a whole new experience, and I can’t wait to sit back and watch the magic happen as they come together this fall in the field.
Hunting has always been part of our history, a part of life, and some would argue it’s more important now than ever. Alongside hunting comes a love for habitat and all the wildlife that exists on this planet. We are living in a challenging time with Mother Nature taking control over the years of abuse she has taken. Think of the difference we could all collectively make by sharing our love for the land that gave us the freedom to run wild and free, and all the beautiful elements that fall in between. With every woman hunter and mentor, we continue to push the mold and change the trend, where learning from your girlfriend, or friend, or any other woman, becomes the norm instead of the exception. I hope that someday, as a couple, we too can raise strong children who love the outdoors, perhaps a little girl who can influence another new hunter to love the outdoors.
Emily Snyder is Senior Graphic Designer for PF and QF