The Pursuit of Becoming: Constraints and Resources of Wyoming Women Hunters

Hunting, a unique outdoor activity, has been both an integral component of human culture and a useful tool in wildlife management. However, the under-representation of women reflects the long-lasting influence of an oppressive society. Women often feel excluded, unwelcome, and unsupported in these settings. As hunting decreases in popularity and participation drops nationally, determining how to recruit and retain hunters from non-traditional backgrounds is essential to the continuation of the activity. This research explored aspects of supports and constraints identified by Wyoming women who are active or interested in hunting. Mentorship and confidence are influential to the hunting experiences of these hunter groups, but also present as constraints; especially for women interested in becoming hunters. A comparison of the constraints experienced by these two groups provides recommendations for improving hunter support resources.