Recruiting Women Hunters – The Fastest Growing Segment

As we continue to see a decline in the participation of hunting, one customer segment that many of us have started to focus on is recruiting women hunters. Currently, women are the fastest growing segment in the shooting sports industry. So it’s time to think about how we can introduce them to hunting.  But before recruiting a new customer segment, we need to do our due diligence. Not only in learning about who they are but the resources they need to be involved in the activity.

With that said, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has spent copious amounts of time reviewing the information of all license buyers in Nebraska.  This research has brought to light some interesting information about women who hunt in Nebraska.  Here are some facts:

Women More Likely to Continue Hunting if Holders of Multiple Permits

The interesting piece of data that captured my attention was the likelihood that a woman will be more likely to continue to hunt if they hold more than one permit.  In the state of Nebraska, there are several hunting and shooting sports organizations that are geared specifically to women. They encourage them to be in the field year round.  Two such organizations are Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) and Women in the Outdoors (WITO).

BOW offers hands on workshops for adult women with an interest in learning outdoor skills.  Not only are their workshops tailored to women who are new but those eager to improve their skills.  WITO is a part of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF).  It is a female focused outdoors skills training program. Events are hosted by local NWTF chapters and teach in subject areas related to archery, shotgunning, and hunting.  Make sure to check out the robust list of workshops and weekend events offered by BOW and WITO in 2019.

What Are You Doing to Recruit New Hunters?

So, what are you doing as a Big Game Conservation Association member to encourage people to hunt throughout the year and not just one time?  Have you ever thought about what you can do as a chapter to engage new hunters year round?  Take a new hunter into the field with you, not just once but two or three times, to help them become an avid participant.

Happy Hunting,
Micaela Rahe
Nebraska R3 Coordinator
National Wild Turkey Federation