Wyoming Game and Fish Supports Women’s Antelope Hunt as Increase in Female Hunters Continues

Contact: Renny Mackay, Game and Fish Communications Director

307-777-4594      renny.mackay1@wyo.gov 

 

Wyoming Game and Fish Supports Women’s Antelope Hunt as Increase in Female Hunters Continues

CHEYENNE - The number of Wyoming women who hunt and fish continues to increase. Since 2008 there has been a 9% increase in female hunters and a 17% increase in female anglers. This generally mirrors national data where female hunters are the fastest growing segment in the U.S. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s information shows the number of male hunters and anglers is holding steady.

          This weekend marks the second annual Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt, an event the Game and Fish Department is helping to support. The hunt is the nation’s first all-women hunt and was founded by the Wyoming Women’s Foundation. Game and Fish employees are at the event to do hunter education, mentoring and logistical support.

          “Across the state we are seeing more women take hunter education to become eligible to get a hunting license,” said Tristanna Bickford, Conservation Education Coordinator for the Game and Fish Department. “What we hear is that women feel that hunting is a great way to spend time as a family and an important means to feed their families. These are goals the Wyoming Game and Fish Department actively encourages for everyone.”

          The Wyoming Game and Fish Department provides many ways for women and men to start hunting or fishing. These include hunter education, fishing opportunities and information, hunter education and a program to encourage families to hunt and fish called Forever Wild Families.

          “A significant aspect of our work is to offer social support for women and families that are interested in outdoor activities like hunting and fishing, we hope by building this community folks will see others like them doing these activities and feel comfortable engaging at various levels," said Tasha Sorensen, Hunter and Angler Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation Coordinator.

 

Total number of female and male Wyoming residents licensed to hunt in Wyoming 2008-2013
	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Female	11,202	11,839	11,967	11,942	12,284	12,620
Male	64,750	67,538	64,694	63,452	63,707	63,157
Total	75,952	79,377	76,661	75,394	75,991	75,777
Total number of female and male Wyoming residents licensed to fish in Wyoming 2008-2013
	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Female	26,701	30,010	28,194	27,414	29,694	31,327
Male	70,069	84,476	72,866	70,032	74,089	74,014
Total	96,770	114,486	101,060	97,446	103,783	105,341

 

Photo Credit: Lucy Wold, WGFD

These women all harvested their game animals (moose, deer and pronghorn antelope) within the past two weeks in SW Wyoming. I took these photos at game check stations in Farson and Kemmerer.

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