OCT 10, 2022   |   VOICE OF LEADERSHIP PANEL

See Hunting Differently

By Amy Ray - President and CEO - The Sisterhood of the Outdoors

The Sisterhood of The Outdoors annual youth antelope hunt. Where we teach young girls ages 12-18 to hunt antelope. We believe you “have to give it away to keep it” and see hunting differently. We hope our youth hunters will have a whole new perspective on hunting when they leave.

When we look at our everyday lives through a different lens, we can learn a lot. I have.

I am an adult-onset hunter, and I’ve hunted for 10 years. At least, that is how some would define me.

Once my husband Scott taught me to hunt, I drank the “Kool-Aid”. I had no plans to be on the path I am on now when I first learned to hunt. I found that hunting and being outdoors was what my soul had longed for as an adult with a busy life. It may have been the first time in my life I sat still and kept quiet – and sitting still and quiet for four or more hours at a time was something I had never done. Each year and season, I learned about other hunting methods and new species to hunt. I began to seek more learning opportunities and create my own group of outdoor friends. I continually studied everything new I needed to learn regarding species and tactics. Somewhere along the way, I began to find joy in teaching others. For this reason, I bought a business that teaches women to hunt, fish, and enjoy the great outdoors.

As part of my own progression into the hunting world, my company, The Sisterhood of the Outdoors, and I went to Africa for the first time this year. I had no idea what to expect; it was everything I had hoped it would be and more.

My guide was Carmen of Cheetau Safaris (#seehuntingdifferently). After this trip, I absolutely believe in seeing hunting differently. Hunting in Africa was very different from how I hunt in the US. It was so exciting to try something different but also the same. I think it will help me to make more of an impact if I see it differently. Carmen shared with me why she uses the hashtag #seehuntingdifferently.” She said, “hunting is much more than just hunting an animal. It’s about the whole experience, the people you meet, the stories you share, the things you learn from other hunters, and the friends you meet along the way,” Hunting for me is not about the harvest; it is all about the pursuit of game and fellowship outdoors. The freezer full of meat also weighs in as very important to my family and me.

Over the last few years, I have seen the face of hunting change. Stereotypes are being left behind, and more recruitment programs are seeing success. In past interviews, I have been asked, “What’s it like to be a female hunter?” I have an answer they may not expect: “I was raised to do and try anything I wanted to do; it never occurs to me that I am a girl. I believe if you learn to hunt and you take a day to go afield, you are a hunter.”

Why is it essential to see hunting differently? The traditions of deer camp are the same, but the people are not. When I began taking women on guided events with Sisterhood Outdoors, we were the only group and, many times, the first group of women to show up at a hunting lodge. Now, it’s more common, and I am so grateful that we’ve grown to have plenty of opportunities for women to hunt together. I see more encouragement for women hunters online. More importantly, I believe we are showing that we can be profitable for guides and outfitters, and we are welcome. The landscape of the outdoors is more diverse than ever, which is a good thing.

When I take a new hunter, I see hunting differently. I know what I may take for granted as a seasoned hunter. I can see the hunt from the eyes of someone who has never spent time outdoors. The questions they ask may seem elementary to me, but they are important to teach to them. I can’t make any assumptions about their reasons for learning to hunt. There are so many reasons someone has a desire to learn to hunt. With the national R3 initiative, more people are becoming interested in hunting. It’s an incredible problem to have. With more new hunters eager to go afield we all need to be prepared to mentor them. Teach someone new to shoot a bow or a rifle. Help new hunters to understand what being a good sportsman is about. Include conversations about conservation and help them connect to outdoor programs. Many of these newcomers are joining the sport of hunting for the first time and for different reasons. Some of these reasons can be as a source of food, to be in the outdoors, to push their limits, to join a partner, or to pick up a lost family tradition. Our role must be to see it from their perspective, not our own. Learning the WHY of a new hunter will help create a meaningful dialog when mentoring.

If we see hunting differently, we will see that not all of us hunt the same way. Sometimes not every type of hunting is considered “normal” to us. That just makes it different – not right or wrong.

If we see hunting differently, hunting won’t change – we do.

What if we change the way others see hunting? Many non-hunters have a misguided perception of what hunting really is about. When we mentor new hunters, we can change their attitude toward hunting. My program to recruit new hunters includes helping them see hunting differently. I want them to see how hunting contributes to conservation. I want them to see how hunting is about feeding their family healthy meat. I want them to know that everyone belongs in the outdoors. As a mentor, it is not my job to tell them what to do; it is my job to show them what they can do. It’s about sharing my own experience so they can see themselves in me. If I invite someone into the outdoors that doesn’t look like me, I might find they challenge my assumptions and make me grow.

If we can see hunting differently, maybe someone else can, too.

Amy Ray - President

The Sisterhood of the Outdoors

www.sisterhoodoutdoors.com

amy.ray@sisterhoodoutdoors.com

Amy Ray is the President and CEO of The Sisterhood of The Outdoors, a company dedicated to creating opportunities for women to hunt, fish and learn to shoot. Her vision is to provide meaningful opportunities for women in all outdoor and shooting sports and to increase the number of new women introduced to these sports. Under Amy’s direction the company has improved its reach to women all over the US who are interested in learning more about hunting, fishing and shooting. She has a dedicated group of professional field staff, many of which are licensed instructors, outfitters and guides who are dedicated to promoting the mission of Sisterhood Outdoors. Amy is an NRA certified pistol instructor, and a member of the NRA, a pro staff shooter for Shoot Like A Girl, a life member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and on the Advisory board to Freedom Hunters. Amy also writes for Womens Outdoor News. Since 2010 Sisterhood Outdoors has grown every year and creates more than 150 opportunities for women to connect in the outdoors. Through her leadership and staff development the Sisterhood of The Outdoors has become number one in the industry for women to join in on the outdoor fun and book hunting, fishing and shooting adventures. The partner programming she creates offers partners an opportunity to place gear into the hands of her guest. Creating new buyers for gear and building brand loyalty through personal interactions is her goal. Amy is an avid hunter and shooter. She enjoys encouraging and mentoring women in the outdoors and her goal is to increase the opportunities and access to women to enjoy outdoor sports.

The Voice of Leadership Panel is an appointed group of outdoor industry leaders who have volunteered to contribute their voices on crucial hunting and outdoor recreation issues to inform, inspire, and educate participants within our community.
 
2022-2023 LEADERSHIP PANELISTS
 
Ryan Brown - Executive Director, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Ryan Hoover, Director, Handgun Hunters International, LLC
John Miller - Founder and Director, Association of African American Sportsmen
Courtney Nicolson - Associate Director Marketing & Communications,
Amy Ray - President and CEO - The Sisterhood of the Outdoors
Jason Rounsaville - Executive Director, The Pope and Young Club
Luke Thorkildsen - Board Member, The Mule Deer Foundation

Facilitators