When I look over my list of friends, I have a great mix of both male and female. Some are shooters and hunters and some are not. They are not against it they just have passions for other things. And we respect each other’s decisions.

While having dinner with a group of non-shooting friends, I suggested we go shooting  together (and I will make that happen). One of the ladies piped in that her dad told her when she was growing up that there were certain things that girls did and certain things that boys did. For her, living in the Wisconsin, shooting and hunting were not one of the things on the list for girls. So, she did not get the outdoor bonding time with her dad like her brothers did.

Here is an intelligent young lady who missed out on opportunities to experience nature, conservation and the fun of the shooting sports as a child because of the ideals of the “old” ways. Luckily, we live in a new millennium and the opportunities for all both male and female exist in the great outdoors, especially in the shooting sports.

There are many ladies who are well respected in competition shooting and hunting who got their starts by shooting with their fathers and grandfathers. Julie Golob started by going to the range with her dad. Eva Shockey continues to hunt with her dad. Randi Rogers started shooting with her grandparents at the age of 11. And Kim Rhode, who has medaled in each of the last five consecutive Olympic Games, started with her dad as her first coach.

There are lots more ladies who are taking the opportunity to try the shooting sports for the first time, many through the First Shots program. More women are enjoying hunting as a natural alternative to store purchased meats. Still others want to be able to protect their families and they turn to firearms for personal protection.

Shooting is not a boy thing or a girl thing. It is a passion thing and we should not stifle anyone’s passion by telling them the shooting sports are not for them. We should encourage anyone who wants to try by offering to take them to the range or in the field for that first outing. Who knows, we may ignite the passion of a future champion.