Encouraging women to take a shot at hunting
Amanda Moffatt of Lanark Highlands wants to build a welcoming community of female hunters
As geese fly above and ducks waddle in a nearby pond near Clayton, Ont., pops of neon orange hats, camouflage pants and rubber boots emerge from a bend in the road.
A group of women are walking home from a cabin nestled away in the woods after a day spent learning the basics of hunting.
Amanda Moffatt, who owns the nearly 80 hectares of land about an hour southwest of Ottawa, brought them together after putting a call out online asking if any local moms might be interested in hunting.
"I was astonished with how many people showed interest," Moffatt said.
The 39-year-old said she has loved hunting for as long as she can remember, but at times felt unwelcome at hunting camps simply because she is a woman.
She recalls she was once told to sleep inside the car instead of the cabin so she wouldn't make anyone feel uncomfortable.
Moffatt, however, didn't let that deter her and she is thankful her father encouraged her love of hunting from a young age.
"He believes anyone should hunt and he thinks it's important for women to also have those survival skills and know that we are capable of doing it," she said.
Learning the basics
Moffatt received about 20 responses online, then she arranged for a small group of women to visit her property and learn the basics in a casual atmosphere with no judgment.
Claire Narraway said she jumped at the opportunity and was surprised to meet other like-minded women who respected the art of hunting in the interest of feeding their families.
"I have never found somewhere that — really open arms — welcomed me as a female to be a part of [a hunt camp], especially the two-week deer hunt," Narraway said.
Narraway also recalled times where she was excluded from camp because it was "men only."
In parts of Ontario, deer hunting season runs from Nov. 6 to 19.
In the Ottawa Valley, and elsewhere in Ontario, men traditionally hunt while the women stay home to care for the household, these women said, but they want to challenge those traditional gender roles.
Research published in the journal Science Advances actually found that in early hunter-gatherer societies, 30 to 50 per cent of big-game hunters were female.
Despite being a vegetarian, Emily Pearlman said she wanted to come and learn for her children, who do eat meat.
"I'm interested in activities that allow us to shorten the distance between us and the food that we eat," Pearlman said.
"If I'm serving them meat I want to be comfortable with the process, and if I'm potentially going to eat meat, I want to be able to see the process from start to finish."
Moffatt took the group to see the various tree stands and blinds she uses while hunting, and also showed off a moose hide she is processing.
They also discussed safety, looked at some of Moffatt's rifle collection and explored resources where they could learn more.
While she admits she's not an expert, Moffatt hopes the group left the visit feeling empowered to learn more and consider getting a hunting licence.
"I feel very honoured to be able to use this land, be able to share and try and build a community," she said.
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