Women and archery has been and will always play such an important role in society and the heritage of archery hunting. I was reading an article in the South Bend Tribune about women mentoring young ladies for the sport of hunting. They're part of a growing trend, as sporting organizations and other hunting advocates turn to ladies and teens to help bolster the future of hunting in my state of Michigan. The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is also turning their sights toward their own workshops and clinics for the junior hunter and especially towards the women helping other females to start hunting workshops and other programs aimed toward female hunting.

The reason for this trend is simple. According to a recent survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have reported a decline in hunter activity. Even though Michigan hunters spent an estimated $490 million in 2001, hunters have been on the decline since the 1960's. In the 1960's, only 10.1% of the population hunted. In the year 2002, it declined to 8.7% of the population. This is for all hunters, including gun hunters. This problem does exist and needs to be confronted. Women are a natural place to look to bolster those numbers and the sport of archery hunting is an excellent place to start.

PETA and other anti-hunting organizations hate to see women getting involved in the future of our hunting heritage. Let's face it, when women get involved with this, PETA and the rest have lost a big battle. Female hunters and archery across our nation has grown tremendously due to people like Brenda Valentine and other important role models such as her. My hats off to them!

I have a friend who I have not met personally yet, Florella from Georgia, who has been archery hunting for the past several years and has promised to write a few articles for me about women and bowhunting. She has some very good memories from some of her hunts that include an all female hunt she attends every year. I can't wait till she gets the time to sit down and write about her hunts so that I can publish them on my site. She really sounds like a terrific person.

If you are interested in supporting women and archery and bowhunting, go to your DNR website and seek out the information you need or simply contact me by clicking on my navbar "Contact Us" and I will personally help you get started. Please start by getting involved and saving our hunting heritage. If a window of opportunity opens up to help save our conservation and keep our children off the streets and drug free, please take it. You not only help those in need, you gain a good feeling about yourself.

HELP SAVE HUNTING!