All bowhunters are enticed by thoughts of what lay 'out there' in the wild. The wonderful world of unpredictable and exciting adventures. "The magnetic challenge of the wild" is the very force that all bowhunters (man or woman) have in common.

   My life instantly changed when I decided to step into the world of bowhunting. A world where the participants were predominantly male. The journey has been exciting and rewarding and thankfully, is far from over.  It all began with a mutual desire of my husband and I to do something we enjoy together.  He wanted to do something different, I wanted to be with him regardless of what it was. It turned out to be bowhunting and I haven't looked back since. In the three years I have been practicing my skill as an archer, I have met a trickle of women archers at the archery range however, only  two women are bowhunters. Always, the women who took archery as their sport were either introduced to it by their husband, fathers, male partners or male friends. I give these confident males a big salute and a bigger one to the women who take the challenge!

   Not all women archers are inclined to go bowhunting. Only a very few heed the calling of going into the woods to test their skills against all odds. A woman being a bowhunter usually  makes other women's eye brows to raise and ask  and ask the inevitable question, "Excuse me, but why? 

   "Why? Why do I hunt?" As I reflect the years I've been doing it, I can name endless reasons aside from the "challenge" I mentioned earlier. One of my best reason is to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and into the realm of wild life.  The therapeutic effect is always instantaneous. The minute I step out of our home and into our vehicle, the transformation from businesswoman, housewife & mother into a bowhunter takes place. I cease to be anything else but a hunter. My mind would focus on our hunting ground filled with trees, wild plants & where bears, deer, coyotes, & other wild life roam.  My husband becomes my hunting buddy. Together we talk as if we have not seen each other for ages. Together as comrades we go through the checklist to remember strategies to formulate and plans to execute!

   Every hunter's desire to bag their prey is ever present and to most hunters bagging a trophy is the climax of their hunting venture, the ultimate goal. I do honor this exultant culmination of the hunt! But for me, getting to this goal is just an icing to the cake. The orchestration of the hunting events, the preparation, the enjoyment of the wilderness and the burning desire to be back to the hunting ground after a long trying expedition have the same intensity as bringing home a trophy.

P.S. For stories of my adventures as a hunter click on
..Columnist - Family Corner Susan Lagazo