10/08/2026
Women in the Outdoors in Minnesota
Women are the fastest-growing demographic of hunters in Minnesota, a critical trend balancing out an overall decline in male hunter participation. Data tracked by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) underscores steady growth in female engagement with the sport:
Let’s look at the numbers:
• Total Representation: Approximately 70,000 women hold hunting licenses in Minnesota out of roughly 550,000 total statewide hunters.
• Percentage Share: Women make up about 12.7% to 13% of the state’s total hunting population, which aligns closely with national averages where women account for roughly 11% to 15% of all hunters.
• Growth Vector: The number of female hunters jumped more than 27% over a single decade, climbing from 55,000 in 2010 to the current 70,000.
Insights into Hunting Preferences & Retention:
• The Crossbow Factor: Recent state reviews on equipment regulations reveal that female archery hunters have adopted crossbows at a higher rate than men. In Minnesota, 64% of female archery hunters harvest deer using a crossbow, compared to 46% of male archers.
• Core Drivers: State research programs like the DNR's Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) project indicate that women are increasingly drawn to hunting by the local food movement (harvesting organic, wild game for families), conservation efforts, and spending time outdoors.
• The Retention Challenge: Industry analytics show that while young women have the highest initial growth rate in big-game hunting, they also experience a high dropout rate. Wildlife managers attribute this to women often being introduced exclusively to deer stands rather than small-game or upland bird hunting, leading to routine fatigue.
So the question is, how do we KEEP women in hunting?
• Diversify beyond deer hunting: Introduce upland bird or small game hunting. These styles offer more action, movement, and social interaction than sitting isolated in a deer stand.
• Build mentorship networks: Create peer-led, all-female hunting communities and "Phase 2" programs that bridge the gap between introductory classes and solo hunting.
• Provide proper gear: Ensure access to high-performance, technical hunting apparel tailored to women's frames to keep them warm, dry, and comfortable.
• Emphasize field-to-table: Focus on self-sufficiency, butchering, and wild game cooking rather than trophy hunting, which aligns closer to why many women start hunting.
We are holding a women’s archery 101 clinic this December, register here: . https://www.goadventureoutdoor.com/shop/p/womens-archery-101
The MN DNR has online seminars for turkey and deer that are great resources to begin those can be viewed here: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/education/bow/index.html
