Women Go Hunting: She Says, “Yes, You Can!”
My love for the outdoors was forged in the rugged beauty of the Haliburton Highlands of Ontario, Canada – think of deep lakes with pure dark blue water dug by glaciers, massive hills and boreal forests. Perfect habitat for grouse, bears, and mosquitos. As a young girl, I thrived as a Girl Guide and outdoor camper, embarking on massive canoe trips into the Canadian Shield and even winter survival training. I learned to shoot, but hunting hadn’t entered the picture yet—back then, the boys would vanish into ‘camp’ for deer, moose, or bear season(s) while the girls enjoyed their absence. But that love of nature and wild places and adventure never faded.
That same love carried into my adult life, leading me to volunteer with our local Safari Club International (SCI) chapters, helping with kids’ events, assisting the Department of Game with educational displays and taxidermy (thanks to Todd Roggenkamp!), and work to bring Safari’s in a Box into Northern Virginia and Maryland classrooms (John Floyd!). I’ve sought out many teachers to attend American Wilderness Leadership School, supported Hunters for the Hungry, and contributed to SCI Foundation—all in the name of conservation, education, and advocacy for hunting.
SCI has been a pivotal force in my life, shaping my experiences and introducing me to lifelong friends who have become family. The mentors I’ve met through SCI over the last 20 years have pushed me, inspired me, and reinforced that the values of SCI—conservation, education, and advocacy—are deeply aligned with my own.
As I write this, International Women’s Day is just around the corner, and I reflect on incredible women, who left a lasting impact on me. On my first trip to South Africa, I had the privilege of sharing camp with Marilyn Seegmiller, a Diana Award winner and a woman who proved, beyond a doubt, that women can hold their own in the hunting world. Closer to home, I met Barbara Strawberry, who led the Chesapeake Chapter of SCI and was a force with Sables, giving donations to SCI and SCIF en mass. As a leader, she was an example of how powerful women can be in both hunting and advocacy. More recently with the SCI events focusing on women hunters, it has been so fun to meet other legends who lead the way while meeting more women guides and PH’s that prove women embody the spirit of SCI with class, confidence, and a touch of sass!
Memories from Canada goose hunts with Maryland DNR’s women’s-only events to lying in the cold ground, deafened by the thunderous tornado of thousands of snow geese, from watching game on Robinson Farm to tracking animals across breathtaking landscapes—every adventure, every animal, and every memory is special. If you think you can’t do it, I’m here to tell you—you can. If I can, you can. Step into the wild. Take the chance. Travel to new places, witness species beyond imagination, meet fascinating people, see stars in foreign night skies, feel the spray of distant oceans, taste exotic foods, and embrace cultures you never dreamed of experiencing.
Look into your local department of natural resources or Izaak Walton League for women’s hunting events. Sign up for a Hunter’s Safety Course. Join SCI and connect with fellow members. Join your local chapter, attend the convention, pick people’s brains, and discover that this world of adventure is wide open to you. The wild is calling—go answer it!
Beth Robinson – Life Member of SCI, Sables; proud member of the SCI National Capital Chapter, Mid-Atlantic Bowhunters Chapter, and the inaugural Zambia Chapter; plus, monthly donor to SCIF.