BLOG: Girls with guns

Let me preface this by saying I am not a feminist, but why is everyone so surprised that I know how to shoot a gun?

It’s hunting season, and that means it’s the time for shotguns, fluorescent orange and time spent walking fields in search of roosters. For me specifically, that means it’s time for my family to gather and spend a weekend telling stories and cleaning birds, but people who I thought knew me well here at the University of South Dakota seem blown away that I, a lowly female, would dare delve into the manly world of hunting.

I understand where people are coming from. I paint my nails, wear makeup and put a mild amount of effort into making my hair behave, but I also know how to get down and dirty with the boys. I don’t feel much different from the average woman raised in the Midwest, but to my surprise, I’m learning that more and more of my girlfriends would sooner lick their bathroom floors clean than spend a whole day carrying a .12 gauge.

I plan my life around four things: newspaper work, the state fair, spring break and hunting season, and I’m trying not to get offended by the shocked faces of my peers when I tell them that. We live in the Midwest, people. Open your eyes and realize that girls who get manicures can also like target shooting too.

Since I know you’re wondering, the answer is yes. I went pheasant hunting last weekend, and yes, I limited out.