Backlash

When you hear the word backlash, what goes through your mind?  If you fish, you get the vision of a reel having the line backlash and causing a mess. But if you’re a hunter and you hear the word backlash, you cringe because you know all too well how people like to backlash on any hunter who takes an animal for feeding their family and friends.  Backlash is defined as a strong and adverse reaction by a large number of people, especially to a social or political development.

As a woman hunter and mother, I get backlash all the time.  It seems that society still thinks I should be barefoot and pregnant while cooking a meal and keeping the house clean.  I have a passion to help provide for my family and a passion for the outdoors.  It seems that if you’re a huntress and you’ve not taken alot of game, your not considered a hunter.  You are looked at and told to go back home and be the mother you’re suppose to be.  What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t take my knowledge and introduce my children into the outdoors.  Just because I don’t get alot of game or show alot of game in my social media, does that mean I’m not a hunter? One way to look at it, I would be doing something wrong if I didn’t get any backlash.  I’ve faced may adversities in my life.  That’s what makes me stronger.  I over come those adversities and move on and learn to do things better in a way that is best for me.

As I sit and think about all the backlash that I get as a woman hunter.  I’m sent these words of advise, “Write the truest sentence you can, for when true it cannot be slandered. What did I know best that I had not written about? What did I know about truly and care for the most? There was no choice at all.” Ernest Hemingway  Those words of advise was passed onto me by Wildlife Women’s biggest supporter and blog writer Wade Pennell.  He also passed on his own words of wisdom. “Write from your heart, not your head. Do not think of rebuttal or righting of wrongs but express from your heart what all this means to you as a confident lady that loves the outdoors.”

Wildlife Women was organized and brought forth to help the ladies to be educated, inspired, and encouraged to get into the outdoors and enjoy it.  What kind of lady or hunter would I be if I didn’t take my knowledge and pass it on to not only my children but other ladies to pass on to their children or even take the knowledge that other ladies and hunters can teach me and become a better hunter.   I’ll be the first to say that I’m not the best hunter, but I do try the best I can. I am learning, I gain more confidence every time I step outdoors. Many judge quantity or quality, and to each their own as it should be. We are not in this to win any prize but our own satisfaction. Each of us, any gender, experience or age can do the best we can and as such deserve the support and encouragement of others that enjoy the outdoors and strive to do the best for ourselves and our families.   Because I raise my children to go into the outdoors and provide for themselves and enjoy it.  It’s what I do and I’ll live each day enjoying what I do and just ignore the Backlash.