I Love Pink Guns
Twelve-year-old Kayla and her dog Zoey proudly display her first rooster and her pink shotgun. Kayla is a Pheasants Forever youth member from Montana.
I’ll be the first to admit when it comes to the products I buy, the colors I wear, and the activities I participate in, I fall in line with what’s considered a “gender norm.” I own an SUV, grew up wearing blue, hunt and fish more than I should and sport what I consider to be a respectable hunting beard. This all sounds pretty normal for a 25-year-old guy except for one small fact: I love pink guns.
Nine-year-old Audrey practices with her pink BB gun before going on her first hunt.
From birth, society instills what’s generally accepted as being normal or “ok.” Deviate too far from these norms and your path through life may become a tougher row to hoe. Hence my first reaction to pink firearms: “Wow, that’s dumb. I wouldn’t be caught dead in a pheasant field or duck blind next someone who carries that.” However, before I start to make my old Gender and Communication professor cringe, I’ll confess I was viewing these bright and shiny synthetic guns from the wrong vantage point.
I’m not going to rush out and buy a pink shotgun, because frankly, I don’t want one. That said, I love the idea of them. They represent a larger acceptance of the hunting and shooting community and help bridge the gap to an oftentimes neglected portion of the outdoor world. Women hunt. Girls want to hit the field with their dads…and even moms. And believe it or not, some wives and girlfriends would love an invitation to come along and chase birds with you, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong if it takes a pink gun to get that conversation started.
More pink guns = more women shooters = more hunting households = more kids involved in the great outdoors = future conservationists. Seems like a win-win situation. If a shiny, synthetic gun that flairs ducks from 100 yards is the easiest way to get more people involved in the lifestyle we love, then let them flair away because at least you’ll be in good company.
The Over/Under blog is written by Andrew Vavra, Pheasants Forever’s Marketing Specialist.
Tags: Outdoor women, Pink Shotguns, Women Hunters
5 Responses to “I Love Pink Guns”
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Love this! I’m a 50 yr old woman who despises pink, but I too love the idea of pink guns. I have a 9 yr old sidekick who likes pink, she helps me with my kennel of Springers and my corral full of horses. I sincerely hope when she’s ready her father will buy her a pink gun.
Ask Kayla’s dad if he believes in arranged marriages. I have a grandson coming of age…….:)
This is completely and 100% true. I say that as a huntress (who happens to love pink), but also from the perspective as a Mom (even though I have a son). If this is what it takes to get more girls/ladies involved in a spectacular sport, more and more men need to be more accepting like the writer is. Thank you, Mr. Vavra, for writing a great blog post.
In response to David’s question about arranged marriages: One important question…does your grandson have access to good pheasant land (where)? Naturally, I will accompany her on all future hunts. Being an elk hunter would also be a big plus for him, Kayla got her first elk this year too.
Way to go! I have a young Montana girl too and she loves her BB gun (modified for her smaller size). She has already accompanied me on an early season grouse hunt (sporting her BB gun) and I hope will follow me and my wife into the field for her first pheasant when she comes of age. Great post and great shooting Kayla!