US sees 25 percent surge in women hunters since 2006

The number of American women spending time hunting has spiked 25 percent between 2006 and 2011.

According to Census Bureau statistics cited by National Geographic, while men still make up the majority of the 13.7 million hunters in the United States, 11 percent are women.

Many states, the magazine reports, are now hosting workshops, titled “Becoming An Outdoors-Woman” (BOW), which instruct participants in archery, shotgun and rifle shooting.

"There is definitely a high demand. We have over 3,000 women on our mailing list, and workshops fill up quickly," Patricia Handy, information and education program manager at the Department of Natural Resources in Maryland, told National Geographic.

Minnesota has followed the national trend; the state granted 72,000 hunting licenses to women last year, up from 50,000 in 2000, CBS Minnesota reports.

According to the station, the spike in women hunters also has led retailers to market smaller firearms and outdoor gear specifically to women.

One male hunter, Fred Williams, speaking to NPR, says, “"women tend to be actually better hunters because they tend to be a bit more patient, and oftentimes are a much better shot, because they tend to be a bit more focused."

In Wyoming, Marilyn Kite, the state’s first female state Supreme Court justice, helped come up with the idea of the Women’s Antelope Hunt.

"We've found it to be just great recreation, lots of fun, and the camaraderie of it is why you do it, really," Kite told NPR. "But we also really like the meat."

Click for more from the National Geographic.