A hunter of 10 years, Marianne Huskey demonstrates how to use her compound bow. Mrs. Huskey of St. Ignace would like to see more women get involved with hunting. Saturday, November 15, is opening day for deer hunting rifle season. Marianne Huskey's first hunting experience was on her first date with Tom Huskey, now her husband, in 1998. He had shot a buck with his bow earlier in the day and wanted her to try tracking the wounded deer. She did, and she enjoyed it.

"I was hooked from that point on. It was very exhilarating," she said. "We've been together ever since."

Ten years later, Mrs. Huskey, 33, of St. Ignace, is still hunting. She hunts during both rifle and bow seasons, but prefers bow season because there are fewer hunters in the woods, and she sees it as more of a challenge.

Mrs. Huskey, a self-described "outdoorsy a woman as you can get," would like to see more women hunters in the woods. She thinks women are more patient and more apt to try hunting in new spots, while men will stay in the same tree blind all season long. She also enjoys fishing all year.

St. Ignace resident Carol Colegrove also likes to hunt.

Mrs. Colegrove, 62, has enjoyed deer hunting with a rifle for the last 35 years. She got involved in hunting through the men in her family.

"My dad hunts. My husband hunts," she said. "I think men respect you for hunting. They just include you and don't think nothing of it."

"Added Mrs. Huskey: "The guys like to talk their smack, but it's all in a joking manner. I've never had anyone be rude or say anything in an offensive manner to me."

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources offers a program to encourage women to become more active in outdoor activities like hunting, camping, backpacking, canoeing, and fishing. The program, Becoming an Outdoors- Woman (BOW), offers weekend workshops throughout the year.

More than 400 women register for 12 to 15 workshops a year, said Lynn Marla, the program's coordinator.

Mrs. Huskey thinks it is a good idea.

"I think if the women got out there and tried hunting, they would be hooked," she said.

Nine percent of the 724,239 people who purchased a license to hunt deer in Michigan in 2007 were women.

Carley Ball, 33, owner of Wilderness Treasures in Pickford, said there are quite a few women hunters in the Eastern U.P.

"I know there's more than a dozen in the Pickford area," she said. "If nothing else, you gain a little bit of respect" being a female hunter.

Ms. Ball has been hunting for more than 10 years and said she prefers hunting birds like ducks and geese. She does hunt deer with her husband, father, and father-in-law, but said she leaves shooting the big game to them.

All three Eastern U.P. women agreed their favorite part of hunting is enjoying the peace and quiet of being in the woods.