Her First Hunt

Conservation and hunting organizations want to support and see a project come to fruition:

  • Hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3)

  • Hunter education

  • Mentorship

  • Conservation ethics

  • Public land stewardship

  • Building the next generation of ethical hunters

  • Expanding access by reducing barriers for women

Rather than funding "a hunt," the grant funds a comprehensive educational mentorship program that culminates in a mentored moose hunt.

Project Concept

Women Hunting Alaska Program

From Classroom to Camp to Conservation

Purpose

The Women Hunting Alaska Program will provide a complete educational pathway for new and developing huntresses through classroom instruction, field training, mentorship, and a guided mentored Alaska moose hunt.

Participants will gain the knowledge, skills, confidence, and ethical foundation necessary to become safe, capable, conservation-minded hunters who can continue hunting independently and mentor others.

Program Structure

Phase 1 – Foundations

  • Alaska hunting regulations

  • Draw permits and harvest tickets

  • Wildlife management

  • Conservation principles

  • Moose biology

  • Land access

  • Hunting ethics

  • Public land stewardship

Phase 2 – Hunt Preparation

Participants learn:

  • Physical conditioning

  • Gear selection

  • Navigation

  • OnX training

  • Rifle setup

  • Shooting fundamentals

  • Camp preparation

  • Food planning

  • Emergency preparedness

  • Bear safety

  • Communications

Phase 3 – Field Skills

Hands-on workshops:

  • Calling moose

  • Judging legal bulls

  • Tracking

  • Reading sign

  • Shot placement

  • Blood trailing

  • Field dressing

  • Quartering

  • Meat care

  • Hide care

  • Packing meat

Phase 4 – Mentored Hunt

Participants are paired with experienced volunteer mentors.

The hunt focuses on:

  • Decision making

  • Ethics

  • Safety

  • Conservation

  • Respect for wildlife

  • Teamwork

Harvest is never guaranteed.

Success is measured by knowledge and confidence—not by harvesting a moose.

Phase 5 – Harvest Stewardship

If successful:

Participants learn

  • Butchering

  • Processing

  • Packaging

  • Sausage making

  • Taxidermy options

  • Cooking wild game

  • Sharing meat with family

Phase 6 – Give Back

Graduates commit to:

Volunteer hours with WHA

Helping future students

Conservation projects

Habitat improvement

Hunter education

Community outreach

This creates a cycle of mentorship.

Initial Pilot

3 Participants

This number allows:

High quality instruction

Meaningful mentorship

Manageable logistics

Excellent documentation

Strong success stories

Estimated Budget

Training materials
$2,000

Range fees & ammunition
$2,000

Safety equipment
$2,500

Mentor support
$2,000

Camp food
$1,500

Fuel & transportation
$5,000

Processing
$2,000

Insurance & administration
$2,000

Documentation & media
$2,000

Scholarships
$4,000

Estimated Total: $25,000–$30,000

This is a realistic first-year pilot that could grow over time.

Long-Term Vision

Her First Alaska Moose Hunt

A year-long scholarship and mentorship experience where women gain the confidence, skills, and support to ethically harvest their first Alaska moose while becoming lifelong advocates for conservation and hunting heritage.

I also see an opportunity to distinguish this program by making it about more than the hunt. One idea we've discussed before fits perfectly here: participants don't just learn to hunt—they become future mentors. Every graduate is encouraged to return and help the next class. That creates a self-sustaining community where each generation of women helps the next.

I believe this could become the flagship program of the Women Hunting Alaska Program and a compelling project for funders because it delivers lasting impact through education, stewardship, and mentorship rather than focusing solely on a single hunting experience.