National Geographic reports that from 2006 to 2011, the number of women who hunt rose from 9 percent of the total number of hunters to 11 percent in the U.S.
In Minnesota, the Department of Natural Resources said in 2000 that 26.2 percent of men hunted, but that fell to 21.8 percent in 2013. Women, however, rose from 2.6 percent to 3 percent.
For shooting sports, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade group for the firearms industry, said women "represent the fastest growing segment of the shooting sports."
"This group of new gun owners, who are primarily between the ages of 18 and 34, reflects the changing demographics among women choosing to own firearms."
Some of the study's other findings about female gun owners:
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• 56 percent own at least one semiautomatic pistol, and 50 percent own at least one shotgun.
• 95 percent have tried target shooting, and more than half (58 percent) have hunted.
• More than 42 percent of female gun owners have a concealed-carry permit for their state of residence.
• The single most important reason they decided to buy or own a firearm is protection, both personally and for the home. Learning to hunt and going shooting with friends and family were also cited.
