This year for International Women’s Day, we are celebrating the outdoors and those who make it a better place for all. We want to shine a spotlight on some amazing women in the outdoors – leaders, role models, mentors, mothers, sisters, and daughters – by sharing their stories, words of advice and encouragement for other women. We want to uplift and empower all the women who share the outdoors. One of the women we are proud to call our friend at Savage is Allison Hunter Voges. This is her story!

Allison Hunter Voges

My name is Allison Hunter Voges. I work in the outdoors as a lawn care operator for our family business. Any spare time I have is also spent in the great outdoors hunting, fishing, hiking, exploring, etc. I can’t get enough of it, and I love sharing these experiences with others, women, and youth especially, and igniting their passion for the outdoors as well.  

Supporting women in the outdoors can be as simple as inviting them along on a hunt or hike, or even just a short trip to your favorite fishing spot. Sparking that interest can be as easy as that, and then once you convince them to join you it can grow into a lifelong love for the sport and the outdoors. I will forever be grateful to the men and women who reached out to me and invited me along to deer camp, or to take me hunting for the first time. I owe a lot to my friends and family who saw that I was interested and shared their knowledge of the sport with me. Without those people, I’m not sure I would have the love and passion for the outdoors that I do today. I’m also thankful for social media in that it has connected me with other like-minded females. As a woman, it can be difficult to find girls who are interested in the outdoor sporting world. It always seems like men are never short a hunting or fishing buddy, but for a woman, it can be a whole different ballgame. Fortunately for me, I have been able to find my own group of outdoorswomen thanks both in part to social media networks and the American Daughters of Conservation. 

The ADC is a group of females dedicated to North American Conservation efforts and inspiring and educating women in the outdoor sporting world. Through this group I have made some lifelong friends and attended a variety of events including my first waterfowl hunt. I currently sit as the Indiana State Chapter President and lead events throughout the year including a snow goose hunt, 3D archery shoots, dove hunt and pheasant hunts and catfish noodling trips. Seeing the excitement and pride each of the girls leave an event with encourages me to continue my efforts of introducing more women to the outdoors. I know firsthand how empowering it can be to challenge yourself in the outdoors and find success. I want other women to experience that feeling of empowerment as well. 

If you’re a female interested in gaining more knowledge of the outdoor sporting world, but not sure what steps you need to take to become involved, I would encourage you to reach out to friends and family who regularly hunt and fish. People love to share their knowledge with others. Ask questions. Lots of them. Reach out to online hunting and fishing groups. Join groups specifically for women such as the American Daughters of Conservation, Sisterhood of the Outdoors, and Wildlife Women. Most females are more than happy to help get you involved with the sports and hobbies they love. Finally, educate yourself as much as you can. Take a hunter safety course. Look up YouTube videos or online articles about whatever it is you’re wanting to get involved with. Taking those first steps into the outdoors may seem a little daunting at first, but I promise you it will be worth it. Good luck. I hope to see you soon in the great outdoors. 

We had the pleasure of traveling to Alberta, Canada with Allison for a mentored waterfowl hunt in 2021 – read about the epic adventure!

Follow Allison Hunter Voges @amhunter11

Read more Women in the Outdoors stories!