For those new to shooting, it’s good to get as much information from as many sources as possible. For women in particular, the new Shooter’s Bible Guide to Shotgun Sports for Women, by Laurie Bogart Wiles, is an excellent place to start.
The book contains valuable advice from experienced instructors like Jack Bart (“It’s the gun mount that requires consistency”) and John Shima, who discusses the importance of eye dominance in shotgunning.
Sometimes the advice is so simple it seems elementary, like this for duck or goose hunting: “[Wear] clothing that keeps you warm and dry in keeping with the temperature and weather conditions of the day you’re hunting.” In my opinion, though, the best advice for first-time waterfowlers is: Hire a guide!
Chapters include those on safety, fundamentals and techniques, clay shooting, gamebirds and hunting destinations. There is also helpful information on gunfitting for women’s body types.
Included, too, are some great stories by and about the ladies who have paved the way for women in shotgunning. Especially helpful are a list of available “ladies” guns, a directory of manufacturers of shooting attire and accessories, a selection of web addresses for hunting and shooting lodges, and tried-and-true recipes for gamebirds.
The 296-page softcover is loaded with color photographs and diagrams and includes an extensive glossary. It is available for $25 (plus shipping) from a number of bookstores and online retailers or by emailing the author at lbwiles414@gmail.com.
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Thanks, Lynne and Ralph, for publishing such a lovely review of my book. My earliest days as an outdoor writer were in the pages of SSM…it’s like coming full circle. It was a pleasure and privilege to craft a book especially for the sporting sisterhood and I wish one and all many shining days afield. Kindly, LAURIE