These days, the hush of the woods at dawn is as likely to hold the steady breath of a patient lady hunter as it is the seasoned stillness of men who’ve sat those same stands for generations. And this year, stories from the field show just how deeply the lady-like tradition is taking root.

In southern Erie County, in Wales, Jillian Bayley from Rochester visited her parents’ land, a place full of childhood memories and the guidance of her hunting mentor, her father Bob Ruhland. The hunt was short, just as hunters hoped for, when a heavy 10-point buck crossed an opening in the woods. With one clean shot, Bayley had her buck. Her dad taught her to hunt when she was a young girl. Now 86, he is still out there doing what he loves and even got an 8-point buck on opening day. Bayley’s mother, Beverly, also hunts, though she stayed home this year. Hunting is a strong family tradition for them, passed down through every generation.

Bayley was not the only one with something to celebrate that day. In a stand 500 yards away, her childhood friend Kristie Toth, now living in Hamburg, had her own special moment. Twenty minutes after Bayley took her shot, Kristie used her shotgun to get her first buck, a big nine-pointer. Toth, now 40, only started hunting 10 years ago.

She credits her father, Michael Eckert, who first took her to the stand in 2015, “just to sit.” That quiet start was all she needed. Two years later, she and her dad both harvested does on the same day, and Kristie was hooked. She now hunts with a 20-gauge shotgun, bringing the same steadiness and excitement her dad has shown for years.

Jillian Bayley, 40 years old from Rochester, headed to the Southern Tier to hunt near her dad’s property in Wales, to tag this 10-point buck, one of her largest deer ever. Her dad, Bob Ruhland, walked her through the field dressing process.

Not far away in Colden, a younger hunter was making her own mark in the tradition of lady hunters. Seventeen-year-old Emma Fritz has already taken four deer since she started hunting at age 12 — two bucks and two does. She has shown a strong commitment to learning, something any mentor would admire. This year, on the way to her tree stand, she saw a mature doe at 50 yards. She aimed, fired, and missed. Maybe a twig got in the way? Or maybe it was just one of those moments that happen in hunting. Emma did not get discouraged. Instead, she thought about something she had already been considering: adding an optical scope to her 20-gauge Mossberg 500 shotgun.

Her dad, Jason, who has mentored her since she was five, did not hesitate. “OK, let’s go,” he said, and they went to S&S Taxidermy Outdoors. There, Bryce Stedman helped them choose a Vortex 2x7x32 scope. Stedman set up the gun and bore-sighted it in the store, and soon after they were at the practice range. Emma fired three shots that landed within two inches of one another and knew that was just fine. Confident and ready, she headed back out.

On her way to the stand that afternoon, Emma moved with the poise of a much older hunter: walk, stop, watch, listen, and repeat. This rhythm comes from instinct, mentorship, and respect for the woods. She credits her dad for this. Then she saw a magnificent twelve-point buck, moving slowly and unaware of her presence. Emma took a breath, aimed, and made a perfect shot. The buck dropped, and just like that, she had her biggest deer ever.

“We usually try to put four deer in the freezer every year,” Jason Fritz said. “Now that Emma’s hunting, it’s easier. We like the healthy meat and we all eat it.” His pride was clear and well deserved.

Mary Hubbard of East Aurora is another one of those lady hunters who understands patience — deep, unwavering patience. Though it was gun season, Mary carried her Hoyt bow, trusting in the quiet confidence of archery. When a six-point buck stepped cautiously into range, browsing without a clue it was being watched, Mary waited for exactly the right moment. At 41 yards, her G5 Montec broadhead found its mark. The buck ran only 10 yards before falling — a perfect shot, executed with skill and calm. For Hubbard, it wasn’t just a harvest; it was a triumph of discipline, proof that a hunter with focus can make any season her season.

Emma Fritz, 17 years old, hunted with her dad, Jason Fritz, to bag this 12-point buck in Colden, using a brand scope mounted on her 20 gauge Mossberg 500. This was her fifth deer in five years.

Across the region, stories like this show something bigger than just individual success. They highlight the power of mentorship, especially among families and friends who pass on not only hunting skills but also values like patience, safety, respect for the land, and gratitude for the harvest. For generations, these lessons shaped mostly male hunters. Now, more women are joining in, carrying on the traditions and changing the image of a deer hunter.

The numbers are clear. Every year, more women in New York start hunting, from teenagers to grandmothers, from experienced archers like Hubbard to beginners like Toth. They bring determination, attention to detail, and a strong desire to learn. They do not apologize for their passion, they embrace it.

Their success is clear. Many more women hunters have taken deer home this year. These are just a few who have shared their stories with me.

Whether it is a mother teaching her daughter, a father seeing his child’s excitement, or friends celebrating big bucks taken minutes apart, the same message comes through every hunting story this season: lady hunters are here, they are skilled, and they are shaping the future of the sport. I, for one, am glad to see it.

Hunting has always been about more than just deer. It is about spending time outdoors, enjoying quiet moments that sharpen the senses, and building connections through shared traditions. It is about learning to move slowly, breathe calmly, and trust yourself — skills that women hunters show every time they go into the woods.

Mary Hubbard used archery gear during the gun season, showing real tenacity for a lady hunting in the regular firearm deer season. She took this heavy-bodied 10-point with a 41-yard arrow shot.

Some people say the 23-day season is too long. For lady hunters, though, it is just the right amount of time to show, again and again, that patience and determination lead to success.

Forrest Fisher is an outdoors writer for The Post-Journal and OBSERVER.