Wearing an oversized camo jacket, a generic blaze orange hat, and awkwardly carrying a borrowed youth 20 gauge, I walked into the lobby of the local trap club where the participants of the Eastern Oregon Women’s Pheasant Hunt were gathering.

It was clear almost immediately that I was not the only newbie; if not from the other neophyte’s nervous shuffling, then from their attire. Only the women who had attended the event in prior years seemed to know how to dress for the occasion.

Over the next two years, I began to experience firsthand the frustrations of trying to find upland hunting apparel for women. My husband, who has a tall, lean build, also was having difficulty finding durable clothing that fit properly. Together, we discovered some invaluable hacks that I am eager to share with fellow newcomers.