Not Just for the Guys: Women Navigating Masculine Hunting and Wolf-Related Conflicts in Austria and Norway

Women are increasingly entering hunting cultures in Europe, long seen as masculine strongholds. Yet their inclusion remains shaped by enduring gender norms, which become particularly visible in conflicts over wolf presence and conservation. This paper examines how women hunters in Austria and Norway navigate gendered expectations and legitimacy in hunting contexts shaped by large carnivore conflicts. Based on 53 qualitative interviews and ethnographic fieldwork, the study draws on ecofeminist perspectives to examine how gendered relations within hunting communities affect relations between human and nonhuman animals. The findings show that women’s participation in these contexts is structured by expectations of toughness, emotional restraint, and alignment with entrenched anti-wolf positions. Women who express empathy toward wolves or question lethal control strategies risk marginalization within hunting communities engaged in wolf-related conflicts, while those who conform to prevailing norms gain greater acceptance. At the same time, women are often framed as moderating influences within these settings, associated with improved communication and ethical reflection, yet remain marginal to decision-making and leadership. This tension reflects a pattern of conditional inclusion in hunting contexts, in which increasing numbers of women do not necessarily translate into influence. Wolf-related conflicts emerge as key sites where legitimacy, authority, and acceptable forms of emotion are contested. Women selectively adapt to or challenge dominant norms, thereby both reinforcing and unsettling existing hierarchies. These dynamics position hunting as more than wildlife management, providing the framework within which gendered and human–animal power relations are negotiated.