Quick – what does a hunter look like? If your first thought was a white guy in camouflage, you’re not alone. Hunting has long been marked by a lack of diversity, but an organization called Hunters of Color has been working for the past few years to change that preconception.
The origins of Hunters of Color trace back to when former executive director Lydia Parker, current executive director Jimmy Flatt, and founder Thomas Tyner were just three undergrads at Oregon State University.
They were passionate hunters trying to navigate a community that didn’t always feel welcoming. The statistics were alarming: 97% of hunters in the nation were white, with only 3% of hunters that identified as black, indigenous, or people of color, (BIPOC), according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The group set a goal to foster an outdoor community where people of color feel empowered to participate in hunting and conservation proportionately according to the demographics of the nation and to dismantle the barriers that kept people of color from participating in hunting, such as lack of access to education, gear, mentorship, and land. In the United States, 98% of private land is owned by white Americans, according to the USDA.
Within the first few years of operation, Hunters of Color has grown tremendously, linking a network of ambassadors throughout the country and reaching thousands of new hunters to the resources they need to begin hunting.
“In 2022 we had 1023 participants at our events and in 2023 we had over 1300 participants at our events,” Hunters of Color Executive Director Jimmy Flatt said. “We have expanded into 5 new states making the total to 14 states with community leaders. Our members come from all 50 states and as we work to build capacity and expand our events to more states we encourage people to find ways to get involved through the community website.”
Hunters of Color is a membership-based organization. People who might be interested in a HOC membership are either someone with hunting/conservation knowledge or someone seeking to obtain said knowledge. All of this is intending to build the most welcoming and inclusive environment for hunters to engage and share their hunting cultures.
This past year Hunters of Color launched the Hunters of Color Community website; a place for everyone to gather virtually and work towards achieving the mission of Hunters of Color. The platform is essentially a social media where members can connect with other members, find a mentor, become a mentor, register for events, find industry discounts from the organization’s partners, gain access to educational materials, share their stories, or ask questions.
“It’s really a powerful tool and we are actively looking for people to join the network and find a way to engage,” Flatt said.
The work they have put in is showing real-world dividends, and the folks at Hunters of Color aren’t slowing down any time soon.
“The most recent demographic study from the USFWS shows an upward trend in BIPOC participation in hunting which means that our efforts are having a measurable impact,” Flatt said. “That being said, we still have a long way to go and need as many people to help us in our mission. We will continue to establish opportunities for communities of Color to establish a connection to the land/culture and need more partners helping us in this effort.”