Cooking wild game

Eating what you harvest is an important part of the hunting experience for women and children. Make it easy for them by stocking your store with wild-game cookbooks, spices and cooking gear. The idea of harvesting your own organic food also appeals to health-conscious women. A small wild game cooking display will attract hunters and those who cook the wild game harvested by their significant others.

One of the most popular classes at Becoming an Outdoorswoman weekends are the Dutch oven cooking classes. After trying Dutch oven cooking in a campfire setting, most women are hooked. Creating a "cook's corner" with quality Dutch ovens from a trusted company--such as Lodge Cast Iron--will generate steady sales. Lodge Cast Iron has camping and home-cooking gear."We do sell a reasonable amount of cast iron Dutch ovens, as well as other cast-iron cooking utensils and accessories," said Virginia Solgot, marketing director of Wulf Outdoor Sports. "Cast iron is a desired product for the outdoors-person. We see more women than men purchasing cast-iron cookware, but there isn't a vast difference."For more information on Lodge Cast Iron, visit www.lodgemfg.com.Wulf Outdoor Sports has two Texas locations that do a brisk business in cast-iron cookware.Wulf Outdoor Sports holds wild game cook offs at their stores."Our cast iron cookware supplier (Lodge Cast Iron) gives additional prize money to the winning teams if they cook in their cast-iron cookware," Solgot said. "This a great way to get our customers involved in something they really enjoy, and it's a great partnership between the vendor and our stores."

Casual women visitors to your shop may see this as a step towards embracing an outdoor lifestyle that includes harvesting their own meat and preparing it. A demonstration or tasting of wild game cooked in a Dutch oven is a fun event that will attract new customers.