Venery

Hi I’m Alex Stokman, founder of Venery. Venery is a business based in Montana, where we are on a mission to teach women how to hunt. I’m passionate about women supporting women to build the skills and the confidence they need to provide for themselves and harvest food from nature.

But I wear so many other hats, too. I am a mother, a hunter, and a provider. I am a conservationist, a mentor, and a teacher. I laugh a lot, sometimes so hard I cry. And, I believe in the power of women.

The number one reason why I hunt is food for my family. Growing up, I didn’t know hunting was an option. Canning and gardening were a part of my life, but not hunting. I find it interesting, looking back now, that there was a disconnect. But once I got introduced to hunting, I figured out how to do it for myself, to rely on myself, and to provide food for my family. Because I want my family to know where their food comes from, and to eat a clean, healthy, fresh diet that’s as local and sustainable as we can. Hunting is challenging and it fulfills my yearning to live in line with my values. It is connecting viscerally to the land and contributing in a positive way to our food systems and the environment.

Where hunting intersects with conservation is where we have the opportunity to have a positive relationship with the natural environment. It's about doing better with what we have. It’s about using every piece of the animal as possible. We have to do better with what we have in order to continue living with abundance. I like knowing that hunting is a conservation tool. Hunters help keep the population of animals in check so the ecosystems stay healthy and balanced.

The more I talk about hunting the more connections I find to people that want to learn how to hunt and who want to share that adventure with me.