Jaimie Stoltzfus didn’t grow up hunting, but now as a mother, rancher and hunter, her family’s food sources are central to her life and livelihood. The Stoltzfus family takes care of a sprawling ranch near the Yellowstone River in southwest Montana. The family operation extends beyond ranch life to busy hunting seasons spent providing wild game for the year and dedication to the family business — Cowgirl Meat Company — which Jaimie started as a source of healthy, local protein for her family and community. Whether on the ranch or in the field, Stoltzfus views motherhood as embodying the kind of person she wants her children to be, with a commitment to instilling in them the lifelong lessons learned through time spent outdoors. Hunting with her kids is a big part of that.
Hear what Jaimie Stoltzfus says about leading by example as a parent and how she gets her kids involved in hunting.
Jaimie Stoltzfus at home on the ranch.
Jaimie Speaks about Leading by Example through her Identity as a Mom, a Wife & a Hunter
“I’m a mom. I’m a hunter. And I’m a ranch wife and a cowgirl. I don’t see any division in that. I’m all of that all the time. It's an attitude and a way of life for me, and I want to pass that on to our kids.”
Jaimie and her son after a successful antelope hunt. Photo by Austin Stoltzfus.
Jaimie happily took her 8-month-old son on an antelope hunt, for instance. Just one way she exposed her children to hunting early on.
"He was with us all day," Jaimie remembers. "He took two naps, and we slid his pack along with us as we belly crawled in on this buck. It's probably the most fun hunt I've ever had."
How Kids Changed Hunting for Jaimie
“Having kids definitely changed our hunting. We used to take weeklong pack trips and go as far into the mountains as we could to hunt elk. We still go out as much as we can, but it’s a little different in this season of life. Hunting is still a priority, though. When we had kids, it became really important to us that we wouldn’t give up who we are or what we do. We involve them and serve as examples for something we believe is really important.”
Jaimie waits back against a tree for a strutting Tom on his way to roost off the banks of the Yellowstone River wearing women’s turkey hunting gear.
Nowadays, Jaimie still gets into close calls on early morning turkey hunts - she just does it before returning home to wake the kids and start her day with them. The benefit to living on the ranch is that she can hunt very close to home. Jaimie then feeds the cattle and carries out other daily jobs on the busy working farm, kids in tow.
Jaimie feeds her cattle on the ranch. One of her children rides in the tractor.
Jaimie and the kids pay a visit to the calving barn to check on the status of newborns.
How Jaimie Passes on Her Values to Her Kids
“We want our children to learn our values, practical life skills, and the importance of hard work and caring for what we have. Through growing up on the ranch and hunting, our kids also learn about life and death. We believe kids can handle that, and we teach it to their level. We’d rather our kids learn it from us in a very healthy way, and we’re very grateful to be able to do this.”
How to explain hunting to a child’ is something many parents think about. Jaimie’s way is to involve her kids in everything from a young age, so they grow up with hunting and ranching embedded in their daily routines. There’s no ‘waiting until they are older’ or turning it into a huge deal for Jaimie. Her family just gets on with it.
For her, the balance of life is best taught the old way, through hard work, and age is just a number on the ranch. The kids have their hands in every aspect of the work and lifestyle involved with raising cattle. Which, of course, involves saddling up and getting on the horse.
Jaimie rigs a youth saddle that her husband, Austin, rode when he was a child.
Jaimie’s son climbs onto the saddle with his mom’s help.
Jaimie and her kids in the tack room, surrounded by neatly hung bridles, reins and ropes. Preparing for a ride.
Leading by Example when Teaching Children Respect for Animals & Others
“The biggest thing we want to instill is a healthy respect for hunting and animals, both wild and domestic, and that translates to so many other things. Our kids are learning to treat animals with respect, and that translates to people. Hunting is a huge responsibility and a privilege. Our oldest is now at the age to know where his food comes from, and that’s really important to us. I think we’re getting away from that as a society. Being outside learning firsthand life skills that translate to everything he’ll do as an adult gives him confidence and skills that can’t really be learned in a classroom or behind a screen.”
Jaimie playfully helps her little daughter over a barrier.
Final Thoughts
Jaimie reflects on what leading by example means to her.
“Hunting and working on a ranch have taught me so many life lessons, which have made me grow as a person and made me a better wife and mom. As a mom, it is my goal to lead by example, and I want to show my kids that women are strong and that they can do whatever they set their mind to.”
Follow Jaimie’s grass-fed meat business @Cowgirl Meat Company for more updates from the ranch.
Jaimie tightens the cinch before trailering the horses to a branding.
The work begins wrangling calves at the base of the Absaroka Mountains.
Jaimie goes for the heel shot to help her husband wrangle the next calf in line.
It’s a family affair on every front: Jaimie with her husband Austin and their children smiling atop two horses.
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