As we gather for another year of conservation and collaboration, we remember and honor Mary Zeiss Stange, whose contributions to the CIC and the broader hunting and conservation community remain deeply valued. Mary passed away on July 6, 2024, at the age of 74, leaving behind an enduring legacy as a scholar, conservationist, and advocate for women in hunting.
Mary was a Vice President of the Artemis Working Group, a CIC Expert, and a member of the CIC U.S. National Delegation, where she worked tirelessly to promote the role of women in sustainable hunting. She was with Artemis from its very inception, ensuring that female hunters had a voice within the CIC. Through her active participation in General Assemblies and international events, she championed the importance of inclusive conservation policies and ethical hunting practices.
Beyond her role in the CIC, Mary was a renowned academic and writer, dedicating over 26 years at Skidmore College as a professor of women’s studies and religion. Her groundbreaking courses, including Women, Religion, and Spirituality and Ecofeminism, Women and Environment, challenged traditional narratives and encouraged new perspectives on gender, conservation, and the natural world. Her scholarly work extended beyond the classroom into numerous publications, including USA Today, The Women’s Review of Books, and Liberty Magazine.
Mary’s passion for conservation was not confined to academia. Together with her husband, Doug, she spent 37 years transforming the Crazy Woman Bison Ranch in Montana from degraded land into a thriving prairie ecosystem. Their work exemplified the principles of sustainable use that she defended so ardently in her writing and advocacy.
As an author, Mary reshaped the conversation on women in hunting with books such as Woman the Hunter, Gun Women, and Hunting: A Cultural History which emphasized women’s cultural and historical roles in hunting. Her memoir, Hard Grass: Life on the Crazy Woman Bison Ranch, provided a personal and profound reflection on her experiences as a conservationist, feminist, and hunter.
Her passing was a great loss to the CIC and the conservation community, but her ideas and influence continue to inspire. As we remember her, we reaffirm our commitment to the values she upheld – ensuring that hunting remains a force for conservation, that all voices are heard in sustainable use discussions, and that the natural world is preserved for future generations.
