I've wondered this myself. After going to my first gathering it seemed hardly any guys boxed and the ones that were there were with a female spouse.
The last gathering was a little better but still, most guys were there w/girls.
Most guys I tell about boxing think its, wimpy(usually they use a 'stronger' word), (even w/the long hikes).
And most women I tell at the very least look up letterboxing.org...

If anybody is going to do a poll it should have some sort of spouse question....Did your spouse get you involved etc.
I would bet most guys are involved cuz of a spouse while most women do it cuz they want to.

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I would bet most guys are involved cuz of a spouse while most women do it cuz they want to.

As usual, I fall decidedly outside the norm. And norm is NOT happy about that, let me tell you.

My wife (I am male, in case you hadn't guessed) will have nothing to do with boxing, despite my and my 6-year old daughter's best efforts to convert her. Her greatest fear is that someday, because of letterboxing, I will get a fanny pack.

-wassamatta_u

I find all this discussion of "manly" behavior really depressing.

Why the need to define things in terms of "manly" and non-manly polarities? I aspire to be a human being, not a gender stereotype.

Sheesh.

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Why the need to define things in terms of "manly" and non-manly polarities?

Oh, it has nothing to do with "manly"... she is non-polaritarily against fanny packs!

-wassamatta_human

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she is non-polaritarily against fanny packs!

I am with Mrs. Wassa on this. Aside from the fact that they're horrible, I can't imagine that a fanny pack would even come close to holding all of the boxing necessities.

I aspire to be a human being, not a gender stereotype.

There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who fit their gender stereotypes, and those who don't. *insert eerie music now*

Whew, I think I just had an X-Files moment.

Actually, there are 10 kinds of people in the word. Those who know binary, and those that don't. *knowing nod*

In any case, not to worry, while I haven't done any scientific studies to prove or disprove the matter, it at least appears you have actually achieved the goal of being a human being. No longer are you just an aspirer. =)

-- Ryan

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I have enough trouble figuring out folks' sexes by their trail name. I have called many a female male, and vice-versa.

I know, I've said it before and I will say it again.

I am not a Turtle, I AM A TORTOISE!

YT

I never worry about getting in touch with my feminine side when I go to Hobby Lobby...if someone wants to make something of it, they usually change their mind when they see the Colt .45 (stainless, Combat Commander, cocked and locked, with my badge on my belt right next to it) on my hip.

I just had a vision of you standing in the scrapbooking isle trying to decide which paper to get for a log book. :)

Shiloh *I have the officers model*

Are you looking for unattached letterboxing ladies?

I could use a list for a friend!

As for my trail name you might have to look at my profile to tell. But after that there is no doubt I'm all Female and love it. I also jump off cliffs, camp where there are no restrooms and will backpack until I drop. I have no fear of getting dirty!

while most women do it cuz they want to

It was a guy that got me into this, even though I refused to admit it for a while.

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Actually, someone did do a survey at one time for a college project! I kid you not!

She's not kidding. It was a Master's Thesis for a university in Ohio. I thought about this some time ago, searched for it, and found the abstract, but never got past that.

I think the consensus was that there are more female 'boxers than male 'boxers, but she admitted that the results may have been affected by the lack of response from the men she contacted about the poll.

SS

I understand! My name is Desiree, but I often go by Desi. I guess it's because of Desi Arnez... but I often get junkmail and spam emails and telemarketers that call me Mr. Desi Glaze. I don't like it!

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Take that with the fact that there aren't many of us that ARE single, and multiply that by the percentage of desirability, I would say it's few and far between that letterboxers hook up THROUGH letterboxing.

Hey now, I am single and ridiculously desirable, thank-you-very-much!!!

Well we represent one man and one woman. We're just balanced like that. hehe

My man likes to letterbox, but he likes different aspects of it than i do. He hates city boxes, much prefers the hiking to get there boxes. He will probably never post here on AQ. I enjoy vsisting the boards and seeing what is going on with fewllow letterboxers. He doesn't really like gatherings, but doesn't hate them either. But we both like carving stamps and planting them!

't'
of the dtandfambly team: )

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Actually, there are 10 kinds of people in the word. Those who know binary, and those that don't. *knowing nod*

Oh my ......

*rolling eyes and groaning but thinking of opportunities to reuse it!*

I will be using this on my family!

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Her greatest fear is that someday, because of letterboxing, I will get a fanny pack.

Though I, too, fear the fanny pack, did you explain to her that fanny packs are ENTIRELY too small to hold a decent-sized log book, all your sig stamps and personal travelers, and ink pads and markers? :D You really need a backpack for this hobby. Tell her she should really be fearing the mini-backpack as opposed to the fanny pack! :D

-gollygee

One female (me Judith) and one male (dog Sparky). The one guy I tried to get interested liked the hiking and planning hides aspect but didn't want to find, log, carve or do anything else.

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Oh, there are a number of couples out there who met through letterboxing. *knowing nod* =)

Oh thank god, I'm really hoping to find someone for my friend Mike (who is perpetually single, sarcastic, and loves meat. Ladies? Any takers? :D), and since I don't meet new friends any other way I figured maybe taking him to an event might give him a chance at the dating world. :D He's my boyfriend's best friend and he's so nice, has a good job, would treat a gal like gold, he's just not putting any effort into finding someone though. It's sad.

-gollygee

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Why the need to define things in terms of "manly" and non-manly polarities? I aspire to be a human being, not a gender stereotype.

Hear hear!

-gollygee

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Actually, there are 10 kinds of people in the word. Those who know binary, and those that don't. *knowing nod*

In any case, not to worry, while I haven't done any scientific studies to prove or disprove the matter, it at least appears you have actually achieved the goal of being a human being. No longer are you just an aspirer. =)

HA! Love it! :D

-gollygee

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I also jump off cliffs, camp where there are no restrooms and will backpack until I drop. I have no fear of getting dirty!

Like a true LBH!!! :)

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letterboxing is definitely NOT a "girly" hobby

But being a girly hobby is not a bad thing and should not be equated with wussy (for lack of a better word). Being a girly hobby can and should mean that it requires just as much energy, stamina, creativity, artistic ability, etc as any "manly" hobby! :) There should NOT be any gender association with any hobby at all, there should just be physically challenging hobbies and non-physically challenging hobbies! :)

-gollygee

Oh thank god, I'm really hoping to find someone for my friend Mike (who is perpetually single, sarcastic, and loves meat. Ladies? Any takers?

I have a few friends in PA if he wants to travel. One is blond, very smart (has 3 degrees) great job, When daddy kicks will be stinking rich and has a great body package to top it all off. She's my best friend so you know she can't be that bad.
Any single Guys in the NE PA area that might want to get introduced to her let me know I’ll be up there at the end of the summer.

he's just not putting any effort into finding someone though. It's sad.

I think we all know some guy that fits that profile (LOL)

Like a true LBH!!! :)

All the way baby!!!! And PROUD of it.

The letterboxing survey for a thesis that someone referred to was taken by Anthrogradjess, who often posts on AQ. Maybe she will remind us of the results. (I didn't remember this, I had to go back through the Yahoo list).

Not had time to read all the posts on this subject. I would estimate that over here the split is fairly equal between the sexes.

Many of the boxes in our area are the result of mixed teams, though single planters are more likely to be male. Finders are mixed bunch, families, pairs and singles of either sex. I think, and I am open to correction here, that men are more likely to visit the wilder and more remote sites.

Personally I hunt variously as single male, paired with my wife, daughter or son, or as whole family.

DM

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letterboxing is definitely NOT a "girly" hobby

But being a girly hobby is not a bad thing and should not be equated with wussy (for lack of a better word). Being a girly hobby can and should mean that it requires just as much energy, stamina, creativity, artistic ability, etc as any "manly" hobby! :) There should NOT be any gender association with any hobby at all, there should just be physically challenging hobbies and non-physically challenging hobbies! :)

-gollygee

Girly?!?, Please!! LOL

This is one of the best hobbies for the whole family. Myself, My wife and daughter, love to carve. I like to come up for ways to get creative with hiding new boxes along with new cool places to see. My wife likes to make log books, her carving is getting really good too!!

My daughter loves coming up with ways to make boxes to poke fun at our local Mainekokopellian.. . .

This is a great hobby for everyone. It gets the creative juices flowing, makes you think, makes you laugh, gets you off your butt to get outside, etc.... I can't think of any other hobby that has peak all of our interests as a hobby.

As I stated before, Girly?!?, please...

-Buxton Boxers

(of course I could be the exception to the rule)

BTW I totally agree with gollygee..

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There should NOT be any gender association with any hobby at all, there should just be physically challenging hobbies and non-physically challenging hobbies! :)

I might add, or a mixture of both..... he he he

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My wife (I am male, in case you hadn't guessed) will have nothing to do with boxing, despite my and my 6-year old daughter's best efforts to convert her. Her greatest fear is that someday, because of letterboxing, I will get a fanny pack.

i have tried to convert my wife too, but no luck. just not her cup of tea.. oh well. that means more boxes for me to find then.
i was brought into this hobby by "my sibling". sibling tried for a year to get me going, but it wouldnt work. then one day "BAM", it hit me and i have been hooked ever since.
and i did start out with a fanny pack. boy the ribbing i endured from my kids...
but now i have graduated to a backpack covered with patches. that way if i am seen on the trail someone might know what i am doing.
but if im in the craft section or checking out markers and inkpad in the stores? thats when i am looking to see if anyone is checking to see what i am doing there. but, really i dont care. let them check on me.
i love this game. i am not as involved as i would like to be sometimes, but thats ok. i am even going to host my first ever gather this fall. so there....

and to answer your question? i think the percentage is probly low. 15 to 20 % is my guess.

later, dragonrider83338