The number of female hunters in the nation has been growing recently, raising expectations that they will become major players in protecting farms from damage caused by animals.

Women who held hunting licenses totaled 3,184 in fiscal 2014, roughly a twofold jump from five years earlier against the overall number of 193,762. The total is down sharply from about 518,000 in 1975 and 290,000 in 1990, according to the latest available Environment Ministry statistics.

Hunters aged 60 and older accounted for 65 percent of the 2014 total, reflecting the country's graying society.