I am a woman and a hunter. Hear me roar!

Am I an extreme woman hunter? I believe I am! Hunting is in my blood.

Hunting is a very important and meaningful part of my life. I am always aware of my pursuit. That means training my own retrievers, staying in physical shape, and spending time at the range. And, I am enthusiastic to share my experiences with others, to extend to them, what hunting means to me. I want others to understand my love for the animals, the outdoors and the hunt. It is my goal to promote a positive image of a hunter who plays an important part in the conservation of the game animals.

I certainly have not taken the biggest, baddest animals on my hunts. But that is not why I hunt. I hunt for many personal reasons. Hunting is a very empowering thing for me to do. I do not feel more alive, mortal and part of the fabric of the outdoors and the earth than when on a hunt. I love the adventure! Equally important, I feel women are perfect to promote the image of a conscientious hunter, mindful of safety, with a deep understanding of ethical issues, game conservation, acting as powerful ambassadors to create a dramatic sea change in how we, as hunters, are perceived in our world.

It has been my good fortune to hunt a lot of different places and my heart is full with wonderful memories from hunts, from watery bogs and woodlands of Newfoundland for caribou and moose, to creek bottoms and pine forests of Alabama for whitetails, and boreal forests of Labrador for caribou. I have crawled through the cactus for pronghorn and mule deer in Wyoming and I have spent time in the cold snowy forests of Vermont and Maine for whitetail deer. Yet, most memorably, I have packed into the remote Selway Wilderness of Idaho on horseback, four times for elk and bear.

Adventure is as important to me as an experience of the hunt, and my trips to the Idaho Selway Wilderness, Unit 17, are the most treasured and loved. The area is wild, steep, untamed, remote, with wildly unpredictable weather, but these hunts have been the most extreme and the most precious for me. And I cannot wait to go back! I have packed in on horseback 24 miles to spike camps and hunted elk on foot. I have taken several nice elk and bear, coming down off the hill back to camp in the middle of the night after field dressing the elk, with the brilliant starry night above, and the moon as company. Camp was remote, spare, but exactly what I wanted. This is hunting, and this is how it must and should be. This is what makes me feel truly alive. I long for the challenge of this hunt as it is physical, an accomplishment and empowering!

While big game hunting is my utmost passion, I love to hunt upland birds and waterfowl, and train my own retrievers for both pursuits.

I am a certified instructor and teach Hunter Education as a volunteer in my state, and act as a proper embodiment of my sport, paying special attention to the women and young adults that are enrolled in the classes.

For over ten years I have taught retrieving classes for those wishing to teach their retrievers to hunt for my local dog club and I am an AKC judge, for the AKC Hunt Test Program that promotes the training and skills of hunting retrievers, keeping those abilities alive in breeder’s breeding programs.

I am also passing on my enthusiasm to others, so they, too, may enjoy this part of the outdoors, particularly women and children. I am teaching my two sisters to shoot and took them both on a remote horse/mule pack-in trip into the Selway Wilderness this summer for fishing and hiking and they loved it! They want to go back!

In addition, I am part of a gathering of special outdoorswomen, all avid hunters, and as a group, we sponsor an annual auction of hunting gear and sportsman’s art with the proceeds going to a club that holds hunts for Wounded Warriors and disabled Veterans and children and also the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, contributing to the “Big Hearts Under Big Skies” program.

There are so many adventures in my future, and I look forward to them all, hoping each one is a challenge and extreme!

“Obsessed”, “crazy”, “addicted”, “driven”, “passionate”, “hardcore”, and “extreme” are words that others have used to describe myself and my lifestyle. I agree with them all.

My name is Britney Starr and I was born and bred in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. My existence revolves around hunting and I have been doing it for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories are following my dad while scouting for turkeys and picking up turkey poop to show to him. “Santa” brought me a Browning 7mm mag rifle for Christmas when I was 12 and the following year I harvested my first Caribou with it. I traveled to South Africa on my first safari when I was 16. I have also been hunting whitetail deer, turkey and upland birds since I was 12 along with shooting trap and sporting clays.

In 2000 I was in a car accident that left me in the hospital for six weeks. It also left my arm and wrist severely injured. I was furious because it caused me to miss spring turkey season. I was a freshman in high school at the time and during the next four years I struggled with my injury but still managed to play varsity sports and continue hunting. I even went on my second safari. During my junior year I had additional surgeries on my wrist which caused a bone infection. I carried an IV bag that pumped antibiotics directly into my heart 24 hours a day. As it neared Michigan’s deer season my dad and I formulated a plan to go to deer camp. My mom protested, but I assured her that I would be fine. Come hell or high water, I was NOT missing another hunting season. I walked through the woods with a backpack holding the IV bag and pump and climbed (one handed) into my tower blind with my rifle slung across my back. Hardcore? Maybe. Crazy? Yes.

Side Note: My IV came out while I was asleep one night at camp. My dad had to shove it back in my arm and I was bleeding everywhere. Please don’t tell my mom-she still doesn’t know.

These struggles only ignited my passion for the outdoors. I realized that I wanted to make hunting a way of life and not just a hobby. I attended Western Michigan University and acquired a B.A. in journalism in hopes that I would become an outdoor writer. By the time I graduated college my dad and I had been on three safaris and were both working for a safari outfitter as U.S. Representatives. A few years later we decided to start our own safari company (Starr & Bodill African Safaris). I couldn’t be more ecstatic with our business venture. I am fortunate to spend three months out of the year traveling to Safari Club International shows around the mid-west and helping our clients make their safari dreams a reality. Our company donates numerous safaris every year to organizations like SCI, Kids Hunting for a Cure, RMEF, etc. I strongly believe that helping these organizations raise funds is imperative to the conservation of our hunting heritage and allowing future generations to experience what I have been privileged enough to experience thus far.

I recently started writing gear reviews for The Women’s Outdoor News online. I can’t tell you how ecstatic I am to have the opportunity to write about outdoor products and network with other women that share my obsession for the outdoors and similar lifestyle. When I was growing up I literally thought I was THE ONLY girl that hunted. There were no women’s hunting clothes available and I had to wear my dad’s hand me downs. I am currently on a mission to replace all of my hand me downs with women specific hunting apparel. I love the fact that women have options with their gear now and several companies (Prois being one of them) offer practical gear for hardcore huntresses. Hunting has become not only an obsession, addiction, and passion for me but it has truly become my way of life. I don’t feel it is necessary for me to list every single animal I have harvested in this essay, as I believe that hunting is more about the experience than the trophy. I cherish every minute I spend in the outdoors along with the memories it brings. Nothing is more sacred to me than the feeling of inner peace I experience during the journey. I will continue to contribute to conservation efforts and network with other women who hunt or aspire to become involved in the outdoors. The bond between fellow hunters and huntresses is unbelievably strong and I am blessed to be a part of this industry. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and considering me for the Prois Award.

Three years after college I finally realized my professional goal of being a forester for the state. I moved to a far northern Wisconsin county with no traffic lights and few people. This is as wild and remote an area as one can be in Wisconsin. I spent day after day roaming the woods doing forestry work and all the while scouting deer, bear, grouse and turkey. After 20 years in forestry, I transferred to a land manager position across the hall. I now manage 40,000 acres of state land for recreation, including camping, hunting, fishing and sustainable timber harvest.

Hearing that first bugle on my first elk hunt in Colorado hooked me. I have since hunted Wyoming and Montana mostly with the bow and twice with the rifle. My dream of going in with horses and having an outfitter style camp came to fruition last year when our friend in Wyoming invited us. His horses packed in our outfitter style tent and the wood stove and we backpacked the rest of our gear the 2.5 miles to our base camp. For two weeks, it would be me hunting with three men; my man and two of our good friends from Wisconsin. We were in the thick of grizzly country so we hunted in pairs. Forty-five minutes into the first morning of hunting my man and I needed to pull our bear spray as a grizzly was only 75 yards away coming at us, fortunately he woofed and turned away. Exciting!! We saw a few more grizzly and some magnificent bulls but none close enough for a bow shot. A great trip nonetheless.

Other than some guidance the first two years of bow hunting whitetail, I am self taught. All of my hunting has been unguided, mostly solo, on public land, and in a state where baiting whitetails is common, I hunt without bait. I rely on topo maps, aerial photos and lots of miles on foot. I hunt in any type of weather. A December elk hunt in Wyoming during the cow only season meant hunting in minus 25 degrees, crawling several hundred feet in a couple of inches of fresh snow to a group of elk that were too bunched to shoot. When the group broke, I chased the tracks, crawled up a rise, and had my sights on a nice bull. Dang!!

Every fall our two yellow labs allow us to join them for a pheasant hunt out west. Grouse hunting is fun, but pheasant hunting is unmatched. To watch a dog I’ve trained work the birds and bring back the one I shot is truly something special.

I believe strongly in protecting the environment. It is not only my profession but my avocation. As an active member of the local sports club, I have served in all four officer positions. I planned and implemented a Women’s Day at the Range to introduce local gals to the various shooting sports as well as how to cook the wild game harvested. I taught hunter education classes for our local youth for ten years as well as a separate turkey hunter education class for 5 years. I am president of the local cross-country skiing club where we promote skiing and host several ski events during the winter.

Hunting is my passion. I save almost all of my vacation for hunting. When my man and I marry, I want our honeymoon to be an elk hunt, just the two of us.

More than one time I have heard - “Are you the Camp Cook?” “You can’t vote only outfitters can vote “where’s your husband?”. Or how about this one, “ I really appreciate you guiding me and you did a fantastic job, but if my wife calls tell her that I was guided by Don”.

It has been an amazing journey being a huntress all my life, guiding and sharing the outdoors with others. I liked what the mission of the Prios contest entailed and that is why I decided to enter: community involvement, management, and conservation efforts. It is more than hunting it is about the love, the passion, sharing, conserving and getting more people involved in the outdoors. I hope to accomplish this by not only words but example.

Thinking back I can’t remember a time that I didn’t hunt or when I even started hunting! My first memories of hunting were as a young girl following my father with my single shot 22 rifle knowing with my ability once I looked down those open sights and took aim - no animal was safe. My father, I am sure felt the same way – because he carried the bullets.

My husband Jake and I own and operate Upper Canyon Outfitters in Southwest Montana. People are surprised that I am a woman outfitter and guide which has always been been a bit difficult for me to explain – because to me it’s no big deal. It’s just something I love to do. And it’s nothing new: Remember Sacajawea? May not be as many of us but we have been around for a long time.

My role models were my parents, Dad took me hunting and Mom tried hard to make sure I still remained a lady. Mom was concerned that my tomboy attitude would affect my lady like behaviour. With mom’s insistence she taught that it was fine to have grace and tenderness in my life. She taught me to speak up for myself and be confident in whatever endeavors I chose and be respectful. She encouraged me to believe that if something is in your heart then there is no gender. And when you think about it there really isn’t any gender, to me it doesn’t matter who you are what sex, size, shape, age.

Having served for over six years on the Governors appointed Private Land/Public Wildlife Council, a council of citizens representing the interests of hunters, landowners, and outfitters. This position made it possible to help developing solutions and legislation which addresses issues involving hunting, outdoor heritage and help to improve access in Montana. I served on the Western Montana Resource Advisory Council for the Bureau of Land Management from 2001 -2006, providing advice on public land management to the U.S. Department of the Interior. I am currently on the Ruby Water Shed Council and involved community collaboration to share information, education and concerns.

For years my husband and I have taken children with life treating illnesses on hunting trips. While I was president of the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association we developed a program called Big Hearts under the Big Sky. This charitable partnership program provides military service men and women, children who face life threatening illness, and women who suffer the challenges of breast cancer the opportunity to enjoy Montana outdoors at no cost. http://www.bigheartsmt.org/ Currently I am chairing the board for Big Hearts Under the Big Sky. In 1989 I passed the test to become a licensed outfitter in Montana. We joined the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, at that time I was told I could not vote – they just assumed my husband was the outfitter. 19 years later I was elected the first women president of the association. I tell you this not because of me, but because times do change and women are welcome in the hunting industry today. According to the NRA women are gaining on men in the purchase of firearms for hunting and personal defense.

I believe hunting is a tremendous privilege that needs our constant attention and support. We are keepers of the future, and we must not waver in our effort to preserve and protect hunting for the sake of our children and grandchildren. We have an obligation to keep informed and offer our help to ensure that future generations will enjoy the same opportunities in the outdoors.

And today I am addressed as Donna not Don – oh what a difference 25 years can make!

Hunting Lifestyle

Passion for Hunting
• I’ve hunted 40 yrs; first upland birds, then deer and turkey. It is a food source, a pleasure and a family tradition. My families in Colorado, Wyoming & Kansas have hunted for generations.
• Other than my family, hunting is what I live for. I share my passion through youth outreach, mentorship and guiding for free.
• I’m a primarily self taught hunter, make my own decisions and hunt by myself mostly, though occasionally my husband joins me.
• I believe God created the world and see His presence everywhere. Being outdoors I feel alive, at peace and connected with God’s creation. When I take an animal I consider it a gift, that God chose this one for me. There is no glory placed upon myself.
• Being married 26 years with 2 small children requires a balanced between hunting and family time.
• Health issues have arisen, but I’m determined to hunt and find a way to do so. When I’m not hunting, I’m thinking about it.
• I cannot afford expensive guided hunts but would love to hunt other big game.
• Cold weather has never deterred me from hunting and I love hunting in snow just as much.
• I love lake fishing, fly fishing and pond fishing too.

The Outdoors
• I’ve been involved in the outdoors for 45 years.
• Other skills include: Camping, Dutch Oven or Box Oven Cooking, Canoeing, Fire starting and so on.
• I love my hunting heritage and attend mountain man or plainsmen rendezvous annually.

Conservation

Property Management.
• Land Owner/Manager –for 12 years I have managed 160 acres for agriculture, forestry and wildlife habitat for whitetail deer, turkey and quail.
• Forestry Management- I divided the acreage into sections, planned out each area, mapped it and help run the chainsaw work each year.
• Native Grassland Development – I planted in native wildflowers and prairie grass for cover stands to improve habitat for quail and deer.
• Erosion Prevention – I have improved erodible soil areas and ensure erosion ditches are filled.
• Burn Practices – I burn grass on rotation to improve vegetation for wildlife.

Quail Unlimited Practices
• I continue to educate myself on how to improve quail populations.
• Native Grassland development improved their food.
• Forestry management improved survival.
• Results: now have more quail than before.

Quality Deer Management Association
• I received training as a Certified Deer Steward and I helped establish a branch in my area and serve as Secretary.
• I plant small annual Food Plots to improve fall and winter forage.
• I provide mineral supplements in the hot summer months.
• The native grasses and forestry management plans include provisions to improve fawn retention. The goal is to increases fawn survival from 30-40% due to predation to 65%.
• I reduce coyote populations in the spring to increase fawn survival.

Kansas Dept of Wildlife & Parks joint project with Kansas State University
• I am starting a research projects which will utilize QDMA goals.
• This will allow wildlife studies of free range deer including observations, population surveys, deer aging and habitat improvements for students.
• No Trace Left Behind practices
• I believe the earth should be kept clean and as it was found. When camping or hunting I follow this practice.

Community

• I actively give 300-500 hours per year in volunteer time, plus have a full time job.
• 2009-2011 I worked to initiate the bill for Concealed Carry While Hunting in Kansas and testified at State Senate Hearing and House, which passed in July 2011.
• Hunter Education Instructor for 11 years.
  • Teaching safety, survival, first aid, archery, firearms, scouting, tracking, field dressing, treestand safety and set up, heritage and so on.
  • National Bowhunter Education Instructor for 11 years.
  • Girl Scout Leader for 2 years and assistant for 2 years.
• Teaching girls about their environment, conservation, nature and community projects.
  • From 2008 to present I have worked with KDWP to develop a 3D target range at Prairie Center state park in Kansas.
  • Established the Kansas Women Hunters Club this year.
  • I am a member of several outdoor organizations.
  • I am on ProStaff with a few organizations and a writer for 3 on line magazines.
  • conduct free Radio Interviews and Seminars at hunting expos and youth events. Seminar topics are on my website www.synthiawilson.com

I am Joella “MS Adventure” Bates, a 50 year-old Wildlife professional and dedicated outdoors participant.

UNIQUE

As the first child of a 52 year-old dad who was a boat dock owner, fishing guide, and a ”crack shot,” I became the “boy” he had dreamed of, although I am a female. I followed in his “outdoor footsteps,” but at his instruction “made my own trails.”

DETERMINED

I am not your “typical” girl. After attending the Univ. of TN at Martin on a rifle scholarship and earning a B.S. in Natural Resources Mgt., I became a wildlife officer then a fisheries biologist with the TN Wildlife Resources Agency. I graduated top in my police academy class then beat all 160+ wildlife officers in the 1.5 mile run at our TWRA officer in-service. While working on a M.S. in Fisheries Mgt. from TN Tech Univ. in Cookeville, TN, I took up archery. I quickly became addicted to the adrenaline rush that being “spitting” close to animals brought. My Master’s studies were demanding and I accomplished much studying with books in hand while perched in a tree with my bow.

I am passionate.

I have made my living in male-dominated professions: as a naturalist, wildlife officer, fisheries manager, and environmental scientist prior to becoming a professional archer and outdoors promoter.

My philosophy has been and still is that life is an adventure to be lived outdoors. I try it all and do it all: hunt, fish, and shoot any type of weapon with considerable skill. I love sharing my outdoor passion with others as I write, speak, instruct, coach, sale, and do motivational speaking.

I am recognized, but desire to use it for more service.

As a 2011 inductee into the Legends of the Outdoors National Hall of Fame, a 2005 inductee into the Outdoor Channel’s Circle of Honor, and a 1996 inductee into the UTM Athletic Hall of Fame. I use these awards and the added credentials they bring to open more doors that will enable me to expose more people to my contagious outdoor enthusiasm drawing them to the magical flight of the arrow.

I share.

Additionally, I coordinate many events and outfitted hunts for groups – women, children, families, and corporations. The latest event was a Youth Outdoor Adventure Retreat in Arkansas. I am diligently organizing a promotions tour that will celebrate the outdoor lifestyle and showcase my Big 5 collection with a traveling roadshow. My objective is to provide hands-on opportunities to participants at US venues. I do outreach programs focusing on connecting youth and families with the outdoors.

I am a brave accomplished huntress.

In 22 years, I have taken 63 different species with my bows and arrows. I am the first woman bow hunter to harvest a Cape buffalo in 2001; a Wild Turkey Grand Slam in 2004; and the Big 5 (lioness, elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard and green hunted a white rhinoceros) in 2009. I overcame adversities offered by a charging elephant in Zimbabwe, a charging lioness in the Kalahari Desert, and an injury that that took 8 years to heal to accept the challenge of shooting 91 pounds to become the first bow hunter to take the Big 5 of Africa in a single 28 day safari.

I am a champion.

I have claimed five 3-D Archery World Championship Titles – four as a Woman Pro and have earned over $100,000 in tournaments until an arm-wrestling injury in 2003 sidelined me from competition.

I am persistent and committed to life.

Since the Big 5 feat, I undertook the biggest challenge of my life: a hunt for Joella. After an entire adulthood of struggling with obesity, I committed to get me fit and healthy. I have now lost 71 pounds and have found me. I truly love me. Invigorated and feeling beautiful inside and out, I take on new challenges: a marathon, longbow, return to archery competition, and new hunting challenges.

Watch out world. I now live with no excuses which bring on no limits. Yes, if you have not guts, you will not experience the GLORY that adventure brings. I am fulfilling another dream; I am actively involved with ERCO TV which will begin airing in 2012.

I am hardcore.

I am a huntress. I, unlike many huntresses, have gone from hunting boots to high heels, but I seek every day to share my outdoors lifestyle with others and take many women from high heels to hunting boots in hopes they will bring along their children.

I never thought of myself as a hardcore hunter until I started to write this story for Prois and took time to think about how much of my life, outside of work and family obligations, revolves around hunting.

Beginning in January, I attend the Sportsmen's Expo where if I get a “deep down” and the price is right, I'll book a pig hunt or an elk drop camp. Then it's to the Internet, applying for licenses/tags for Nevada deer, Wyoming antelope, Colorado elk, and deer in California X Zones. After the paperwork, I'm off to the alfalfa fields with my Cooper .17 HMR to help the farmers in California control their ground squirrels. In March I take to the foothills with my Benelli Sport and slate to call in gobblers. In summer, I satisfy my craving for the woods by fishing and do some practicing at the range. On September 1st, it's time to fill the freezer; doves in California foothills and Arizona desert, blue grouse in the Sierras, local blacktail deer, Idaho whitetail, Thanksgiving turkey, and if lucky, an out of state draw . I chase after valley and mountain quail until December band-tailed pigeon season and then it starts over.

I admire the woman who takes to hunting on her own initiative. I have been blessed. I owe my start in the sport to the man I married 34 years ago. He taught me how to shoot and is my lifetime hunting partner.

My affection and passion for the hunt first emerged after I put the crosshairs on a blacktail buck in the Sierra Nevadas in 1981 and made the decision to squeeze the trigger. There were tears of joy and sadness, words of gratefulness to the deer gods for allowing my shot to ring true, and thanks for a life quickly given. These emotions I had not felt before and would feel many more times throughout my life. The complete satisfaction and gratitude that I feel when a hunt is terminated in a successful kill after seasons of physical work cannot be associated with anything else that I have accomplished in my life.

Hunting is my inspiration to stay fit. It gives me the opportunity to keep my senses and women's intuition honed. It has taught me many valuable lessons, especially how to learn from my mistakes. In Idaho after many days of hunting in the rain and snow, I came across a fresh scrape and tracks Next morning, I crept to my vantage point to grunt and watch. A whitetail buck appeared. As I raised my rifle to put him in the crosshairs the sun, which had been scarce for days, peeked out from the clouds. I was looking directly East. All I saw was a bright light. I watched with my naked eyes as he walked into the forest unaware and untouched. Those difficult times have humbled me, given me a greater appreciation for the prowess of my quarry and the ethical importance of the fair chase.

Hunting is my meditation. I can sit for hours, my mind focused on one goal, blocking out all other worries and troubling thoughts. I am at peace. There are times when that peace is broken, a split second decision must be made, or on occasion when I have time for conscious thought, a chance passes without any action...and it is fine.

I have gained a great respect for wildlife. I am an intruder in their home. I have been charged by a bull moose, buzzed by a rattler, stalked by a mountain lion, approached by a bear, and bitten by no see'ums. I have endured the whims of Mother Nature, her below zero temperatures, bone chilling winds, knee deep snow, throat parching heat and have gone more than 10 days without a toilet or a shower. I have had many reflectful encounters. Standing still, deer have approached and sniffed me, I have felt the wind off the wings of snow geese and an owl has replied to my turkey locator call. I have seen wolf tracks in the snow, listened to coyote's evening serenade and watched a herd of elk mingle within 50 yards of me.

Once successful in a hunt out west, only hard work can be associated with getting game back to camp or the truck. Sometimes that requires hiking miles of rugged terrain to retrieve the deer carrier. Sometimes quartering the animal and packing the meat out on my back is the only way. The reward, fresh backstrap for dinner.

The horns and mounts on my wall tell their own stories; the 25” blacktail that my hunting partner pushed out of the manzanita at 50 yards, the 4x4 muley that I shot across a ravine in Nevada at 330, the antelope whose blood trail I tracked across the Wyoming plains, and the 5x6 Colorado bull that took me three hunting seasons and much sweat and angst to get.

For 13 years I have organized and taught an introductory women's shooting clinic. Nearly 400 women have overcome their apprehensions and taken their first steps into the world of sport shooting. My daughter, who has hunted since she was 10, inspired me to teach kids how to shoot. Since 2002 I have devoted six months of the year to helping coach the A&A Shooters, a team of over ninety 6th through 12th grade kids in the California Youth Shooting Sports Association trap program. The personal satisfaction that I get from these endeavors, much like hunting, keeps me coming back..

Am I a hardcore hunter... if my most cherished possession is a Winchester Model 70 or there is a ziplock in the glove compartment with permission slips and keys, or if for a laugh I read Bill Heavey, or if in my nightstand there are seven hunting journals, or if I have read Theodore Roosevelt's “Hunting Trips of a Ranchman & The Wilderness Hunter” or in my wallet are NRA and NWTF membership cards, or if instead of a trip to the spa for my 50th birthday, I bought myself my first guided hunt and my best birthday present ended up being a Deer Triple Crown, a Nevada muley, California blacktail and Idaho whitetail?

As my life passes at an ever increasing rate, I feel a sense of urgency to spend even more time in the field before I can no longer physically do it. Thoreau said it best, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately to front only the essential facts of life and see if I could not learn what it had to teach and not when I came to die, discover that I had not lived...” let's go hunting!

Wild at Heart

There is something about the golden eagle. I can’t put my finger on it. She is ten pounds of sinew, feathers and electricity. As a trained hunting partner she sits tall on your fist, standing high on taloned toes, amber eyes watching the horizon for any sign of stray movement. When the fox shows itself she leaps into flight, churning the air with a six foot wingspan and gaining momentum. The fox covers vast distances across valleys and mountainsides, but the eagle covers still more. When she commits to the catch, folding completely and, tear-drop shaped, falling from the sky, my heart is in my throat. Sometimes the fox side steps or somersaults at the last moment and speeds away to the safety of the mountains, and sometimes they collide.

I was fortunate to fall into falconry at 14. I remember hopping off the school bus, picking up my red-tailed hawk perched in the back yard, and trekking into the nearby soon-to-be-developed woodland. Those magical fields where I caught my first rabbits may be gone, but the magic still survives. It has inspired me to seek out wild places. Central Asia is the cradle of falconry, and nestled in the Altai mountains are communities where horses are the best mode of transportation and eagles are faithful hunting companions – as a kid I used to lay awake thinking on such a place. Through a generous Fulbright grant, I lived among those nomadic herders for a year. The eagle on my fist was born on a wind-swept eyrie in a lonesome corner of deepest Mongolia. And after she flew high and hard and brought many foxes to bag, we returned her to her old mountains to breed. Though hunting is a male-exclusive community in central Asia, passion for the hunt can transcend demographic. Initial wariness of me as a hunter dissolved, and soon were chatting animatedly and gesticulating, our language barrier forgotten and our faces flush with excitement of the hunt.

The most poignant moment came when, after my mentor, a wizened old Kazakh herder, had spent months teaching me the nuances of training eagles, the habits of foxes, riding horses in the snow, and surviving in the brutal -30 degree landscape, my eagle made a spectacular catch. When I bent down to assist her in getting the choicest pieces of meat from her fox, he looked at me and said, “Why didn’t I ever take MY daughters hunting?” I thought my heart would burst with pride.

The hunt is something that, as T.H White wrote in describing falconry, you eat and sleep, drink and think. It is an “extreme stirrer up of passions”. Whether with gun, bow or eagle, hunting allows you to challenge yourself in extreme environments. It rewards hard work and teaches humility. It encourages tenacity and careful observation. This simple act of getting food the hard way is endlessly enlightening.

The camaraderie in hunting is second to none. My most enduring friendships are with those generations apart from me, with very different lives, families and backgrounds. It all recedes amid our appreciation for hunting, our admiration of quarry and, in the case of falconry, our hunting partners. That admiration inspired me to conservation. After graduating with a degree in biology I worked on several raptor conservation projects, from aplomado falcons to vultures. Now I’ve begun a PhD in anthropology, researching traditional forms of hunting and how local knowledge of animals and the hunt can lead to better conservation and management around the world.

Recently I’ve delved into other hunting pursuits. I’ve taken up the bow and am refining my shot in preparation for a first hunt. While studying in Scotland a friend introduced me to deer stalking on the moor. I remember lying ensconced in the heather, marveling at the the sheer thrill of watching my first doe walk into sight. Deer in Scotland are among the most managed in the world; it was a fascinating window into how herds are kept at their healthiest.

I’m ignorant of the great North American wilderness. If the opportunity to hunt in the Canadian Rockies were presented to me, I’d conduct myself with the utmost dedication and respect for the hunt. Prois is offering nothing short of pure adventure. Peering across the wilderness, heart beating fast as an elk or mule deer steps into shooting distance, is the stuff that my dreams are made of. What gets me up in the morning is that powerful thought, “I’m going into the wild.”

I was the typical cheerleader, pageant princess, and vegetarian. Although I occasionally went camping and fishing with my family, I did not value the outdoors. Life as I knew it would change, however, the moment I met my future husband, Todd.

When we were dating, Todd introduced me to the world of hunting. I quickly grew a strong appreciation for the wild side of life. I loved that I could harvest my own food. I loved the opportunity to explore the world outside of the urban setting I had always known and called home. Todd and I dated for three years before we married. By the time we tied the knot, Todd had me rifle hunting big game, shooting a bow, and hunting birds of all sorts. In fact, we celebrated our engagement with a pheasant hunt.

Hunting is now the center stone of our family. We took our son Wyatt on his first hike through the woods at 5 weeks old; he joined us on his first deer hunt at 10 months. Wyatt, now 6, has been by my side on many hunts throughout the Pacific Northwest. Not only does my family enjoy the general hunting season available in our region, all family vacations must include a hunting or fishing expedition!

In June 2009, Todd and I traveled to South Africa for our second safari. The hunt had been successful for us both. Unfortunately, while hunting bushbuck near the end of our trip, Todd suddenly fell ill. Within moments, he was lying lifeless in my arms on the side of a remote mountain. I faced the sudden reality that our hunt was over. Life as I knew it was over.

My hunting guide and I reacted quickly and were able to revive Todd. Part of being a good hunter is being prepared for the unexpected. Despite our remote location, we were able to keep our heads calm, stabilize Todd, and seek the medical care he desperately needed. The next day, Todd underwent open heart surgery for a previously undiagnosed heart defect. We were forced to live in South Africa for the summer until Todd regained enough strength to fly home to Oregon.

Many people asked if I would ever hunt again after that terrifying experience. Although I was afraid to venture far from home, I knew I had to get back into the game. In May 2011, I returned to South Africa to complete my hunt with Crusader Safaris. I was eager to complete my Reedbuck Slam. On previous hunts I had harvested mountain and common reedbuck. It was time to take on the elusive vaal rhebuck. The vaalie is considered among the most difficult small plains game species to hunt. Vallies have eyes like eagles, and can quickly maneuver the high, rocky mountain terrain they call home. After several days of busted stalks, falls, scrapes, and bruises, I found myself staring down the barrel of my gun with cross hairs held tightly on a trophy Vaal ram. Balanced precariously and on my tip-toes, I squeezed the trigger and perfectly executed the 275 yard shot. The ram dropped in his tracks. I was the first woman to successfully spot and stalk a vallie with Crusader Safaris. I was back in the game.

Hunting has helped me recognize a self confidence I did not know I possessed. I take pride in the fact that I call myself a huntress. To me, hunting is more than a sport. It is having the stamina to forge the highest mountains, the guts to push your own limits, the wisdom to know when to take the shot, and the stomach to clean your own harvest.

I am honored to have the opportunity to share my love for hunting with others. Not only am I passing on the hunting tradition to my son, I have been blessed with the opportunity to guide many other women into the outdoors. I now train my own bird dogs, and help guide other women through the BOW and Women in the Outdoors programs in Oregon. Over the past several years I have been increasingly active in a variety of wildlife conservations groups, including RMEF, NWTF, Becoming an Outdoors Woman, Women in the Outdoors, SCI, and Sables.

It can no longer be said that “hunting is a man’s sport”. Hunting is also for mothers, daughters, and sisters. It is our responsibility to share our passion for the outdoors and see the tradition is continued!

It didn’t take long for the bug to get under my skin—the hunting bug that is. I was not raised in a hunting family. Matter of fact, I was on the complete opposite end of the pendulum, a competitive equestrian who grew up on the emerald coast of Northwest Florida. My husband, Richard, created this unbridled monster and it has ran rampant every since.

My hunting world is three-fold. First, a husband and wife hunting duo traveling extensively each year to hunt just about anything edible; second, a mentor and advocate of women hunters dedicated to volunteering my efforts to scout, plan and host economical hunts for women throughout the year; and third, a writer specializing in product reviews of gear I personally field test on various hunts.

My eyes were opened up to hunting when I harvested a buck on my first trip to the woods; however, my heart was stolen on my first turkey hunt. I can still close my eyes and feel every sense I felt that morning as if it were happening in the moment. The morning dew as it lightly seeped through my pant legs. That subtle moment the sun broke the horizon, sending a chill up my spine. Hearing my first booming gobble resonating through the damp woods, bouncing off the pines, sending a spark up the nap of my neck. The sounds of fly-down cackles, clucking, purring and my favorite sound—just short of a gobble—the kee-kee run. But nothing, absolutely nothing, could be as magnificent as watching my first tom strut; morphing from a slim silhouette to a big blob with a few quick steps. The colors, sounds, and the regal way it tucked its head, as it slowly, methodically seemed to float several inches off the ground. It was love at first sight.

That has been 4 years, immeasurable footsteps, many miles and countless hours of all-night road trips, often 20 hours straight driving after 8+ hours of work in the concrete jungle. In that short time, I have been privileged to experience hunting Merriam turkeys in 3 foot of snow in the mountains of Montana. I spent an entire week solo on a self-guided bowhunt for deer and antelope on some beautiful alfalfa fields by the North Platte River of Wyoming. I wore the bruises from belly crawling the rocky basins of Kansas sneaking up on Rio turkeys. I was humbled by my first black bear harvest as I listened solemnly to the death moans echo in the motionless woods of the rocky terrain of beautiful Minnesota.

I have sat patiently hunting whitetail deer in the eerie, leafless cottonwoods of Kansas for countless hours until my lower limbs were numb. I felt the strain in my arms from reeling in a 350-pound gator on the black swampy waters of Central Florida. I have flown by the seat of my pants to successfully hunt 3 different game animals in 3 different states in 8 short days. I have reveled in achieving my personal goals of my first turkey grand slam and successfully harvesting game with rifle, bow, shotgun and muzzleloader in a one-year period. My perseverance and what I have achieved in this sport is something I would not have ever dreamed attainable.

My wish was for every woman hunter to experience the grandeur that I found on my hunts and my dream was to make that possible, especially those who did not have the excess financial means to do so. For that reason, I decided to volunteer my time in finding economical hunts, coordinating and hosting those hunts. That choice brought only one hardship, having to give up a media position that I enjoyed; one that enabled me to educate other women through my writings. A decision I did not have to think twice about because I knew my heart was in the right place.

That has been nearly 2 years and over 2-dozen self-hosted women’s hunts. The heartfelt gratification that I get from seeing other women enjoying camp, the experience of the hunt and, often, their harvest cannot be measured.

I pride myself in being an ethical hunter, passing on the knowledge that I have been fortunate enough to learn from some great mentors. At every opportunity, I believe in giving back to nature what nature has allowed me to enjoy, never taking it for granted. Hunting, sharing with others and committing to conservation is not only a passion; it is a way of life for me.

Belly crawling across cactus beds in the deserts of New Mexico, in pursuit of the Oryx. Sloshing through the swamps of Florida, after the Osceloa turkey. Creeping across logs spanning roaring streams, searching for moose and caribou in Newfoundland. Not much stands in the way of my passion for hunting. If I'm not doing it, I'm at least thinking about it.

It started more than 60 years ago, in Missouri. I was given a single shot 22. Those days, my quarry was squirrels. I didn't know until I moved away from Missouri that shotguns are usually used for squirrels. From there, I moved to whitetail deer, harvesting my first buck in 1980. This was a learning experience for me; I had no one to show me the tricks of the trade. My spouse doesn't hunt; I am primarily self- taught through hands-on experience and reading.

My father gave me my first deer gun. He and I were very, very close but he never saw me take my first deer. I know he would be so proud; each deer I harvest is in honor of him, 35 to date.

Since those early years, I've hunted bear in Maine and New Mexico, javelina in Texas, mule deer and elk in Colorado, and wild boar, fallow deer, goats and rams and antelope in Wyoming. In my home state, Indiana, I've harvested ducks, geese, coyote, turkey and deer. Ten years ago, I started bow hunting, adding turkeys to my list. I have successfully taken 35 wild turkeys, have completed two World Slams with the National Wild Turkey Federation, the only woman in Indiana to have accomplished this feat. I am just one bird away from my third World Slam.

One of my most memorable hunts was near a small village in Tixmucuy, Mexico, for the Ocellated turkey, the final turkey needed for my second World Slam. I had so many concerns, including the language barrier, even with a translator.

The night before the hunt, there was a downpour; I wondered whether these turkeys would respond like the turkeys in the United States after a hard rain.

There are no turkey calls for the Ocellated turkey; you depend on your guide to call the birds in. And, since it is not advisable to take firearms into Mexico, I was using the outfitter's shotgun, which is a story in itself.

That morning, as we stepped into the jungle, we heard the roar of a Jaguar. Then, with daylight fast approaching, we heard the pavo singing. The gobble of Ocellateds is much lower than birds in the United States and is referred to as singing.

Creeping forward, we heard another gobble. Then, I saw the bird, within range. I took the shot. I still remember the sense of pride I felt, standing there in the jungles of Yucatan, looking down at my first Ocellated gobbler, 9 1/2 pounds, 39 inches long, with 1 3/4 inch spurs.

Every year, I try to go on at least three big hunts and have harvested more than 75 species of game. This year, I hunted bear in New Mexico, turkey in Florida and have planned an archery hunt for whitetail in Alabama and Illinois this fall.

At home, I am in my fourth term as president of the Delaney Creek Longbeards, a chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. Each year, we donate to the NWTF for its many game management programs. One of these programs is illustrated on my farm, where I have several food plots for wildlife. I offer advice to anyone in the community interested in starting food plots.

Our chapter also sponsors JAKES day, a program intended to give young people hands-on experience with outdoor activities. Each year, I take several young hunters on a deer or turkey hunting trip. These are young people who have a tremendous interest in the outdoors but no adult to take them.

I also participate in the National Archery Schools Program in Scott County. And I'm involved with Women in the Outdoors, a program offering outdoor classes on a variety of topics such as fishing, boating, hunting, outdoor cooking.

Through my hunting experiences, the friends I have made and my involvement with outdoor related programs, I feel truly blessed. To be recognized by Prois and the public for my past achievements would be an honor and the opportunity to hunt some awesome animals in Canada would be a dream come true.

I am an extreme huntress, and extreme outdoorswoman in general. I am very passionate about the hunt, as well as on educating others on why hunting is valuable to sustaining our natural resources. I began hunting in 2000 when my boyfriend (who is now my husband) Jerel took me on my first hunt. I loved it, and could not wait for the next trip. I have since hunted and/or fished 10 countries on 4 continents, collecting over 43 species of big game animals. I am active in fishing and bowfishing, as well as duck, goose, dove, and upland bird hunting.

Many of these hunts were physically challenging… mountain hunting in Spain and Namibia… stalking Asiatic water buffalo through the swamplands of the Northern Territory of Australia as well as the Cape Buffalo in the Okavango Delta region of Botswana.

The most rewarding trophies have been the ones I have worked the hardest for, and those which have presented the most danger. The adrenaline of hunting an animal that can hunt you right back is something I can never get enough of! I have currently taken two of the “big five”, buffalo and lion, along with several species of plains game and small game.

I hunted the forest buffalo along with my husband hunting a bongo on a combo hunt in the rainforest of Cameroon, and hope to do so again soon, with success this time! I went on several unsuccessful stalks for buffalo. My husband harvested his bongo on the second to last day of the hunt. We encountered several challenges on the hunt, with the weather not cooperating, my eye getting lacerated by a thorny vine, which of course in the heat and humidity was almost immediately infected. However, what affected our hunt the most was our head tracker, a pygmy by the name of Jean Quatre, was killed right in front of us by an elephant. This affected us on many levels, the hunt was stopped for two days for the funeral and grieving, but when we got back to hunting, everyone was working hard to get the animal Jean Quatre was hunting for. Many tears and cheers were shed when the bongo was down, with toasts for Jean Quatre.

Two years later, my first African PH, Christo Kaiser, was killed by a cow elephant in Botswana while he was with clients from Spain. Both of these occurrences enhanced my appreciation for the danger of the hunt, and reinforced the need of continued focus and determination during the entire hunt.

There are multiple reasons I love to hunt. There is the social aspect, such as bird hunting, which is always great. Every year, September 1 is a huge day in our family. We gather friends and family for a hunt. When the hunt is over, we all get together, talk, clean birds, then enjoy a big dinner. The beginning of a new year of hunting in Texas!

My passion for the hunt led me to see what I could do to preserve our precious resources, and I became involved with Safari Club International as well as the Sables (SCIF Educational Division) on a local and national level. I am a life member of both, am past president of our Austin chapter, serving other offices as well. I chaired Safari In A Box, now called Hands On Wildlife, nationally for the Sables for four years, and served as a national director on the Sables Governing Board and Steering Committee from 2007-2011. I have also served on several other committees and boards, both locally and nationally. I have completed the training and am a Master Measurer for SCI Trophy Records.

I am also a member of Texas Wildlife Association, National Rifle Association, Coastal Conservation Association, US Sportsman Association, as well as many other conservation organizations and chapters.

The education of our youth on why hunting is important to our resources is something I am extremely passionate about. As such, I am active with teaching Safari In A Box at local elementary and middle schools, as well as training teachers on its use once placed in their schools. I have also lectured at West Ridge Middle School 6th Grade Social Studies Classes on topics of the cultures Africa and Australia, in their similarities and differences with ours.

I volunteers with many and events, such as Cabela’s Kids Outdoors Days, Texas Parks and Wildlife Expo, and I Support Outdoor Ed, as well as several others.