While most of my friends were bringing and/or talking about their newest Barbie Doll, Tonka Truck, or Football to Show & Tell in grammar school, I was talking about my latest BB gun, puppy, or knife that I had received.  Now I had Barbie Dolls & Tonka Trucks too growing up, but my parents raised me to know where my food came from and to respect wildlife for what God intended, man’s use.  I grew up on a family farm in the low country of SC, a part of the country where it was not considered popular for girls to hunt, much less enjoy it as much as I did.  After school when I wasn’t studying, I was playing with my dogs, goats, or chickens on the farm, fishing with my parents on our family lake, or squirrel hunting with my Daddy.  There was a period in there, due to school, that I didn’t have time to hunt as much as I had liked.  However, upon graduation from Clemson University with a BS in Animal & Veterinary Sciences, and being employed in the Ag/Animal Feed Industry, I now had the time and the means to pursue my passion the way I’d desired to from a little girl in class during Show & Tell time. 

I killed my 10’1” gator in Florida with my Mathews Missions bow, my biggest buck to date with my Savage .300 WSM scoring 125 7/8”, a 250 lb. Boar in TX who’s tusks I wear around my neck that have been inlayed into a beautiful custom necklace, a gorgeous Aoudad Ram, and a delicious Axis Buck in velvet to just name a few.  However, my biggest hunting accomplishment so far was when I killed my Royal Slam all in one year in 2013.  I love to turkey hunt!  Hearing the woods come alive with gobbles always brings a smile to my face, makes my heart race with excitement and causes goose bumps to form on the back of my neck from the anticipation of seeing a big, old Boss Gobbler.  I call turkeys using my natural voice because when I stared turkey hunting I couldn’t run a mouth call, a rat terrier maybe, but nothing resembling a turkey, until years later.  I’m on the Road Crew Team for Dead End Game Calls and used their awesome friction calls along with my natural voice to bring in my Royal Slam in 2013.  Hazel Creek Taxidermy in MO mounted all five of my turkeys in full strut, except for my Gould, which is in a flying position, all of which are mounted in my living room.  Walking into the living room being greeted by 5 gobblers each day brings to mind all of the wonderful, exciting memories from that season.  Until I go elk hunting, which I’ve heard is turkey hunting on steroids, I continue to say that Turkey Hunting is the most rewarding, yet frustrating animal to hunt.  You can sound better than any hen in the woods with a Gobbler coming in a string, but let one of those hussy hens cut you off, and 9 times out of 10 that gobbler is gone.  It’s really hard to compete against the real thing.  However, when the plan comes to fruition and you see the first glimpse of that gobbler’s bright red head popping up through the forest background, hear him spitting and drumming, while he’s gobbling and strutting closer and closer to you, there’s no better place I’d rather be in the spring.  I’ve been blessed to hunt in a lot of different states over the years, but my favorite state to hunt continues to be Texas.  The wide-open terrain, the variety of critters you have the opportunity of hunting and seeing in one sitting is like no other place I’ve been, and I look forward to hunting in Texas each year since I first began 13 years ago.

While there may be no doubt that hunting is my passion, I’m thrilled to say that my Husband also shares my passion.  He grew up on a farm in AR, showing cattle and taking care of the animals on the farm.  Thus, hunting to him was more to protect the calves and critters from predators than for food, as they always had plenty of meat in the freezer.  When we started dating in 2019, I started introducing him to hunting.  Being an avid gun enthusiast and crack shot, it didn’t take my Cowboy long before he killed his 1^st Bear, 1^st Doe, & 1^st Buck.  Each year after deer season, we go squirrel hunting with my Daddy and his squirrel dog Maggie.  So, not only does he love hunting now, but he also loves eating the fresh, delicious food from our hunts.  My Mama is an excellent cook, so the fact that he enjoys the wild game is not a surprise, as it’s probably because of my Mama’s cooking.

While hunting is my passion, and I love the freedom, solitude, peace, and reassurance of faith that I feel each time I’m hunting in the outdoors.  I completely understand why other ladies might not be as comfortable pursuing outdoor activities by themselves, as I am.  I was blessed to grow up with both of my parents hunting, fishing, and trapping so there was no question of whether or not I would also be raised to enjoy those same pursuits as well.  Mama and Daddy took me everywhere with them, which was easier I’m sure because I was an only child.  However, ladies who’re interested in learning how to hunt, fish, or shoot, but don’t have that male role model in their life (a brother, Dad, boyfriend, or husband) to teach them how, may not have the same level of independence necessary to pick up and try things on their own.  That’s the benefit of the NWTF WITO programs.  They introduce ladies to the outdoors and provide them not only with the knowledge, but most importantly the confidence required for pursuing any outdoor activity they endeavor to try in the future.  Without hunters there wouldn’t be any animals left to hunt.  Since 1937, U.S. sportsmen and women have contributed over $14 billion to conservation through the Pittman-Robertson act.  Thus, it’s important to educate others about the outdoors, and how hunters are conservationists.

I’m proud to be a part of the hunting industry, to hopefully instill the same thrill that I have for hunting in other ladies through the NWTF’s WITO events, and I’m proud to be a hunter.  Hunting is now our hobby, our extracurricular activity, our grocery store, and our passion.