Whitetail Rendezvous

A woman hunter is one thing, but a woman hunter with a passion for sharing her experience, fitness tips, and recipes is another. Holly Heier is one of the impressive women behind the creative content of Humble Bow Hunter – a community of like-minded hunters and archers who aim to bring positivity to the hunting community. A determined Adult Onset Hunter, Holly shares her moose hunting experience and some useful strategies for hunting whitetails. With her goal to provide organic meat for her family and to spend time outdoors with her husband and growing children, Holly is a pro in cooking wild game meat and gives away one of her recipes for us to try on. On the side, she shares her passion for personal training and more.

Once an opportunity comes, you got to go on muscle memory, put the pins where you want it, and let go of the trigger. There are massive lessons learned that cultivate a hunter mindset. Owner of Prodigy Outdoors, Tim Cool tells the story of a shot and a loss which is an example of the stories we don’t hear about on social media – the lesson learned from a miss, a lost buck due to a bad hit. This is bow hunting and stuff happens – a twig, a last-second move, a shaky hand, and we have all been there. Tim bravely shares the reality of bow hunting and the advantage of using a water source as a back barrier to funnel bucks to your stand. On top of that, he reveals how he came up with hunting a crosswind strategy and when to start planning your next epic hunting.

Understanding the impact of eating organic food rather than buying processed food in the groceries is something to ponder on seriously. With thorough research, people understand the countless benefits of supporting organic food, not just for your health, but for the people behind the process as well. Kory Slye, creator of I Am Dad, the Outdoorsman!, shares the joy of hunting with his family through the organic food he harvests, processes, and prepares yearly. The Slyes are big fans of organic food and Kory will take us into an enticing journey from field to plate and reveals where he got recipes worth trying. On a serious note, the Outdoorsman Dad gives us his view on the consumption of organic food.

The University of Montevallo has been offering outdoor scholars program, and they have grown from 8 to 48 students after completing its fourth year. This program is one of a kind as it provides students an opportunity to learn about careers in the outdoor industry while they’re getting a college education. William Crawford, Director of Outdoor Scholars Program, talks about the job opportunity for the Assistant Director position of the outdoor scholars’ program. William says they are looking for someone who can help them as they continue to move forward and grow with their vision. Are you the one they’ve been looking for?

What a time to be a woman in the outdoors right now! It’s a norm in society that women are viewed as less powerful in some areas, most especially in hunting. However, the tables have turned because women have proven their prowess in hunting. Heather Shaw, the Regional Biologist for the Ruffed Grouse Society, and her best friend and co-host, Meadow Kouffeld, are models of tough women outdoors. The ladies go from one story and adventure to another to demonstrate that there are no limits for women outdoors. Both passionate women hunters, they take on the importance of doing DIY hunts and mentorship, inspiring and introducing other women to hunting, and the fulfillment of hunting with a bird dog.

Kip Adams, QDMA’s Director of Conservation and a certified wildlife biologist talks about the facts and fallacies surrounding CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease). It is a 100% fatal disease found in most deer species, including elk, moose, mule and white-tailed deer. As of today, the disease has no vaccine or cure making it an alarming national issue. Kip discusses further about the details related to CWD including its differences to EHD as well as the importance of understanding rules and regulations with regards to deer transport. A discussion on prion which is a misfolded protein in the body is also emphasized.

It was a life-changing workplace accident back in 2014 that Ethan Featheroff, the founder of FeatherNett Outdoors, would say was his humble beginning. He almost lost his life that day and had to deal with a lot of surgeries ever since, but it led to him having the opportunity to take a 215-inch buck. Grabbing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that may never come again, Ethan shares how he had to postpone surgery for hunting, going viral on social media, and what they do at FeatherNett Outdoors.

Disaster can happen anytime, either natural or man-made. If you happen to be trapped in this kind of situation, what will you do to survive? Christopher James of Be A Lion Outdoors is a writer, blogger, survivalist, and all-around avid outdoorsman. He shares his knowledge about the four cores of survival and the rules of three. Christopher has been in the wilderness of North America and made sure no matter what happened he would get out. Survival is a mindset, and in times of catastrophe, your mental attitude is the key to survival.

There’s a stigma that women are supposed to stay home barefoot and pregnant. On the contrary, women are the fastest growing segment in the outdoor industry right now. Melissa Blair, Vice President of Wildlife Women, shares how they started from a Facebook post from their president, Bridgette Holbrook, where people got connected and engaged. Wildlife Women is an outdoor group created to educate, encourage, and inspire women in various aspects of the outdoors regardless of their experience level or passions. Melissa shares how the organization got started as well as the events that they are hosting throughout the year.

The great outdoors is not exclusively a man’s world. Mandy Uhrich is living proof that women can also shine and take an important role in hunting. As a biologist, tournament angler, TV and radio personality, seminar speaker, and outdoor educator, Mandy has been paying her knowledge and experience forward by empowering women and children in this male-dominated field. She shares where she is coming from through her outdoors background as well as the many organizations and activities she has taken part in. Believing in enjoying the outdoors and, at the same time, paying it forward, Mandy shows that the future of hunting and angling is in our hands and we must keep that motivation for more people to appreciate these things.