I’ve made various posts in the past about my experiences in learning to hunt pheasant, duck, deer,         and more pheasant. But this article I saw today, brings it all home about why learning these things, and passing them along to other women via this blog is important to me.

Demographics are shifting. Middle-aged white guys – who make up the largest group of current hunters – are aging out. But wildlife conservation needs are ongoing, and sales of hunting licenses and “stamps” provide a large component of wildlife conservation funding.

The article talks about the importance of bringing in, and mentoring hunters who aren’t necessarily “like you” – women, suburban and city people, and people from a different ethnic background. With the surge in people wanting to know where their food comes from, has for some, come a renewed interest in game animals and hunting/fishing. Understanding wildlife cycles, the food chain, and having a certain reverence for the animal you have killed for food has a renewed importance for many people. This needs to be encouraged and nurtured, because this is where new hunters are going to come from.

I am fortunate to have found a friend who is willing to teach me these things, and I cannot thank her, and her business – Calibered Events -enough. But I also want to pass it all along. Thus, my main goal for this year is to learn how to call and hunt Turkey – and then blog about it.

So far, I have downloaded a turkey call app to my phone – to familiarize myself with what things sound like. I’m hoping to get my hands on a 4G game cam that I can use long distance on some family property 120 miles away. And I need to get my hands on some turkey calls and learn how to use them. So, those are some of my SHOT goals as well.

Please come along for the ride! I’m thinking that learning to call will be a bit like learning to play a musical instrument – it might be ugly at first. I may have to post video! LOL

In the meantime, I’m joining the National Wild Turkey Federation.

I figure, that’s a good first place to start 🙂