July’s Woman of the Wild-Tanya Poppe

I have had the pleasure of knowing this gal since she was about 4. Tanya Poppe is an inspiration to everyone I know. She has the most amazing sense of humor and she had me rolling while she was telling me her turkey hunting story!

Tanya had a malignant brain tumor when she was just eleven years old. After having surgery to remove the tumor, she then had to endure chemo-therapy and radiation treatments. After going through all that she then suffered a stroke. Tanya has gone through many health setbacks throughout the years but she just keeps moving forward with an unbelievable resolve and a tremenously positive attitude!

Tanya comes from a big hunting family. Every place you look in their house there are mounts. Her Mom, Dad and Two brothers and sister-in-law, all hunt. Tanya did not want to be left out so she started hunting a few years ago. She has harvested her first doe. This past year, she decided that turkey hunting would be fun. She asked her Uncles if they would take her on a turkey hunt. They said yes and she applied for her permit and drew for the last WI season.

Everyone jumped into action to get this huntress into the woods. Let me tell you this little gal has so much spunk and everyone loves her so much, that somehow, someway, it was just going to happen. Tanya uses a wheel chair most of the time, but someone forgot to order the 4 wheel drive model! (Just kidding, Tanya) This was no problem for Team Tanya, they rose to the occasion and built her a rickshaw, to cart her out to her stand.

The local NWTF scrambled and ordered a swivel shooting table that fits into a blind with shooting holes for her to use. Next the local welding shop designed a special gun vice to hold her shotgun and built it just for her. They found a place where she could be almost certain of shooting a Turkey and they were set. Well almost.

According to Tanya she was decked out in everyone else’s clothing. She had no camo of her own so it was kind of like when you get married, except it was something old, nothing new, everything borrowed, but it will do! She said it brought her luck! And luck it certainly did. Her turkey weighed 25 lbs. and it had a double beards, 12 1/4 and 6 3/4 long. The spurs were 1 1/8 inches long.

You will hear more about Tanya’s story in the weeks to come. I will be adding a video of her telling the story about her turkey kill. I have tried to write the story several times but nobody tells it like she does!

June’s Woman of the Wild-Barbara Baird

Barbara Baird is a freelance writer from Rolla, Mo., who specializes in outdoor and travel markets. She has written for Fly Fisherman, America’s 1st Freedom, Turkey Call, Women in the Outdoors, Shot Business, AAA publications and others. Formerly with the award-winning Women’s Outdoor Wire [Southeastern Outdoor Press Association, "Best Outdoor Entrepreneur Project 2008"], Barbara now publishes The Women’s Outdoor News (aka, The WON). As a certified NRA pistol instructor, she teaches classes at her home range near Rolla, Mo. She’s on two pro-staff teams: Proís Hunting Apparel and Team Huntress. She also writes two travel columns for Show Me Missouri magazine and a column, “Out West,” for Turkey Call magazine. During the past 10 years, Barbara has written for several newspapers, including Springfield News-Leader and Columbia Tribune, and edited national and regional magazines. She is currently the president of The Women’s Outdoor Media Association.

So, how did someone who trained to be an English teacher in a high school classroom wind up gigging for frogs in sloughs in Missouri, hunting for turkeys in freezing rain and writing about those experiences?

“I quickly realized that my three sons and husband would rather be at the shooting range, in the woods or on the water than at the mall,” she explained. “I wanted to be there with them and I like to write about those experiences. I figured there are a lot of women out there who are like I am … we all didn’t grow up with these outdoor skills.” Living in the heart of the Ozarks affords her and the rest of the family plenty of opportunities to fish, hunt, shoot and explore the outdoors.

While doing her time in the journalism trenches as a weekly newspaper editor, Baird began writing a self-syndicated column called “The Accidental Ozarkian,” which ran in several newspapers and outdoor publications for eight years. During that time, the governor of Missouri named her one of Missouri’s “most influential female journalists.” Last year, she introduced a new column called “Babbs in the Woods,” which is exclusive to the weblog.

The WON informs and occasionally entertains readers with events, tips, techniques and products for outdoors’ women. The format of this weblog blasts updates to subscribers within 24 hours. Readers may also follow The WON on Twitter.

“The beauty of the blog is that consumers and outdoor enthusiasts may comment on products, departments and any blogs – and that it is so up-to-the-moment as opposed to a standard e-mail newsletter –and it’s delivered to your PDA,” said Barbara. The WON also features prominent outdoor photographers in the industry who share their photography tips in “Shoot to Thrill.” Several women outdoor writers also contribute columns to the site, including a gear review by Nancy Jo Adams, fly tying recipes by Eileen McNulty-Bowers, healthy green smoothie recipes by Jane Haddad and a fun take on life titled “Outside My Comfort Zone,” by Babes with Bullets’ coordinator Deb Ferns.

Barbara’s daughter, an interior designer in New Orleans, who also likes the shooting sports is now taking more of an interest in fishing and hunting. Her two daughters-in-law are avid huntresses and one also is a Louisiana angler.

“You know, people come up to me and say, ‘I read what you did in so-and-so publication, and if you can do it, I think I can do it, too!” said Barbara. “Some people might be offended by that, considering it a slight … I take it as a compliment. After all, not all of us want to sit around in red hats after we reach retirement ages. Some of us would like pink guns and fly rods, too!”

You may see The WON at www.womensoutdoornews.com.

The Day Favre Came to Hunting Camp

There are two things in Northern WI that you will never change. Rifle season is Holy week and, we love the Green Bay Packers.  So the year that we got the word that Brett Favre was coming to camp, it was like a dream come true for our hunting crew.

It started off as a usual hunting season. Our group is to big to house in one place, so the Adermans and the Koels, stay at their shack (a.k.a the “Happy Family Cabin”) which is just down the road from our shack (a.k.a. my aunts basement). The rest of the guys i.e. the two Patko families, live in the area and stay at their homes. On the Friday before season, it is a tradition that we all converge on the “Happy Family Cabin” to have a few beers, (third thing about WI, we love beer) catch up on what everyone has been doing throughout the year, and strategize about where we will be going the next morning. We generally hunt on land that is owned by Butch Johnson of Johnson Timber and Futurewood, and it adjoins the Summit Lake Game Farm which is also owned by Johnson.

6:00 p.m. rolls around and the people in the crew start arriving. The regular banter is going on and guys/gals are greeting each other. The noise level is at a dull roar. Hunters/Huntresses are almost giddy as “the season” starts the next. The young guys are scrapping in the yard and burning off some of the extra energy they have. There’s lots of handshakes and backslapping going on. It is the normal, total chaotic transition, but everyone loves it. We have waited an entire year for this week.

By now, everyone that is old enough, has found their favorite flavor of beer (another thing about WI we love our beer) and is settling in for the big “discussion”. It most always starts out the same way each year. Someone, out of respect, starts by asking the “Grey Beards”, where they would like to start in the morning. They usually defer to the younger, 40 something “salt and pepper” group, stating they are just glad to be in the woods and don’t really care. DJ Aderman, President for Futurewood Corp, a division of Johnson Timber, normally gives the status on the land that adjoins the perimeter of Summit Lake Game Farm, and what parts we are permitted to hunt on, what is expected of us,  and what they have been seeing throughout the fall. This year, he had a unmistakably mischievous grin on his face and little twinkle in his eye that could not go undetected.

He started out giving us his diclaimer, and the following news. ”I can’t say for sure, but there is a chance, that Brett Favre, Mark Chamura, and Jeff Dellenbach of the Green Bay Packers, as well as WI Gov. Tommy Thompson, may be hunting at Summit Lake after the Packer/Viking game on Sunday”. He went on to say, that “Butch Johnson, the owner of Summit Lake Game Farms and Johnson Timber, is probably going to invite us to do some drives in the farm area and meet the guys. However it cannot be made public until after it happens.”

At first we were simply stunned. Sitting ther silently wondering, is he joking? Then all hell broke loose, every adult in the room turn into a little kid, chattering and gigling about the news we had received. Unbelievable, we are going to get to meet Brett Favre and hunt with him. I don’t know who was more excited, the kids or the “Grey Beards”! I do know, however, that nobody slept and it dang near killed everyone not to tell!

Season continued, and we did our usual hunting, harvesting several nice bucks and waiting for the big day to arrive. Finally, we get the word that they would like us to be there on Tuesday.

Monday night I know nobody slept again . Tuesday morning we headed down to Summit Lake. It is about a twenty minute ride from where we meet in the morning. We arrived very early, with our parade of 8 or so 4 wheel drive pickup trucks, to the parking lot at the Summit Lake game farm. We stood around in nervous silence pacing or kicking stones with our feet. We felt like bunch of little kids waiting to see Santa. In the meantime DJ checked went into the lodge to check out the situation. One of the guys looked at me with a very confused look and said “Are you wearing…make-up?” something that was unusual for me while hunting. I retorted back, “Of course I am, are you stupid! We are going to meet Brett Favre!” That started the others rolling and seemed to beak the tension a bit.

 My sister Lori and I went in first and were introduced to Favre, Dellenbach and Thompson. Chamura had been injured and had to leave to go to physical therapy.  Favre’s hair was a mess and he was wearing jeans and a shirt with cut off sleeves. He looked just like anyone else would, in the morning, at hunting camp. (This was back in his drinking days and they had gone out on the town the night before, but that is a whole different story).

We started chatting with him and what amazed me immediately,was that he was just an ordinary guy, just joking around. (Except that he is Brett and he is gorgeous! Lol) Everyone then walked out to the parking lot and Brett was introduced to the rest of the crew. Mysteriously people had Packer shirts and souvenir with them, stuffed in pockets and behind truck seats, and he graciously signed them. We took lots of group photos and joked around for a short time.

Brett and the other guys were loaded up in trucks and SUV’s to go out to the stands, while we did drives on the property to encourage the deer to head their direction for the remainder of the day. After a fun day of hunting we headed back to the lodge. The only one that had had a successful deer hunt was Favres agent, and he took a doe.

Brett’s hair still a mess, he was now in a blaze orange jacket and was chowing on, as he put it “some pretty good dingle-berry pie”. There were lots of snacks and more WI beverages while we all sat around and listened to, or told stories about the hunt. It was pretty much like every other night after hunting hours only way different! Brett listened and laughed and told his stories right along with the rest of us.

Soon the  local game warden arrived. She had heard that Favre was there so she just happened to stop by to check the game tags on deer and register them. She also wanted her picture taken with the quarterback and he obliged. He would not however wear the handcuff she asked him to wear. As he was standing there just after the picture, he turned and looked straight-faced at one of the guys and said “Hey Roscoe, what did you do with that bear you shot today?” He knew full well it is illegal to take a bear during deer season and that the warden would start questioning the poor guy!

Well the whole group including Brett, errupted in a fit of laughter, while Roscoe sat there stammering and stuttering and trying to explain to the warden that there was no bear, nor had there ever been one, and he certainly hadn’t shot one! That was a moment that is forever etched in our minds. He was just like one of us!

He continued to sign autographs on shirts, dollar bills, back tags, hats and whatever else we could come up with til late in the evening. He was such fun to get to know as a person and never acted like he was any better than any of us. His attitude of having fun and being able to relate, is the reason so many Packer Fans fell in love with him. He is just one of the guys.

The smiles on the faces of our crew were priceless. That day forever seared into our memories. He is welcome to come anytime and hunt with us or just shoot the bull (not the bear). We have many great pictures and very fond memories of the day “Brett Favre came to hunting camp!

Otis HardCore Hunter Cleaning System

What is mighty enough to clean away brass, comes in Mossy Oak® or Realtree® and is small enough to fit on your belt? The Otis HardCore Hunter Cleaning System!

The Otis system comes in a Mossy Oak® or Realtree® camouflage softpack bag that measure 3 ½”  x 4”.  It has a  silent zipper  and is ready to slip on your belt and take with you anywhere.  Should  you end up with debris in your shotgun or rifle, i.e. mud or snow, you can clean it out in the field! No more sticks down barrels or wondering if you got all the moisture out. The HardCore Hunter Cleaning System cleans all rifles, pistols, and shotguns from .17 calibers through 12/10 Gauge.

My 21-year-old son and I tried this one together. He is the expert gun cleaner in the family. We actually had fun and he gave it a “thumbs up” and I can’t wait to show it off to all my hunting buddies and buddettes.

We went to town on my husband’s .20 gauge shotgun. He will need it next week and it hasn’t been cleaned in a while. How might we know that? We found a cricket in the barrel. We followed the instructions, (OK, I read them but my son, Kale, is still a guy, lol!) and in no time flat had a clean shotgun!  Unbelievable the amount of crud we removed! We did have to use a rod to get a small amount of brass out of the barrel because the flexible cable just wasn’t quite rigid enough to remove it. I do think, however, had the shotgun had been properly cared for all along, the flexible cable would have done the trick no problem. At last it is clean enough for me to use! Look out turkeys!

May’s Woman of the Wild-Jane Keller

Guns and Fun! Growing up in Rural South Dakota, I have always sought after outdoor adventure. We were snowed in during the winter way more than I ever wanted. Guns and amunition were accessible in every vehicle we owned and binoculars every window. Opening weekend of pheasant season was our big family reunion. Next to Christmas, it was the only time I saw many of my relatives. The landscape provided a never ending opportunity for target practice and fun with a variety of weapons. Looking back hunting was our entertainment. I really didn’t know any different. It was our lifestyle. We openly shared this way of life with our family, our neighbors and many others. People came from all over to hunt with us. Even my very first suitor and I scoured the country side stalking a variety of prized game. 

I attribute my deep appreciation of the outdoors to my parents. My mother’s nurturing way and my father’s continued encouragement to open my senses; to really see and enjoy nature around me. Their conservation efforts of my youth are proudly evident and thriving today. It is my joy and honor to continue in their legacy, to promote and preserve this passion for future generations.

The Quest for continued adventure in my life and the joy of sharing with others were the foundational factors supporting the development of the Team Huntress.

Team Huntress was formed as an avenue to direct and empower women on their path toward outdoor success. By providing exploration and discovery in a safe and secure environment, ladies will be aligned to boost their confidence and self esteem. Feel the Enthusiasm and Passion unfold as illumination in time honored practices are delivered from professionals in the outdoor industry. Unite with a group of kindred spirits as we encourage each other to progress and advance to a new level of proficiency in the great outdoors

The Team Huntress Outdoor Adventure Clinic is debuting June 11-14, 2009 in northern South Dakota hosted by Pheasant Phun at the OJ Bar Ranch offering hands-on outdoor skill building amid a spa pampering resort experience. Our emphasis is in the three core skills of archery, gear and firearms.

·         Firearms       

o    Hand guns

o    Shotguns

o    Riffles

·         Archery          

o    Re-curve

o    Compound

·         Gear              

o    Apparel for women

o    Optics  

o    GPS

o    ATV 

Part clinic/ part retreat Team Huntress members will gain skills and knowledge for outdoor success each day plus some well deserved pampering and relaxation time.Team Huntress empowering women for outdoor success!

It is my endeavor to enhance your desire for adventure. It is my hope with the tools and skills gained through your association with Team Huntress you will be better prepared for the hunt of your life. 

Join the Adventure Team and open a new chapter in your life; let The Huntress begin.

 

TeamHuntress-Priceless

Well I have finally decompressed from the fantastic TeamHuntress weekend that Jane Keller put on at Pheasant Phun, in South Dakota, hosted by Dave Olsen. I have never, in my life, had such a wonderful time, with a bunch of women.
Team Huntress Family

Team Huntress Family

Life for, me, has forever changed. I was the first to arrive at the TeamHuntress event and as I met each woman that arrived there, I knew something was different. I immediately started to connect with each of the gals arriving. We all had so much in common that it felt like we had known each other for a lifetime. I didn’t have to try to explain my love for the outdoors, the others felt that way too.

Growing up I always had more guy friends, than girlfriends. Not that the girls I knew weren’t great, they were just not interested in hunting and fishing and being outdoors, like I was. I related more to what the guys were talking about. Things like, where the big bucks had been seen, or what kind of food they were eating. I hated going shopping, and didn’t really get into things like home parties, or doing your hair and makeup, etc. Participating in such things, for me, was usually agonizing. On the other hand, as I grew older, a lot of my guy friends’ wives, didn’t exactly want me to go hunting with their husbands anymore.

I started to realize I was gaining a new “family” or “Sisterhood” as northern California girl, Holly Heyser from Norcal Cazador Blog calls it. For me, someone who has lots of girlfriends, that she doesn’t have much in common with, it was an unbelievable experience.

We had a great mix of personalities. Joining us from the state of Colorado, were Kirstie Pike of Prois Hunting Apparel, Anne Vinnola from Colorado Institute of Taxidermy Training Inc., Big Timber South Taxidermy Studio and Annie Got Her Gun, along with Gina Pollard who is an up and coming huntress. Wyoming brought to us, wildlife photographer Stacey Huston, author of , A Focus in the Wild, and her Husband Mike “Hawk” Huston from “Journey with RedHawk“. (O.k. he’s not a girl but he has a great respect for women with weapons!). Joining us from Missouri was Barbara Baird, with “Women’s Outdoor News” and “The WOMA“, as well as her husband, and gentleman photographer, Jason Baird. Our mother daughter team, Janice McKenney and Marin Broucek , along with Julie Rozell all from joined us from South Dakota and all fantastic outdoorswomen. Last, but not least, Realtree’s Lynn Pankey from Alabama finished the mix.

Our mornings started us out with some social time or yoga followed by a tasty but healthy breakfast. Directly after that, was either some kind of fun skills in the outdoors or an interesting presentation indoors, depending on the weather.

It was hard to tell who was supposed to be the teacher, and who was there as a student. Everyone had very interesting experiences to share. I don’t think any one person walked away without having been both, a teacher and a student, at one point in the weekend. If one person was an expert in something, there was someone else, wanting to try it and to learn it. Others were practicing and the skills they already had. Fresh eyes and new perspective were just what was needed to hone them. Without pressure or preconceived expectations, it was, for the most part, gals helping gals. Occasionally the guys added their perspective, but never in a demeaning or “better than you” way. They always treated us as equals and as skilled outdoorswomen.

We learned about archery with longbows and compound bows. We gained shooting skills in both handguns and shotguns. GPS, optics, gear, safety, emergency care, field dressing for taxidermy, native wildlife to South Dakota, we learned it all and just when you thought there couldn’t be anything more, there was.

At the end of the day we would come into the beautifully decorated lodge and be treated to fabulous food(Thanks to Annie and staff!), incredible massages, refreshing facials, marvelous manicures, soothing foot massages, outstanding wine-tasting, and a relaxing social time. To top it all off there would be gifts on our pillows.

I mean cool gifts, like camo t-shirts, hats and videos, nutritious bars, scent-free personal care items, leather journals or gift certificates, and everyday there was something new and special waiting on your bed when you arrived there. I have never been that pampered before, ever. I didn’t even know how much I would like all those things. I am now ruined for life. I tried it all and found out, I like it!

Most of all, I will never forget the unbelievable time I had at TeamHuntress. The special feeling of knowing I had been accepted. That becoming part of an unbelievable group of gals, with whom I have so much in common, will far outlast any of the skills that I gained. I have never before felt that way.

I can’t explain my new found self confidence, my improved self esteem and the feeling of empowerment that I left there with. Those things will never be taken from me. It is not something money can buy. It was a weekend that, for me, was simply…priceless!

A Special thank you to those who donated our gifts!

Haley Vines: www.haleyvines.com/

Hahn Creek: http://www.hahncreekwinery.com/

Realtree: http://www.realtree.com/

Prois: http://www.proishunting.com/

Camp Wild Girls: http://www.campwildgirls.com/

Tanka Bar: http://www.tankabar.com/

Berdette Zastrow: Women’s Guide to Hunting

Faini Designs: http://www.fainidesigns.com/

Doeville: http://www.doeville.com/

Battle of the B.O.W.

For those of you who haven’t heard, my son Kale and I are competing on Wisconsin Outdoors Networks battle of the B.O.W as Team HuntingLife.com. The first part of the competition is getting people to the site to join you as friends and view your Team Page. The second part of the competition will be us filming our hunting this fall. Pretty sure it is going to be picked up as a reality TV show airing for 13 wks (we are filming pilot episode in July). People will be asked to vote on the site for their favorite team after every episode.

So, what we are asking people to do is set up their accounts on www.wisconsinoutdoorsnetwork.com (kinda like myspace or facebook for outdoors people) and add Team HuntingLife.com as a friend. Thanks for everyone’s support!