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omen W Wyoming was the first state in the nation to allow women to vote, so it is only fitting that the Cowboy State also hosted the first women’sonly antelope hunt in the nation last year.
The Wyoming Women’s Foundation founded the hunt to promote camaraderie and mentorship through hunting, as well as to raise awareness about the economic self-sufficiency of women. The hunt, only open to women, was held over two days in October 2013 at the Ranch at Ucross in northeastern Wyoming. Hunters came from across Wyoming and the nation to participate, including prominent leaders like Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice Marilyn Kite, who helped found the hunt. Special guests included Julie Golob, captain of Smith & Wesson’s highly successful shooting team, and outdoor writer Jim Zumbo. First of its kind
Developing a women’s-only hunt stemmed from a conversation between Kite of Jackson, Wyoming, and her sister-in-law Karey Stebner of Rawlins, Wyoming, while out hunting antelope together in the Red Desert. The two experienced hunters wanted to find a way to encourage more women to hunt. Kite shared her idea with friends Lynne Boomgaarden, former director of Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments, and Donna Wichers, senior vice president, Americas for Uranium One. They approached the Wyoming Women’s Foundation, which supports efforts to help women become financially self-sufficient, to organize the event. The foundation agreed to host the hunt, recognizing that through hunting, women could feed their families and put free-range, organic meat on the table. The idea further resonated with corporate sponsors and individuals across the nation. Strong support also came from the hunting industry and conservation groups, including Boone and Crockett Club, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Smith and Wesson, Remington, Safari Club International, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD), and Wyoming Wildlife Federation. Because of the generous donations, the hunt was able to offer 11 scholarships, and recipients included several veterans. The Wyoming GFD helped participants focus on hunting ethics and safety. On the first afternoon of the hunt, GFD employees reviewed hunting safety and regulations with the hunters, followed by a session with experts at the nearby range on how to properly sight-in their rifles. In addition to its sponsorship, the Boone and Crockett Club stepped forward to help develop an awards structure to adhere to the core principles of conservation and hunting ethics. Awards included the Theodore Roosevelt award, which was sponsored by Boone and Crockett Club; the
On the first afternoon of the hunt, Wyoming Game and Fish Department employees reviewed hunting safety and regulations with the hunters, followed by a session with experts at the nearby range on how to properly sight-in their rifles.
Super Stalker award for taking an animal at the closest distance; Annie Oakley award for those hunters who take their antelope with one shot; the Diana award for all new successful hunters; and the Winning Team award for the corporate team with the closest average shot distance and all team members harvesting an animal. Achieving the Super Stalker award, Danielle Sanville of Southampton, Massachusetts, had the closest distance at 45.9 yards. The Annie Oakley award went to the 28 women who took their antelope with one shot. Seven women harvested an animal for the first time and received the Diana award. The Smith & Wesson team received the winning team award. Team members that joined Sanville were Julie Golob of Glasgow, Montana, who shot at 165 yards; Laurel Smith of Broad Brook, Connecticut, who shot at 111 yards. Persistence pays off
Kristy Scott of Corning, California, received the Theodore Roosevelt award for her fortitude to keep trying and maintaining a positive outlook regardless of the challenges. Named after the Club’s founder and voted on by the guides, this award celebrates the type of personal character Roosevelt held in the highest regard—an adventurous spirit, determination, self-reliance, and the need to give back more than that taken. It represented all he believed that defined what was inside every true sportsman and sportswoman. Although Scott never had won anything substantial beyond a movie ticket, she had a good feeling after submitting her essay for a scholarship to participate in the hunt last year. Her essay caught the attention of the hunt organizer, the Wyoming Women’s Foundation. Scott, a single mother of three daughters, was new to hunting and wanted to teach her 7-year-old daughter how to hunt. Despite her old truck breaking down and having to replace the clutch en route to the hunt from California, Scott had the tenacity and determination to make her trip a success from the start. “I have hunted for two years but never shot an animal before this hunt,” she said. Ready at 5 a.m. on the first day of the hunt, Scott and the other 33 hunters opened their doors to a wet, fall blizzard, rare for even Wyoming at that time of the year. Heavy snow blanketed the ground, closing roads, snapping tree boughs and knocking out electricity. “I was ready to go, whether there was snow or not. I wanted just
TOP INSET: Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice Marilyn Kite, who helped found the hunt after a conversation between her and her sister-in-law Karey Stebner. MIDDLE INSET: To encourage mentorship, more experienced hunters were often paired with women less experienced. Kristy Scott was paired with Stebner, who shared hunting stories and advice while they tried to find antelope amidst the almost white-out conditions. BOTTOM INSET: Outfitter Eric Wilhelm and Kite coached Kristy Scott how to field dress the animal on the back of a ranch truck.
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Blue sky and the sun welcomed the hunters on the second day when the remaining 21 hunters harvested their animals. The hunt raised more than $70,000 for the Wyoming Women’s Foundation to improve the economic self-sufficiency of women in the state.
to go,” says Scott. But outfitter Eric Wilhelm delayed the hunt for a few hours for safety. The delay disappointed the hunters; some milled around in their camo at the ranch dining room swapping stories, while others trudged through the snow back to their rooms. The guides, all male except one, joked that men would be bellied up to the ranch bar by then, but not the women. With generators running, the call came at 9:30 a.m. that the hunt was a go, said Scott, who eagerly headed to her guide’s truck. To encourage mentorship, more experienced hunters were often paired with women less experienced. Scott was paired with Stebner, who shared hunting stories and advice while they tried to find antelope amidst the almost white-out conditions. Spotting almost faint ghostlike outlines of antelope, Scott and her guide hiked up the hill. The hard wind blasted the falling snow, which felt like sand on their faces. “The wind [was] blowing so hard to the side that I couldn’t keep my rifle still on the shooting stick,” Scott said. “The rifle just kept swingin’ back and forth on that stick. I didn’t even want take a shot until I knew that I could have a kill.” The team moved farther down the road toward six antelope that had nestled down. The hunters drove up over a little hill, got out and sneaked back around to about 130 yards away from the animals. “We had the wind at our back at this time, so it was a lot nicer. Then my guide stood behind me, giving me some coaching lessons and blocking the wind, which helped quite a bit.” Scott took aim but missed with her first shot. The antelope stayed, not hearing the shot over the wind. The team waited as 46 n Fair Chase Summer 2014
Kristy Scott received the Theodore Roosevelt award for her fortitude to keep trying and maintaining a positive outlook regardless of the challenges. Scott, a single mother of three daughters, was new to hunting and wants to teach her 7-year-old daughter how to hunt.
Scott battled seeing through layers of snow speckles on her eye glasses and her scope. She remembers thinking, “I don’t know if I [can] do this.” To top it off, she couldn’t use her rifle, due to snow in the end of her barrel. Luckily, Kite, who was nearby, stepped in and lent her rifle. “There are not a lot of people that would say, ‘here take my gun and get your animal,’” Scott said, much less a Wyoming Supreme Court chief justice. More than that, Scott was impressed that the other hunters, all experienced, had agreed to wait and let Scott get the first shot. “They were willing for me to get prepared, get in there, and let me have that first kill.” Eventually, an antelope stood up. Scott settled down with her knees in the snow, and, seeing the antelope in her crosshairs, held her breath. “That’s what sticks out in my mind the most is that breath in, pulling that trigger, and then seeing that antelope just fall,” Scott recalled. When the rest of the antelope did not move, Kite crept to 60 yards away to successfully take her shot. The rest of the antelope scattered. Socked in by the blizzard, the hunters decided to load the animals up and field dress them at the ranch. Wilhelm coached Scott how to field dress the animal herself on the back of his ranch truck. “It was not hard at all, so I did it,” Scott explained.
A Success
Despite the blizzard conditions, 11 hunters were successful filling their tags that first day. Blue sky and the sun welcomed the hunters on the second day when the remaining 21 hunters harvested their animals. The hunt raised more than $70,000 for the Wyoming Women’s Foundation’s efforts to improve the economic self-sufficiency of women in the state, and the foundation has signed on to continue the event. Registration and sponsorship opportunities have opened for its 2014 hunt, which is set for Oct. 9-12 in northeastern Wyoming. Glad that she came, Scott says she learned a lot. “I enjoy the sport—the hunting, the stalking, and the tracking. I just feel like I’m going be a hunter for a long time. I think the conditions were some of the worst conditions I probably could ever hunt in, and being as that I made my first kill, that makes me pretty confident that I will do better in the future.” Scott also plans on passing the tradition to her daughters, especially her 7-year-old. “She wants to hunt and she’s already showed interest, and I would like to be able to teach her.” n
BRENDA WEATHERBY Photos Courtesy of Steven and Rachel Girt, Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt
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Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt
This unique annual event gathers over 40 women from all over the country to hunt pronghorn over two days in a mentored hunt. 58 FA I R CH A S E | S P R I N G 2 0 1 8
The ranch at Ucross is the basecamp for all the hunters.
In 2013, the Wyoming Women’s Foundation
created the Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt, the nation’s first women’s-only antelope hunt, to promote camaraderie and mentorship through hunting, as well as to raise funds for grants and special projects to help women and girls across the state.
The hunt celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2017, thanks to many generous sponsors including the Boone and Crockett Club, which helped the hunt’s inaugural year by establishing an awards structure that promotes fair chase hunting and ethics for the event. Every year since then, B&C has sponsored the Teddy Roosevelt Award, named after the Club’s founder and father of American conservation. The courage and perseverance of 2017 Teddy Roosevelt Award recipient Laurie DeVries, of Atascadero, California, inspired many at last fall’s hunt (October 12-15, 2017) at the beautiful Ranch at Ucross in northeastern Wyoming. Here is her story told by her friend, Brenda Weatherby of Paso Robles, California, who encouraged Laurie to pursue her dream to hunt. THE JOURNEY
For me, the idea of any hunt suggests certain sights, sounds, smells, and feelings. The image of God’s varied landscapes, the fresh scent of good old dirt and the sense of challenge, defeat, and victory make the hunt memorable. But, most of all, being with people who then become friends is what tops it all. On my short tenure as a hunter, I have met so many wonderfully unique and quality individuals. Some have been great mentors to me, others are intensely intimate friends that have shared highs and lows, and then there are the ladies that give me pure inspiration. Laurie is one that inspires; she just has that outgoing personality coupled with extreme optimism and perspective. She spent many years teaching middle school physical education and volunteering at her church’s youth group. Her husband Dirk was an avid hunter and Laurie always went along as camp cook, nurse, and mama to all. She raised two beautiful daughters and now has grandchildren as well. Life for FAIR CH AS E | S P RI N G 2 0 1 8 59
Laurie has always been full because her joy emanates and her faith always brings her hope and peace. When in 2015 her husband Dirk was diagnosed with cancer, she battled alongside him with encouragement, hope, and love. It was then that Laurie and I formed a special bond. I usually saw her in the parking lot of our church when she was leaving one service and I was walking into the next service. Somehow, God always had us at least wave, smile, or exchange a few words. When we did, she would always talk about some Instagram post of some recent hunting adventure I had been on. She would tell me that it inspired her, that it was helping her get through this trying time with Dirk. Laurie’s husband, earlier that year, had drawn an elk tag in Arizona for a hunt that he had been longing to do most of his life. He already had a custom gun built and bought expensive backcountry gear. But Dirk never made it to that elk hunt; he battled cancer instead, and his wife knew how much he had longed for that opportunity. But God had other plans and eternity beckoned Dirk home. The hunt was donated to a veteran with assistance from Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs, but the experience sparked a flame in Laurie. Many of our interactions in the parking lot ended in tears as we shared the losses through that year. But, one day, she told me, “Brenda, after this is all over, I’m going to do that, I want to do that.” I responded, “Really? Well, I look forward to that day, and when it comes, I’ll be here to help.” That began a journey for Laurie.
About three months after Dirk’s death, I texted Laurie asking her if she had her hunting safety certification yet. A month or so passed and she sent me a picture of the hunter safety card, saying it was a bittersweet moment without Dirk. Of course it was, but she pressed on. We planned some practice sessions anticipating maybe a fall turkey hunt. We sat together in the trees, saw no birds but talked about the start of something new in her and how it just felt right for her life, no matter how many people thought she was crazy. Over the months, she’d text me about gun cleaning products, and we would laugh together about her experiences at the range with all the guys. She was seriously dedicated, practicing every chance she could get with both rifle and shotgun. Everything I suggested to her, she did. She was a perfect student, taking responsibility for herself and this journey but humble enough to ask questions and apply knowledge that others would offer her. And through it all, the story of Dirk would surface with the people she met. Her new hunting hobby was becoming an inspiration to others without Laurie even knowing it. In April, she got her first turkey, a beautiful tom. Shortly after, she asked me, “What’s next?” I directed her to a ladies hunting camp in Oregon, put on by my dear friends Candy and Randy Yow. She registered, and we spent a weekend together with 50 other ladies sharpening our skills in rifle, shotgun, hunting techniques, orienteering, and
TOP: Hunters sight in their rifles the first afternoon under the supervision of women mentors and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. MIDDLE: On the first night hunters met their partners and guides. Laurie DeVries is pictured with her mentor Katie McCrary. BOTTOM: Brenda Weatherby was the keynote speaker on the first night, talking about her journey of learning to hunt. 60 FA I R CH A S E | S P R I N G 2 0 1 8
even self-defense. Before the time ended, Laurie was inspiring them with her story and ready for the next challenge. WYOMING WOMEN’S ANTELOPE HUNT
As was my role, I teed up the next opportunity. This time it was the Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt at Ucross. This unique annual event gathers over 40 women from all over the country to hunt over two days in a mentored hunt. Most of the new hunters had never harvested a big game animal, so the nerves were high and the excitement uncontainable. The mentor hunters were just thrilled to walk others through their first experience. Laurie was beaming at the thought of where she was and what she was doing. Her dream was coming true, and after so many years of being by Dirk’s side doing what he loved, she now was experiencing it for herself. She explained it as truly healing for her and boasted of God’s goodness to her. The hunt proved to be challenging; actually not what I promised her. Every other antelope hunt in Wyoming I had ever done was pretty easy with plentiful numbers to choose from and no worries that I wouldn’t tag out. I remember telling her that it would be the perfect learning experience—with little pressure. Boy, was I wrong. After the first day of extreme hiking and belly crawl stalking, we both reconvened at dinner to share our stories. Both of our groups, in different locations, had experienced similar tough hunting conditions. A good learning experience for
sure, but the pressure was mounting with only one day left to hunt. Laurie was teamed up with mentor hunter Katie McCrary from Mississippi, guide Fred Williams of Meeteetse, Wyoming, and Gloria Esguerra Courser of Jackson, Wyoming, who returned in 2017 as a guide-in-training after attending the first four years. Fred was impressed and motivated by Laurie’s enthusiasm, tenacity, energy, and drive to enjoy the entire experience of the hunt. They attempted and experienced several failed stalks on the first day while covering more than seven miles. The area they hunted was non-typical terrain for antelope hunting and looked more like mule deer habitat with steep hills and deep ravines. Laurie’s enthusiasm was unwavering despite the day ending without a shot opportunity and knowing that they only had one more day to harvest antelope for both her and Katie, who, having hunted big game before, insisted that Laurie harvest first. The next day was cold and windy. By mid-morning, Fred had located a group of antelope bedded out of the wind at the head of a ravine. The wind was perfect, and the ravine provided cover enabling Fred and Laurie to stalk to within 80 yards of the antelope. It was at that point Fred said to Laurie “this is going to happen.” Laurie realized at that moment she was about ready to live Dirk’s legacy. The anticipation of the shot after all of her preparation came in the form of happy tears.
“this is going to happen”
TOP AND MIDDLE: Fred was impressed and motivated by Laurie’s enthusiasm, tenacity, energy, and drive to enjoy the entire experience of the hunt. BOTTOM: (left to right) Gloria Esguerra Courser of Jackson; Fred Williams of Meeteetse, Wyoming; Laurie DeVries of Atascadero, California; and Katie McCrary from Mississippi.
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“I did it. Gosh I actually did it!”
Fred and Laurie sat in the ravine while the antelope remained bedded for some time talking and preparing for the shot. Laurie’s tears eventually faded, and her composure transformed into a hunter focused on the ethical harvest of an animal. They got into position undetected, with Laurie sitting and using a bipod. The buck finally stood after several attempts to get the antelopes’ attention. A couple of minutes seemed like an eternity waiting for a clear broadside shot. Finally, Fred was able to say “there’s your shot” and all of Laurie’s practice paid off with a perfect one-shot kill. I will never forget the message I received from Laurie that day. Her words were mixed with pure elation and joyful laughter, “Brenda, I did it. Gosh I actually did it.” At that moment, my hunt faded in importance, and her victory overshadowed the 10 miles of hiking and windburn I felt on my face. I have observed a woman, full of recent loss, but ready to live something new with abandon. What had started as me inspiring her had just flipped 180 degrees. She had become the inspiration, not just to pick up the tradition of hunting, but to walk through life with purpose, fully aware that God blesses us far more than we deserve and connects us with people for intimate friendship. In addition, both Katie and Brenda successfully harvested antelope by the time
TOP AND MIDDLE: Hunters who harvest an antelope early in the weekend will have the opportunity to take part in workshops on meat processing, cooking with game meat, fly fishing and trap and skeet. BOTTOM: Laurie DeVries with her pronghorn. 62 FA I R CH A S E | S P R I N G 2 0 1 8
the hunt was over. After Katie was willing to risk not having an opportunity to harvest in effort to help Laurie be successful her hunt went down to the wire, harvesting her antelope in the last hour of the last day. When we returned to the lodge that night, we embraced at the sight of our victory, both antelopes harvested. And later that night, Laurie received the Teddy Roosevelt award. The guides vote on the recipient, and it is given to a lady who had the fortitude to keep trying, was determined and persisted through the two full days of hunting. This award celebrates the type of personal character Roosevelt held in highest regard—an adventurous spirit, determination, self-reliance, and the need to give back more than had taken—all he believed defined what was inside every true sportsman and sportswoman. Teddy is known to have said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Read the story of the first Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt winner online in the Associates community in Summer 2014 issue of Fair Chase.
Laurie is certainly a Teddy Roosevelt kind of lady. And believe it or not, the night wasn’t over before Laurie asked, “What’s next?” I looked to Fred smiling and knowing that she now had a growing number of mentors in her life. Fred said, “I think mule deer.” Laurie nodded and replied, “Mule deer it is.” n
The Boone and Crockett Club has helped create a legacy of encouraging more women to hunt by supporting the Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt. The event develops new hunters by offering scholarships and hunter education to women who otherwise may not get the opportunity to hunt and pairs them with conservationminded guides and experienced female hunting partners for maximum learning opportunities. Next year’s event is slated for October 11-14, 2018. Learn more at wyomingwomensantelopehunt.org.
RIGHT: Fred, Laurie and Gloria with Laurie after winning the award. BELOW: Group shot of all the guides, hunters, volunteers and sponsors in 2017.
What had started as me inspiring her had just flipped 180 degrees. She had become the inspiration. FAIR CH AS E | S P RI N G 2 0 1 8 63
ALEX SHANNON COMMUNICATION & EVENT COORDINATOR WYOMING WOMEN’S FOUNDATION
One of the participants, Melissa Burke, with her pronghorn.
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Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt Helping Wyoming women and girls thrive, despite the added challenges of 2020, made fundraising for the Wyoming Women’s Foundation’s (WYWF) mission—to invest in the economic self-sufficiency of women and opportunities for girls in Wyoming—more important than ever.
So, instead of postponing or canceling its 8th Annual Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt, the Foundation hosted a modified hunt for 39 hunters on-site at the Ranch at Ucross, Wyoming. Fundraising activities included a small auction with raffles for hunters and guides plus an online auction with live raffles for the more-than 300 virtual attendees! The 2020 hunt and online auction brought together many fabulous women, wonderful volunteers and generous supporters. WYWF is truly honored to offer participants the chance to ask questions of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department, explore lands with conservation minded stewards focused on a fair chase and network with women from across the country! Providing the resources to practice outdoor activities like archery, fly-fishing and shotgun shooting increases mentoring, comradarie and empowerment. The mentorship and comradery experienced among all hunt attendees was incredible! Experienced hunters and guides freely shared field advice, assuring first-time hunters that harvesting an animal is only part of the hunting journey. According to a 2020 hunter, “The knowledge, skills and experience gained from this event was immeasurable. I can only hope that I can put these skills to use next year and hope to share my knowledge, skills and experience with other first-time hunters.” This year marked the first where hunters had the option to donate part or all of their harvest through the Food from the Field Program, thanks to Wyoming’s First Lady Jennie Gordon. While participants could previously
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ABOVE: Heather Ruth with her pronghorn. TOP RIGHT: The hunters and guides worked together in the field. RIGHT: The meat processing fees of those who chose to donate their harvest were fully covered by the Food from the Field program. Hunters also had the option to learn how to process their harvest themselves with the help of volunteers during our DIY meat processing workshop.
choose to donate their game meat, it was more on an individual basis, and each person had to pay their own processing fees. In 2020, processing fees were covered by the Food from the Field program. “Food security is a very big part of self-sufficiency,” WYWF Director Rebekah Smith said. “(Game meat) is really an amazing protein that people are providing to these food banks, so we really are proud that we can be a part of the Food from the Field program.” Twelve women donated more than 250 pounds of game meat from the event that went directly to the state’s food banks, the highest number of donations since the hunt’s
inception in 2013! The 2020 online auction also enabled WYWF to reach more past hunters and supporters, share hunt video highlights, wrap up the bidding and do some live raffle pulls! You can learn more about what makes this event so special by visiting WYWF’s website, wywf.org, or its Youtube channel or Facebook page and watching the 2020 hunt recap video. The Wyoming Women’s Foundation would like to extend a huge thank you to all hunters, guides, landowners, volunteers, bidders, donors, sponsors and supporters including the Boone and Crockett Club. None of this would be possible without you! n
For the last eight years the Boone and Crockett Club has sponsored the Theodore Roosevelt Sportswoman Award. This award is presented to the participant who best demonstrated the character qualities Roosevelt held in highest esteem and that fueled his legendary conservation ethic—an adventurous spirit, determination, self-reliance, and the need to give back more than you’ve taken. “Thanks to the guidance provided by the Boone and Crockett Club these past years, WYWF confidently promotes the core principles of conservation and fair chase hunting throughout our annual event.” said Rebekah Smith, WYWF Director.
The next hunt is set for October 7-11 2021 at the Ranch at Ucross, Wyoming. If you are interested in joining WYWF as a hunter, sponsor or donor, please visit wyomingwomensantelopehunt.org for more information and then reach out to Alex at alex@wycf.org.
Read stories about past Wyoming Women's Antelope Hunts online in the Associates Community in Summer 2014 and Spring 2018 issue of Fair Chase. FAIR CHASE | S P RI N G 2 02 1 35