Friday, March 30, 2018

PRO STAFF/INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT: Learn more about Firearms Instructor Diane Danielson

Pro Staff / Instructor Spotlight:  We asked Diane Danielson a few fun questions. Pro Staff / Instructor Spotlight is designed to help you get to know our awesome team of Pro Staff / Instructors a little better. Diane lives in Virginia and is an avid firearms teacher and firearms instructor with SLG.

What are you most passionate about as an instructor? Safety, first. Then teaching others the correct way to shoot and watching the smiles of every new shooter as they succeed.

What has been your biggest challenge as an instructor? Dispelling the misconception that women can and should only consider a revolver because they are too stupid or inept to be able to handle anything else. This goes hand-in-hand with not being respected as an expert in the industry simply because I’m a woman.

What has been your greatest success story with teaching? Listening to a woman tell 60 fellow students and 60 instructors that she was forced to come to our class by her husband who had firearms in their home. He wanted her to know how they worked and how to safely handle them. As a result of our understanding, patience and skill, she was no longer afraid and was going to stop on her way home from the class to shop for her first gun.

What is your motivation to teach others how to shoot? My mother taught me to shoot when I was 10. My father taught me to hunt when I was 12. I have been passionate about both ever since. I love sharing what I’ve learned with others so their journey is enriched by my passion for all the shooting sports.

How do you help ladies overcome their fear with shooting? Start with baby steps. Teach them simple fundamentals. Be reassuring and get them to dry fire with dummy rounds. Take them to a quiet bay at the range and get them to take one shot with a .22. If they are ok, take another one, and another. If they don’t like it, stop, then thank them because they tried. I’m not going to change their mind if they don’t like it, but at least they can walk away knowing that they fired it safely and a gun does not jump off the table and harm people.

Hunting Themed Q&A
If you could only hunt in one season which one would it be? Turkey. It’s the only one that is truly interactive – just you and the bird.

What’s your favorite location to hunt? SE Wisconsin. Only because I hunted there for so long. In Virginia, if you don’t own or lease land, you don’t hunt. There’s no public hunting land.

Who introduced you to hunting? My dad first took me hunting when I was 12 – small game. Then later, we started going waterfowl hunting together. I was privileged to witness (and help drag) his first deer a few years later.

What do you hunt for? I haven’t had an opportunity to hunt for several years. I love to hunt upland birds, waterfowl, turkey and deer. Someday, I hope to hunt for elk, mule deer, and moose.

What hunting skill would you like to master? Calling ducks!!!!!

What’s the hardest hunting lesson you’ve learned? Don’t hunt with drunks!

What could you give a 40-minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation?  Almost anything gun related, ammo reloading, field dressing, skinning and butchering, (turkey calling with a wing-bone), obedience and hunt-training dogs, dressing to keep warm when you don’t have a budget for fancy expensive women’s hunting clothes.

NON – HUNTING OR SHOOTING RELATED
What do you like most about the SLG shooting trailer? Besides the owner, the gun rack, of course!

If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time? Shoot and teach shooting.

What hobby would you get into if time and money weren’t an issue? Travelling the US and Canada to hunt everything I’ve ever wanted to hunt. Oh, and get a new hunting dog.

What non firearm related skill would you like to master? Taxidermy.

What non hunting or shooting related … do you wish you knew more about? Web Design.

What are you interested in that most people haven’t heard of? Bullseye (Precision) Pistol. Non-firearm related would be woodworking, sewing and crafts.

What’s the farthest you’ve ever been from home? Sidney, Australia and the Great Barrier Reef in 2005.

Where do you usually go when you when you have time off? Milwaukee. I still consider Wisconsin home even though I was born in Pennsylvania and live/work in Virginia. If you mean when I get a day off, it’s definitely to the range.

Who inspires you to be better? My mother. She lived her entire life with the constant pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis and never said a word or took a pill or a shot. She never had a joint replaced or wore a brace. I pray every day to be more like her as I deal with my RA.

What are three interesting facts about you? 1. I am a better person because of my two ex-husbands. 2. I love woodworking and building furniture and have remodeled three of my previous homes myself. 3. I have a vast collection of wild game recipes that will someday be compiled into a book.

What is your biggest fear? Dying in a fiery car crash.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Do you mean one meal a day or only one thing? Either way, the answer would essentially be the same: Breakfast or Bacon and Eggs with black coffee or a latte.

List two pet peeves? Clothes that are too tight. Anything out of order (it’s an OCD thing).

Which of the five senses would you say is your strongest? Hearing. I have very sensitive ears and hear way more than I probably should.


One thing that not a lot of people know you love to do? Design. You name it – clothes, brochures, websites …


Mountains or Beach? Beach. I’m a water baby. I’m sure it has something to do with my dad being pure blood American Samoan.

Thursday, March 22, 2018

LEADERSHIP STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Learn more about Angie Kokes

We asked Angie Kokes a few fun questions. Leadership Staff Spotlight is designed to help you get to know our awesome team of Leadership Staff a little better. Angie lives in Nebraska and is and an avid hunter.


If you could only hunt in one season which one would it be? – I feel like I’m cheating on all the other seasons by answering this question.  But I’d have to say bow season which also doubles as spear season.  Four and half months of chasing whitetails is heaven on earth to me.

What’s your favorite location to hunt? – Home!  Being from Central Nebraska and living along the North Loup River, I simply couldn’t ask for a better place to hunt.

Who introduced you to hunting? – My dad as soon as I was old enough to tag along.

What do you hunt for? – Basically whatever is in season and whatever I can.  I also trap during the winter months.

What hunting skill would you like to master? -  I want to one day spear a bear.

What’s your biggest hunting challenge? - Learning to master the spear has been to date the greatest hunting challenge I’ve ever taken on.  Since mastering it, the biggest challenge now is finding places where it is a legal means to hunt with.

What would be the most amazing hunting adventure that is still on your bucket list? – Spearing a bear….can you tell I’m hung up on that?  I’ve put so much work into learning to exel with the spear… to be able to go after a bear I’m a little obsessed with it.  And someday I want to go after the giant non-typical muley that I’ve dreamt about for years!

What hunting skill do you wish you knew more about? – My brother in law got me a blow gun for Christmas that has been a blast to play with, but so far I haven’t gotten a shot at a rabbit, but it’s coming I promise you that!  I’d like to get more accurate with the Atlatl, and get better at calling ducks and geese.

What’s the hardest hunting lesson you’ve learned? – To listen to my gut.  I was hunting what may have been a state record bow whitetail in 2013 and we moved a stand in on where I had patterned him.  Just as we finished getting it set the wind switched and made it just all wrong to hunt the location that day.  After cleaning up and walking back in everything in my heart told me to not worry about the wind and get in the stand.  I didn’t listen and instead hunted the wind and had to watch the buck come from the opposite direction he’d been coming for three weeks, walk right up to the ladder stand and rub on it.  Watching the whole show from my upwind position just 200 yards away  I wanted to throw up, cry and scream all at once.  It haunts me to this day.

If hunting was no longer an option for you what would you do with your time? – I’d like to think I would probably be dead if hunting was no longer an option, but if it did happen I’d probably trap and fish more.

What could you give a 40-minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation? – Spear hunting

How many pairs of hunting boots do you own? – Probably 2 or 3.  It might sound crazy but I will take off on a spot and stalk in my work clothes and cowboy boots if I happen to be out working and see something to go after.  Yes I always carry my bow with me everywhere during season.  So my work boots kind of double as my hunting boots.

What style of hunting are you most passionate about? Spear, Bow and anything Primitive or challenging.

NON – HUNTING RELATED

What do you like most about Shoot Like A Girl’s Mission? – I love everything about SLG’s mission!  I’ve always been super passionate about introducing women to the sport of shooting.  And any chance to empower a woman with confidence, especially with a firearms or equipment she may have once feared is even better!

If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time? – I’m a hobby junky so anything working with my hands and mind and making and designing something.  I’d like to write a book someday too.

What hobby would you get into if time and money weren’t an issue? – Knife Making

What non hunting related skill would you like to master? – I’d like to learn the fiddle or banjo

What non hunting related do you wish you knew more about? – Wood working with roots and tree stumps and different kinds of inlays.

What are you interested in that most people haven’t heard of? – I pretty much wear my life on my sleeve, so I think most people probably know everything about me, which relates to if something is a challenge or someone has suggested I might not be able to do something I’ll be out there trying it the next day.

What’s the farthest you’ve ever been from home? – Northern Quebec

Where do you usually go when you when you have time off? – What is time off?

Who inspires you to be better? – The Good Lord and my husband

What are three interesting facts about you?
- I’ve had 28 broken bones including two vertebrae in my neck
- I’m a former Miss Rodeo Texas Tech
- I love hard, physical work

What is your biggest fear? Spiders and Helicopters, nope, nope, nope!

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Pizza or Steak it would be a toss up.
List two pet peeves
- Liars & Cheaters…I have no tolerance for either.
- People with skills they don’t appreciate or use.

Which of the five senses would you say is your strongest?- Although I’m hard of hearing around background noise, when I’m hunting my hearing is probably my biggest asset.

One thing that not a lot of people know you love to do? - I love fixing and building fence and do a lot of custom work for people.

Mountains or Beach? - Both

Anything else you would like to add? – With so much chaos in the world including the gun and hunting debates I’m thrilled the Shoot Like a Girl Trailer exists and is out there actively educating people with facts and not opinions.  I’m blessed and proud to be a part of this great team!

Friday, March 2, 2018

PRO STAFF/INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT: Learn more about Chief Operations Officer Cristy Crawford

Pro Staff / Instructor Spotlight:  We asked Cristy Crawford a few fun questions. Pro Staff / Instructor Spotlight is designed to help you get to know our awesome team of Pro Staff / Instructors a little better. Cristy lives and works in Texas and is Shoot Like A Girl's Chief Operations Officer and an avid hunter, fisherman and competes in various outdoor related competitions.


If you could only hunt in one season which one would it be?
That's a tough question!! I love all aspects of hunting various species. I would have to say there is something special about watching waterfowl soar in from the heavens and work a decoy spread!

What's your favorite location to hunt?
I don't get to hunt in the mountains often.. But I have always loved trying to sneak up on things. Spot and stalk in the mountains gives me the opportunity to do just that.

Who introduced you to hunting?
My husband took my love for fishing and the outdoors and taught me everything I know about hunting! I will always be thankful for his patience and him going above and beyond to teach me all the "why's" and reasons we were set up a certain way. It made our relationship stronger and made lifelong "hunting and fishing buddies"

What do you hunt for?
Everything I can.

What hunting skill would you like to master?
I have been obsessed with calling all types of animals for quite some time. I have been successful calling animals in but I still strive to do that on a more advanced level.

What's your biggest hunting challenge?
TIME!  I have a wonderful family and job. Both help to support my obsessive habit. Although, traveling does seem to happen sometimes during the most magical times of the year .. such as the whitetail rut etc.

What would be the most amazing hunting adventure that is still on your bucket list?
I have always thought (even though its expensive) It would be amazing to go on one of the hunts in Alaska for example. Where you are dropped off in the wilderness with only the gear on your back for a few weeks. Fishing and hunting. The other adventure I would like to go on one day would be to follow a big wave of migrating ducks all the way from the border of Canada to the coast in the Central or Mississippi flyway.

What hunting skill do you wish you knew more about?
Anything traditional

What's the hardest hunting lesson you've learned?
I have been obsessed with hunting for 20 years now. In the beginning I would want every shot to be absolutely perfect. I have learned through time, experience and failures that you can still make an ethical shooting decision even when the animals approach isn't the perfect case scenario. Most of the time the animal doesn't have the same game plan that you have developed in your head for their approach.

If hunting was no longer an option for you what would you do with your time?
I would have a hard time not being able to enjoy the outdoors in the same way, but I would fish a lot more. I get asked all the time if I had to choose between hunting or fishing which one would I choose. My go to answer to that question is.. well what time of year is it? If its winter I'm hunting if its summer I'm fishing. So I would without a doubt be a year around fisherman.

What could you give a 40-minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation?
Calling especially ducks and turkeys.

How many pairs of hunting boots do you own?
I have a problem getting rid of old worn out boots so 7. Most are worn to the point they are no longer useful in the field , but they are useful working in the yard or other outdoor projects I end up doing.

What style of hunting are you most passionate about?
Having a whitetail deer in bow range or anything wing shooting. I love the challenge of a bow and the feel of a good shotgun!

NON - HUNTING RELATED

What do you like most about the SLG shooting trailer?
Being fortunate to work for Shoot Like A Girl for 8 years now I have been able to watch first hand how SLG has grown from just archery in a little trade show booth into the semi tractor trailer of today. The thing I love most has always been watching the "wow" moments from women shooting for the first time. Watching all the anxiety disappear from their faces with a huge smile after executing the first shot ever!

If you didn't have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?
If it was summer time I would definitely bass fish all night and work during the day. Winter time I would enjoy working on various projects & waterfowl taxidermy or European mounts at night.

What hobby would you get into if time and money weren't an issue?
Non hunting related makes this difficult!

What non hunting related skill would you like to master?
Cooking! I have a few dishes that I cook well but a lot of my cooking has been trial and a lot of error!

What are you interested in that most people haven't heard of?
I love to have projects going. Most of my projects involve building something or tearing something apart and rebuilding it. I don't do well with just sitting around unless I'm hunting.

What's the farthest you've ever been from home?
Africa

Where do you usually go when you when you have time off?
Woods or Water

Who inspires you to be better?
The good LORD, My husband, My Daughter, My Family & Friends

What are three interesting facts about you?
1) I'm a competition junkie. I have competed in all sorts of various outdoor competitions from ASA Archery Pro/Ams to fishing team bass tournaments with my husband.
2) If something breaks around the house I usually try and enjoy trying to fix it myself
3) I use to be extremely shy

What is your biggest fear?
Extreme heights. I say extreme because I'm not afraid to be in a deer stand as long as it has a good sturdy platform. But you will not see me look over the edge of an extremely high cliff or drop off. I am to clumsy to risk tripping and falling to my death. Haha

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A good steak and tators.

List two pet peeves
Going to cities where people love to honk their horns the second the red light turns green..no matter if your 5 cars back from the light. It falls under rushing and I don't like to be rushed.
Rude and Inconsiderate people. Life's too short to not be nice to one another. Traveling as much as I have has made me realize that a lot of people just don't take the time to be nice to one another anymore. It really is sad.

Which of the five senses would you say is your strongest?
Sight!

One thing that not a lot of people know you love to do?
Rebuild old motors

Mountains or Beach?
Mountains