Women of Inspiration - Ginger Morehead

Shoot Like a Girl is running a series of articles about women who inspire us to participate in shooting sports.  These women have achieved, or are in the process of achieving, legacy status in the industry.  Our featured Women of Inspiration come from the Pro-Staff shooters for Hunter Safety System, a company dedicated to ensuring the safety of all of us tree stand hunters.  We were able to get together with Ginger Morehead of Stayin’ Safe w/Jessie and Ginger for our second featured Woman of Inspiration in this series.

Ginger Morehead is definitely another girl that we should look to for inspiration.  A lifelong hunter, she has turned her passion into a thriving lifestyle, a winning career as a competitive archer and a television celebrity.   I had seen Ginger at archery tournaments, and spoken with her briefly before, but never to the level of our interview.  It was exciting for me to see another woman who is unapologetic about her desire to win…and when I say win, it isn’t to beat everyone else that she strives for, but to do her personal best, to continue to improve her skills.  Although, with all the wins she has, it is a question as to what next?  She has been Shooter of the Year 6 Times, World Champion 7 Times, National Triple Crown Champion 8 Times and won the NFAA Championships 10 times!  That is a lot of wins, and a ton of practice! 

Ginger started shooting when she was four or five.  She grew up on a ranch, where hunting was part of the lifestyle, her family hunted, including her mom and her sister.  She hunted with a bow when she was nine years old.  She had a Bear recurve bow, and took her fist doe.  In case you were wondering, her first harvest was with a gun at six years old!  During college Ginger was not that involved in shooting sports, but thanks to her sister, Madeline (who is a retired police officer and competed in the Police Olympics) a Christmas present of a bow, turned out to be the contributing factor to her success today.

Talking to Ginger about hunting was definitely inspiring too.  Like many of the ladies we have talked to, Ginger’s best hunting memories involve her family.  Her favorite adventures have been over the last several years while hunting and filming with her husband Jesse.  She likes to film him on camera.  She also isn’t afraid to say she likes the harvest.  She thinks hunting bear is a great time, and she killed a 150 inch buck - watching him come across the field and getting to share that experience with Jessie, well, when pressed that is the favorite experience so far.  I must say, her explanation of hunting summed it up, “It is a combination of both, sunrise, sunset, nature at its best, but the harvest is the icing on the cake.”  Returning to her very competitive side, she wants to get something.

Focusing on Hunter Safety System, she stresses the importance of wearing harness.  She says, “Every year more and more people that we know and more that we don’t know get hurt, and it is so sad because the equipment is there and people don’t take advantage of it.”  She adds, “Most important is the life line, it keeps you attached from time you leave the ground to when you get back to the ground.”   Ginger, a lifelong hunter, has luckily never fallen without her vest on.  She talked about two stories that could have resulted in injuries, but for the Hunter Safety Vest. 

Ginger’s recommended equipment list is quite long (you will see some of Shoot Like a Girl’s Sponsors here too)  Straight from Ginger:  “Hunter Safety System (I love the new Lady Pro Series!!); Mathews (The Jewel is the best lady's hunting bow ever!!); Muzzy (I use the 75 grain 3 blade Muzzy...love them!); Realtree (They have so many cute items for ladies!!); Easton (I hunt with the Axis 500...light and durable...great for low-poundage bows!!  I shoot 3D with the Lightspeed 500 for same reason!!); Bohning (They have small vanes for small arrows and in every color you can imagine!!); Viper (The best hunting sight and target scope on the market!!); and Millennium Treestands (the most comfortable stand you'll ever use!!)”

Ginger Morehead talked about the benefits to women who get involved in shooting sports.  She reminds us that shooting sports are a lifetime activity that can start real young and go into old age.  Shooting sports are an outstanding family activity that will give the entire family something they can do together.  More often than not, women are the most lacking of the family to participate, she disagrees that there is a stigma that it isn’t feminine, because nothing looks better than an armed woman.  Once women get into it they can teach their children.  When dad isn’t part of the family due to divorce or death, it is up to the moms to carry on traditions with their children.

If ladies are interested in getting involved, she recommends the need to go to a good reputable pro shop, especially with archery.  Visit with people who are educated to fit them to the right equipment.  Specialty Pro Shops will have someone to help ladies shoot, and give them good instructions.

When Ginger isn’t filming, competing or practicing she enjoys spending time with her family, fishing and watching their 11 year old son, Jacob wrestle and play football.  I asked Ginger if she has anything else she wanted to add to this article.  Her statement when I look back at my notes is so true.  She stated that there is an entire world out there that most women don’t know about (shooting sports).  She was blessed to get involved with Jesse and Susan Thomas Davis to get into the competition side in archery, rifle and pistol.  She states that the shooting sports world is waiting for us to enter and enjoy the rights the we’ve been given through our constitution; that the more we can get involved, the more we can stand up for our rights and protect them from being taken from us.  She stressed that competitive archery isn’t just for professionals, that there is a place for everyone, amateurs and beginners are welcome.  And even though she likes to compete to do her best, she ended that it really is not only about the competition, but the biggest part of it are the people and friends you make.  So get out there and have fun!   

Duck Hunting Summary by Brandi Butler

When I awoke on December 12, 2012, I was as excited as a child on Christmas morning!  That day was the day I was going to take my sister Tara on her first duck hunt.  She had been deer hunting for many years, but had never been on any kind of bird hunt.  It was approximately a 4 hour drive for us to reach Gregory, Arkansas…just 20 miles from Stuttgart, the world-famous duck capital.  As we were driving down the last rural county road to the lodge, we began to see the bean fields covered with feeding flocks of ducks. This got us excited for what would lie ahead! 

            When we arrived at the beautiful lodge for Bust-A-Duck guide service, we took a few minutes to play fetch with the owners dog while awaiting the arrival of the other ladies who would join our hunt. As everyone made their way in, we introduced ourselves and visited near the bonfire that had been prepared.  We discussed our expectations and excitement for the days that lay ahead. Tara and I gravitated to a  lady hunter named Amy, from Georgia, as this would also be her first time duck hunting. This of course helped my sister Tara not feel alone in her inexperience.

            We awoke that next morning at 4:30am, ate a small snack for breakfast, then began the long process of layering our hunting clothing and struggling into our neoprene waders.  As anyone knows who has done this, it can be quite a task! Finally everyone was dressed and ready. We loaded up the big, camo, 1980-something suburban (which we called the mud chariot) with our blind bags, snacks, and guns.  Just the idea of riding in that beast made us all smile!

            As we drove the fields through water and huge mud holes, the excitement was evident on everyone’s face. Upon reaching the blind, we exited the doors into knee deep water, grabbed our blind bags, removed our guns from the cases, and headed towards the blind through the mud.  What a perfect experience for first time duck hunters!  

            As we were getting situated in the blind, we watched our guide Matt place the decoys strategically in the water.  Waiting for shooting light, we told stories and educated each other on the sport of duck hunting.  At dawn, we could barely see the silhouettes of the ducks flying in the morning light. We were all very anxiously awaiting for our Matt to say “Ok ladies, load your guns”.  When he finally uttered those words, it was the best noise we could imagine. The clink of shells being loaded into 12 gauges…that makes a woman smile!

            Finally the time came, and we had a good group of 5 or 6 ducks flying in.  They committed to land and the guide Matt says, “Shoot, Shoot!” .  The blast of shotguns and smell of gunpowder filled the heavy air.  As the flock flew off, it became apparent no ducks were hit!  Tara, my sister,  decided she’d shoot at a straggler duck that was flying away from her at approx 40 yards.  One last 12 gauge blast, and our guide Matt exclaimed “Who shot that duck? That was awesome!“. Tara quickly confessed to shooting the duck through big smile on her face. I knew at that moment she would be hooked for life! 

            Our day only got better…  By 11:00am we five ladies had shot our limit of 30 ducks.  We had such a great success rate and excellent team work that day.  Smiles spread across everyone’s face as we arrived back at the lodge with our trophies from the day to warm food, great memories, and conversation for hours.

       As we loaded up on the last day  and said our goodbyes to the great women we had met and made friends with, I knew this would not be our last trip duck hunting. All Tara talked about on the ride home was duck hunting and what a great time she had.  I could not help but smile knowing that she had such a great experience and that I got to share that moment with her. I know one thing for certain, Tara and Amy will be members of the duck hunting community for the rest of their lives.  There is no greater feeling than seeing the joy and excitement on a new hunter’s face as ducks descend through golden morning light into gun range! 

 

NOTE:  Shoot Like A Girl teamed up with Babes Bullets and Broadheads to put on this duck hunt!

Nike Special Field Boot Review by Karen Butler

I was fortunate to receive a pair of Nike Special Field Boots (SFB) to use while shooting.  These boots were designed for tactical use by our military and first responders, but make an excellent cross over to a shooting and hunting boot.  My SFBs quickly became my go to boots for hiking, shooting, training, trade shows and most recently physical therapy! 

In training hard for my upcoming Elk Hunt with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s television show, Team Elk, I started getting a pain in my knee.  I went to an orthopedist who diagnosed me with Patella Femoral Syndrome (hurt knee).  This is not a big deal and can be corrected with physical therapy.  So, off to therapy I went.  I told my therapist that my knee hurt less in the Nike SFBs.  He was curious to see a boot that made a difference in my pain level, so I took them into my physical therapist.  After carefully examining the boots, he determined that these boots provided excellent support, and the design of the arch aided my stride so that my knee properly tracked, and would hurt less.

In honesty, I have never really given much thought to a dedicated shooting shoe based on performance; I’ve been more of a comfort kind of gal.  Who knew you could get both!  The Nike boot is ridiculously comfortable.  Even though I had to order a men’s size converted to a ladies size, the boot fits well.  The lacing system ensures that I get a snug fit, that isn’t too tight, and allows for the perfect fit.  Another favorite aspect is the boot is light, 15.9 ounces, and still provides support to my ankle, adds stability to my shooting stance and out performs my traditional hiking boot.

What I think is most unique about the Nike SFB, and what really does set it apart is the stability.  Not only in fit, but on uneven ground, it feels stable.  In a recent shooting competition, my fellow competitors were complaining about the ground being so rough and rocky, to the point that they were trying to stack up sticks to level the ground.  I stepped up to the stake, and no matter how the ground was, my stance felt solid and secure.  Even when taking a kneeling shot, it is amazing how the flexibility of the boot allows you to be strong in the shot.  I guess, that is really what I like most about the Nike boots, no matter the circumstances of the terrain, I am confident in the strength and stability in my shot that is enhanced by my Nike boots.

If you don’t have a pair of Nike boots on this year’s gear list, I highly recommend you not only add them to your must haves, you get them.  What you get in this boot, is a light weight, durable, performance designed and comfortable boot.   Visit http://store.nike.com for more information about the Nike Special Field Boot.

Test Flight Success Story by V. Jones

From V. Jones This is the exact message I sent Hoyt..."I really want to express how thankful I am that you support "Shoot Like A Girl". I am new to archery. Having no experience (and probably even if I had) I would never buy a bow with out trying it hands on. My husband and I drove over 2 hours to the Buckmaster Expo in Montgomery AL just to visit their booth. After hours of help and shooting about 14 different bows I reached the decision that the Hoyt Carbon Element was the bow for me. Yesterday we drove to our local Hoyt dealer to order it. The total with tax was over $1400, an amount 3X what I was hoping to spend on a bow but I'm so thankful to Karen Butler, her help, and your sponsorship so that I could test the bow. My only wish is that there was an organization like this for left-handers. My husband has a cheap, low end PSE simply because it was the best of only 3 left handed bows he could find to test. Where I bought my bow they had a left handed Mathews Helim that he REALLY likes a lot better than his current bow. My second choice was a Mathews bow (the Jewel) so I can understand why he likes it so much. But we both feel that if he could only try the Carbon Element he could experience why I liked it so much that i was willing to spend twice the cost of the Mathews. But there's now way we can afford another $1400 just to test it. He has called all of the dealers in the 200 mile radius with no success. Any advice for where he could test a left handed carbon element?"”

Why Wear Hunting Clothes That Fit?

It is getting near that time again….Hunting Seasons will start around the country.  The anticipation I have is the same feeling I had when I was a kid and got excited for Santa Clause to bring me great stuff (not coal)!  Now is the time to make sure you have the gear that is going to make your hunting experience comfortable and strategic to offer the best chance of getting that big buck. 

For women being comfortable in the field has been a long time coming in the industry, but finally there are several companies that offer women’s hunting clothes that actually conform to our body types.  In the past, many of us have worn hand-me-downs, kids’ gloves, oversized jackets and men or boys’ pants.  We looked like a rag-a-muffin tromping into the woods, but we were happy to be hunting.  Often, due to the disproportionate fit of our clothes, we were uncomfortable…cold because wind would blow up our jackets, plus there was that Michelin man effect of being so bulky we felt like we couldn’t move…I honestly don’t know how we pull back our bows in all that extra bulk, but we did!  All that is behind us now, because we can find clothes specifically cut for women from manufacturers like Próis, and companies like Her Camo Shop, where they have most every (if not every) garment made specifically for women!  These two companies recognize that women have unique physical needs in the fit of our hunting clothes, and they do fit.  Not only do these clothes provide comfort and enhance our ability in the field, they also look great!

Looking great, however, for a hunter is secondary to the strategic performance of the outfit in the field.  Did you know that deer can rotate their ears to the back their head to listen, and they can see on both sides and to their front?  They can…they’ve heard and seen me lots of times in my rag-a-muffin outfit. That’s why clothes that fit are vital to our hunt.  The snugger the clothes are to our body, the less noise we’ll make.  We can actually turn our head, raise our weapon and shoot without the extra noise from the fabric of clothes that are too big rubbing together.  Deer can see motion, so less bulk also means less movement to be seen.  Hiking and tracking becomes much easier with clothes that fit too!  When clothes fit, and we are on a blood trail through the woods on our hands and knees crawling through the thicket, we won’t get hung up on the branches because of oversized clothing.  This personally has happened to me, and it is frustrating to feel like that kid from A Christmas Story that gets stuck on his back after being knocked down, but no more.  We now have choice in clothes that fit.

Shoot Like A Girl Photo Shoot

Thanks to all our friends who took time out of a VERY hot day, to take this picture with us!  It is one of my favorite pictures!  All the girls look amazing, it was a ton of fun!  Thanks Ladies!

The Joy of a Gun Dog by Todd Butler

I love wing shooting.  And while I enjoy all aspects of the sport, the look and feel of a fine shotgun, the tradition and style of the clothing and equipment, perhaps my greatest pleasure is watching the gundogs work, whether a Brittany, an English Pointer, a German Shorthair or a Heinz 57 mutt .  It never fails to amaze me when I see the dogs working a field, using all of their god-given instincts and abilities in the hunt.  The joy they take in the work is evident in the happy barks, the furious wagging of the tail, the bounding joy as they work a field and the intensity in their eyes.  Numerous great outdoor writers such as Charlie Waterman and George Bird Evans wrote most eloquently of this joy.  If you have never enjoyed their works I highly encourage you to seek them out.  They sum up beautifully the special qualities of the gundog and the special relationship between people and their hunting dogs. 

Over the years I have been fortunate to hunt over some excellent dogs, but I never really had the opportunity to have such a partner to call my own.  This last year Karen and I took steps to correct this when we chose Casey, our German Shorthair pup, or rather when Casey chose us.  Once the choice is made the possibilities are limitless and all gundog people dream big about the future.  For me there is something exciting about looking for that special animal whether it is a dog or a horse.  You are choosing a companion for life, someone you hope will be a good partner in the field.  And no matter how much research you do into bloodlines and performance records it is all a bit of a crapshoot, because you can never measure the heart.  “You can’t put in what God left out” to quote a famous someone who escapes me now.  There is always that intangible quality that no amount of training can create.  But how do you make those possibilities a reality?  Where to start?  You can read countless books and view DVDs by the thousand but unfortunately dogs can’t read and they lose interest quickly in television.  So while you may understand the process, your hunting partner only has instinct and your ability to teach to rely upon.  Most of us attempt to train our own gundogs with varying degrees of success.  At some point the dog stops learning good habits and things quickly become frustrating for both partners.  Perhaps you need to find a professional trainer.  Who do you chose? 

There is an old saying in horse racing, “Any trainer can make a great animal good but it takes a special trainer to make a good animal great.”  I believe this holds true with dogs as well.  With all of this in mind, Karen and I made the choice to send Casey to a professional trainer, Mr. Chuck Tash of Tash Kennels in Florence, Alabama.  We were very fortunate to find Chuck.  He is a man who truly enjoys what he does and does it well.  Over the course of his career he has trained numerous National Shoot To Retrieve Association (NSTRA) Champions and the 2003 National Quail Invitational Champion, Tash’s Lulu.  He works from daylight until dark with Bird Dogs and Labs seven days a week, and clearly loves his job.  He only keep 10-15 dogs to train at a time because he wants to give special attention to the dogs he is working with at the kennels.  He trains each dog based on the particular dog's temperament and level of maturity.  He has hunted in many states and has trained field trial and hunting dogs for customers throughout the United States.  Perhaps most important for us and for Casey, he has considerable experience with dogs from the Elk River Rex bloodline.  This proved invaluable as he understands her weaknesses and strengths and is able to work through and develop them.  He also has seemingly limitless patience with people and the ability to pass on his knowledge.  Too frequently both are rare commodities. 

Casey was 11 months old when Karen delivered her to Chuck.  She understood basic commands such as sit, stay, come (although that was usually dependant upon the number of birds flying at any given time) and was retrieving her Kong to hand.  She had also been exposed to quail and pheasant wings and a dummy quail with scent.  However she was also somewhat spoiled what with sleeping in the house (usually on our bed) and a tendency to ignore commands when focused on birds or flies.  Chuck told us he wanted to keep her for a week or so to evaluate her.  His main concern was that we not waste our money on training if she was not going to hunt.  After two weeks he let us know that she was making progress and was pointing.  He continued to work with her.  In September he asked us to come out and visit so that we could view her progress.  Karen went as I was unfortunately not able to.  And the excitement was evident in her voice as she described the moment when Casey pointed the first bird and then retrieved it straight away.  It was a wonderful moment.  Chuck continued to work with Casey giving us regular updates on her progress.  Last week we determined that she was ready to come home.  Chuck said that she was pointing and retrieving consistently, as well as backing and honoring when other dogs were on point.  He recommended giving her a break, hunting her gently and then bringing her back for additional work when she had some more maturity.

On Wednesday morning Karen and I went out to pick her up at Chuck’s place.  This would also my first opportunity to hunt with her.  I brought my 20 gauge Fausti side by side and my hunting vest along with a new Tri-Tronics electric collar for Casey.  I can’t describe the feeling as I watched Casey begin to work, hunting for the quail in the field, scenting hard and working back and forth across it.  Then she froze on point, quivering just a little as I moved forward to flush the bird.  As the bird broke into the sky my heart was in my mouth and I over shot the bird.  Casey did her job but I had missed the shot.  Oh well that’s hunting right.  Quietly cursing myself I watched as Casey went back to work…back and forth, nose and tail going furiously.  After 7 or 8 minutes she again froze on point.  This time I made sure to pause just a second and get everything right in my mind before flushing the bird.  I hit the quail with my first barrel this time cleanly dropping it about 20 meters out.  Casey immediately went to the fallen bird and retrieved it straight to my eager hands.  What a moment!  To actually have the dream of a hunting partner of my own become a reality was grand.  The only thing better was the realization that it was only the first of many such moments we will share over the coming years.   

Tash Kennels-Chuck Tash

(256) 70-9546

Florence, Alabama

E-Mail Address: tashkennels@hughes.net