Hell of a night. Hell of a season. (pics added)

[DonBo]

I met Katrina early this spring. She attended a Bowhunter Ed Class I'm involved with. She was the one who asked all the questions and was very interested in the equipment and shooting part more than anything.

During a break, I usually do a quick 10 minute Turkey Seminar. She again was the the most interested and asked lots of questions. We met again at my archery club during a Becoming an Outdoors Women (BOW) shoot we host. I got to shoot with her that day, and for a novice she was very good. The next day she came to our public shoot and must have shot a thousand arrows, all the while asking and learning. It was then she told me she was drawn for a DNR sponsored mentored turkey hunt. I had already commited to a BOW hunt that same weekend or I would have gotten to hunt with her. We stayed in touch and somewhere along the way I said if she got an archery tag and it lasts for so long that I'd take her hunting some day. Well last night was that day.

We met yesterday afternoon and on the ride to our hunting spot I tried to convey how poor her chances were because of the lateness of the season and the weapon she chose to hunt with. She was not concerned as she just wanted to enjoy some time outdoors.

We got comfortable in my Double Bull blind as I showed her the calls and how to use them. Much sooner than expected, a hen came right into our field and spent some time feeding before drifting away. A great start. Before long several other hens came and left, maybe 5 or 6 total. I knew there were two toms who use this field regularly and I was surprised that none showed with all the hens around.

Just before sunset I looked out my side window and there's a tom coming right in. Fast! He's coming right along the edge of the woodsline we're set up in. OMG, pandimonium as she's trying to quickly get ready on this longbeard, when she clips on her release she askes: How far? 32 yards.....18.....13....CHUNK! She shoots and pinwheels him! He flips upside down and sprints for the woods. Gone in half a second. OMG Katrina, you got him!!!!

He ran into some tall grass surrounded by thick brush. She was sick because she expected him to drop. I tried to explain that's not how it works with archery tackle. We started looking along the edge of the brush when I spoted him laying in the grass not 15 yards for the decoys -stone dead.

We danced and laughed and high fived and hugged. She was so excited she ever cried a lttle. Other than a grouse she ground balled last fall with a little .410, this was her very first kill of any kind. What a night!

That's five for five out of my blind this spring with the BOW hunt still to come this weekend. A great season indeed.

[reinhard1]

wonderfull story with a great ending. good luck.

[Jarrid Houston]

Very fantastic story Don! Awesome mentorship!

[sticknstring]

Congrats to Katrina! Congrats to the teacher!

[IlliniWalli]

thats awesome!!! big congrats to both you!!!!

i'd say katrina is gonna be hooked for life on turkey hunting!!!

[mws4dux]

Great story. Congrats to both!

[Shu]

Awesome!

[frostbite]

way to go don GREAT hunt, it's always nice to to get new people into the outdoors im sure she is hooked for life can't wait to see the smiles on your faces keep it up 6 for 6 ?? good luck/skills dice N ice

[Gordie]

WOW Don you are defintaly getting the work out in the Karma dept. and Congrats Katrina on your first of what somunds like many turkeys to come.

You were so lucky to learn from a Master turkey hunter.

[Wallydog]

Very well done Don & K!

WD

[ANYFISH2]

Fabulous bird and hunt, congrates to Katrina!

Only if there were more like you Don, congrates to you also.

[mrklean]

Great job don

[DTro]

Very Cool!!

[Archerysniper]

WTG Don And WOOOHOOO. Good luck tomorrow and hope you can get one of the ladies a bird tomorrow. I will be across the road from those bean fields tomorrow morning or Sunday. Those 4 tom's are still hanging around their. Don't let them shoot the one with the bald spot I have some redemption to get on him.

[S.D. Ice Angular]

Very Nice!!

How old is the young gal??

[Sifty]

Nice work Don.

Sifty

[Abndoc]

awesome!

[Scoot]

Good for her! ...and Don, good for you!!! What an awesome story. You a wonderful advocate for archery Don!

[DonBo]

Very Nice!!

How old is the young gal??

I ain't askin! Guessin' mid 20's

[klee]

Great story, love the pictures! I would like to see more women participate in these kind of sports. I think the mentor programs are the best.

[bmc]

GREAT job Don!!!! Way to pass it on!!!!

Brian

[rkhinrichs]

NICE!!

[paceman]

Wow! great story and pictures!

[engfish]

While I agree with Spike that your title was "unusual," I have to also weigh in and say that it brought a tear to my eye. While I have tried unsuccessfully to get my daughters (early 20's) to hunt, I have brought one of them out to bowhunt with me. She really enjoyed the peacefulness of the evening hunt--until it got dark--but she did acknowledge that it was "fun" to be out there, even though we didn't see a deer that evening.

It occurred to me about a month ago that she might enjoy shooting a bow. A lot of recent press related to The Hunger Games movie talked about increased interest in archery due to the prominence of its female protagonist and her archery skills. In Minnesota, interest in archery for both boys and girls has been high well before the release of the movie.

I don't want to pressure her into hunting, but if she learned to shoot a bow properly and safely, it would give the option down the road of hunting. Reading your story, Don, reaffirmed that my thought was a good one. I'd love to see a picture--someday--of my daughter baggging her first turkey.

As Scoot earlier stated, you are indeed a great mentor for the sport. You are a great role model to all of us to get more people--especially girls and women--into the outdoors.

[Hoyt4]

All I have to say is awesome. Great story.