Diaries of a Girls Pheasant Hunting Trip

"ROOSTER!"

That might not be the first thing you think you'll hear a group of women shouting on a girls trip but then again, this wasn't just any girls trip. This group of women—nearly all first-timers to hunting—were taking to the field to learn a new sport. But by the end of our few days, wading through fields of milo, we were giddy at the exclamation of that bird in flight, our eyes trained upward.

Our group of writers gathered in Emery, South Dakota for a "Never Have I Ever" introduction to upland hunting. I admit I may have snuck in under the wire, having pheasant hunted before, but it was fascinating to watch each participant bring their own wide-eyed enthusiasm to the endeavor. And I never tire of chasing birds, 20-gauge in hand.

Upon gathering at A1 Al's Pheasant Ranch, we each went to our rooms to discover what I quickly termed "Huntress Christmas" as Karen Butler of Shoot Like a Girl and her team had completely outfitted each of us with everything we would need for the week. From eye and ear protection to boots, we literally lacked for nothing.

I don't share this to say "hey, check out this swag!" but more to underscore that one of the obstacles to getting women in the field is actually answering the question "What do I wear?" The entire Shoot Like a Girl experience was just that: removing the obstacles to getting more women into the sport, which is growing at a strong clip. Organizations like Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever report that there are nearly two dozen Women on the Wing chapters with more than 100 events and over 800 participants across 25 states—and growing. Organizations like this are a welcoming way to try out the sport.

From there we took to the sporting clays course where Butler gave thorough instructions on gun and field safety. In my experience, I have found women to be entirely coachable in this sport. Tell us how, show us how, and we will follow those instructions—to a T. Curious as we are, we want to do it right and we want success.

Once in the field, we started the day with a moment of mindfulness—considering what brought us to this place, the sights, the sounds (dogs yipping, ready to hunt!), the smell of fields where pheasant awaited us. Butler knew that I had shot before and placed me in an outside lane, to catch any stray birds. I took the assignment seriously and took down the first rooster that flew overhead.

I wish you could hear the whoops and hollers of the other women, as they cheered. I could see the looks on their faces that said, "Hey, I can do this too!" And sure enough, field after field, every single one of us who wanted to get a bird, took one down.

For some, that moment of taking a rooster's life caused tears to well up—from excitement as much as for respect for the bird and the effort taken to make this all come together. There is the ranch family's commitment to the land, sustaining a way of life that is an unending dedication to conservation and proper land management. There are the dogs, bred and trained to do what they were meant to do. The ranch guides and Shoot Like a Girl leaders who equipped and positioned us for success.

Back at the lodge, we learned how to breast out our quarry, turning the meat into something we'd enjoy for dinner: pheasant pot pie. We collected tail feathers to take home. Later, we traded stories over bourbon and swapped photos of each of us with birds held aloft, victory on our faces.

It is true that I went for pheasants, certainly. I also went because I like seeing where curiosity takes people. On this trip, it brought a group of women to the prairie, some carrying experience, others beginning from the very first lesson. There was room for all of us.

The mission of Shoot Like a Girl is to empower women with confidence to participate in shooting sports.

Location: A1 Al's Pheasant Ranch, Emery, South Dakota

Learn More:

• A1 Al's Pheasant Ranch
• Travel South Dakota
• Shoot Like a Girl

All photos in the gallery below are courtesy of the author, Christiana Roussell.