Zero knowledge
Growing up on a lifestyle block north of Auckland, hunting wasn’t part of my life. I had no exposure to it—just jokes about air rifles left on the sofa when being collected by my boyfriend, and a few BB gun mishaps with my brother where I was generally used for target practice. While we had farm animals and home-kill meat, words like deer stalking, duck shooting, or pig hunting were never in my vocabulary.
Fast forward to today, and up until a few months ago, I’d never even fired anything that wasn’t a nerf gun or filled with bubble mixture or water.
Zero understanding.
When I joined the Wild Chix Intro to Hunting course, I had no idea what to expect. It turned out to be a journey of self-discovery I am not sure I was entirely prepared for, nor did I understand how empowering it would feel to be surrounded by women who were keen learners like myself. I didn’t know the lingo, how to read the bush, or how to stay safe in the wild. As someone with a Biological Science degree, I was surprised to learn how destructive the deer population is to New Zealand’s native forests. Most of my past bush walks were on well-worn paths, where the destruction of invasive mammals is more apparent with traps set for possums, stoats and rats. Deer however, don’t like humans as much as we like to eat them, so I guess they like to stay well hidden.
Zero experience
Before Wild Chix, I had no experience with guns or hunting. There was possibly even a little fear of them, mixed with a deep respect. Growing up, my kids had toy guns, but they were never allowed to point them at people (something that was ingrained in me since my childhood). So you can imagine the excitement when I was in the bush being, led by an accomplished huntress in her own right, and allowed to carry a rifle (not loaded, safety on!) and I saw my first batch of deer poop. The scientist in me frothed out about this the most I think. Learning about what it looks like, the differences between age and sex based on these little droppings, and most importantly I learnt how to gauge how fresh it is by the colour and texture.
Zero confidence
As a mum of four, running a home, earning various certifications, and my name on a few trophies at our gamefish club, I might seem confident, but walking into a new yoga class or sitting alone watching my kids swimming lessons leaves me sweating. Confidence is something you may assume I have in bucketloads, but for me it’s a huge case of “fake till you make it”. Often with a little help from my friends or some liquid courage! Being a keen fisherwoman, and working with many different men in my lifetime it is so easy as a female to step aside and “let the men handle it”. It takes one disapproving look, one harsh word or raised voice, one miniscule amount of blame as to why something went wrong, and you’ll see me handing over the helm faster than you can blink. The fear of making mistakes is huge for me and many other women, so finding the confidence to say screw it, screw you, I messed up but I will keep trying, is damn hard in a male dominated space.
That is why Wild Chix, women teaching women is so incredible. To have a safe space to take aim, miss the shot, struggle with a loaded the gun… And to ask questions and not feel ridiculed or stupid. The confidence I had in this group of women went from a fake it till you make it stance, to “sure I’ll stick my head in the gut cavity of a deer and flip it over my head…”. I didn’t do it right first pop, but it was hilarious and there was no judgement, just encouragement. I tried again and got the job done eventually, much to everyone’s delight.
Zero Skills
When I would think about hunting, I would always have this thought – you’re not smart enough or strong enough to do that. That I would miss the target, panic when the time came to pull the trigger. I had no skills when it came to firearms, hunting, or even being in the bush. The only skill I possessed was knowing about the safety. Without Isabell and the Wild Chix huntresses, I would have 100% gotten myself lost. It’s that mentality we have as a species of “she’ll be right’ (largely inherited from the male species I am aware) that left me standing in the Kaimanawa Forest on dusk, night quickly closing in, walking in circles because I forgot to take note on my tracker where we entered. It simply wasn’t even a thought that I had – because I didn’t even know I needed too. The lesson that I learnt from that moment was one of “oh shoot… I will never do that again.”. Luckily for me, I had a group of girls who had my back. The best part of that? Not a single person there told me I was an idiot. There was no sniggering or mocking. It was simply a case of giggles and “shivers, I’d have done that too…”.
Zero Opportunity
As I mentioned earlier, I grew up on a farm. The exposure that I had in the area of hunting was lacking, and I recently discovered from a dear old uncle of mine that it was not because my family lacked the knowledge. Part of me wonders if it was due to my sex – I did also love all the animals, and for me it’s a fine line between heartless huntress and vicious vegan. I think I’ve managed to find middle ground in my older years, but it still begs the question, why was I never allowed to go hunting when I was younger?
I think as a girl, there is that assumption made that we squeal to loud, talk too much, and are just generally annoying af. If I was ever offered the opportunity as kid to go bush and hunt, I probably would have been left in a field picking wild flowers, so I can’t really blame my family for not introducing me to that world back then. But the moment I showed interest in it, it certainly wasn’t embraced.
Wild Chix is a place where you can get that opportunity to simply try. To be there and not have fight your way through derogatory comments or judgement. I am so glad I went. I learnt so much about myself and the whenua we call home <3
The Into to Hunting course took all of my fear, and crafted it into something so special. A kernel of power, of light, within me, that with time and care will become something that I never could have imagined. And now I can share that with my children, and the light will be passed from my generation to the next.
This journey, which started with zero knowledge and confidence, has evolved into a deep understanding of hunting, conservation, and sustainable living. It’s been empowering to learn alongside other women in the Wild Chix community, and I’m excited for the path ahead. What began as "zero" is now full of endless possibilities.
