Last weekend, I had the absolute pleasure of accompanying Issy and Kate to the YTG Ladies Hunting Weekend, hosted by the incredible Rachel at her farm in Taranaki. In the lead-up, I won’t lie, there were many mixed feelings about who, what, how, why, when… I was nervous about showing up to this event that was packed full of accomplished huntresses with absolutely ZERO knowledge of hunting or firing guns. Imposter syndrome was real, and I wondered to myself more than once – why are you doing this, Shanel?
I have always had an affinity for guns, being in the bush, and I liked the IDEA of feeding my family with meat I had hunted myself, yet I was always of the opinion I wouldn’t be able to pull the trigger at the critical moment. Add these feelings with a little emotional dysregulation, a sprinkle of anxiety, new people, new places, and I can tell you, I tried to cancel on this trip a few times…
Fast forward to the night before we were off – I honestly packed, unpacked, repacked, and stressed over all the things I would need, didn’t have, or may have left behind. Please remember, ya gal here is an organizer by nature; I usually pack for myself, my three kids, and the animals, so packing for just me felt totally off. Not knowing what to expect was even harder. Which is how I probably ended up carrying a fallow deer out of the bush in white leggings. Hahahahaha, it was completely unintentional, but great for dramatic effect, covered in blood and courage. :)
We arrived in Taranaki, one of the three regions in New Zealand I’d never visited before, so I was pretty excited. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with smiles and warmth from the woolshed. The music was playing, a roast dinner was being served, and some of my unease started to fade as we were greeted by the gals tying leaders to hooks for an evening eeling mission. Always the fisher girl, this definitely made me feel less like a fish out of water! I did, however, hang back as I still certainly felt intimidated by these gorgeous women – and I didn’t want to come off too strong with the whole “omg, let’s be besties because the things that excite you excite me too!” So, I just watched and enjoyed easing into the company of these ladies. It was hilarious—and the best bonding exercise! Anna, Steph, and I gave it our best shot, but we couldn’t quite manage to wrangle ourselves a dangling drain-dwelling princess to swipe the eel out onto the bank like the other girls… The things you do to land the big one, right? Eels in the bag, we headed back up to the shed to plan for the next day.
I am a yes girl by nature, a natural people-pleaser with mad FOMO, so I quickly agreed to join the hunting group the next morning, pushing aside my nerves. Kate on the rifle, Ella and Rach taking us to the hunting grounds, Isabell and I along for the ride. We were up before dawn, with strict orders to leave phones on silent and avoid slamming car doors—my first time being voluntarily quiet (iykyk).
It was cold, misty, and breathtaking. As the sun rose over the rolling paddocks, we crept past Mr. Bull and down to the forest edge. There were turkeys gobbling, paradise ducks squawking, sheep on the ridgeline, and the wind was “up our asses” to top it all off. One of these things is apparently bad, but add them all together, and it makes for less-than-ideal conditions for deer stalking. My hopes of actually seeing a hunt in action were dwindling, and fast. Kate and Rach had gone ahead, and unbeknownst to the rest of us, they had spotted a deer, set up the shot beyond the ridge, and it wasn’t until she fired that I fully grasped what was happening. It was fast, and my brain needed a moment to catch up. I looked over at the forest with enough time to see the other deer in the herd before they ran off! It was pretty special.
I think that was when I realized I could handle this hunting thing. I grew up on a farm, where I watched the animals I raised become food. That connection to them never turned me vegan, but it did give me a deep respect for where food comes from. When I saw that spika on the ground, helping to gut and carry it out, I realized my connection to this animal was different. I wasn’t attached in the way I thought I’d be. I was just grateful it gave its life to feed my family. No emotional struggle, no “Bambi moment” – just understanding that this was pest control and putting food on the table. It felt real, purposeful, and right.
While we were out deer stalking, the rest of the crew went on a goat mission and came back around 9 a.m. with one in tow! Now that we had our meat for the weekend, it was time for some target practice. Apparently, I'm not half-bad with a .22… lying down, at least. Standing definitely needs a bit more work—and probably a few more gym sessions.
Then it was on to shotguns, and man, did that make my heart happy. There’s nothing quite like missing a clay bird, then hitting the next one and watching it shatter into a thousand pieces in the air. After a couple of hours, a box of clays, and countless rounds, we headed back to the woolshed to help process the meat.
Chloe was there to supervise us with the sharp knives and gave me a lesson on where all my steak comes from. Who knew eye fillet wasn’t from behind the eye? (This is the same girl who, well into her 30s, thought chicken nibbles came from tiny baby chickens!) But seriously, it was so enlightening—growing up on a farm, I’d seen animals strung up, but I never really understood which part was which: sirloin, eye, rump… all new to me.
Once all the meat processing was done, Farm Rach and Anna set off on the quad to prep our Amazing Race-style farm challenge. It was a really cool way to see Taranaki farmland racing to win the cup! There was so much thought and planning that went into this weekend, and Rach was the perfect host. I am so grateful that I was allowed into this circle of ladies, and she holds space for the newbies to join. Bonfires, prize-giving, and giggles closed out the night… and chats on the dag bag with Ella seemed like a perfect ending.
The whole weekend was a mix of learning, laughter, and pushing myself way out of my comfort zone. There was no reception, lots of women, and pouring rain. But there was also Paula with her warm smile and pink cup, and Soph and Erleen—my fellow gluten-free girls. It’s rare to find someone to share snacks with in the wild, so I was pretty stoked they were in my boat.
One of the top five things I love most in this world is learning new things, so I was like a little sponge soaking up all the good vibes and lessons this amazing group of ladies had to offer. It was completely foreign to me, as most of the learning environments I’ve been in have been male-dominated—being a skipper, a game fisher, and a lover of the farm and bush. But to experience firsthand the camaraderie of a group of women, where there was no judgment, no dumb questions, and no criticism from my fellow huntresses, was incredibly empowering. In that moment, I realized how truly special Wild Chix is. I’ve always been able to offer my knowledge to women in the marine space and be that open door for them, but it wasn’t until this weekend that I fully grasped just how powerful and special that really is.
On the final stretch home, we went to bed early, woke up early, packed up in the pouring rain, and went home with a heart full of pride, love, and a newly unlocked passion. Thank you so much, Isabell, for opening my eyes to this world and holding my hand as I stepped into it for the first time. You’re the absolute best. And I love that you give these opportunities to other fledgling huntresses. Best ever. S xxx
