Guest Post: Debra Wright

Debra Wright

My daddy

My daddy hunted. I tagged along, jumping creeks, climbing fences, gathering bittersweet, enjoying all of nature, the woodsy smells, the fresh air, AND his company.

I lost him at a young age, and also lost those hunting opportunities. Years later, after a busy life of raising three daughters, I found myself searching for new interests to fill my time.

Seeing an ad that our local Quail Unlimited (now Quail Forever) chapter was hosting a wing-shooting clinic, I signed up. I took instruction, shot, broke clays, —and I was hooked!  It was just a few weeks later that I bought my first shotgun and became the first female member of the thirty-two year old chapter. Belonging to this organization has allowed me both personal hunting opportunities and the opportunity to introduce other girls and young women to hunting. It took me far too long to discover the fact that guys were having all the fun, and I spend a lot of time now spreading that word!   Our banquets now have many more women in attendance and our annual QF sponsored youth hunt now has several girls sign up each Fall.  Being a member if this organization and introducing and encouraging other women to become a part of the outdoors community has been a richly rewarding endeavor.  My involvement has helped me rediscover the awesome great outdoors as I enjoy the fun and comradery of our hunting community.

During a recent QF clay shoot, as I was taking my Benelli out of the case, my brother surprised me by showing up at the shoot.  He handed me a shotgun and said, “Here, shoot this.”

I had not seen it since I was a little girl, and with a flood of wonderful memories and tears streaming down my face, I yelled “PULL” and I busted that clay with my daddy’s shotgun.