Growing up, I’d wake up every Saturday morning to my dad watching a hunting TV show on television. This helped lay the foundation for hunting becoming one of my passions, and my biggest dream was to be on the Outdoor Channel, hunting with my dad, and maybe having my own show one day. When my dad called last year and asked if I would be interested in grouse hunting with the Ruffed Grouse Society on the Sportsman Channel with Angler and Hunter TV, I quickly said yes! I then spent the next few months talking about it incessantly with my dad and my boyfriend. When the day finally arrived, we went up to Kapuskasing, Ontario, where we met with people from the Ruffed Grouse Society. There were some familiar faces, and some new ones, but by the end of the weekend, we were all friends. The next morning, we headed out bright and early down a logging road.
Angler and Hunter TV – Our Favorite Hunting TV Show
At our first stop, Mike Miller, the host of Angler and Hunter TV, gave us a quick rundown of how everything would go for the opening scene and told us where to stand. That was pretty much the only “directing” we were given all day, with the rest of the show being natural. Before that day, I’d not been grouse hunting before, but now I believe grouse hunting might be one the easiest types of hunting for first-timers. At the first couple of spots, we all hunted as a group, but eventually split into two groups to allow us to cover more ground. There were a couple of missed birds throughout the day, but the crew was very supportive and kept going.
I was used to dogs that flush, but on this hunt, I was introduced to pointing dogs. They would run ahead of us, searching for scent. When they come across a grouse, they would freeze. One of the dogs had a beeper on her collar that would make a noise when she was on point. The hunters could just follow the noise right to the bird. In my opinion, this was a beginner-friendly type of bird hunting because most of the time, the birds were in trees or on the ground. When using flushing dogs, the birds will fly up, and you need to be quick and be a good shot. That day I hit the limit I could take. Nikki, another hunter from my hometown, collected two grouse, and Joe, the other hunter who joined us, took three. After that introduction to grouse hunting, I can’t wait to go again.
Behind the scenes, the show was not what I expected. I thought there’d be a ton of equipment, lights, big cameras, and a large crew, but there was nothing crazy about the setup. Each of us wore a microphone, and there was just one dedicated cameraman, although Mike had a small camera with him to record another point of view. Everything depicted on the show actually happened; there was no “movie magic” added in the editing process. The idea behind the show was to give youth the opportunity to go grouse hunting in Northern Ontario and to be able to show viewers how inclusive grouse hunting is to all ages and experience levels.
Getting More Youth into Hunting
In between hunts, I took a moment to sit down with Miller to talk about the show and youth hunting. He hopes to get more youth into hunting and show the importance of the sport. Small game hunting is the easiest to get into and the most beginner-friendly. Mike has been hunting grouse since he was 12, and his daughter August has been hunting all types of game since she was 12.
Mike holds a competition for young apprentice hunters where the winner gets a chance to hunt alongside him. Even though some kids don’t have opportunities through their parents, they can still become involved. Turkey, deer, bear, duck, and small game are all very attainable for young and new hunters. In Ontario, you can get a hunting license without needing a mentor at age 16.
I asked August her opinion about women getting into hunting, and she noted that when looking at the people applying for the apprenticeship opportunity, they’re mostly boys. In her experience, girls usually don’t have anyone to get them started hunting, and their families often don’t support the idea. These have also been common issues for people I’ve talked to. We need to find a way to ensure that females who want to hunt are given the same opportunities as men. Young people need to know that hunting is achievable, and those who want to be involved can be and should be. Hunting has opened many opportunities for me, and nothing compares to sitting peacefully in the woods, watching and listening to nature and life happening around you.
Hunting as a Bridge to a Career
At my recent college graduation, Canadian Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Jones was presented with an honorary degree and spoke about her life. The part of her speech that stuck with me the most was her describing how, as a youngster, she was shy and reserved. Though serious about curling, she didn’t know how far she would take the sport until she shifted her mindset to “Why not me?” With that mindset, she became a gold medalist in the 2014 Olympics, a two-time world champion, and won the Canadian Curling Championship six times. She went from a shy girl to being on television multiple times with her team, eventually becoming a sports broadcaster on TSN.
Many in the audience were thinking about how this powerful mindset could take them on to more education or farther in their career; I was thinking about my dreams as a kid. Why couldn’t I appear on more tv shows? Why couldn’t I have my own TV show one day? Because I’m standing in my own way.
That speech inspired me to take the necessary steps to move myself forward. Like Jones, I was shy, and now I have made one step, being on a television show as I dreamed when I was young. I came away thinking “Why not me”. Why can’t I have a hunting tv show one day? For now, I will follow my other dreams like following in my father’s footsteps and writing stories about my outdoor experiences.
My hope is that others will take the same approach when wanting to take up hunting. For any youngster wanting to get into hunting, ask yourself what’s standing in your way? If you don’t have anyone to mentor you, hold onto your dream for a few more years. At 16, you can get your license and experience for yourself the beauty and rewards of a hunting lifestyle. This, in turn, could lead you in many directions you may have never thought of. Why not you? It’s never too late, and you are never too old. Hunters are the most welcoming community I’ve ever been a part of. We’re all eager and willing to share our experiences and our passion for the activity we love so much.
