Members In Action

A Labor of Dove

Women of the Land

Article by KRISTIN PARMA Photos courtesy of TWA

The smiles say it all. These ladies share not only their success but their enjoyment during TWA’s Women of the Land dove hunt. As anyone who has pulled down on a zigzagging Mourning Dove knows, bringing one down isn’t easy.

“Well, it’s done.” TWA member Emilie Brochon leaned down and picked up her first dove harvest, a Mourning Dove. The birds had been slow the first morning of the hunt but Emilie, a former Marine, was ever watchful and hit her target without hesitation.

As she looked at the bird her voice reflected a bit of a heavy heart. Then she looked at me with a big grin and said. “But, I am going to eat him!”

This past September, 20 female TWA members gathered in Albany, Texas, for the revival of the Texas Wildlife Association’s Women of the Land program (WOTL). Having completed its 16th year, the program combines information on land management with skill-based outdoor recreation in a venue that encour-

There’s no better way for people to bond than over a great meal, unless it’s in a hunting blind. TWA’s Women of the Land program allowed a group of ladies, some who were experienced hunters and others who were novices, to share a wonderful weekend in the dove fields.

A trip to the 5-Stand range gave participants in TWA’s Women of the Land dove hunt a chance to hone their shooting skills before heading out to the dove fields.

While enjoying the harvest at mealtime is an important part of the hunt, enjoying the awesome beauty of the outdoors makes the excursion complete.

“Such a unique group of people coming together to enjoy being outside and the fellowship it provides…getting my first dove was the cherry on top!”

— SaraBeth Boggan, new TWA member

ages Texas women to become active land managers, develop and hone their management skills, and network with other TWA members. This workshop focused on one of Aldo Leopold’s tools of wildlife management—the gun—and was an experiential dive into dove hunting, habitat, and ecology.

The first day began with introductions and moved straight into shotgun safety and best practices with TWA members Ricky Linex, Ryan Walser, and Tamara Trail at the helm. The steady wind where West Texas meets the Panhandle never ceased to blow and the sun was hot at the 5-stand range, but the ladies immediately bonded over the sport of busting clay pigeons. The day culminated in a wild game dinner featuring venison and wild boar sausages, panko-crusted pheasant, cast iron-seared duck, and unique wonton appetizers featuring dove cooked to medium rare perfection.

The next two days, hunts ended with several first-time harvests, giving the room to discuss processing techniques. Amanda Gobeli, TWA’s Conservation Education specialist and proprietor of the WOTL program, landed her first bird.

Many of the ladies were novice bird hunters, but they were in the company of experienced outdoors enthusiasts including members Misty Sumner and Rachel Bartoskewitz, who shared their love and passion for hunting heritage and TWA’s mission. Biologist Annaliese Scoggin shared her experience banding and monitoring dove for Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and led a discussion on dove ecology.

A big thank you goes out to the event sponsors: C1 Insurance, Triumph, Big Country Concierge Services, McKenna Quinn, and the welcoming community of Albany. It was a memorable weekend of outdoor connection that only a program like Women of the Land can provide.

So, what does it mean to be a Woman of the Land? I posed this question to the group and hope that they reflected on it as they progressed through the weekend.

For me, becoming a Woman of the Land isn’t something you attain by studying hard or passing an exam. It is not a tangible certificate I can put on my wall, but a commitment to continue to learn about, honor and connect with the land. It is uniting with women from all backgrounds and beliefs, not just those who are likeminded, and finding common ground to support one another. Programs like Women of the Land inspire me to continue to hone my crafts, mentor others where I can and connect with the wild around me.

TWA is planning to host more ladies-only events for our new and long-time dedicated members. Whether in the field or the classroom, or in combination, we look forward to ushering in more Women of the Land for years to come.

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Texas Wildlife Association

6644 FM 1102 New Braunfels, TX 78132 www.texas-wildlife.org (210) 826-2904 • FAX (210) 826-4933 (800) 839-9453 (TEX-WILD)