My mission in creating this blog is to share my experiences with others and how much fun I have fishing & hunting. Yes, I hope to share tips & tricks, but more-so open discussions to gain new perspectives and knowledge. My biggest mission is to promote wildlife conservation and eventually, I hope to establish an outreach program for women who want to try out hunting & fishing!
Jigs and Bigs Fishing Report: 05/15/2023
Okay, so it’s Monday NOT Thursday, but when life gets in the way of routine you just gotta roll with it, right? And there is no way we could skip a week of the fishing report! Here’s the latest from the JigHeads! Tim only hit Quabog one time for a big boat tournament this past Sunday reporting that the water temperature was 64 degrees while the air…
Keep reading
Katy’s First Deer
There is absolutely nothing like harvesting your first deer. The rush, the adrenaline, the tears. Now, that all still remains the same any time I have harvested any animal, but there is nothing like that of the first. It makes all the hard work, mistakes, ugly tears, and being overtired for days or weeks on end worth it. At the end of the 2022 season, my mom…
Keep reading
Jigs and Bigs Fishing Report:10/06/22
It seems that summer just decided to dip out real quick this year. The temperatures have been cold, we have even had frost at our house already up here in the hilltowns. Tim got out on the Connecticut River in Hinsdale NH for their end of year championship tourny. He reports that they chose to search out smallmouth bass and were able to put 19.84 lbs in…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – August 2022
Back in May I was gearing up to go out on a fishing trip out of Boston in search of Striped Bass. We had booked the trip well in advance through a women’s outdoors group, and there were 4 of us slotted to go. Last minute, someone was unable to go due to COVID and we desperately wanted to fill their spot. It just so happened that…
Keep reading
Everyone Needs a Cheefu
When I was young I couldn’t pronounce Christopher, so my cousin become Cheefu. To this day, that’s his contact name in my phone. A few weeks ago I did something I rarely EVER do, I upgraded some gear with a “new to me” bow. I had been shooting the same bow since I was 16 and it was time. I even got myself a new target so…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – July
My blog has continued to grow, and my favorite part of this is being able to connect with amazing people on social media who share my passion and love for the outdoors. I came across Rachel’s page on Instagram over a year ago, and I absolutely LOVE seeing all of her photos and videos. You can follow her too on Instagram and Facebook! She resides in NJ…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – June
Back in December I posted on a few fishing groups to see if anyone wanted to get together to do some ice fishing, and that’s how I met Vikki. We chatted briefly online and said heck ya, let’s set it up! So, low and behold, Vikki traveled to Western Mass and I met her and her boyfriend at one of my favorite ice fishing spots. We hit…
Keep reading
No Turkey? No Problem.
It’s been a while since I have had time to sit down and really write something from the heart, especially as it pertains to hunting and fishing. Last weekend I was sitting by a fire on Lake Bomoseen in Castleton Vermont and I got to reflecting on my turkey season. Funny, if someone asked me to pick one animal to hunt for the rest of my life…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – April 2022
It’s insane to believe that April has officially come to an end. The good news is, that means another Wild Woman spotlight! There is NOTHING I love more than when a new woman reaches out wanting to talk about hunting or fishing. Megan reached out to me on FB about a largemouth I caught this past ice fishing season, after I posted a photo on one of…
Keep reading
Jigs and Bigs Fishing Report: 04/07/22
This week has had the weather all over the place, and although the bite hasn’t been super consistent it’s still there! Here in the Hilltowns one of our favorite small ponds was stocked and my brother managed to catch 2 rainbows off the bottom with some pink powerbait. He and our cousin also tried their luck bank fishing on the CT River where dace and a few…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – March 2022
Meet Jade. She lives in Quebec and is a Victims Services Coordinator. She is a big microbrewery fan. She also loves to travel around the world and taste different kinds of beer. Hail to Porter, Stout and Brown Ale ! I came across Jade’s profile when she submitted a photo for one of my favorite women’s hunting groups and won cover photo for the month. She is…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – February
This month’s Wild Woman Spotlight is all about fishing, and I could not be more excited to share her story! Meet Emilee, she lives in Northwestern Iowa and has been fishing for about 11 years. She says it herself, she’s addicted to fishing! Emilee, thank you for being so willing to share your story with us. Check out her journey, and look at all her awesome catches!…
Keep reading
Why?
There’s always some sort of level of surprise when I meet someone for the first time and they find out that I love to hunt and fish. Most recently, I met some new people through my dad and after chit chatting for a while one of them made a comment about how he had seen pictures and heard stories but “you really seem to know your stuff”.…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – January ’22
Meet Layla. She lives in Southwest VA and she has a huge amount of passion for the outdoors! Earlier this month Layla posted a photo collage on one of the women’s hunting groups that I follow showing all of her harvest for 2021. She remarked how grateful she was to have been able to harvest these animals and how she can’t wait to see what 2022 has…
Keep reading
Leave it in the Woods
I think that women are often criticized for making things too emotional. In these male-dominated sports tho, I think we try to hide or mask our emotions. I know I do. We are so afraid of not looking “tough enough” or “capable enough” but I think this hinders us more than it helps. We are so busy trying to keep the emotions and rawness of it all…
Keep reading
The Pressure
I stopped in the middle of the trail as the last bit of daylight hung in the air. The darkness seemed to roll in faster now that I had noticed its looming presence. I stopped in the middle of the trail and tried to hold back the tears. For over two weeks I had been racing home from work in the afternoon to sit in my stand…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – December
Here’s to 2021. I started Wild Women in the beginning of the year, and although it has grown significantly I will be the first to admit it has been neglected a bit since the 2021 hunting season opened and I was fully wrapped up being in the field. My biggest goals for 2022 are to keep moving forward, keep writing, sharing, and most of all to keep…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – October
Heather Hazelbaker added a new member post on one of my favorite female hunting pages back in August, along with some gorgeous pictures. Tara, who was featured in last month’s WWS, tagged me and said “we definitely need to read that, woman!” I absolutely LOVE that this network of women who share these passions is growing all the time! When I reached out to Heather she was…
Keep reading
Get Out of the Bubble
It’s no secret that I dislike change, but if you’ve been following my posts you may remember that I have been trying to break out of my comfort zone over the last few months, despite my ever growing list of “what ifs” and fears. I had been planning on spending the long weekend Way Up North, so excited to have a job where I get Columbus Day…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – September
It was April when I reached out to Tara to see if she would be interested in participating in my spotlight post. She had posted on one of the women’s fishing pages about how fishing had saved her life by keeping her active and by giving her some new perspectives in life. When I reached out to her it was met with nothing but warmth and enthusiasm.…
Keep reading
Not Being Perfect Doesn’t Mean You’re a Failure
In my efforts to find inspiration for writing, new channels to network, and just find content that I enjoy, I recently started listening to a few different podcasts. Some of my personal favorites, all of which you should check out, are Jigs & Bigs, Mindful Hunter, and most recently Her Inspired Journey, featuring Hannah Marcom. She talks a lot about the outdoors, but more than that she…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – August
Meet Rocky Kent, a Litigation Paralegal from Colorado with pure, raw passion for the outdoors. The first time I saw her name was with this post on Facebook in one of my favorite groups: I went on my first hunt this past weekend, hog hunting! And it WAS AMAZING! I was the only female at the camp, and the only person with a crossbow and the bets…
Keep reading
Let the Woods Humble You
There are so many reasons I love being in the woods and on the water. So many, I don’t know that I could put all of them on paper. There’s something though that I rarely hear about when people talk about their experiences in the woods, and I didn’t start to understand it until I went on my first solo hunt. That is respect. When my brother…
Keep reading
When I Fell in Love
I stumbled across a podcast this week on Instagram called Mindful Hunter. I highly recommend listening to his podcast, and following him on Instagram, especially this particular episode. He interviewed a woman from Texas named Lyndsey Kotrla (give her a follow too!). They talked about something briefly that really stuck with me, and that was the difference between being exposed to this sport and actually falling in…
Keep reading
Some Healthy Competition
Sibling rivalry. It’s a thing, we all know it. My brother Karl is almost 6 years younger than I am, and I will never forget how upset I was when he was finally old enough to join us on hunting and fishing outings. Once he started joining, I knew that meant he’d be tagging along for the foreseeable future. My dad always tried to find ways to…
Keep reading
To My Tribe
I can’t really describe the feeling behind a successful hunt. I could try, but I don’t think I would be able to do it justice. There are so many emotions wrapped in the adrenaline that consumes me in the woods after harvesting an animal. The first thing that I want to do is tell everyone. Anyone. I want to shout to the world that I am proud…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight -June
This month’s Wild Woman Spotlight is a lovely lady from Oakwood, Ontario named Toni Cooper. Back in the spring she posted a picture on IG of her with some beautiful turkeys that caught my eye. Part of her post that really moved me was what she wrote about the people she hunts with. I am so lucky to have hunted and learned from amazing people. This year…
Keep reading
So Many Questions
I don’t think anyone really understands the time,effort, or dedication that is put into hunting and fishing unless they actually do it. Getting up at 3:30 in the morning to go sit in the dark, sometimes shivering in the cold, or sitting around the lake for 8 hours, only to catch a few small fish. People don’t really get it. To me, it’s simple: I am doing…
Keep reading
Dear Dad
It’s been over a week since I have really written anything, and I can’t explain why other than I just needed a breather. Allowing myself that break and just to enjoy the things I love in the moment was very cathartic, not to mention much needed, so I decided not to beat myself up over it. Since so many of my stories and memories surrounding hunting and…
Keep reading
Constructive Criticism or Killing Enthusiasm?
There has been a little grey cloud following me around this week, as a FB user decided to comment on a couple of my posts in a negative way. First I was told that I am not a writer. I am writing to share the joy that I get from doing what I love with others, and maybe I’ll inspire some people along the way. Just because…
Keep reading
Use Your Voice, Make Some Noise
Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife is currently in the process of trying to reach an agreement for increasing the license fees. Their original proposal showed a direct increase in 2022 with not only increases to the direct hunting and fishing license fees, but also increases in permits and stamps, as well as a few new stamps that would be required. There were three zoom sessions open…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – May
Meet Raven. She’s a CNA in Lancaster, PA with an extreme passion for fishing. Her post on a women’s fishing group caught my attention: “I’m 24. Young to basically everybody – especially the population that fishes. So today I was at the stream waiting for the stocking truck to come. It shows and the fishing commissioner (I’ve known him for years) comes and says hi and we…
Keep reading
The F Word
Last week I wrote about how just over a year ago, I started to find my way again after being stuck in a rut, for far too long. I cannot express enough how much reconnecting with what I love to do has had such a positive effect on my life, but even with all the progress I’ve made, there’s one thing that still has had a tendency…
Keep reading
Share the Joy
I have been surrounded by hunting and fishing since before I was born. My mom shot a deer when she was pregnant with me in the fall of 92. Seventeen years later, in the same spot, I shot my first buck. My parents used to take me out in a baby backpack when they would go fish. I grew up in a house where there were always…
Keep reading
Let’s Eat Some Turkey
Massachusetts turkey season is winding down, with an end date of Saturday, May 22nd. To say it’s been eventful would be an understatement. Between my dad, brother, and I we have 4 birds. Something I have noticed when I talk to other hunters: we are all very eager to share our stories about how to harvest our game, but there is never nearly as much talk about…
Keep reading
Fuel Your Fire
It’s no secret that the pandemic has turned people’s lives upside down around the world, but I wanted to share how it inadvertently helped me reconnect to what I love to do. Pre-pandemic, fall of 2019: I was living in upstate New York with none of my family nearby, and recently out of a bad relationship. I had a crazy schedule in a chaotic work environment where…
Keep reading
Still True to the Mission
A few weeks ago I wrote about Green Mountain Conservation Camp – an absolutely amazing program that I was lucky enough to experience when I was 11. I wasn’t really planning a follow up post just yet, but a gentleman commented that they had attended too: “I attended Vermont’s Conservation Camp back in the 1970s – I’m glad to see it’s still being run with the same…
Keep reading
Thanks Mom
I was lucky enough to grow up in a home where both of my parents enjoyed hunting and fishing. They always shared that with my brother and I, taking us every chance they got. A big part about being a mom is helping nurture your children’s passions, supporting what they like to do. I am lucky enough not only to have my mom’s support but also to…
Keep reading
Mystery Tackle Box: 2
Mystery tackle box number two! This month I decided to try out Karl’s Bait & Tackle Mystery Tackle Box. They are pretty prominent on the search if you just Google “mystery tackle box subscriptions” and they seem to have a pretty good reputation. There were lots of positive reviews on their site and others. Here’s what I thought: The process: The site made their process very easy, all…
Keep reading
Hunt Safely
As a kid, sitting still while hunting could be a challenge. Not if I knew there was a turkey coming in to where I might get a shot, but when they were far enough away where I thought I could get away with fidgeting. One year my dad put a bright green sticker on my gun that said “hunt safely”. All I wanted to do while we…
Keep reading
Sharing the Love for the Woods
Monday morning kicked off the 2021 turkey season, my personal favorite. My dad and I snuck into the woods at about 4:30 and made our way across the field. We got our decoys set up, and I found a spot to sit. Usually I try to locate the bird in the roost, but the wind was so bad on Monday that we took a more “divide and…
Keep reading
Wild Woman Spotlight – April
First and foremost, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for reading, sharing, taking the time to respond, and most of all for the love. It’s been just over a month since I started Wild Woman and I see no end in sight, simply opportunity. I started this project for many reasons, but a big goal of mine is to empower women. I want all…
Keep reading
The Ripple Effect
Monday left me feeling a little extra blah. I had tossed my fishing poles and tackle box into my trunk before leaving for work, but didn’t really expect to feel like fishing after my day had ended. Once I left the office that’s all I wanted to do. I wanted to unplug and disconnect. I find myself on my phone constantly. I’m always reminding myself: put it…
Keep reading
Green Mountain Conservation Camp
One summer my dad announced that I was going to camp. I was less than thrilled. Sleep away summer camp wasn’t really a peak of my interest. Dad quickly explained that I wasn’t going to just any camp, I was going to Green Mountain Conservation Camp (GMCC). Once he told me I was going for a week to get my hunter’s ed certification and that it was…
Keep reading
“Sometimes you get em, sometimes you don’t”
Missing is a sore subject in my book. I hate missing a shot. Every hunter misses. I guarantee if they tell you otherwise, they’re full of you know what. Missing is a huge part of the sport, and it’s by far probably the hardest thing to get over. I am not talking about a firearm malfunction miss, but the misses that just happen. The ones that baffle…
Keep reading
What’s a Trout Bum?
I struggled this week as I looked over my list of potential topics. Nothing really jumped out at me. When I mentioned it to my cousin, a fellow blogger, she said “then it’s not their time”. Frustrated, I started scrolling through one of the groups I follow on Facebook in hopes of some sort of inspiration. I ended up landing on an article someone had posted from…
Keep reading
Mystery Tackle Box: 1
Something I hate to admit, is that I tend to have very boring tackle box contents. Worms, Powerbait, basic hooks, sinkers, and bobbers; a couple older Thomas lures or rooster tails. I have never been good at picking out different tackle for myself. Partly because I don’t really want to pay $7-$10 for a lure (yes I know, I’m cheap) and partly because I don’t really like…
Keep reading
Way Up North
Easter being today, I was contemplating not posting. I decided instead to throw a shout out to a special family of mine. I have a memory of asking my mom for 3 kinds of cereal in one bowl after a weekend “way up north”. She called a certain someone asking where I’d gotten that idea, even though she already knew. For as long as I can remember…
Keep reading
Some Responses
I wasn’t planning on writing about doe tags again, but there was so much feedback I felt it deserved another post. I wasn’t really expecting the sheer volume of responses and replies that I received, primarily via social media. Nothing could have made me happier, because one of my goals is to open dialogue on these topics. I pondered a lot on how I should respond, or…
Keep reading
Filling Doe Tags
Anyone who hunts knows that there is some discussion to be had on filling doe tags. I know people who never would pass on a doe if they have the tag, and then I know others who would never shoot a doe, even if they had a tag in their pocket. There are sides to be heard on both ends of the argument, but personally? I will…
Keep reading
Opening the Conversation of Ethics
There is so much to be said about ethics when it comes to hunting and fishing. I want to open the topic of conversation with a short story about where my groundwork comes from. When I was really young, maybe 5 or 6, my dad and mom gave me my first BB gun. We have this huge deck overlooking the backyard, so we set up a table…
Keep reading
5 Stars for Electric Drill Auger Kits
There is always a lull between the last day of December when deer season ends, and the fourth week in April which marks the beginning of turkey season (my personal FAVORITE but more on that another time). With nothing to hunt in-between, I find myself doing a lot of ice fishing. This year’s new-found favorite ice fishing tool: the electric drill ice auger kit. Gas powered augers…
Keep reading
You hunt, so does that mean you just like to kill?
When people find out that I am an avid hunter, the first thing they think about, after the shock wears off that I am a woman, is the killing. You know, being “out for blood”. I have been asked many times if I hate animals, and my reaction has typically been one of shock or confusion. If you know me personally, you know that I adore animals.…
Keep reading
Introduction
Hello! Thanks for taking the time to read what I have to write. If you had told me a year ago that I would be writing for the public eye, where literally anyone can view what I have to write, I would have laughed in your face. But, here I am! So what am I going to write about? I am going to write about my experiences…
Keep reading
Jigs and Bigs Fishing Report:6.8.23
Well it’s that time of the week again, time for the Fishing Report! My brother Karl was lucky enough to get out on the Oxbow with a friend, and landed some bass. He said that they were fishing in the weeds and using a finesse nedrig with water in the mid 60’s. Nelson was only…
Jigs and Bigs Fishing Report: 06.01.23
This week was a slower one for the jig heads, we all hate when work cuts into your fishing time! As for me, I have the same problem. All work, and no fishing….at least yet! I will (hopefully) have some salty reports in a couple of weeks. Tim hit up a lake not too far…
Jigs and Bigs Fishing Report: 05.25.23
It’s time to get the weekly scoop with the Western MA fishing report! My brother Karl was out yesterday on the CT river where he reported water in the mid 50’s and a low water line. He caught a few catfish on chunk bait, including a decent 7lber, and a smallie on a top water. …
Subscribe to Get the Latest!
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
Wild Woman 
Like what ur doing from the last of the great white hunters
LikeLiked by 1 person
Get a gobbler Monday good luck
LikeLike
Thanks Jon, good luck to you too!
LikeLike