Quail Forever volunteer Kata Miller recently launched a series of Women on the Wing events.
Story and photo by Phil Bastron, Quail Forever Regional Representative of North Carolina
North Carolina’s first ever Quail Forever Women on the Wing event — an introduction to shotgun shooting — ended with a clay target contest that saw the winning shooter go 6-for-6 and the runner up go 5-for-6. When the event started a few hours earlier, that type of success seemed far from likely.
With a goal of introducing new women to conservation, hunting, and the outdoors in the Tar Heel State, Quail Forever volunteer Kata Miller recently launched a series of Women on the Wing events. With the support of the nearby Broad River Chapter, she plans to host a mix of instructional and social events, from Learn to Hunt outings to bird dog demonstrations to local winery visits. Ultimately, the goal is to host events across the state and build a strong network of women supporting women as they are introduced to the uplands.
The group’s recent introduction to shotgun shooting event took place on a warm, sunny morning at Poplar Springs Farm in Shelby, NC. While a few of the participants had experience with bowhunting and handguns, only one had significant experience handling or shooting shotguns. After a thorough safety briefing, some donuts, and coffee, the ladies headed over to the clay thrower for some one-on-one instruction and practice. Each shooter learned the components of the firearm and ammunition, how to stand and shoulder the gun, and how to track and hit the target. It didn’t take long until everyone in the group was busting more clays than they were missing. The women had a great time finding success and cheering each other on. At the end of the day, one of the new shooters even stated, “That’s it, I’m going to buy a shotgun!”
To get involved with the North Carolina Women on the Wing group or for information on upcoming events, follow them on Instagram at @nc_womenonthewing, or reach out to NC Regional Representative Phil Bastron at pbastron@quailforever.org. And for more info on Quail Forever’s Women on the Wing initiative, please visit quailforever.org/wotw.
Phil Bastron is a Quail Forever Regional Representative in North Carolina.
This story originally appeared in the 2022 Summer Issue of the Quail Forever Journal. If you enjoyed it and would like to be the first to read more great upland content like this, become a member today!