The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

While hunting is still largely viewed as a man's activity, the number of women hunters increased 25 percent between 2011-2016, according to US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the numbers continue to climb. Embracing women in the outdoors is not news to Pheasants Forever (PF), but their "Women on the Wing" (WotW) initiative is relatively fresh.

"In 2018, Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever's Women on the Wing Initiative officially kicked off in response to the rapid interest and engagement among women conservationists [and those] that wanted to learn more. The vision of the initiative is simple: To expand and diversify those who hold an appreciation for the uplands, and to increase opportunities to share our passion with others," writes Marissa Jensen, PF's Education and Outreach Program Manager.

The WotW initiative has boomed since its inception, with chapters springing up across the nation devoted solely to providing hands-on programming for women in the outdoors. Given founding members of our local Blue Mountain Pheasants Forever chapter (Chapter) included conservation-minded women like the late Bertha Hinchliff, developing a local WotW program has become a top priority.

In December 2021, a young lady from Tri-Cities, Kelly Merrick, stepped up to give the program wings. Kelly volunteered to officially form the Chapter's WotW Committee and take the reigns as the Committee Chair. As an enthusiastic upland hunter and conservationist, Kelly has a background in training and hunting pointing labs and is active in the Columbia Basin Pointing Labrador Club and other outdoor programs.

"Building relationships with working dogs through upland hunting has opened a whole new world to me. It's allowed me to share more deeply in outdoor experiences with my husband and my dog and has now become my favorite past-time. I want to introduce other women to bird dogs and the uplands and help them experience the same joy and excitement that I do when hunting behind my dog. Women on the Wing is a perfect outlet to encourage and grow our hunting and conservation community, and I am proud to be a part of the initiative," Kelly said.

Kelly's tenacity spurred WotW to life by drafting a 2022 Chapter program agenda. Events will include shooting clinics and firearms safety, hunting dog demonstrations, habitat and conservation workshops, and wrap up next fall with a "Women, Wine and Wild Game" event that provides a "field-to-table" experience and promotes pride and delicacy that is sourcing one's own wild food.

To learn more and get involved with WotW, email Kelly at WoW@bmpf258.org, and visit the Chapter's WotW webpage at http://tinyurl.com/57mm3m53

Brad Trumbo is the Advisory Board Chairman and Public Relations Officer for Blue Mountain Pheasants Forever.