The Mom behind the Camo

I am a mother of four daughters, a wife, a full time employee, a member of the NWTF and a huntress; however, I wasn't always these things.

I was born and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida. I grew up with warm weather and sandy beaches beneath my feet. Hunting was not in the picture. About 6 years ago I moved to Georgia with my husband and children and said goodbye to the sandy beaches and hello to my new lifestyle.  

The more I share, the more I find my story is like many others. When I met my husband, I was not a hunter. In fact, I couldn't understand his obsession when deer season rolled around. I understood that it was more than a passion of his, it was in his blood as he had been hunting since the age of three. I also understood that he would spend as much time in the woods as possible and would rarely be home. I just didn't have a full grasp on why and what this addiction was.   

As our second year together rolled around I became more interested. I wanted to learn more about hunting and tag along with him. Unfortunately, the camp he was hunting at had this insane rule that women couldn't stay the night although I am not sure how that would've affected hunting. Maybe the other men just needed an excuse to go alone. Needless to say, we didn't go there often that year. After that year my decision was made, I was going to become a hunter.

Our weekends now consist of making the drive to Johnson County in South Georgia. My husband, our daughters and I stay at a family oriented camp where we hunt, fish, bbq, and spend time on the Oconee River.

What was once foreign and confusing has become a way of life that I wouldn't trade for anything this in this world.

Trust me when I say that it has been fun getting to this point and it's just getting started!

Those of you who didn't grow up hunting, and maybe some who did, I am sure can relate. You decided you were interested and wanted to get involved; however, you only had your husbands camo and hand me downs to get you started. For those of you who are just now getting started, here are a few tips for you.  

Get your feet wet. Don't worry about all the fancy gear your first year. Give it a try with what you have, even if that means wearing your husband's clothes. There is no sense in investing a ton of money until you know if you like it or not.

Once you have made the decision to be a hunter you're ready to do some shopping.  That's part of the fun, right? Side note; don't be surprised when the store associate immediately asks your husband if he needs assistance. When I walked into the store to grab my items for the first time it went a little like this: I found the firearm I wanted and for whatever reason the associate seemed to be trying to talk me out of it as if I walked in on a whim and had not done any research in advance. I know one thing, as a mother of four girls I am organized and do my research.

Ok back to it, here are some items you will likely need:

1. A firearm or a bow (along with accessories, ammunition and/or arrows)
2. Women’s hunting clothing. There are many options on the market these days.
3. A solid pair of hunting boots. Don’t skimp on the boots. You will be covering a lot of ground and will need to be as comfortable as possible.
4. Hunting face paint. Be sure to select an all natural camo paint like Nature’s Paint. This will help prevent breakouts and irritation.
5. A hunting pack and all of the accessories to go in it. Check out Nature’s Paint article: Hunting Pack Essentials for Bow Season.

Be prepared for the whole family to get involved. My three oldest daughters now share this passion for hunting. Although this causes stares at times and some of their friends do not understand,  they are beginning to show their love for outdoors and hunting.

Most importantly, enjoy your journey!
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It's taken me three years, but this year I met some like-minded women and mothers who share my love and passion for the outdoors. I have also joined Prois Outdoor & Field Apparel for Women as part of their hunt staff. I say this not to brag, but to show you the endless possibilities your journey can bring.

That's just it... This is a journey!

Move over men!!!

#HuntressMom #HuntingMom

DeAnna Hightower, Nature’s Paint Pro Staff

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