What it's like to be a Mentor

[naturegirl]

 

 

It has been quite a long time since I’ve volunteered my actual time and now I again remember why I volunteered. A couple years ago I inquired with Amanda about being a mentor for the Women’s Javelina Camp, but I honestly wasn’t quite sure if I fit the bill. I’m a hunter who hunts a lot, but doesn’t kill a lot and I understand many people measure your skills by kills. I’ve worked hard and gained some of both over the last couple years, and I knew it was now time for me to be a mentor.

 

These women hunters are AWESOME! Kayla, me & Angel

 

Amanda matched me up with two kick butt women Kayla and Angel. Because I didn’t know the unit I had to gather as much intel as I could by talking with other mentors, Game and Fish, and following along with another mentor the first day to get my feet wet. I also tagged along with 125Coues (Mark) and Hilary (another absolutely beautiful young woman I wish to remain friends with) the afternoon before to get a feel for the land. My honest to goodness biggest concern was the traffic from down south coming over the border because we were very close to Mexico. I’ve handled everything I’ve come across so far since I’ve started hunting solo, but I have yet to cross paths with a group of men smuggling drugs or humans so it was a concern for me. I did feel a bit better knowing I went through one border patrol checkpoint and saw no less than nine border patrol trucks between the interstate and my destination. I definitely felt their presence, I liked it, and wish there were more. Thank you border patrol and I know there are a few of you here on CWT.

 

My glassing girls

 

Morning number one we go to what was a honey hole in past years for pigs. We set up to glass and sure enough I have to go to the bathroom. I get my optics and tripod ready, sit Angel down with my glass, and I go do my business. When I was done, I wanted to walk over to the edge to look down into the ravine to make sure there weren’t pigs down low beside us that we couldn’t see. Now I’m creeping through knee-high noisy grass trying to peek over the edge. During this time I had no idea what was going on behind me, but I later found out Angel was apparently trying very hard to get my attention by going “Psssst.. PSSSST! PPPPPPSSSSTT!!!” When she received no response from me, she says “mountain lion” and still receives no response from me. So now she tries a little louder with “Mountain Lion!” and I’m sure she’s thinking her mentor is deaf at this point, but then she loudly yelled “MOUNTAIN LION!!!!” and I clearly heard her this time. I ran back to them as fast as I could, but by the time I got there the lion was gone.

 

Apparently while I was away doing my business Angel heard a doe barking (again I heard nothing) so she finds it in the glass and looks back to where the doe is looking (smart girl right for her first morning hunting?). She sees a tan animal with a little red on its back crouched down stalking “just like a cat.” Then she sees this “long HUGE bottle brush tail” and knows exactly what she is seeing. This is when she started the process of trying to get my attention. She was concerned because I was walking toward the lion who was about 400-500 yards in the saddle on the mountain in front of us, and I was 100% completely okay with her doing this. I do not mind at all being told in any way, shape, or form that there is a mountain lion in the vicinity. When I got back we watched the does literally take a stance against that cat and they won round number one! It was amazing watching the lead doe actually go back to retrieve two does and the other doe who took her stance toward the lion and froze for a good 20 minutes or so. Angel was given a gift with this lion sighting and I repeatedly told her how lucky she was as I have yet to see one in the wild. Like I’ve said many times before, I know they’ve seen me but I have yet to see them. Point in case, and I still have yet to see one.

 

On day #2 we were heading back to camp when I see a big ol jackrabbit so I ask “Do you want to shoot a rabbit?” Angel responds with a “YES!” So she gets set up on the rabbit, and she shoots but misses. She laid her gun down and said “I can’t shoot again.” Her ears weren’t working right because she had forgotten her hearing protection in the truck. I quickly said “Yes you are. I’ll cover your ears.” She tried arguing a little, but gave in. So she gets ready, I cover her ears from behind and then tuck my head down between my shoulders. The second she shoots I look up to find the rabbit. She hit it good on the second shot with her 357. I’m going to be honest here I have never hunted rabbits and never been with anyone who hunted rabbits for the right reasons, but it was a total blast. She got to experience the hunt, stalk, watching her prey after the shot, and the kill. It’s no different if it’s a javi or a rabbit. She got it!

 

Angel and her rabbit

 

Well, here's a skill I'm still lacking because I have yet to personally field dress any of my kills except my recent attempts on a yote. So we head back to camp with the rabbit, ask around for help, and get none because all the hunters were still out. I’m not confident enough to teach this part, but the night before another hunter got a rabbit. Her mentor was the most patient man teaching her how to care for the rabbit so me and my hunters all watched their demonstration. Now it was time to use some of this newly acquired information. What can I say except Kayla is a skinning beast? She reminded me of Edward Scissorhands as she whipped through that rabbit in no time flat. Angel and Kayla are good friends and I believe they have a dang good hunting partnership in the works. Angel killed the rabbit and Kayla did the “dirty” work which was fine by me. One of my new hunting goals is I’m going to go kill a rabbit and make me and my daughter some rabbit stew.

 

Kayla Scissor Hands at work on the backstrap

 

I spent 3 days with these two amazing women and I took this time to not only teach them how to glass for javelina, but I also took them out and showed them where they were feeding, sleeping, their trails, tracks, and scat. At every available opportunity I’m explaining as much as I can about the outdoors, hunting, etc. I didn’t want to just set them up in front of glass all day and not get to actually see what pigs do, their behaviors, areas they like, etc. I also wanted them to have a say in what we did because this was their hunt. During a hike I found a Coues shed and Angel found the match close by so now she has the set. They also saw an old lion kill, deer rubs, and of course we all witnessed the ridiculous amount of trash left behind by the people crossing over (YUCK!!!!). I seriously wanted to carry a trash bag with me everywhere. Both of my hunters are big time campers and like the outdoors so that was a HUGE plus for me!

 

Angel and Kayla did not tag javelinas, but I do believe they can spot deer a mile away now and I am 100% confident these women gained a good amount of skills to move forward with as they continue on as hunters! I’ve also made a couple good friends who I’ll be camping or hunting with again in the future.

 

Did I forget to say we had a total blast? Get three strong women together for a few days and a good time will be had by all, and that’s a fact! I do believe I almost peed my pants a time or two. I haven’t laughed so hard so much in a VERY long time, and it sure did feel good. Thank you ladies for giving me that special gift!

 

Without a doubt I’m going back next year. I really enjoyed sharing what I know and of course I’m a sponge who is always soaking up knowledge. We were all treated like queens and fed the best fare ever! There are so many hard-working people who donate their time and money to make events like this happen, and I know I appreciated it as did every new woman hunter I talked to. You all did a wonderful job bringing 30 new hunting women into our world.

 

 

Angel is the photographer of the bunch and took way more photos than I did because my job was to find javelina and teach, but I did manage to snap a couple quick ones. Southern Arizona has it’s own diverse beauty. I haven’t spent much time down south, but I’m hoping to make it back very soon to the canyon that held the lion. Two days later another hunter watched two bobcats fight in that canyon and then walk about 30 yards or so in front of them. I really want to go predator hunting! I had my 270 in the truck the entire time, but it was the ladies hunt and not mine. I had full intentions on staying an extra day in that canyon with my rifle, but the rain pushed me out. After my last hunt, I wasn’t willing to sit in a tent while it rained so I headed on home and hit a tourist stop on my way.

 

Thank you Amanda and everyone who made the camp happen! It was a great success!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CanilleBowhunter]

Great story Girl! Thanks for sharing.

[lucky2hunt]

Great to finally meet you! So happy you had a good time...

[CouesWhitetail]

Thanks for coming and mentoring Naturegirl! You did awesome and it was a pleasure to have you there helping!

 

I just started a thread about the javelina camp at about the same time you posted yours. Maybe you can repost in the thread so we can have it all in one?

 

http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/topic/55837-womens-javelina-hunting-camp-2015-an-amazing-experience/

 

 

I am working on adding photos to it now.

[tjhunt2]

That was a great write up Christina along with some awesome pictures. It was nice to have finally met you. Glad to see you had a good time and thanks for volunteering as a mentor.

 

TJ

[Couestracker]

Excellent write-up and recap of the javi camp along with great pictures! Sounds like you and everyone did a great job and had fun doing it. Kudos and congratulations to you for your efforts.

[naturegirl]

Thank you. It was so nice to meet everyone.

 

You all did an absolutely amazing job putting on the camp and truly made a difference for the women! A huge THANK YOU to all of you!!!!!

[Red Sparky]

Great write up. My definition of a mentor is some one who helps teach another what they know. You seem to fit the bill, you taught what you knew and learned as you went as well. My feeling is once you quit learning, you are dead. It is a great feeling and made me remember one time I was out hunting and came across a 12 year old with a deer down looking perplexed. He told me he had to go get his Dad as he had never field dressed a deer, this was the first he had ever taken. His Dad and him had never taken a deer while they were hunting together. So I asked "Want some help? I know how to do it." I made him do the field dressing for the most part. We drug the deer out to the road as his Dad was driving by to their pick up spot. The beam on the kids face was more than worth my time as he told his Dad he did the field dressing with a little help. The next year in the same unit, within 1/4 mile of the previous year, I had a deer down. Someone was walking up and I knew it was not someone from my hunting party. Here is the same kid a year older and says " Want some help? I know how to do it." We had a good laugh but I sent him on his way to keep hunting.

[Pixman]

Great write up and pics thanks for sharing Christina.